Pick-and-place equipment and SMT assembly are at the core of the electronics production process. At Restronics Southwest, the salespeople have comprehensive experience with P&P devices. As parts become smaller, new gear may be required, and as volumes develop, existing technology may need to be swapped or upgraded for enhanced productivity. As firms re-shore PCB manufacturing, there’s a great necessity for increased speed and functionalities. Throughout the nation, supply chain problems and the need for reinforced control over delivery time and cost are creating a need for higher performance of SMT pick-and-place equipment.
The necessity for new product introduction (NPI) gear is increasing, and it should be easy to utilize and versatile, as well as dispense paste or adhesive, and also place components. Doing this, users can create small amounts of PCBs without waiting for stencils to emerge and then making modifications, then waiting again for newer, modified stencils to arrive. Though these devices are not the fastest, they do offer excellent versatility for very low volume and high mix tasks. Furthermore, most of these tools can pick and place pieces including odd-shaped parts and connectors that are inaccessible to most high-speed SMT gear.
The newest version of SMT pick-and-place equipment includes electric component verification, dual lanes of operation for ultra-high speed applications, and interchangeable pick and place heads for high speed and large component placement. Some machines place pieces at rates of up to 90,000 CPH (components per hour). Realistic CPH speeds can be estimated off-line to give accurate time and speed for constructing certain PCBs. With pick and place equipment, off-line programming and line balancing are generally standard features to optimize feeder set up and reduce turnaround time. Most tasks are arranged on feeder carts that can be wheeled into place before the job begins. This greatly lessens feeder setup and changeover time.
Restronics Southwest's expert personnel can aid you in all elements of picking and placing SMT equipment.