White Paper Overview

This 9-page PCB Assembly Overview from Summit Interconnect is a practical reference guide for electrical engineers working on PCB design and production. It covers the essentials of PCB manufacturing and assembly processes, including key standards like IPC-A-610 and IPC-J-STD-001, board stack-up considerations, and the differences between Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Through-Hole Technology (THT), and mixed assembly methods.

You’ll also find insights on single- and double-sided component placement, common inspection techniques such as AOI and X-ray, and considerations for solder types, conformal coating, and EMI shielding.

The guide also explains how design choices impact manufacturing complexity and cost. It includes detailed overviews of component placement processes, SMT sizes, stencil usage, and service models like full and partial turnkey assembly. Whether you’re prototyping or preparing for high-volume production, this cheat sheet keeps critical assembly knowledge at your fingertips.