SMT Glossary & Terminology
Your reference guide for Surface Mount Technology (SMT) assembly terms. Browse definitions for nozzles, feeders, mounters, standards, and assembly line machinery.
SMT Nozzle
Precision mechanical tool attached to a pick-and-place head, utilizing vacuum suction to pick up, hold, orient, and position surface mount components onto a printed circuit board.
Reference wiki →SMT Feeder
A mechanism that feeds electronic components (wound on plastic reels or packaged in tubes/trays) to a precise pick-up position for picking by placing machines.
Reference wiki →Reflow Oven
A computer-controlled heating machine used to bake printed circuit boards, melting the solder paste to form robust, permanent electrical and mechanical joints.
Reference wiki →Solder Paste Printer
High-precision screen printing equipment designed to deposit solder paste through a laser-cut stencil onto specific pads of a bare PCB.
Reference wiki →AOI System
Automated Optical Inspection equipment utilizing cameras, LED illumination, and image processing software to check PCBs for assembly defects.
Reference wiki →Pick and Place Machine
Robotic assembly equipment that places surface-mount components (SMDs) onto a PCB using high-speed optical alignment and nozzles.
Reference wiki →SMT Stencil
A laser-cut stainless steel sheet that acts as a template for printing solder paste onto pads of bare printed circuit boards during stencil printing.
Reference wiki →Placement Rate
The speed measurement metric of pick-and-place assembly machines, usually expressed in Components Per Hour (CPH) under optimum specifications.
Reference wiki →MELF Component
Metal Electrode Leadless Face cylindrical electronic components, such as resistors and diodes, designed for surface mount assembly requiring high stability.
Reference wiki →IPC Standards
Global trade association guidelines defining design, acceptability, assembly quality, and inspection specifications for printed board assemblies.
Reference wiki →