CeTaQ Americas has expanded machine performance verification services to include verifying placement of very tiny passive chip components to 01005 size. Such components, loaded from tape and reel, are difficult to place accurately and repeatably, and require that placement equipment operate within tight performance tolerances and accuracy to minimize defects.
 
General manager Mike Sivigny said, “These chips are so tiny that pad dimensions and geometries are measured in microns. If a placement machine is not operating fully within a manufacturer’s stated accuracies, there will be a higher rate of defects and reduced yields. These components are already responsible for higher defect levels than larger scale components, and are the focus of considerable process optimization efforts within the industry. Additionally, their tiny size makes manual rework difficult, compounding the negative impact of defects caused by inaccurate placement.”
 
The most common problems found on chip placement equipment, Sivigny adds, are systematic offsets, per head, per nozzle, per angle or simply a general offset. Offsets negatively affect chip shooter accuracy, resulting in PCB defects, lower yields, and costly manual rework. With growing demand for 01005 chip usage, placement accuracy is increasingly important.