The latest in pick and place machines

A pick and place machine, also known as a mounter, is the heart of the SMT assembly process and is an expensive piece of equipment. Hence, buyers need to plan very carefully before making a purchase as there are innumerable choices from many companies. In this column, we feature some low- and mid-volume pick and place machines.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014: 

Model: SM482L Advanced Flexible Mounter, Brand: Samsung, Manufacturer: Samsung, South Korea

Launched in April 2014, the SM482 is a flexible mounting platform ideally suited for prototyping/NPI environments where flexibility, easy programming, quick setups and fast changeovers directly influence profitability. Featuring a full vision overhead gantry system with 6-precision placement spindles, the SM482 delivers auto-teach, polygon recognition and placement angle preview capabilities.

Key features

• Supports ultra long PCBs of 1.2 m; component range – 0402mm~75mm chip connector

• 120-8 mm feeder capacity; fast auto loading and auto splicing

• Various stick feeding options; package on package capability

• Ultra fine pitch and BGA ball recognition capability

• Placement speed: 28000 CPH (optimum)

• Placement accuracy: ±50μm@μ+3σ/Chip, ±30μm@μ+3σ/QFP (based on the standard chips)

Contact details: Jayden Jang, global project manager (SMT business), Ph: +82 (02) 2145-2934, [email protected], www.samsungsmt.com

India branch: Samsung C&T India

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Model: SM168L Advanced Flexible Mounter, Brand: Samsung, Manufacturer: Samsung, South Korea

Launched in March 2014, the SM168L has one of the highest placement speeds among the same class of chip placers. This speed is achieved by using a head mechanism with six spindles as well as an optimised pickup/placement motion. The polygon recognition function provides optimised solutions when working with odd shaped and irregular parts.

Key features

• Supports ultra long PCBs of 1.2 m

• Component range—1005mm~22mm chip (75 mm connector – optional)

• 60-8 mm feeder capacity; various stick/tube feeding options

• Package on package capability; ultra fine pitch and BGA ball recognition capability

• Generic part library of 1150 components

• Placement speed: 25,000 CPH (optimum)

• Placement accuracy: ±50μm@μ+3σ/chip, ±30μm@μ+3σ/QFP (based on the standard chips)

Contact details: Jayden Jang, global project manager (SMT business), Ph: +82 (02) 2145-2934, [email protected], www.samsungsmt.com

India branch: Samsung C&T India

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Model: M10, Brand: i-Pulse, Manufacturer: Yamaha Motor Co Ltd, Japan

Launched in January 2014, the M10 is a true multi-mounter, which can handle all SMD packages available in the market today.

Key features

• Multi-mounting capability with 25 micron accuracy

• Large PCB handling capability

• High-speed, fine-pitch placement capability

• Solder paste and glue dispensing capability

• Flux application capability

• Ability to handle component sizes from 01005 to 120×90 mm size

• The ability to handle PCB sizes of up to 1330×510 mm

• Placement speeds of up to 30,000 CPH

Contact details: Suguru Yasutomi, overseas sales group, Ph: +81-53-484-1876, [email protected], www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/smt/ipulse/

India distributor: Leaptech Corporation

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Model: Fuji XPF-L, Brand: Fuji, Manufacturer: Fuji Machine Manufacturing Co Ltd, Japan

Launched in December 2013, the Fuji XPF-L is a compact placing machine that has the flexibility and speed for an ever changing market. It is the industry’s first machine with an automatic head exchange feature to support the entire range of components used in the industry. The machine is equipped with an auto-tool system that switches between being a chip shooter, a multi-purpose placer and a glue dispenser (optional).

