What are the advantages and disadvantages to using surface mount products?
Using genuine SMT products increases the surface utilization of the PCB, since you can use both sides. It is appropriate for pick & place automated assembly and completely eliminates PCB damages that are inherent to THR products. Basically it is the higher reliability and the cost impact at PCB assembly level, that make the genuine SMT product line the option of the future. The disadvantage of the genuine SMT product line is the weaker retention strength of the contact pins to the PCB pad, and the need to change the PCB layout when making the shift from THR to SMT. Despite the assembly strength and reliability of THR connectors, during the first decade of the new century, the shift between THR and SMT will become more and more popular.
