Through-hole technology (THT) secures component leads through plated holes in the PCB and forms solder joints on the opposite side. This physical anchoring gives through-hole boards superior resistance to mechanical shock, thermal cycling, and vibration — conditions that routinely stress automotive, aerospace, and industrial electronics.
Beyond mechanical strength, through-hole components handle higher current loads and dissipate heat more effectively than their surface-mount counterparts. Transformers, large capacitors, relays, terminal blocks, and high-power connectors all rely on through-hole mounting to maintain stable electrical and thermal performance under demanding operating conditions.
Key takeaway: Through-hole soldering is not a legacy process being phased out — it is a deliberate engineering choice for any board where joint durability, power handling, and long-term field reliability outweigh miniaturization.
A controlled through-hole assembly workflow reduces build errors and improves solder-joint consistency from prototype validation through repeat production. Farway Electronic, a Shenzhen-based electronics manufacturing services provider established in 2018, operates two dedicated DIP plug-in production lines alongside two wave-soldering machines and 24 rear-welding stations. The published process runs through each of the following stages:
Most modern electronic products combine compact SMT devices with mechanically robust through-hole parts on the same PCB. Mixed-technology assembly lets engineers optimize board density without sacrificing the durability that leaded connectors, transformers, and power components provide.
Farway supports this by running two SMT production lines — equipped with Yamaha medium- and high-speed placement machines and Jintuo ten-zone reflow soldering equipment — alongside its DIP through-hole lines. A typical mixed-assembly sequence begins with SMT placement and reflow, followed by through-hole insertion, wave soldering or selective soldering, and final inspection. This integrated approach means customers can source both processes from a single partner rather than splitting the build across multiple factories, and it pairs naturally with a turnkey smt pcb assembly service that covers component sourcing, placement, and testing in one workflow.
Wave soldering is the backbone of efficient through-hole production. Farway's facility in LongGang, Shenzhen operates Nitto wave-soldering equipment across two DIP plug-in lines, supporting medium-batch and large-batch orders while maintaining process consistency. The 2,000-square-metre production workshop is configured to handle prototype runs from a single piece up to high-volume production.
On the PCBA side, the process-capability page confirms support for rigid, flexible, and rigid-flex boards from 1 to 32 layers, with a maximum PCBA board size of 510 mm × 460 mm and placement capability down to 01005 components with BGA pitch as fine as 0.2 mm. The table below summarizes the published capability figures most relevant to through-hole and mixed-assembly projects:
| Capability | Published Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum PCBA board size | 510 mm × 460 mm |
| Board thickness range | 0.2 mm – 8 mm |
| Minimum aperture | 0.15 mm |
| Maximum PCB size | 850 mm × 520 mm |
| Order capacity | Prototype from 1 piece to large batches |
Soldering is only the first step in building a reliable through-hole board. Once joints are formed and verified, environmental protection becomes critical — especially for boards deployed in automotive, medical, or outdoor applications where moisture, dust, and chemical exposure are constant threats.
Farway addresses this with an Anda automated conformal-coating spraying line and four low-pressure injection moulding machines. Conformal coating applies a protective polymer film that guards against moisture, leakage, shock, dust, corrosion, and temperature extremes, with support for boards up to 550 mm × 470 mm and selective masking for dense assemblies. For components that need deeper encapsulation, low-pressure injection moulding seals sensitive electronics — including medical sensors, LED lighting modules, and connector harnesses — against harsh environmental effects while maintaining flexibility.
Reliable through-hole soldering depends on disciplined inspection at every stage. Farway's testing infrastructure covers the full verification chain:
The company also commits to a one-year free-repair policy for eligible non-external defects arising during standard customer use, giving buyers added confidence in long-term board reliability.
For buyers evaluating a through-hole soldering partner, certifications are a practical filter for process maturity. Farway holds four management-system certifications that span the industries it serves:
These align respectively with general quality management, medical devices, automotive production, and environmental management. Product-level compliance scope includes UL, RoHS, SGS, and REACH, and the company follows IPC-A-600H for PCB implementation and IPC-A-610 for PCBA assembly workmanship standards.
Farway's through-hole and mixed-assembly capabilities serve customers across transportation and automotive electronics, new energy systems, security equipment, medical devices, communications infrastructure, and other industrial sectors. The company reports having served more than 100 industry customers across more than 20 countries and regions, reflecting the broad applicability of robust through-hole construction.
In each of these fields, through-hole soldering is chosen not because it is the cheapest option, but because the cost of a field failure — a loosened connector in an automotive control unit, a failed relay in a medical device, a cracked joint in an industrial power supply — far exceeds the cost of building the board right the first time.
From prototype validation to repeat production, Farway Electronic combines two dedicated DIP lines, wave-soldering expertise, IPC-driven inspection, and four management-system certifications to deliver through-hole boards that hold up in the field. Contact the engineering team at sales@farway.hk or visit the contact page to discuss your BOM, Gerber files, and project timeline.
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