Eliminate Wave, Selective & Manual Soldering
Amtech’s TH Flow process replaces wave, selective, and manual through-hole soldering with a single reflow operation — driving down cost, reducing variability, and giving you the speed to compete globally without sacrificing reliability.
Through-Hole, Without the Through-Hole Process
Smarter Solder. Faster Boards. Lower Cost.
Why Traditional TH Soldering Holds You Back
Through-hole assembly has been stuck in the 1980s. Most contract manufacturers still rely on three slow, expensive, inconsistent options:
- Manual Soldering — labor-intensive, operator-dependent, hard to scale.
- Wave Soldering — high energy use, large floor footprint, limited compatibility with mixed-technology boards.
- Selective Soldering — slow per-joint cycle times, expensive tooling, programming overhead.
All three force trade-offs: speed vs. quality, cost vs. consistency, flexibility vs. throughput. TH Flow eliminates the trade-off.
TH Flow vs. Traditional Soldering
| Criteria | Manual | Wave | Selective | TH Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Throughput | Low | High | Medium | High |
| Cost per Joint | High | Low | Medium–High | Low |
| Consistency | Operator-dependent | Moderate | Good | Excellent |
| Mixed-Tech Compatibility | Manual handling | Limited | Good | Native |
| Setup & Programming | None | Pallet/fixture | Per-joint program | Single reflow pass |
| Floor Space | Variable | Large | Medium | Integrated w/ SMT |
| Energy Use | Low | High | Medium | Low |
| Best For | Prototype, rework | High-volume legacy | Mixed boards w/ few TH | Modern mixed-tech production |
How TH Flow Works
TH Flow runs through-hole components on the same SMT reflow line you already trust. The result: one process, one operator, one quality system — instead of three different machines and three different programs.
We always meet you where you are.
When the time is right, we go deeper—working with you to strengthen your design, manufacturing, and supply chain so your product is positioned for long-term success.
| Step | What Happens | Why It Matters to You |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Design Review & TH Flow Qualification We evaluate your BOM, component bodies, and board layout to confirm TH Flow compatibility. |
Catches issues before tooling. No surprises at first build. |
| 2 | Precision Solder Paste Deposition Solder paste is dispensed directly into through-hole locations using a controlled, repeatable process. |
Eliminates the operator variability of hand soldering and the fixturing of wave/selective. |
| 3 | Component Placement TH parts are placed alongside SMT components in a single, integrated workflow. |
One handoff. No second-pass assembly line. |
| 4 | Single-Pass Reflow A specially engineered profile reflows both SMT and TH joints simultaneously, tuned to part thermal tolerances. |
Cuts process steps and energy use dramatically. No wave pot, no selective head. |
| 5 | Inspection & Quality Verification AOI and trained inspectors verify joint formation against IPC-A-610 standards. |
First-pass yield you can stake a launch on. |
The specific paste chemistry, dispense parameters, and reflow profile are proprietary to Amtech.
Built to Compete Globally
Manufacturing Innovation That Closes the Cost Gap
For decades, TH-heavy assemblies have been a reason work moves offshore. TH Flow changes that math. By collapsing three legacy processes into one, we deliver:
- Significantly lower cost-per-board on TH-heavy assemblies
- Higher first-pass yield than wave or hand soldering
- Faster cycle times with one integrated reflow operation
- U.S.-based production that competes on price with overseas sourcing
If you’re still paying for wave, selective, or manual through-hole — you’re paying for yesterday’s process. Let’s talk.