What mounting and connection options does Vybronics offer for vibration motors?

Vybronics builds vibration motors in four mounting/connection formats: SMD surface-mount (reflow solderable, supplied on tape & reel), through-hole PCB mountable, spring contact (solderless), and encapsulated/overmoldable. The right choice depends on whether you need automated high-volume assembly, lower cost with higher G force, tool-free field serviceability, or protection in harsh environments.

The four options at a glance

SMD surface mount (reflow solderable, tape & reel)

SMD motors are designed to be placed and reflow soldered directly onto a PCB, and they ship on tape & reel so they can run through standard pick-and-place equipment. Vybronics lists SMD surface-mount as one of its motor technologies alongside coin LRA and ERM types.

Choose this when your assembly line is already set up for reflow and you want the motor treated like any other SMD component. The trade-off noted by Vybronics is that through-hole versions offer lower cost and higher G force than SMD reflow solderable motors.

Through-hole PCB mountable

Through-hole motors mount with pins through the board and are soldered in place. Vybronics positions this option as offering lower cost and higher G force than SMD reflow solderable motors.

Choose it when per-unit cost and vibration strength matter more than automated placement, or when your board design already uses through-hole assembly.

Spring contact (solderless)

Spring contact vibration motors use a solderless interconnection. Vybronics states this "facilitates manufacturing and field serviceability" — meaning the motor can be assembled or replaced without soldering.

Choose it when the motor may need to be swapped after assembly, or when you want to avoid a soldering step in production or repair.

Encapsulated / overmoldable

Encapsulation is offered to facilitate mounting and use in harsh environments. Choose it when the motor will be exposed to moisture, dust, or mechanical stress that a bare motor wouldn't survive.

How to decide

• High-volume automated PCB assembly → SMD on tape & reel.
• Lowest cost and strongest vibration, hand or wave soldering acceptable → through-hole.
• Serviceability or solderless assembly → spring contact.
• Harsh environment or rugged mounting → encapsulated/overmoldable.

Note that the mounting format is separate from the motor technology. Vybronics offers ERM, LRA (linear resonant actuator), and BLDC brushless types, and LRA options — both coin and rectangular — are described as best for haptic feedback with low drive voltage and current, high vibration force, and a required driver IC. So you can pair, for example, an LRA with SMD mounting if haptics and automated assembly are both priorities.

If none of the standard formats fit, Vybronics states it has applications engineers who can help select a motor or design one to meet specific requirements.