What is a PCB Pin?

Printed circuit board (PCB) pins are tubular shaped male connectors used to carry electrical current within PCB assemblies. Printed circuit pins are available loose or grouped together in what are called pin headers.

Mounting PCB Pins

PCB pins are mounted to the board utilizing either through-hole technology (THT) or surface mount technology (SMT). Through hole (THT) mounted pins are inserted in pre-drilled holes in the board and then soldered in place. Surface mounted (SMT) pins on the other hand are soldered directly to the top of the circuit board without any drilling required.

PCB Pin Configurations

In addition to mounting style there are many other PCB pin variations available.  Contact materials range from brass to nickel while common plating materials include gold, tin, and copper.

Popular PCB Pin Styles

• Nail Head Pins
• Slotted Terminal Pins
• Wire Crimp Pins
• Swage Terminal Pins
• Double-Tail Header Pins
• Press-Fit Pins

Top PCB Pin Manufacturers

• Mill-Max
• TE Connectivity
• Harting
• Advanced Interconnections
• Harwin
• Cambion Electronics

Learn More About Printed Circuit Pins

To learn more technical information about PCB pins view Mill-Max’s PCB pins catalog. Still have questions? bisco’s product support team is standing by to answer your questions. Just send us an email.