THT assembly
- through hole technology
- wired components
- wire connections inserted through the circuit boards
- alternative to the SMT process
- higher current carrying capacity of the components
- for assemblies that are exposed to high mechanical loads
An alternative to the SMT process
In contrast to SMT technology, the push-fit installation is carried out using connecting pins that can be inserted into the circuit board. These components are inserted into the printed circuit board through contact holes and thus connected to it. The soldering process then takes place from below, where a wave soldering system heats the entire components via a wave. This leads to the solder wave coating the inserted wires with solder, thus creating the connection to the conductor tracks including electrical contact.
If greater care and accuracy of the THT assembly is required, as is the case, for example, with double-sided assembly, a selective soldering system or manual soldering is used. Compared to the SMT process, these procedures can be more time and cost consuming due to the higher manual effort.
Application areas for THT assembly
Although SMT production has largely replaced the THT assembly, there are still some components for which the THT assembly is still indispensable. E.g. assemblies that are exposed to high mechanical loads, such as switches, plugs or coils, are fixed on the circuit board using THT. There are usually no other assembly options for such components. Due to the higher current carrying capacity of the components, wired components are still used in other areas of power electronics. In addition, components can also be found in the field of information electronics that are attached using THT components.
