What is the best SMT machine?

Posted:10:29 AM November 28,

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writer: NextPCB

What is Surface Mount Technology?

Surface mount technology initially referred to as Planner Mounting, is a technique of mounting electronic components directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards instead of passing them from one side to another and soldering them. In IBM (mostly) introduced this way of soldering components by using SMT machines. Gradually the industry accepted the revolution of electronic components and started replacing through-hole components with surface-mount components, usually called surface-mount devices (SMDs). A prominent cause of the takeover of SMT over THT is its space-saving feature. In real-time, Surface Mount Devices save a lot of space and provide a better connection between the components and the circuit board.

Nowadays, the industry utilizes both types of components through holes and surface mounts in a single board to maximize performance. Because yet not all electronic components are eligible to adapt surface mount technology. For instance, large transformers and heat sinks.

In this article,

What is an SMT Machine and What Does It Do?

An SMT machine is an automatic assembling machine used to assemble surface mount devices SMDs onto the circuit boards. Usually, an SMT machine is supposed to pick and place surface mount devices in their respective locations.  

The automation of SMT assembling has enabled the precise and fast assembly of electronic components. SMT machines aid the manufacturing process of printed circuit boards by minimizing the assembling time and potential errors regarding circuit board assembly.

Types of Surface Mount Assembly Machine

Surface mount assembling of electronic components does not involve a single automatic device. But, it requires six individual machines to carry out a single task of soldering surface mount components. In this article, we are discussing all six of them.

1. Pick-and-Place Machine

The first and most essential SMT machine is a pick-and-place machine. The purpose of a pick-and-place machine is to pick the components and place them in their respective locations. To accurately select and drop SMDs, the SMT pick-and-place machine uses the circuit board's layout, pick-and-place file, and Gerber file as references.

After the placement of the components completes, the circuit board goes to the soldering machine to cure the solder paste and avoid dry soldering.

The industry divides pick-and-place machines into three groups. These individual machines have various features and are equally significant in different factors.

The three types of pick-and-place-machines are:

a) Manual pick-and-place-machines

Manual pick-and-place machines involve a person who operates the machine to pick and place SMDs. The whole process of picking-and-placing components depends on the operator.

In several ways, manual pick-and-place machines perform better. Such manual pick-and-place machines reduce the risk of placement errors. But, due to the operator's limitation, the manual pick-and-place machines do not ensure component placement accuracy.

However, manual machines are an excellent option for producing a large amount of hand-held work with potential accuracy. The manual pick-and-place machines are also practical for de-soldering and resoldering some particular components on the circuit board. Further manual machines are also ideal for customizing the SMD for high-speed unattended operations.

b) Semi-Automatic pick-and-place-machines

Semi-automatic pick-and-place machines are a combination of manual and automatic machines. These machines aid the operator and reduce the risk of SMD misplacement. The semi-automatic pick-and-place machines provide a computerized closer view of the circuit board that helps the operator to place the components precisely in their respective locations. Also, the semi-automatic pick-and-place machines provide a set-up of X and Y coordinates that assist the operator in accurately setting the target to drop the surface mount device. This feature of a semi-automatic SMT machine makes it easier to work with massive circuit boards with ultra-thin leads and solder pads.

c) Automatic pick-and-place-machines

Automatic pick-and-place machines take over semi-automatic machines with their advanced methods of component placements. Automatic pick-and-place machines are an immense invention as they eliminate human limitations and provide greater accuracy.

Some benefits of an automatic pick-and-place machine include lower labor costs, high accuracy, and enhanced operating speed.

2. Solder Paste Screen Printer

A solder paste screen printer has the function of printing solder paste before the pick-and-placement of components. It mainly consists of two main parts a squeegee blade that directs the poured solder paste in a particular direction and a PCB holder. 

But there are two types of solder printing used in the industry screen solder printing and stencil solder printing. The manufacturers usually prefer stencil solder printing due to its high accuracy and controlled process.

The price of an SMT solder paste printer varies depending on the machine's ability to handle the maximum size of the PCB and the speed of the equipment.

3. SMT Assembling Curing Oven

Right after the placement of SMDs, the circuit boards need to cure the solder paste to make the SMDs stick to the surface of the PCB. To do so, the circuit boards undergo SMT curing or baking ovens. The SMT curing or baking ovens function as standard household ovens. They provide high-temperature to melt the solder paste and make it a conducting adhesive.

