Automobile SMT applications.

In this article, we will discuss the influence on the automobile industry by our SMT products. As the automotive industry accelerates its transition toward intelligent and electric vehicles, the importance of automotive electronics continues to grow. As a core process in the electronics assembly industry, SMT (Surface Mount Technology) plays an irreplaceable and critical role in the automotive electronics sector. The optimization of engine control systems is inseparable from SMT chip mounting technology. Critical data collected by various sensors is rapidly processed by control chips assembled using SMT technology, enabling precise regulation of fuel injection and ignition processes to ensure efficient engine operation while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

For example, we have had customers utilizing our Nectec’s NT-L12 to achieve higher integration and faster response times on their high-performance engine control module, significantly enhancing the stability of power output. This not only improves vehicle performance but also aligns with the current industry trend toward energy conservation and emissions reduction.

Another aspect, Automotive airbag systems rely heavily on SMT technology, integrating acceleration and collision sensors with microprocessors in electronic control units. Our pick and place machines, like the NT-P5 and NT-T5, are crucial for mounting these automotive control SMT boards with high precision and defect-free accuracy. Thanks to Nectec’s latest high-precision module placement function, NT-P5 can reach an impressive placement speed of 42,000 CPH for any 0201 chips sizing up to 40mm x 40mm. To guarantee the success rate of placement, it installs with a high-speed placement head to ensure the placement accuracy stays within ±0.035mm. To better assist this function, we have designed a linear scanning camera for NT-P5 to actively monitor the placement of chip components. For NT-T5, it is the flagship high-speed placement machine for high standard placement, with a speed of 84,000 CPH.

What makes it distinguishable from NT-P5 is that it comes with a 10-head high-speed placement head with flying camera, exclusively. This precision ensures that high-precision components can swiftly detect signals and trigger airbag deployment during collisions, enhancing passenger safety. The miniaturization of airbag control modules through SMT improves their reliability and responsiveness, meeting the increasing demands for automotive safety performance. Thus, our machines play a vital role in producing effective airbag systems.

The next aspect is regarding the safety of the passengers. Electronic Control Units (ECUs) for chassis control systems such as Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) and Electronic Stability Programs (ESP) extensively utilize our SMT machines like NT-NB. ECUs integrate numerous electronic components via SMT technology, receive signals from various sensors, and precisely control braking and steering in real time to prevent vehicle instability, thereby enhancing handling stability and driving safety. As autonomous driving technology advances, chassis control systems demand increasingly stringent precision and reliability from electronic components, making SMT surface mount technology a critical enabler for meeting these requirements. For small sized chip components like carplay systems or intelligent dashboard, our SMT machines are widely used in these categories. Smart dashboards use our NT-P5 to integrate display driver chips, microcontrollers, and communication modules to clearly display vehicle information and enable data interaction, thereby enhancing the driving experience. At the same time, SMT technology helps to miniaturize devices and reduce power consumption, optimizing the use of interior space and reducing overall vehicle energy consumption, in line with the trend toward lighter and more energy-efficient vehicles. 

The automotive electronics industry operates in complex environments, placing extremely high demands on the reliability and stability of electronic components. SMT faces significant challenges in the automotive electronics sector due to harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures, high humidity, and vibration. To address these challenges, our NT series pick and place machines provide high-temperature-resistant and vibration-resistant soldering materials and packaging technologies. Additionally, by optimizing manufacturing parameters, enhancing equipment precision, and improving automation levels, we ensure reliable connections and stable operation of electronic components in complex environments.