Bestückte

Bestückte is the past participle of the German verb bestücken, meaning to equip or populate with components or pieces. As an adjective it denotes that something has been fitted with its intended items. Common uses include phrases like eine bestückte Leiterplatte (a populated circuit board) or eine bestückte Waffe (a weapon loaded with ammunition).

In electronics manufacturing, bestückung refers to the placement of components on a circuit board. A bestückte Leiterplatte has components mounted and soldered onto it, in contrast to an unbestückte board. The process covers both through-hole and surface-mount technology (SMT) and is typically performed on automated assembly lines with pick-and-place machines, followed by soldering processes such as reflow or wave soldering. Variants include voll-bestückt (fully populated) and teil-bestückt (partially populated), describing the extent of component installation.

Beyond electronics, bestückung is used in contexts where devices or containers are loaded or supplied with items. In firearms or ammunition terminology, bestückte Munition or bestückte Waffe describes equipment that is loaded with ammunition or fitted with its appropriate accessories. In industrial and logistical settings, Bestückung can refer to loading or stocking components, tools, or consumables into machines, cabinets, or storage systems.

Etymology and grammar: bestücken consists of be- plus Stück (piece), with bestückt as the past participle. As an attributive adjective it inflects to agree with the noun: eine bestückte Leiterplatte, mehrere bestückte Leiterplatten. Related terms include Bestückung (the act or result of populating), Bestücker (one who populates), and unbestückt (unpopulated).