FUTURE OF LEADED COMPONENTS.

Without leads, components offer higher-speed digital circuitry and less susceptibility to electromagnetic interference. But the attractions of surface-mounted devices to most producers of electronics are miniaturization and potentially lower automation and manufacturing costs. Board-area savings are typically between 40 and 60% when converting a traditional through-hole design to a surface mounted one. The cost per unit area for a multilayer board suitable for surface mounting may be about 20% higher, but the cost of the bare boards can still be significantly reduced. With cost parity between leaded and unleaded devices now commonplace, surface mount can offer lower overall board costs. The surface-mounted device business is forecast to grow ten-fold over the next five years, though the market for leaded components is still likely to rise. For many companies, if and when to move over to surface mounting will not be a simple choice.