Once upon a time…more than 50 years ago, Aurora Boardworks began producing custom PCBs and assemblies on the plains of Nebraska. To say we love what we do is an understatement. Aurora Boardworks exists to uncomplicate circuit board assembly with care and attention to detail.
Our team always looks for ways to improve the customer experience through enhanced processes and equipment. Automated pick-and-place technologies aren’t new around here and this technology has helped us conquer many PCB design dragons.
Production rolled along efficiently and our customers were happy as our trusty pick-and-place machine, with capacity for eight different tools, helped us deliver top quality at speeds much faster than hand placement.
But there had to be a better way. The size of components our old machine could place was limited. Both larger and smaller components had to be hand-placed; on many boards, that meant hundreds of components.
Then one day, the Beast entered the story and everything changed. Our heads were turned by the Europlacer iineo +2 (aka the Beast) and it was love at first sight. (Cue singing birds and floating happy hearts.)
Now, let’s get to the good part.
The Beast has amplified speed and output with great force. Two zones, or heads, give the Beast the capability of two separate machines in one.
When a board goes through the production line, head #1 works on it and then it moves along to head #2 for a different process or installation. Once the cycle begins, because the Beast can work on two boards at once, the cycle time is effectively cut in half.
Each of the Beast’s heads has the capacity for 12 different tools and the heads can be configured differently, giving us potentially 24 different tools on one machine.
Cue the Dramatic Significance
The Beast can place a much wider range of component sizes; not only can it handle larger components than our previous machine, but it can handle smaller components as well. As a result, the hand placement that increases the production time is dramatically reduced.
When the Beast places components, the accuracy of alignment is very high and extremely consistent. That means high-quality results faster and more easily. This benefit is also multiplied by the difference in the number of components that can be fed into the Beast versus our old machine.
The feed capability of our old machine, 160 components–based on a feed system using 8mm tapes–in that number of unique locations, seemed fast to us until we met the Beast. But the Beast takes it to the next level, with a system that can place 264 components on 8mm tapes. This huge jump in flexibility lets us handle bigger jobs and take stops and starts in stride. Larger volume jobs are easier than ever and the Beast enables us to respond quickly to many different customer needs.
Hand placement of components has its role in surface mount board production, but the Beast’s automation has given us additional potential for improved speed with no loss in accuracy or quality. For our customers, the result is the highest quality with shorter lead times and more responsiveness to their needs.
You and the Beast — Our Heroes
Plot twist…a second Beast has joined the story. What does it mean for you?
- Expanding our capabilities with two powerful, advanced pick-and-place Beasts means that you and Aurora Boardworks are firmly positioned for the future, keeping pace with technology and the advantages automation brings.
- Flexibility in volume and timing means even greater responsiveness to your schedule and production requirements that are both planned and unplanned.
- Faster throughput means a shorter lead time for you and greater scheduling flexibility.
- Expanded pick-and-place options mean more ways to update your board designs for manufacturability.
Is every detail about the Beast’s story important to you? Not necessarily. It’s just a reminder that our eyes are on the future, constantly seeking ways to improve your experience and deliver best-in-class quality on time every time. With heart!
If that sounds like the kind of team you want working with you, give us a call, and let’s write your success story.