Course detail

Printed Circuits and Surface Mount Technology

FEKT-BPA-PSMAcad. year: 2025/2026

Subject deals with topics of printed circuit board (PCB) production and assembly process from the components and used chemistry at the entrance of the process to the repairs and quality requirements at the assembly process exit. Subject deals with basic materials for production of printed circuit boards (PCB), their properties, application and comparison with inorganic substrates, technology procedures of single-, double- and multi-layer PCBs production, new technology trends of PCB production, surface mount technology (SMT), throuh hole technology (THT) and combined mounting of electronic parts and quality requirements of placement and soldering.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Jiří Starý, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Electrical and Electronic Technology (UETE)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

The subject knowledge on the secondary school education level is required.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Evaluation of laboratory works - max 25 points, test 1st - max 10 points, test 2nd - max 15 points, final written examination - max 40 points, oral final examination - max 10 points. Written and oral part of final examination are duty. Progress to oral part of final examination is only after receiving min 15 points from written part of final examination. Oral part of final examination is passed with min 4 points.
Examination is oriented to evaluation of received knowledges from printed circuit board (PCB) production and surface mount technology (SMT) topics and in practical orientation in technology analysis of real assembled PCB. Student in this analysis demonstrates ability to choose conforming technology procedure of components assembly and of PCB description incl. applied PCB surface treatments.
Requirements for completion of a course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every year.
The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Aims

The aim of the subject is to make students familiar with the printed circuit boards (PCB) production. Initiate them into the material and technology questions of components assembly, which are available at present time. Main focus is in surface mount technology (SMT).
The student will be able to orientate in production of asembled and non assembled PCB
 define basic terminology from PCB
 describe and explain differences in basic materials - organic, inorganic - composition, properties and application
 prove knowledges from subtractive technique of PCB production . Name and explain partial production steps of single, double and multilayer PCB
 is able after received knowledges operate with PADS PCB design system, later is able to design simple PCB in PADS
 prove to explain technology procedures from throuh hole technology (THT), surface mount technology (SMT) and mixed technology
 prove to explain flux, solder paste, adhesive and solder alloy functions
 master soldering and cleaning of PCB problematics, is able to disscuss questions of til/lead and lead free techniques
 able to apply received knowledges in real production PCB technology analysis, prove to disscuss partial steps
 master reflow soldering temperature profile measuring and evaluation
 prove to interprete quality requirements for assembly and soldering according to international standards IPC A 610 rev. D , E
 able practically place and solder PCB with surface mounted devices (SMD), master principles and technique of repair of TH and SM devices, manual assembly and deassembly
 master basic english terminology from PCB production and from PCB assembly

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Hwang, J., S.:Environment-Friendly Electronics: Lead Free Technology, Electrochemical Publications Limited 2001, ISBN 0 901150 401 (EN)
Lea, C.:A Scientific Guide to Surface Mount Technology, Electrochemical Publications Ltd, GB 1998 (EN)
Puttlitz, K., J.: Handbook of Lead Free Solder Technology for Microelectronic Assemblies (EN)
Wassink, R. J. K.:Manufacturing Techniques for Surface Mounted Assemblies,Electrochemical Publications Ltd, GB 1995 (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPA-ELE Bachelor's

    specialization BPA-ECT , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Jiří Starý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Basic organic materials, kinds of bonding agent stiffeners, plated basic materials. Solid and flexible basic organic materials.
Basic organic materials, electrical, mechanical and also heat properties. Basic inorganic materials and comparison with organic materials.
Principles of PCB design, form and size of soldering spots and conductive paths. Principles of design for wave soldering and soldering by remelting.
Principles of PCB design, design of non-soldering mask, design of soldering spots for BGA and CSP, examples of footprints for SMT
Mounting and interconnecting structures, kinds. Subtractive, semiadditive and additive methods of production of mounting and interconnecting structures. Major application trends in electrotechnics.
Technological procedures of production of single-layer, double-layer and multi-layer PCB. Microinterconnecting (microvia) structures, MID. Separate operations of production process.
Assembly, surface and combined mount of PCB. Technological procedures. New trends in SMT.
Chemistry in mounting process and its correct choice (soldering paste, soldering alloys, adhesives, fluxing agents conformal coatings, packaging materials)
Application technologies (screen process printing, stencil printing, dispension). Process of SMD population, populating automatic machines, principles, methods of component centering .
SMD, properties and execution, outlets of parts, packages for IO, passive parts, electromechanical elements, BGA packages, design.
Soldering, methods of soldering, soldered connection and reliability of soldered connection. Machine soldering by wave, influence of nitrogen protective atmosphere. Manual soldering, principles.
Reflow soldering, methods, forced convection and influence of nitrogen atmosphere. Measurement of temperature profiles. Testing of non-populated and populated DPS, quality checking, checking methods.
Repairs of DPS, contact and contactless methods of assembly/disassembly. Principles and technique of repairs. Requirements on DPS according to IPC and Czech standards, antistatic prevention.

Exercise in computer lab

4 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Jiří Starý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Design system - basic rules
Design system and technological outputs

Laboratory exercise

18 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Jiří Starý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Organic basic materials, properties. Principles of choice of material.
Production of single-layer and double-layer PCB on the line BUNGARD/PROTOCAD.
Soldering paste, adhesives, fluxing agents. Properties and distribution Technical and safety sheets, manipulation and storing, principles.
Screen process printing/template printing. Screens, templates, properties. Printing of soldering paste. Factors influencing quality of print, defects and their reasons.
Semiautomatic population of SMD, creating program. Dispension of adhesive. Population of SMD into soldering paste. Mounting procedures, discussion.
Reflow soldering with solder paste, measuring of temperature profiles and principles. Defects of soldered joints. Test of the solder paste for solder balling.
Repairs of assembly units by contact method/hot air. Assembly/disassembly of chips (0805, 1206), SOIC, QFP.
Requirements for population and soldering of SMD. Checking quality of assembly unit according to IPC-A-610B.

Field trip

4 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Jiří Starý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Excursion to PCB mounting plant
Excursion to PCB production plant.