Abstract: A quantity of circuit chips are slidingly received in end to end relation in an elongated receptacle or "stick". The required number of such sticks are located in parallel groups at each side of a substrate mounted on an adjustable support. A pair of vacuum heads reciprocate along a path transversely of the substrate a fixed amount from a first extreme with the vacuum head located immediately over the endmost chip in a stick, to a second extreme which is a constant distance from the first position and lying over the substrate. The substrate is positioned to the proper x-y location such that when the transfer mechanism moves a chip to the position over the substrate, it will be properly located at the correct part of the substrate circuit. The sticks are indexable as needed to a position presenting the endmost chip of the selected stick underneath the outer extreme of the movement of the vacuum head. Control apparatus positions the substrate in any desired series of x-y locations.