While formerly limited to just a few parts, today virtually all the components of a circuit board can be loaded using pick-and-place equipment prior to being heated in a soldering oven and soldered. This eliminates the need for separate wave soldering and consequently saves costs.
HARTING is keeping up with this trend with the introduction of the M12 SMT connector, which will be available in codes A, D and X in male and female versions. This move will bring both power and Ethernet at up to 10Gbit/s to the PCB via new miniaturised switches.
The benefits of this approach are the automated, rapid and more cost-effective placement of the connection, since dispensing with through-hole contacts means that the board can now be populated on both sides. The result is a miniaturised solution that is faster and less expensive to produce.
