Anybody using trolleys with the pick-n-place machines and do you splice to the empty reels? Does it work ? =================================================================
I can totally support Charles' comments with regard to reel splicing, ie. if the machine operator is in control of the line, constantly checking reel quantities, the event of a reel running empty should never arise. However, on occasions, we have found our operators to be too eager to splice a fresh reel onto one which still has some way to go before it runs empty. Result: the extra tape spills over the edge of the plastic or cardboard reel, gets twisted up and gets jammed in the feeder.
Nevertheless, component splicing for SiPlace machines generally does work and is reliable.
To the question of using wheel-in trolleys, we have a fairly modest mix of products which travel down our SiPlace lines. So we have been able to produce optimised machine set-ups which allow us to run about ten different varieties of PCB on a common feeder set-up without any feeder change-overs and with no detriment to cycle times. We've also grouped certain component types in such a way as to minimise nozzle changing between jobs (which we do manually).
Scott
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