Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538100
46 SMT007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2025 When people talk about place- ment technology, they often zero in on speed: How fast can a machine place components? What's the quoted components per hour (CPH)? How many noz- zles are on the head? While these metrics matter, on most production floors, the fastest machine on paper isn't always the most productive. Today, manufacturers focus less on raw speed and more on flexibility, ease of use, line bal- ance, and real-world throughput. For mid-sized SMT operations (especially those doing high-mix, low-to-mid-volume builds), these improvements aren't just nice to Pick-and-place Machines: What Matters in 2025 S M A RT AU TO M AT I O N by J osh Casp er, Horizon S ales have—they're critical to staying competitive. Here, the focus is on the mod- ern pick-and-place machine, and the areas outside of speed that have a drastic impact on production. Speed Is Important, but It's Not the Whole Story Cycle time remains an impor- tant factor in electronics man- ufacturing, and maximizing CPH can absolutely boost line efficiency and reduce labor costs. However, when build- ing a dozen or more different boards per day (each with dis- tinct part counts, sizes, and foot- prints), changeover time, feeder setup, machine uptime, and software usability often impact overall output more than raw placement speed. For exam- ple, a machine rated at 50,000 CPH that requires 45 minutes to change jobs may deliver less production than a 35,000 CPH machine that can change over in 10 minutes. Changeover Time: The Hidden Efficiency Killer Over the past few years, there has been a renewed empha- sis on fast, flexible changeovers. In high-mix environments, the ability to tear down and set up