Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1466505
MAY 2022 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 19 Bennett: Components are getting smaller as time goes on. e smallest package size we place here is 0201, which is 0.6 millimeters by 0.3 millimeters. We're capable of placing a component half that size, which is called a 01005. By comparison, a human hair is about 0.1 millimeters, so these components are just slightly larger than a human hair. Johnson: What technology picks up something that small? Bennett: Machines use vacuum nozzles to pick and place most component packages. Large and odd shaped components can be picked with mechanical gripper nozzles. A downward- looking camera is used to teach pick points on individual feeders. When the same reel of com- ponents is loaded on a different feeder, the pick point will have to be taught again to compen- sate for inconsistencies in feeder position tol- erance in any given feeder slot. e smaller the component, the less room there is for error. Matties: Does it slow down the overall assem- bly process with parts that small, or can you use the standard rate? Bennett: Small components are placed at a higher speed, while some larger components need to be placed at a slower speed. Routine maintenance is required to keep the nozzles functioning correctly. If the nozzles become clogged, you will experience pick issues. e machines run smoothly when you have the correct nozzle size and type to pick the com- ponents. Matties: When you're talking about the pack- aging and the short jobs, how many pieces are in the order? Maybe 50, or 500 pieces? When does packaging become an issue? Rowland: A typical job size for us is 30 to 50 boards and where you typically get into shorter strips of tape. Once you get above 100 pieces, you're able to use longer strips of tape. With anything less than 100, the shorter tape issue can typically be a problem. Placement Density Matties: With the density and the smaller com- ponents that we're talking about, are you see- ing more challenges in the overall setup? Rowland: One aspect of density is how many different part numbers there are on the board, which relates directly to how many feeder inputs you have available. You need to have enough feeder inputs to be able to handle all the different component package types that you load onto the machine. e other piece is just how densely packed the components are on the board. Job Setup Complexity Johnson: Earlier, you said that larger compo- nents can slow down the job? Bennett: Larger components like ball grid arrays that have a standard matrix of rows and columns with the same pitch in the X and Y are easier to program than a variable-pitched BGA Kevin Bennett