Key features

• A versatile solution, covering both high-speed and multipurpose needs at the same time

• Whatever the type of panel, it achieves the optimal production capability

• Rated capacity of 25,000 CPH

• Component range: L 0402 (01005) to 68×68 mm or 45×150 mm

• PCB size: 50×50 mm to 457×356 mm (bigger PCB specifications are also available as an option)

• Feeder capacity: Up to 128 in number

• Package handling capability: Tape/reel, stick and tray

• Electronic intelligent feeders

Contact details: T Shimizu, managing director, Ph:+65-6746-4966, [email protected], www.fuji.co.jp/

India distributor: NMTronics India Pvt Ltd

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Model: Quadra DVC Evo, Black Edition, Brand: TWS Automation, Manufacturer: TWS Automation, Italy

Launched in November 2013, the Quadra DVC Evo is the perfect choice as it is quite flexible in handling different types of components (LEDs, metal domes, standard SMDs, LEDs TH, etc). It is capable of handling the needs of most demanding assembly lines.

Key features

• Compact design, reliable and flexible

• 0201 components capability; high resolution full colour camera

• Automatic feeder Z setting, rated maximum speed of 4400 CPH, up to 120 feeders, large placement area (maximum: 550×420 mm), dispenser option

• Linux OS, barcode reader

• High speed brushless motors

• Up to 20 tools (nozzles) included; up to 120 tape feeders

• Low cost of maintenance

Contact details: Giuseppe Palma, sales manager, international sales department, Ph: +39(0)585-634758, [email protected], www.tws-automation.com/

India distributor: Agate & Agate Marketing Resources Pvt Ltd

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Model: SIPLACE SX, Brand: SIPLACE, Manufacturer: ASM Assembly Systems, Germany

Upgraded in November 2013, SIPLACE SX is the first placement machine with rail-mounted gantries that can be removed and added within minutes, according to the company. This results in performance being independent of feeder module capacity, the latter being scalable in line with individual requirements. Gantry modularity helps to meet the challenge of demand fluctuations, which is common in the EMS industry.

Key features

• Can handle 03015 components, and is equipped with the flexible WPC6 tray feeder.

• Compact and fast automatic tray feeders that are designed to handle JEDEC standard size trays and provide fast production speed by shortening the placement heads’ travel distance

• SX CPH benchmark up to 60,000 CPH

• Set-up capacity: 120 mm×8 mm×the number of feeder modules

• Placement accuracy of ±22 μm@3σ

Contact details: Irene Lim, product marketing director, Ph: +65-6877-3900, [email protected], www.siplace.com

India branch: ASM Assembly Systems India

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Model: MY200SX, Brand: Mydata, Manufacturer: Micronic Mydata AB, Sweden

Launched in November 2013, the MY200 series of pick and place machines supposedly has the fastest changeovers in the industry as well as workcell solutions reaching speeds of up to 180,000 CPH.

Key features

• Ideal for high mix, and mid- to high-volume manufacturing

• Fast setting-up and changeovers

• Full traceability down to individual PCBs

• Reliability for 24/7 production

• User-friendly with a powerful software suite

• Rated speed of 24,000 CPH

• Feeder capacity for up to 160 positions

• Board size up to 914×609 mm

• Accuracy: 35 microns @ Cpk=1.33

• Components from 01005 chip up to large connectors

Contact details: David Koh, managing director,Ph: +65-62817997, [email protected], www.mydata.com

India distributor: Accurex Solutions Pvt Ltd

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Model: RX6, Brand: Juki, Manufacturer: Juki Automations & Systems Corporation, Japan

Launched in September 2013, the RX6 is a high speed compact modular mounter, with high productivity, flexibility and quality.

Key features

• Replaceable heads allow users to configure a production line best suited to the current requirement

• High speed component placement using high speed non-stop vision recognition

• Compact foot print: Width of just 1.25 m

• Equipped with the standard placement monitor check function

• Placement speed: C Chip  42,000 CPH, ICs 14,000 CPH

• Component size: C 0402 (01005) C, 100 mm² or 50 mm×180 mm

• Accuracy chip: ±0.04 mm (Cpk ≥ 1) , IC ±0.03mm

• Feeder capacity: maximum 160

• Air-consumption: 100L/min

Contact details: Noboru Fuji, chief operation team, sales promotion group, Ph: +81-42-357-2293, [email protected], www.juki.co.jp/smt_e

India branch: Juki India Pvt Ltd

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