USB receptacle parts with only SMT  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: DanielRehak
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 06:42:20 am
content: Hi,what do you think of only SMT connectors for USB? By this I mean only SMT, no THT anywhere.Lot of part manufacturers make the connector receptacle part with pins as SMT pad and shield as multiple THT.For hot plate I would prefer the SMT only variant but I am afraid it will break off if I push the connector in too much (happened to me already).Looking for any more experienced users for their opinion on this topic.

author: exmadscientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 07:17:14 am
content: Those things are trash, do not use them unless there isnoother option that works for you. They rip straight off boards.I have made a lot of money for my employers doing nothing more than designing out SMT USB receptacles and putting in ones with TH hold-downs of some sort. It's fine to solder them as paste-in-pad/THR, that works pretty well. The connectors just have to have those through-hole lugs or theywillfail in the field at ludicrous rates.

author: NickZA
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 07:34:55 am
content: Stay away from them. I designed them onto a board once. The number of returns with the connector broken off the board was extremely high. Lucky it was a low volume board and most of the time the connector broke off but left the pads still intact on the board, so we were able to repair. If it had been a volume product we would have had a huge problem on our hands.Maybe look for a connector that has short THT pins that will not protrude all the way through the board. That way you could still do the SMT on the hot plate.

author: DanielRehak
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 11:42:31 am
content: OK, thanks for advice.We have a board with them (prototype) and it ALREADY broke on me once. So I wanted to confirm they are trash.I will try to replace them with other part that has short pins for THT which maybe will not go all the way through as NickZA proposed.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 06:40:19 pm
content: Depending on the connector design, you can solder a "through hole" component using the SMT process. You just have to make sure you have enough paste to get a good connection. It is known by several names, Paste-In-Hole and Pin in Paste are the two I remember off hand. I have used it on a USB C connector that was SMD with 4 mounting holes I tried in small prototype runs and it shows good promise. I hope to have it in a product soon.

author: PCB.Wiz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 09:13:38 pm
content: Quote from: DanielRehak on September 05, 2024, 06:42:20 amAs many have said, there are reasons SMD alone connectors are now quite rare.I'm not following the problem, many of the pins on these connectordo not go all the way thru the PCB, so are still fine on a hot plate ?I like the 'leg at each corner' Micro USB designs for most robust and those have leg lengths commonly 1mm or 1.1mm or 1.8mmUSB-C connector need finer PCB design rules, common pin heights there seem to be 1mm and 1.2mm

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2024, 09:27:44 pm
content: Don't not use them. Especially if it's a portable device. They can be ripped off PCB very easily. Connectors with TH shell prongs can be soldered by pin in paste process, which is a normal SMD process in a nutshell.