The soldering of surface mount devices involves two steps, adhesive curing, and solder mask baking. Hence, it may require two separate machines for adhesive curing and solder mask baking. Otherwise, a single convection oven can serve both operations.

However, whether to use a single convention oven for adhesive curing, solder paste baking, and reflow soldering depends on the required quantity.

4. Reflow Soldering Machine

The reflow soldering machine carries out the process of permanently attaching the surface mount devices to the PCB. This machine is responsible for preheating the components and then melting the solder paste to form enduring joints between the SMDs and the circuit board without heat damaging the SMDs.

5. Solvent Cleaning Equipment

The soldering process leaves some broza and other sticky materials around the PCB. To clean this mess, the manufacturers use solvent-cleaning equipment. In short, solvent cleaning equipment is responsible for cleaning excess flux and solder from the circuit board left behind during the soldering process. 

6. Repair and Inspection of Equipment

The repair and inspection equipment is the last machine required to complete the SMT assembly process. The primary function of repair and inspection equipment is to inspect the circuit boards against potential errors. The equipment not only performs inspection but also fixes the detected defects. 

Soldering iron and hot air SMD rework stations are the two most common repair and inspection equipment.

Read Our Step-by-Step Guide to PCB Manufacturing Process

Top 10 SMT Assembly Machines

#1 Europlacer

Europlacer is another leading surface mount technology SMT machine brand. It provides a complete SMT Line Solution and assures a productivity solution that suits everybody's needs.

So, from the pick-and-place side, the best of Europlacer's production is  iineo+. Europlacer claims its iineo+ is a multi-function pick-and-place machine with the highest flexibility level and feeder count in the whole industry. The iineo+ is a modern integrated intelligence-based SMT machine with digital cameras that facilitate a close-up look at the circuit board. A worth-mentioning feature of iineo+ is its ability to produce extra-large circuit boards. It is capable of producing mm x 600 mm size boards. The iineo++ is one of those machines offering two rotatory heads on X/Y coordinates, each containing 8 or 12 smart nozzles, which help to deliver a maximum placement speed of 30,000 CPH (IPC: 24, 200CPH).

Features of iineo++

• Rotary heads with 8 or 12 nozzles
• Provides up to 4 internal Jedec trays
• Ability to test Components
• No limitations on nozzles regarding component types. Each nozzle is capable of placing any component.

#2 DDM Novastar

DDM Novastar is one of those leading SMT manufacturers that provides both manual and automatic SMT equipment. It offers a wide range of SMT assembly equipment. Including Manual and Automatic Stencil printers, pick-and-place systems, Benchtops, and Conveyorized and reflow ovens.

DDM Novatars's L-NP00 Benchtop Pick and Place System is an entry-level, low-cost automatic pick-and-place system that delivers in a ready-to-use condition. It is a considerably good system for Prototyping, pilot manufacturing, and low-volume production. The L-NP00 provides placement accuracy of up to 0.004 inches and a placement speed of up to 2,100 CPH.

The DDM Novastar also provides machines with higher capabilities. It was just an example of budget-friendly small-scale equipment.  

#3 Yamaha

Yamaha is a specialized company in manufacturing heavy equipment. Its quality can never be in doubt. Along with heavy motor equipment, Yamaha is a leading brand manufacturing high-quality surface mount technology SMT machines. The main focus of Yamaha is the pick-and-place machines that offer exciting placement solutions.

If you want to try something innovative with pick-and-place machines, Yamaha could be the best manufacturer for you to contact.

The Yamaha has an ongoing list of features that proves it a perfect SMT machine manufacturer. Some of them are as follows:

• Wide Range: Another factor that stands out the Yamaha is its wide range of SMT products. It offers almost everything required for the SMT assembling process ranging from Surface Mounters, Inspection Systems, SMD Storage Systems, Management Software, Solder Paste Printers, Flip Chip Bonder & Hybrid Placer, and Dispensers.
• Compatible Price: Despite being a big name Yamaha is budget-friendly; your budget does not matter; you will always have something from Yamaha that will surely meet your requirements.

