SMT assembly and pick-and-place equipment are the foundation of the electronics manufacturing process. At Restronics, the sales staff has comprehensive experience with pick and place devices. As pieces get smaller, novel gear may be required, and as volumes develop, older equipment may need to be swapped or updated for enhanced efficiency. As companies re-shore PCB manufacturing, there’s growing demand for increased speed and functionalities. Throughout the nation, supply chain problems and the desire for improved control over delivery time and cost are creating a need for boosted performance of SMT pick-and-place equipment.

The need for new product introduction equipment is growing, and it should be simple to operate and adaptable, as well as dispense paste or adhesive, and also place components. Thereby, users can create small numbers of PCBs without having to wait for stencils to arrive and then making modifications, then waiting again for new, updated stencils to arrive. While these devices aren’t the fastest, they do provide excellent adaptability for very low volume and high mix applications. Furthermore, most of these machines can pick and place parts including odd-shaped parts and connectors that unreachable to the majority of high-speed SMT gear.

The newest iteration 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 machines can install parts at rates of up to 90,000 CPH (components per hour). True CPH speeds can be determined off-line to deliver exact time and speed for manufacturing certain PCBs. Off-line programming and line balancing are often common features with pick and place equipment to maximize feeder set up and reduce changeover time. With most equipment, jobs are established on feeder carts that can be wheeled into place before the procedure begins. This minimizes feeder setup and turnaround time.

Restronics's knowledgeable workforce can assist you in all areas of picking and placing SMT devices.