The MC-12 pick-and-place is said to pack up to 120 feeders into a 1.25 m x 1.44 m machine. Has a top speed of 36k components per hr. Offers board size support of 510 x 460 mm, component side-view camera, and a complete set of software options. Has 12 mm high-performance electrical intelligent feeder platform. Feeder indexing is controlled using advanced servo controls. Includes self-correcting pickup. Recognition system deploys a moving scan camera; measures the components in X and Y directions and from the side. Reportedly can achieve 72k components per hr. in 2.5 m. Comes with two 60-position feeder bars, with a feeder exchange system and a built-in tape cutter as options. Accepts components from 01005 up to 20 mm x 20 mm; is said to place chips with 50µm accuracy at 3 sigma.

Assembléon, www.assembleon.com

The VK-9700 Color 3D Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope has the capabilities of SEMs and non-contact profilometry. Features are said to include 18,000x magnification and 0.001 µm precision. Performs surface profile, roughness, 3D and comparative measurements. 3D display works with the virtual trackball method and a computer mouse to control viewing angle, lighting angle, zoom level and Z-axis height. 3D images can be illuminated with pseudo-light. VK-Viewer, VK-Analyzer and VK-Assembler are available software programs. An optional adjustable stand permits measurement of objects up to 3.94". Larger stages for wafers up to 11.81", electric stages for automatic image assembly, and a separate measuring head are available.

Keyence Corp. of America, www.keyence.com

Laser cut stencils are said to deliver aperture definition and superior dimensional tolerances for pitch apertures down to 0.016". On a 600 x 600 mm area, it reportedly is possible to cut features with an aperture of ±9 µm and a positional tolerance of ±12.5 µm. Permits cutting of circular pads with a diameter of 30 to 800 µm. The LPKF MultiCut is designed for the best possible metal stencil cutting quality; permits minimum apertures of 40 µm diameter.

Fine Line Stencil, www.finelinestencil.com

The free V7.01 IPC-7351 Land Pattern Calculator is said to generate results that match the LP Viewer library documentation. Component families that have been added: aluminum electrolytic capacitors; 2-pin crystals, and land grid arrays. Is a scaled-down version of the LP Wizard. Calculates CAD library parts that comply with the latest IPC-7351 revision.

PCB Matrix Corp.,

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