manufacturing costs SMT vs. Through Hole

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General Frequently-Asked Questions
1

I have a display board, through hole will adding a single
SMT 24 pin soic add to the manufacturing cost and how much.

I realize this is not a specific Arduino question, however I
know you guys have the answer.

First build is 10 boards, then 100.

Thanks

2

With those sorts of numbers it is not likely to be any different. They are just too small to affect things.

3

Agree with Grumpy_Mike.

I was getting quotes for 50 off, and manufacturing cost for an all SMT board was much cheaper than all thru-hole.
Mixing was the highest-cost option for so few, but not by much; our board was mostly SMT, with a bit of large through hole.

HTH
GB

4

well out here component cost for smt is lesser however board assembling costs for smt are higher and through hole workout to be cheaper. Also servicing something with through hole is easier.

5

however board assembling costs for smt are higher

Really?

Even a teaching friend finds his school children can make electronics significantly faster using SMT and solder paste syringes than through hole, and that is with tweezers, and not pick-and-place.

With solder paste stencils, and mechanical (not automated) pick and place, SMD is faster, and hence cheaper here than through hole.

So what you say is very interesting.
Do you know why? Can you share that with us?

[edit]

Also servicing something with through hole is easier.

I am not an expert, but I have been assured by EE's that industry statistics show SMD is more reliable, fewer DOA and intermittent faults, so it may even out. A friend recently built a one-off board, made a mistake, and felt an SMD processor (48 pin?) was easier to remove with SMD than if it had been soldered through hole.[/edit]