#4 Mycronic

Mycronic is a reputable brand setting the standards of pick-and-place machines on another level. The MY300 of mycronic is its best version of the SMT machine. The operators of this machine state that they are confident about populating more boards with less floor space.

Features of Mycronic SMT Machine

The Mycronic surface mount technology machine has several features, some of which are as follows.

• Strong Software Suit of MY300: Mycronic offers a very user-friendly interface with its MY300. It also proposes a firm software suite that supports upgrading the software to the latest technology.
• Easy to Operate: An outstanding quality of MY300 is that it is easy to operate and eases the access of machine operators, other interactive crew, and engineers to the relevant information.
• More Work Less Effort: MY300 comes with an inventory management system. The MY300 merges innovative feeder technology and automatic storage with a material tracking feature. This feature of MY300 reduces human interference in the component loading process, which leads to fewer human errors and labor. With the inventory management of MY300, the material, and the information do not perform as bottlenecks anymore.

#5 Juki

Juki is an experienced, well-known name that produces the best quality SMT machines. The Juki has a lot to offer in the SMT industry, but its brand-new RX-8 has no match. It provides the highest placement rates per square meter and achieves placement of up to 100,000 CPH.

The high-speed compact modular mounter RX-8 supports a board size of 50×50&#;510mm*¹ *²×450mm and a component height of 3mm. It offers a placement accuracy of ±0.04mm (Cpk &#;1).

Other options from Juki include RX-6R/RX-6B and FX-3RA.

#6 Panasonic

Panasonic has been in the business for more than a century. The company has a firm reputation in the market and offers a complete SMT Line Solution consisting of 5 modules of screen printers, inspection, component placement, inspection, and curing oven. Panasonic focuses on providing Smart Factory Solutions. Their range of machines varies from entry-level to extreme-complex equipment.

Another high-end of Panasonic is that it provides Open Source Software. Its NPM-W2; is one of the best pick-and-place machines with Open Source Software. It offers two types of heads 'Lightweight 16-nozzle head' and '12-nozzle head'. Each category of nozzle head provides an option of High Production Mode On/Off. With high production mode ON on the 16-nozzle head, NPM-W2 provides a maximum placement speed of 38,500 CPH and an SMD placement accuracy of ±40 μm/chip.

#7 Universal Instruments

The universal instrument is well-known for its electronic automation and assembly equipment. The company offers a wide range of SMT machines for low to high budgets and production needs. From the wide range of universal SMT machines, its FUZION PLATFORM is one of the best SMT machine series that implement the latest head and feeder technologies and software suits. The Fuzion has nine different models with individual features that target specific problems. 

ADVANTISV PLATFORM is another series of SMT machines from the universal instrument. It is a pack of mid-range entry-level SMT machines that delivers budget-friendly performance without lacking performance.

#8 Assembleon (Kulicke & Soffa)

Kulicke & Soffa, formerly known as Assemblon, is another leading manufacturer and distributor of Semiconductor, LED, and electronic surface mount technology SMT machines. The company has been providing a reliable service since . Three of the most highlighted SMT assembly products of Kulicke & Soffa include iFlex, iX502/iX302, and Hybrid SiP. 

The Kulicke & Soffa's iFlex is a low-energy consuming sustainable, high-yield providing SMT pick-and-place machine. The iFlex has three available modules:

• T4: It offers Chip and IC shooting from M () to 17.5 x 17.5 x 15 mm at 51,000 CPH (IPC(A))
• T2: Provides Chip and IC shooting from M () to 45 x 45 x 21 mm at 24,300 CPH (IPC(A))
• H1: Offers End-of-line placer placing up to 120 x 52 x 25 mm at 7,500 CPH (IPC(A))

#9 FUJI Corporation

Fuji Corporation built electronic assembly machines and machine tools as their main products. The Fuji corporation provides complete SMT assembly equipment, including

• Mounters
• Printers
• Inserters
• Automatic warehouses
• Softwares
• Automatic Maintainance Units 
• Automation Units

Fuji has a list of brilliant SMT machines, all of which we are discussing in its brand-new NXTR S Model. Fuji's intention with its NXTR series is to smooth the future of smart factories. Hence, NXTR's S model comes with exciting features. Some of these are Real-time sensing placement, Optimized placement actions, and part-handling checks after their arrangement.

