How to Handle Small Components (.PDF Download)

Use of surface-mount technology (SMT) in consumer products offers a major competitive advantage—they enable significant design miniaturization. Surface-mount devices (SMD) come in a variety of standard packages like the miniature 0201 and 01005, as well as SOT, SIOC, QFP, and BGA packages.

OEMs can either make their products smaller or integrate more features into the same product size. However, one critical aspect of successfully using such small components in any product is the ability of the contract manufacturer to handle these components using their manufacturing equipment.