What is Hole Pattern
Hole pattern is the recommended specifications and arrangements for the holes in through-hole components on a PCB. It encompasses various factors such as the diameter of the holes, the method used to create them (drilled or punched), and whether they are finished or not.
Drilled holes are formed using a drill bit in a cutting/drilling machine or a mini hand drill, while punched holes are created using a die set and a punching machine. Drilled holes are more commonly used due to their faster processing time and flexibility for different types of boards.
The hole pattern may also vary depending on the mounting method employed. For example, there may be separate hole patterns for Through Hole Wave soldering and Through Hole Reflow (or Pin-In-Paste) methods. Through Hole Reflow involves the application of a solder paste layer and stencil to the through-hole design, followed by heating to allow the solder to reflow and mount the component to the board. Through Hole Wave soldering, on the other hand, is a more conventional method where components are glued to the board, solder flux is sprayed, and the board passes through a heating machine where the solder melts and forms a wave to bond the components.
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