Features of NXTR S Model

Single Action Head Exchange: NXTR S allow operators to change the head without using tools. This feature of the S model enables hassle-free maintenance and troubleshooting.

Minimal Investment: It provides an option to upgrade the module by making additional investments on the scale of single modules to increase production capacity. 

Placement: The NXRT S Model can pick and place surface mount devices with all-time high accuracy of ±25 µm, plus it provides placement pressure control.

Placement Checks: The most compelling feature of this machine is its ability to inspect the SMD placement within the placement machine.

#10 Hanwha Precision Machinery

Hanwha Precision Machinery built its first chip mounter in , and since then, it has facilitated the SMT assembling industry with the state of the art SMT machines. The Hanwha Precision Machinery offers a wide range of SMT assembling equipment, including surface mount technology mounters, semiconductor equipment, insertion, and assembly automation equipment, and integrated software solutions.

The most highlighted features of the company are its focus on innovation, versatility, and efficiency.

Some of the best SMT machines of 

Hanwha Precision Machinery includes:

• XM520 (100,000 CPH, Optimum)
• HM520 (80,000 CPH)
• DECAN F2 (80,000 CPH)
• SM481 PLUS (40,000 CPH, Optimum, Fly+Fix Camera)

How to Choose the Best SMT Assembly Machine?

1. SMD Positioning System

There are mainly three methods available to position a surface mount device accurately. 

• No Feedback System
• Rotary Encoders System
• Linear Encoders System

a) No Feedback System

No Feedback System uses stepper motors to position SMDs in their respective locations by following the number of steps in each X-Y axis. This system is a low-cost option. The only downside is that it does not accurately indicate whether the component is placed in its accurate position.

b) Rotary Encoders

The rotary encoders system uses an encoder mounted on the motor shaft of the SMT pick-and-place machine. This encoder sends back the SMD's position to the control system. But the drawback of this system is that it only sends back the position of the machine and not the actual component. Hence, this system of tracking placement positions is also not 100% reliable.

However, this system provides better details than the No Feedback System. Further, this system is low-cost and widely used in entry-level machines and provides a placement accuracy of ±0.005".

c) Linear Encoder

Linear Encoder Placement System utilizes linear scales with encoders. The linear scales are mounted on the X-Y axes table, while the encoder is attached to the traveling path that carries the components. It is the only method that provides the actual position of the SMD back to the control system.

However, the quality comes at a price. The linear encoder positioning system is usually higher in cost but provides the best performance and an accuracy of ±0.".

2. Component Placement Speed

The component placement speed of an SMT pick-and-place machine defines its suitability for an organization. Though we have different sizes of organizations, their desired component placement speed varies depending on their production requirements and budget. Hence, the placement speed of the SMT machine is of great importance to study at the initial stages of buying an SMT machine.

Further, the placement rate of an SMT machine elaborates on its productivity and the speed of picking and inspecting the surface mount devices before their positioning on the printed circuit boards.

So, before short-listing any SMT machine, check that against IPC standards. IPC is a standard manufacturer used to define the placement speed of their pick-and-place machines.

For an additional note, the placement speed mentioned by the manufacturers is usually 30%-40% extra than the actual value. So, to find an approximate placement speed of a pick-and-place SMT machine decreases the given placement rate by 30% or 40%.

While selecting an SMT pick-and-place machine, you should consider that the component placement speed also depends on the size of the circuit board, type of components, and feeders. If the surface area of the circuit board is large, the machine head has to travel all the way long from one side to another to place components, which will decrease the placement speed and increase the time taken to complete a board.

3. Feeder Slots and their Capacity

The SMT pick-and-place machines come up with different numbers of feeder slots and their maximum capacity to store the surface mount devices. The feeder slots and their volume somehow influence the production speed. Thus, when ordering a pick-and-place machine, one should always consider their requirement regarding the component quantity to take out a job successfully. It may be possible for small and dedicated assembly providers to calculate their needs, but for large-scale assembling houses, it is hard to estimate their upcoming requirements. Hence, it is better to select a machine with a larger feeder. Otherwise, order one that suits your needs best.

Bottom Line: To get higher quality production select a machine with a Linear Encoder positioning system. However, if you're short on budget or getting started in the field. Rotary Encoder Systems may get your job done.

