Design for manufacture is an important but often overlooked aspect of PCB design. When choosing components the choice can have a significant impact on the overall cost of assembly.
The vast majority of components on a PCB are now surface mount, and it is often the connector that is the only through hole component on the build requiring a secondary wave or selective solder process.
There are a growing number of industrial device connectors that are available in THR (through hole reflow) or SMD (surface mount device) which can be automatically picked and placed during the reflow soldering process. The advantages are significant as result in the entire PCB being assembled and soldered in one process, saving time and money.
