The automated assembly of printed circuit boards is expanding to include ever more components. While formerly limited to just a few parts, today virtually all the components of a circuit board can be loaded using pick & place. These are then all heated in a soldering furnace and soldered. This eliminates the need for separate wave soldering and consequently saves costs. HARTING is keeping up with this trend with the M12 SMT, which will be available in codes A, D and X in male and female versions. This move will bring both power and Ethernet up to 10 Gbit/s to the PCB from new miniaturised switches.
The distinct advantages of this are the automated, rapid and more cost-effective placement of the connection, since dispensing with through-hole contacts means it can now also be equipped on both sides. The result is a miniaturised solution that is faster and less expensive to produce.