4. Placement Accuracy

Placement Accuracy is another factor one should consider while making an SMT pick-and-place machine purchase. It is highly significant to check placement accuracy as it plays a crucial role in the performance and quality of the circuit board. Machines with higher accuracy always perform better and produce a high-quality yield.

The ideal machine should have an accuracy of 0. and a fine pitch lead of 12 mil.

5. Parts Size

The part size is another crucial factor to consider. On a random note, a pick-and-place machine should be able to work with these three sizes , , and . If the pick-and-place equipment that you have selected because it meets your other requirements and does not support these sizes, what you could do is buy an additional nozzle or feeder to produce circuit boards with these sizes.

6. Software

Software is one of the most important factors to consider while buying a pick-and-place SMT machine, as it enables the coordination between the operator and the machine. Any SMT machine of low to mid-volume range should deliver these three primary functions.

• Easy Coordination and updated graphical unit interface like Windows. 
• Flexibility to move from one design to another without spending too much time.
• The machine should provide qualitative offline software to ease optimization.

Top SMT Assembly Machine Brands according to the Location

China

Ridong, Jingtuo, Itech, Hopesun Equipment, Autotronik, etc., are some local Chinese brands that provide high-quality SMT machines.

USA

In the US, Universal, Mycronic, and DDM Novastar are some of the most trustworthy and reliable names among consumers. 

Japan

Panasonic, Juki, Yamaha, Fuji

Europe

Assembleon and Mydata

Korea

Samsung

Conclusion

A surface mount machine, especially a pick-and-place machine, plays a significant role in the quality determination of the SMT assembly. Hence, we should be careful while purchasing one for ourselves. There are multiple factors to consider before buying an SMT machine, and the biggest hurdle is finding a good manufacturer. Thus, the NextPCB has provided a list of the top ten manufacturers of SMT pick-and-place machines and complete lineups. NextPCB hopes its effort will help you!

Smart Factory Solution is fast becoming a trend in the electronics manufacturing industry. This is relevant because of the need to cut down on costs, improve the speed of production and do away with some of the challenges that restrict improved efficiency of production.

Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines play an important role in the provision of responsive manufacturing solutions.

This guide explains the concept of Surface Mount Technology (SMT), the different types or brands of SMT machines, and the companies or brands that manufacture these machines.

What is Surface Mount Technology?

Surface Mount Technology, also called SMT, is a type of electrical component production that involves the mounting of the electrical components directly on the surface of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

The relevance of SMT has gone a long way to replace the former electronic component production format &#; Through-Hole Technology.

One of the many advantages of manufacturing with Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is that it makes it easier for production to be scaled in real-time. In addition to the speed that comes with it, SMT also helps to cut down on the cost of electronics production because fewer hands are needed.

The electronic devices that are manufactured by using Surface Mount Technology (SMT) are called Surface Mount Devices (SMDs).

What does Surface Mount Machine do?

Surface Mount Machines are also called Pick-and-place machines or SMT Component Placement Systems.

These machines are robotic machines used for placing Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) onto Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).

These machines are commonly used because of the high precisions, several use cases/applications, and the variety of electronic components that can be used on them.

Types of SMT Assembly Machines

smd machines

A bulk of the increased success rate of using Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines depends on the inputs of the different machines used in the process.

We are not talking about one machine. Up to six (6) machines are used to facilitate the placement of electronic components on the circuit boards.

Are you interested in learning more about Smt Surface Mounting Technology? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

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Below are some of the popular pick-and-place machines and the work they do in terms of Surface Mount Technology (SMT).

1. Pick-and-Place Machines

This is the first type of SMT Assembly machine. Pick-and-place machines are used to pick up and place or position the Surface Mount Device (SMD) electronic components onto the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

The placement is immediately followed by the soldering of those SMD components to make them stick to the circuit board.

Lots of factors are considered before deciding on the model of Pick-and-place machines to buy. These machines are categorized into different types.

These include:

Manual Pick-and-place Machines

These are the most common type of Pick-and-place machines. As the name suggests, the process of picking and placing the Surface Mount Device (SMD) on the PCB is done manually.

Worthy of mention is that manual pick-and-place machines are often used for modular PCB production needs. The manual machines can also be used when there is a need to customize the components for high-speed, unattended operations.

