pickandplaceprocessen

Pick-and-place processes are automated systems designed to pick components from a supply and place them at precise locations on a product or fixture. They are widely used in electronics manufacturing, packaging, and general assembly to achieve high speed, repeatability, and accuracy.

Common equipment includes industrial robots (such as SCARA, Cartesian, or delta configurations), end effectors (vacuum suction cups, mechanical grippers, magnets), and feeders (tape-and-reel, trays, bulk bins). Vision systems and sensors guide the operation, allowing part recognition, orientation, and precise alignment before placement.

Typical workflow involves picking a part from a feeder, transporting it to the placement site, aligning the part with the target using vision feedback, releasing the part, and performing a verification step to confirm successful placement. In electronics, these systems place components on boards during surface-mount technology (SMT) or into connectors and assemblies in other lines.

Performance is measured by cycle time, placement accuracy, and overall throughput. Challenges include handling delicate or oddly shaped parts, static electricity, misfeeds, nozzle or gripper wear, and the need for robust calibration and error handling. Proper ESD protection and process documentation are essential.

Trends in the field include the use of collaborative robots (cobots) for closer human collaboration, advanced machine vision and AI for better part recognition, multi-head configurations for higher throughput, and high-precision placement for increasingly small components.