30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2025
usage goes down compared to wave soldering. It
all depends on the customer on how to quantify it.
However, it's really about meeting the demands of
the industry as PCB boards become increasingly
complex, along with the component mixes. Having
a process in place that can meet those demands is
crucial.
What's in the future for selective soldering?
Foster-Smith: The need for precision will continue,
possibly with different materials, because there's a
lot of work on the semiconductor end, which can
trickle into printed circuit board assembly.
Everyone said SMT would go away when flip
chips came out, yet here we are today. SMT
remains as important as ever, but it has evolved.
Maybe wave solder will go away, maybe it won't.
There will always be customers who will look at it
and conclude, "I'm done with wave soldering. I'm
moving to selective." Wave solder will still be use-
ful, but I suspect it will evolve in terms of form, size,
and materials.
Norlin: Selective solder will take on an even bigger
role as the industry evolves, especially in the auto-
motive space. Everything in the industry suggests
that EVs will become more prominent once the
technology is more stable, and consumer adop-
tion overcomes the initial friction. We can expect to
see more software-defined vehicles in tandem with
this trend. Our customers will need to embrace the
types of manufacturing equipment that can sup-
port the reliability and precision required within
the next five years. You mentioned earlier that we
need to aim for a 100% yield. In five years, selec-
tive soldering will need to be even more precise
and flexible.
Excellent. Thank you to both of you.
Norlin: Thank you, Nolan. It was great to talk to
you. SMT007
Jeanine Norlin is senior manager, marketing.
Roberta Foster-Smith is senior marketing cam-
paigns and brand specialist for Nordson Electron-
ics Solutions.
Links
• Kamstups Journey to Smarter, Leaner
Manufacturing
• Selective vs. Wave Soldering
Selective soldering can conserve resources and reduce operating costs while ensuring repeatability and reproducibility.
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