Using the manual pick-and-place machines is an ideal way to derive improved yield, reduce fatigue on the part of the operator, and cut down on placement errors.

Although the accuracy of the placement is not always assured because of the potential limitations faced by the operator.

That notwithstanding, the manual pick-and-place machine does a great job of bolstering the incremental production of hand-held volumes.

Semi-Automatic Pick-and-place Machine

The semi-automatic pick-and-place machines were originally designed to be the interface between the manual and the automatic pick-and-place machines.

These semi-automatic pick-and-place machines did an excellent job of providing a vision-assisted computer interface that makes it easier for the operator to see the direction of the component. This way, the operator will make accurate placement of the ultra-fine pitch components.

The only difference is that the Semi-automatic pick-and-place machine still works with manual placements. So, the operator has to manually position the components for low-volume applications.

Automatic Pick-and-place Machines

Automatic SMT machines replaced the semi-automatic models. The automatic model was improved to make the transition of the leap from manual to fully automated SMT machines.

Among many other things, automatic SMT machines are fully equipped with pick and place centering methods, as well as improved machine capabilities, in the areas of repeatability and accuracy.

2. SMT Curing Oven

This is also called the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Baking Oven. The SMT Curing Oven is an oven used for the baking of solder paste and adhesive curing.

The volume of production also determines the possibility of combining the trio of solder paste baking, adhesive curing, and solder reflow.

3. Solder Paste Screen Printer

This is the third type of SMT assembly machine. The Solder Paste Screen Printer is a machine used for screen printing the solder paste onto the circuit board (PCB).

This is often done before the Surface Mount Device (SMD) components will be placed atop the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

4. Reflow Soldering Machine

The Reflow Soldering Machine accounts for about 25% of the total cost of a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) device.

This SMT machine is primarily used for enabling solder reflow from the Surface Mount Device (SMD) to the circuit board. This is done after the reflow soldering is done with solder paste.

5. Solvent Cleaning Equipment

The soldering process is not always neat. There are chances of flux and excess solder remaining after the entire process.

That is why you need to use the Solvent Cleaning Equipment. This SMT Machine is used to clean and remove the excess flux and solder from the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) after soldering.

6. Inspection Equipment

The Repair and Inspection Equipment is another type of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine that is required in the SMT assembly process.

The PCB Inspection Equipment is an SMT Machine used for inspecting the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The inspection is done to inspect the circuit board to check for potential defects.

The machine does not only find out the defects or faults in the circuit board. It is also used to repair or fix those defects.

Soldering Iron and Hot Air SMD Rework Station are two of the most used types of PCB Inspection Equipment that are used for the detection and repair of this defect.

The Best SMT Assembly Machine Manufacturers

We are now going to review some of the best brands and companies that manufacture different kinds of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines.

Mycronic is the first SMT assembly manufacturer on the list. This is one of the best SMT assembly manufacturers that focus on the production, distribution, and management of sophisticated pick-and-place machines.

1. Mycronic

The MY300 is the most outstanding of the SMT machines manufactured by Mycronic. With this pick-and-place machine, operators are confident of populating more boards with less floor space.

Features of Mycronic SMT Machine

These are some of the features of the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) manufactured and distributed by Mycronic:

Strong Software Suite

The pick-and-place machine is built with a powerful software suite that is both versatile and user-friendly.

The relevance of this SMT machine software is that it makes it simpler for machine operators, planners, stock managers, and engineers to have access to update information about SMT machine uses.

Precise Material Handling

You do not necessarily need to overwork yourself by working with complex material handling.

Instead, you want to use the precise material handling feature of the Mycronic SMT machine to avoid the bottlenecks that come with the complex handling of SMT materials.

This way, you will leverage the versatile pick-and-place solution offered by Mycronic SMT machines to produce as many circuit boards as you want in a day.

2. JUKI Automation Systems

JUKI is one of the leading manufacturers of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines. The company has been in the business for many years. Thus, it is in a better position to offer the desired SMT machine solutions.

Let us go into details of what JUKI has to offer, as far as Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines are concerned.

The Company Builds a Large Portfolio of Placement Machines

JUKI is reputed for the large portfolio of pick-and-place machines it manufactures. The company manufactures SMT machines for small, mid-sized, and large companies.

