We have an existing product using a through-hole pcb assembly which we are considering replacing with SMD on the next prod run, but with one complication - one side of the new board has to mount hard up against the product's plastic case so there can be no through-hole leads and all soldering must be on the component side. Only tracks can be on the other side.
Before embarking on the layout "conversion" I am having trouble finding surface-mount replacements for one area. The T-H design uses a D connector, which at a pich could be hand-soldered "topside" with the leads cut short, but that is a s##t of a way to do production. If an IDC style D connector is employed, we are hunting for a surface-mount IDC transition, and last time I went hunting for those I found they were unobtainium.
A similar problem faces us on the replacement of the DC input receptacle, which is a common/standard 2.5mm concentric type.
Has anyone travelled this path before and found a way to surmount (ouch!) these obstacles?