SMD

SMD stands for Surface-Mounted Device and refers to an electronic component designed for direct mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board. The associated assembly process is known as SMT (Surface-Mount Technology).

In SMD technology, the components are placed on designated contact pads on the printed circuit board and connected there both electrically and mechanically. Unlike with traditional through-hole assembly (Through-Hole Technology, THT), the leads do not need to be routed through holes in the printed circuit board.

SMD components enable a compact design for electronic circuits and are particularly suitable for largely automated assembly. In addition to resistors, capacitors and integrated circuits, LEDs can also be manufactured as SMD components. Further information on this can be found under SMD-LED.

The term ‘SMD’ primarily describes the construction or mounting type of a component. In itself, it is not an indicator of its performance or quality.