Performance

The performance of the SMT machines is not in doubt because JUKI places a premium on the development of high-quality and high-performance pick-and-place machines.

Placement Capabilities

The JUKI SMT machines are also designed in a way that the machines will make accurate placement of the components on top of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

3. DDM Novastar

DDM Novastar is one of the leading manufacturers of pick-and-place equipment designed for use in both manual and automated SMT systems.

So far, the company has been able to manufacture about 26,000 SMTs, of which the customers are satisfied with their purchase.

DDM Novastar also designs the pick-and-place equipment to work in low-to-medium SMT machine applications.

This is in addition to the reliability, ease of operation, quick set-up, and affordable costs of the pick-and-place machines.

Below are some of the reasons why engineers and machine operators prefer to use SMT machines manufactured by DDM Novastar:

Different Types of SMT Machines

One of the reasons why SMT machine operators like DDM Novastar is because the company offers a wide range of pick-and-place machines.

These machines include manual types and automated types. For the manual models, we have many designs, such as:

• MPP-11 Manual Desktop Pick and Place Machine
• MPP-21 Pick and Place System

The automatic SMT machines manufactured by DDM Novastar include:

• LE40 Pick and Place Machine
• The Low-Cost NovaPlace Pick and Place Machine
• LS60 Pick and Place Machine
• LS40V Pick and Place Machine with Vision
• LE-40V Pick and Place Equipment with Vision

Turnkey SMT Assembly Systems

DDM Novastar is also one of the manufacturers of pieces of SMT assembly equipment required for the manufacturing of a complete Printed Circuit Board (PCB) solution.

The company offers its complete SMT assembly systems to be used for high-volume PCB assembly, cost-effective prototyping, and pilot manufacturing.

The DDM Novastar turnkey SMT solutions are also used for manual SMT prototyping, medium volume throughput, automatic prototyping, and low-volume throughput.

Unique Programming Software

DDM Novastar also adds something important to the full-scale SMT assembly services it offers.

The company offers unique programming software. The name of the software is SMTrue Run Optimize Software.

The software is used for making offline programming of automatic SMT machines. This way, it will easier to derive increased efficiency and throughput from the machine.

Different Levels of Automation

Another unique feature of the DDM Novastar pick-and-place machines is the different levels that are used to automate the workings of the machine.

These levels of automation have to do with the different production stages and capabilities of the DDM Novastar SMT machines.

The minimum number of components that can be assembled per hour is 50. That is if you are using the Manual (hand) SMT machine.

It can be as high as 30,000 Components per Hour (CPH) if you are using the Fully Automatic (High-Speed) Free-Standing or Modular SMT machine.

Affordable Pick-and-place Machines

DDM Novastar also manufactures pick-and-place machines that wouldn&#;t dip a hole in your pocket.

The price of the SMT machines starts from $300-$400 for the Manual (Hand) and can be as high as $100,000 for the fully automatic variant.

4. Yamaha Motor

Yamaha is another company that specializes in the production of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines.

The company focuses on the production of pick-and-place machines that will offer the operators smart manufacturing solutions.

So, if you are looking to realize smart manufacturing with pick-and-place machines, Yamaha Motor is the manufacturer you should be talking to.

Here are some of the reasons why Yamaha Motor s one of the best SMT Assembly machine manufacturers:

A Full Lineup of SMT Machines

One of the advantages that set Yamaha Motor many miles ahead of the competition is the wide range of SMT products the manufacturer offers.

This SMT machine lineup ranges from SMD Storage System, Surface Mounter, Inspection System, Management Software, Solder-Paste Printer, Flip Chip Bonder & Hybrid Placer, and Dispenser.

Competitive Pricing

Yamaha Motor also beats the other SMT machine manufacturers to the competition by offering competitive prices.

No matter your budget, rest assured that there is a pick-and-place machine that matches your needs.

5. Europlacer

If there is any SMT machine manufacturer that worth the onion, it has to be Europlacer. The company has consistently shown up over the last couple of years to manufacture, distribute and manage several pick-and-place machines.

These SMT machine services are no unconnected to the dedication of the manufacturer to design and distribute some of the best high-mix pick-and-place Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines.

