With the rapid advancement of mobile communication technology, EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) providers worldwide are facing severe labor shortages. Furthermore, the Industry 4.0 trend has heightened the demand for automation in EMS facilities. As a result, many components that were previously not suited for Surface Mount Technology (SMT) are now required to meet the Paste-In-Hole (PIH) process. These components include Type A USB connectors, RJ45 Ethernet connectors, power sockets, transformers, and other relatively bulky parts. In the past, these components were typically soldered after SMT using wave soldering equipment or manual touch-up.
Due to the scarcity of manual labor and the need to save on subsequent manufacturing costs, along with quality considerations, many system manufacturers and EMS companies are gradually transitioning these non-SMT components to at least meet the PIH process requirements. This enables all electronic components to be soldered to the printed circuit board through a reflow oven.