Leave Your Message
PCBA plug-in technology: a combination of tradition and modernity

Blogs

PCBA plug-in technology: a combination of tradition and modernity

2024-11-08

In this article, we will bring you an in-depth understanding of PCBA plug-in technology, discuss its working principle, application scenarios, advantages and disadvantages and its future development trend.

What is PCBA plug-in technology (THT)?
Plug-in technology, or through-hole insertion technology (Through-Hole Technology, THT), refers to the pins of electronic components inserted into the PCB (printed circuit board) on the pre-punched holes, and then through the soldering process will be reset to ground components fixed on the circuit board of a process.

In this process, the PCB needs to be punched in order to form the pins of the component into the circuit board. Plug-in component pins on the other side through the wave soldering, manual soldering or reflow soldering and other methods of fixing, stable electrical connection This process is usually used for larger, heavier components, or those need to withstand a large amount of current or physical stress components.

选择PCBA工厂时需要关注的质量认证有哪些?.jpg

Application Scenarios for Insert Technology
Despite the dominance of surface mount technology (SMT) in modern electronics manufacturing, plug-in technology is still widely evaluated in a number of specific areas:

High-power and high-current applications: Due to its unique mechanical structure, insert technology is able to provide enhanced contact for high-power electrical applications such as power supply circuits, power amplifiers and other electronic products that need to withstand high currents.

Components requiring mechanical insertion: Plug-in technology is commonly used for components such as connectors, relays, switches, etc. These components are often large in size and require a mechanical connection. These components are often large in size and require strong mechanical connections to be installed or loosened during use.

Multi-layer PCBs: Plug-in technology is also commonly used to connect more sophisticated circuits when designing complex multi-layer PCBs. These circuits often require the use of multiple layers of pins to enable multi-layer PCBs and stable connections.

Automotive and military electronics: In areas requiring extremely high reliability, such as automotive electronics and military equipment, plug-in technology is still widely used due to its enhanced connectivity and immunity to interference.

Ease of maintenance and replacement: Plug-in components are easily replaced manually, which makes them extremely important in products that require long-term maintenance and repair. Examples include older televisions, industrial equipment and other areas.

为什么交货能力是选择PCBA加工合作伙伴的重要标准?.jpg

Advantages of plug-in technology
Although plug-in technology is in some cases not as efficient as surface mount technology (SMT), it still has some unrivalled advantages:

Mechanical strength and durability: Plug-in components are able to withstand greater mechanical vibrations and shocks by forming a physical connection with the PCB board through the footer earlier than surface-mounted components. This makes plug-in components particularly suitable for industrial equipment, automotive electronics and other environments.

High current carrying capacity: The header pins of plug-in components provide a stronger electrical contact point and can carry increased currents, making them critical in high-power, high-current circuits.

Higher connection reliability: Plug-in components generally provide a more stable connection than surface mount. In applications where reliability is critical, plug-in technology is still the preferred choice.

Ease of Repair and Replacement: Plug-in components are easier to manually sense and repair than surface mount components. For devices that require close maintenance, plug-in components offer greater convenience for maintenance personnel.

Challenges of Plug-In Technology
Despite its drawbacks, plug-in technology faces a number of challenges and limitations:

High production costs: Plug-in technology requires punching holes in the PCB and manual insertion (especially manual soldering) during installation. These process steps increase production costs and production time.

Large PCB footprint: Plug-in elements take up more space than surface mount elements, so for designs that require high-density integration, plug-in technology often fails to meet the requirements.

Lower degree of automation: Compared with SMT, plug-in technology has a lower degree of automation. Although some advanced automation equipment has begun to recognise plug-in technology, the overall productivity is still lower than SMT.

Soldering quality issues: The soldering quality of the plug-in components is very critical. The pins must be soldered to the PCB and there must be no soldering, otherwise it may lead to component failure or poor circuit connection.

Plug-in technology future trends
With the development of automation technology and smart manufacturing, the productivity and quality of plug-in technology are expected to improve. The following are possible future trends in plug-in technology:

Increased automation: With the development of robot welding and laser welding technology, the level of automation of plug-in technology will be gradually increased, thereby improving productivity and welding quality and reducing labour costs.

The introduction of green technology: the future of plug-in technology will be more environmentally friendly materials and processes, such as lead-free soldering, in line with the global urgent need for environmental standards.

Automated Manufacturing: In the context of automated manufacturing, plug-in technology will be gradually combined with intelligent testing and quality control systems to achieve higher production accuracy and parts defect rate.

Application of new materials: With the continuous stabilisation of new high-performance materials, complementary technologies may also be innovatively applied in certain areas. For example, the use of new highly conductive materials can achieve electrical performance, or the use of lightweight materials to enhance the overall weight increase.

微型元件的贴装挑战:PCBA工厂的解决方案.jpg
Although plug-in technology is gradually being replaced by surface mount technology in the PCBA industry, it is still irreplaceable in some areas of high current, high power and high reliability. In the future, with the continuous progress of automation and customisation technology, plug-in technology will continue to occupy a place in high-end applications. Electronics manufacturers who can combine market demand and utilise different combinations of technologies will provide customers with higher quality and more competitive products.