Abstract: An electrical component placing apparatus has an XY-axis table, including motors for moving the table in the X and Y axis directions between an electrical delivery unit and a printed circuit board. A pick and place head is mounted to the XY-axis table for movement therewith. The pick and place head has a body unit and a nozzle shaft rotatably mounted on the body unit for rotation about a vertical axis. The nozzle shaft has vacuum nozzles disposed on opposite ends thereof for picking and placing electrical components. A motor is operationally connected to the nozzle shaft for rotating the shaft about its axis. A further rotating device rotates the nozzle shaft in the vertical plane about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the vertical plane. A recognition unit is provided for externally recognizing an electrical component after the electrical component has been picked up by the vacuum nozzle and the nozzle shaft has been rotated by the rotating device.