Abstract: A feeder system (1) for supplying electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system has a two storage hoppers (2a,2b) respective storage outlets (6a,6b), There is a pick up location (3) and a passage (4) provides communication between the storage outlets (6a,6b) and the pick up location (3). A first fluid jet outlet 31 associated with storage outlets (6a,6b) provides fluid blasts to agitate components (20) the hoppers (2a,2b). A second fluid jet outlet (32) associated provides fluid blasts to propel the components (20) towards the pick up location (3).

Abstract: A modular feeder system (1) for supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system (1) has a two dimensional array of electrical component feeder modules (3), an electrical component storage hopper (4), a pick up location (5) and a component transfer passage (6) allowing component transfer from the hopper (4) to the pick up location (5). Further, the modules (3) are selectively removable from said array.

Abstract: A feeder (1) has a hopper (2) for storing components (20) and a pick up location (3) for supplying the components to a pick-and-place machine (not shown). A channel (4) provides communication between the hopper (2) and pick up location (3). The channel (4) has an upwardly inclined portion (5) which is upwardly inclined towards the pick up location (3) and there are controlled air jet nozzles (14,6) for providing pulsed air jets to push the components (20) up the inclined portion (5) and towards the pick up location (3). The pick up location (3) has a movable stopper (30) that moves to a feed position when one of the components (20) is fed to the pick up location 3, and that moves to a pick position, prior to the pick and place machine picking up the component (20) at the pick location (3).

Abstract: A feeder system (1) for supplying electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system has a two storage hoppers (2a,2b) respective storage outlets (6a,6b), There is a pick up location (3) and a passage (4) provides communication between the storage outlets (6a,6b) and the pick up location (3). A first fluid jet outlet 31 associated with storage outlets (6a,6b) provides fluid blasts to agitate components (20) the hoppers (2a,2b). A second fluid jet outlet (32) associated provides fluid blasts to propel the components (20) towards the pick up location (3).

Abstract: A feeder system (1) and method supplies electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system (1) has a hopper (2) coupled by a passage (4) to a pickup location (3). The electrical components (20) are provided by air blasts to a first air outlet (6a) associated with the hopper (2) to agitate the components (20). Air blasts are concurrently supplied to a second and third air outlets (6b, 6c) located in the passage (6b) to thereby retain at least some of the components (20) therebetween. The third air outlet (6c) is disposed between the pickup location (3) and the second air outlet (6b) and in use an air blast from said third air outlet (6c) is effected immediately before an air blast from said second outlet (6b) is effected.

Abstract: A feeder (1) for supplying magnetically attractable electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine. The feeder (1) comprises a hopper (2) for storing the components (20) and a pick up location (3) for supplying the components to the pick-and-place machine. A passage (4) provides communication between the hopper (2) and pick up location (3). An air jet outlet (6) in passage (4) provides for propelling the components (20) and one or more magnets (35) are located adjacent an intermediate portion of the passage (4) and provide a magnetic field to assist in reducing the velocity of said components (20) passing through the intermediate portion.

Abstract: An indicator system (1) having a plurality of hoppers (2) for supplying electrical components (20) to respective dispensing locations. There are actuators (9) associated with the hoppers (2), the actuators (9) being movable during the dispensing. There is a sensor (13) selectively actuatable by some of the actuators (9) when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below a desired number or threshold level. The system (1) also has a visual indicator (14) coupled to the sensor (13) to provide a warning signal indicative of when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below the desired number.

Abstract: A stencil shifter (800) for positioning a differential thickness stencil stencil (14' integrally formed from two sieves (601 and 602) having different thicknesses (701 and 702) for a two-stage solder printing process for printing the solder mask for a fine-pitch component alongside that of a larger component on the same side of a printed circuit board. This same stencil shifter (800) can also be used for a top and bottom side two-stage printing process. This two-stage printing process uses an integral stencil (814) having a plurality of sieves (801 and 802), the plurality of sieves including at least a first sieve (801) for paste stenciling a first side (191) of a board and a second sieve (802) for paste stenciling a second side (202) of the board. What side the board is facing is first determined by an optical sensor (193) and in response to the side detected, the integral stencil (814) is positioned to locate one of the pluralities of sieves over the board for printing that side.

Abstract: A flexible metal squeegee blade (500) includes a plurality of grooved portions (502) etched on a rectangular metal blade plane (504) to provide for greater flexibility at the grooved portions (502) of the blade.