boardmounted

Board-mounted, often written as board-mounted or PCB-mounted, describes components, assemblies, or devices that are designed to be attached to a printed circuit board as part of an electronic assembly. This distinguishes such items from equipment mounted on enclosures, chassis, or panel surfaces. The term can apply to a wide range of components, including connectors, switches, regulators, filters, and passive or active devices that include mechanical features for board retention.

Mounting methods: The two primary approaches are through-hole mounting and surface-mounting. Through-hole components have leads that pass through holes drilled in the PCB and are soldered on the opposite side, offering robust mechanical support suitable for connectors or components expected to endure shock or vibration. Surface-mount components are placed on PCB pads and soldered by reflow; they enable higher density and smaller boards. In modern production, many board-mounted parts use surface-mount packages, sometimes with additional through-hole anchors for reliability.

Mechanical and electrical considerations: Board-mounted devices must fit the board footprint, provide adequate clearance for heat dissipation and electrical isolation, and be oriented to align with assembly order. Thermal management, solder joint quality, contamination, and mechanical stress are important factors; through-hole parts can be more forgiving during manual assembly or rework, while SMD parts require precise automated processes.

Manufacturing and standards: Board-mounted assemblies follow IPC and IEC standards for component footprints, soldering, inspection, and testing. Common practices include using appropriate land patterns, proper reflow profiles, and X-ray or AOI for inspection of solder joints. The term is widely used in electronics design, manufacturing, and repair to describe items intended to be mounted on a PCB.