SMT assembly and pick-and-place equipment are the foundation of the electronics production process. At Restronics South Central, the salespeople have comprehensive experience with pick and place devices. As pieces get smaller, new equipment may be required, and as volumes develop, older technology may need to be replaced or improved for enhanced productivity. As firms re-shore PCB manufacturing, there’s growing necessity for increased speed and functionalities. Throughout the country, supply chain problems and the need for better control over delivery cost and time are fueling a need for superior performance of SMT pick and place equipment.

The need for new product introduction equipment is increasing, and it must be simple to operate and versatile, as well as dispense paste or adhesive, and also place components. By doing so, users can create small quantities of circuit boards without having to wait for stencils to come through and then making adjustments, then waiting again for fresh, altered stencils to arrive. Although these machines aren’t the fastest, they can offer excellent flexibility for very low volume and high mix situations. Moreover, several of these tools can pick and place parts including connectors and odd-shaped parts that are inaccessible to the majority of high-speed SMT machines.

The most recent generation of pick and place equipment for SMT includes dual lanes of operation for ultra-high speed applications, interchangeable pick and place heads for high speed and large component placement, and electric component verification. Some devices can install parts at rates of up to 90,000 CPH (components per hour). Realistic CPH speeds can be estimated off-line to deliver exact time and speed for building certain PCBs. Off-line programming and line balancing are often common features with pick and place equipment to improve feeder set up and lessen changeover time. Most tasks are set up on feeder trolleys that can be hauled into place before the procedure begins. This cuts down on feeder setup and changeover time.

Restronics South Central's knowledgeable workforce can help you in all elements of picking and placing SMT technology.