This is in addition to the fact that Europlacer manufactures these machines to fit into your business needs. You needn&#;t forfeit one feature for the other because Europlacer took care to ensure that the SMT machines are designed to adapt to your business needs without any need to sacrifice quality or output.

The SMT machines produced by Europlacer pack many features, including:

• Automation
• Smart nozzles
• High accuracy
• Fixed camera
• Upgradeability
• Electrical testing
• High speed
• Service and maintenance

6. Neoden SMT

Neoden SMT is a reliable Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine manufacturer. The company specializes in the production and management of a full automatic SMT line.

That is not all!

The manufacturer also manufactures a high-speed Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly line. This is designed to satisfy any batch of PCB assembly.

The company also manufactures different SMT machines that are designed to give the machine operators multiple options to choose from as far as Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is concerned.

7. Panasonic

Panasonic is one of the advocates for Smart Factory Solutions. They have since followed it up with the production of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines that offer best-in-class solutions to the users.

The SMT machines distributed by Panasonic are also versatile. You can get machines for both entry-level and more complex requirements.

In addition, you can use these SMT machines for any volume and any mix of your Smart Manufacturing needs.

8. Hanwha Precision Machinery

Last but not least on our list of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine manufacturers is Hanwha Precision Machinery.

The company manufactured the first chip mounter in . Since then, the manufacturer has delved into many other relevant manufacturing processes, including integrated software solutions, semiconductor equipment production, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) mounters, industrial automation equipment, and insertion & equipment automation equipment.

The company also offers excellent customer service that is targeted at delivering more value, greater efficiency, and versatility.

How to Choose the Best SMT Machine

Choosing a pick-and-place machine can be tricky, especially when you don&#;t know what to look for. That is why you need to learn about some of the important features you must look for in any SMT machine.

These factors worth considering are:

1. Placement Speed

The speed at which the pick-and-place machine works is very important. You want to consider this first before any other thing because it is one of the important features that make the SMT machine work as it should.

Also, you need to understand that the placement speed has to do with the speed or rate at which the SMT machine picks up the SMT components inspects the components before placing the components on the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

The other important factor you want to consider about the placement speed is the standard rating of IPC . This is the standard used by many SMT manufacturers to rate the speed of the pick-and-place machines. Besides, the IPC speed or rating standard has to do with the general guidelines for the circuit board arrays and the part mix.

The rule of thumb is for you to devalue any figure that the manufacturer may have given. The devaluation is important because the speed quoted by the manufacturers is usually lowered by 30% or 40%.

Therefore, you will get an accurate value or figure of the potential rate or speed of the SMT machine if you make some divisions. The best way to divide is by devaluing or reducing the placement rate of the machine&#;s rate by 30%. This way, you will have a clear speed value that the SMT machine can deliver.

2. Accuracy & Repeatability

The other important factor you want to consider is the accuracy and the repeatability of the pick-and-place machine.

This is important, considering that the accuracy of the machine plays an important role in the picking, inspection, and placement of the components on the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Worthy of mention is that the quality of the SMT machine is very important when looking for accuracy and repeatability in the pick-and-place machine.

The best SMT machine with the best accuracy is the one that has an accuracy of 0.&#; and a fine pitch lead of 12mil.

This should be done repeatedly for maximum outputs.

We wouldn&#;t fail to mention that the pick-and-place machine you want to buy should be the one that has programming software, as well as a computer. These two will go a long way to take care of the continued repetition of the component placements.

3. Size of the Parts

Have you taken the time to consider the size of the parts you want to place on the pick-and-place machine?

The size of the parts matters a lot because you need to find a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machine that matches the size of the parts you want to use to pick, inspect and place on the circuit board.

The general rule is to buy a pick-and-place machine (P&P) that can pick components with the sizes:

If the SMT machine cannot pick those, it means that you may need to make special arrangements. This is common if the size of the SMT components is below or less than .

In that case, you will need to get a nozzle or an additional feeder to streamline the design of such a component.

Wrapping Up

Surface Mount Technology (SMT) machines or pick-and-place machines are very necessary for the production of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). These machines make the job of mounting the components on the circuit board faster and easier. And you will save more money and spend less time.

Thus, consider the important factors we just shared in this article so you can find the best SMT assembly machine to buy for your PCB design needs.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Smt Vs Through Hole.