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PTH

PTH or Pin through Hole is the terminology used to define the process by which the leads or legs of electronics components are inserted through 'designated holes' in the printed circuit board and soldered in place using one of a number of soldering techniques. This process is also known as conventional assembly.

The solder joint formed is very strong as the component is soldered through the pcb unlike a smt component which is soldered to the surface of the pcb only.

This technology has typically been used to manufacture products where space was not a problem e.g. TV manufacturing, early computers etc, where strong interconnections were required between circuit boards (e.g. mother board into a backplane) or where inexpensive components were readily available.

Where printed circuit board assemblies are manufactured using a combination of both surface mount technology (SMT) and Pin Through Technology, these assemblies are called mixed technology.

Components can be inserted in to a PTH PCB using a number of automated processes including axial insertion (resistors and diodes), radial insertion (electrolytic capacitors) and odd form insertion (connectors, transformers etc) or by simply by hand.

Components can then be soldered in place using a hand solder, wave solder, selective solder or intrusive reflow process. See section on soldering for further information.

PCB Assembly Topics

Prototype

SMT

PTH

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Guide Written by Paul Wilson

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PTH Articles

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