Beyond Electronics: The Evolution of Tape and Reel Packaging in Modern Manufacturing

Mick: Tape and reel packaging evolved alongside surface mount technology (SMT) to enable efficient component placement on both sides of printed circuit boards. The process involves placing SMT components into carrier tape with precise orientation, sealing them, and winding the tape onto 13-inch reels.

This packaging method allows for much higher component density at the assembly line compared to tray packaging, enabling longer production runs and greater manufacturing efficiency. The system works particularly well for components like gull-wing and QFP packages that require production-ready presentation for automated placement.

Mick: The automation of component placement has expanded well beyond electronics manufacturing. Today, tape and reel packaging serves diverse industries including:

• Automotive: Clips and PCB retention components required in millions of units
• Thermal management: Small metal pieces for heat sink applications
• Medical technology: Sensors and specialized components
• Pharmaceutical: Precision components for medical devices
• General manufacturing: Any application requiring high-density, repeatable component placement

This expansion into non-electronic applications represents a significant business opportunity, as the demand for carrier tape packaging continues to grow across multiple sectors. The method's efficiency and precision make it increasingly valuable for any industry requiring automated placement of small components.

Mick: For example, recently a power tool manufacturer needed a solution for heat dissipation in their hand drill handles. The application required precisely manufactured heat sinks to be placed near the internal PCBs. By using tape and reel packaging, they could efficiently automate the placement of these metal components during assembly, ensuring consistent heat dissipation in the final product.

Mick: For metal components like heat sinks, orientation is generally flexible unless the component has distinct top and bottom surfaces. Most pieces are symmetrical (rectangular or square), so placement requirements are straightforward and can be customized to meet specific customer needs.

Mick: On the sensor side of things, for example in the medical space, glucose monitoring systems represent a key application where tape and reel packaging is valuable. These wearable devices contain sensors that transmit patient data via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to central monitoring systems.

Mick: This is an important point I've emphasized for years. In a typical SMT facility with 10 production lines, you'll see automated chip shooters handling the main assembly, but then large crews manually attaching I/O connectors and bulkier components needed for board-to-board communication at the end of each line.

We've helped clients improve efficiency by converting these manual processes to tape and reel. This presents some technical challenges - primarily ensuring the SMT machines can reliably pick components from the tape. The solution often involves finding or creating a flat pickup surface on the connector. In some cases, we apply Kapton tape to the placement area, allowing the machine to pick and place the component before removing the tape.

The impact on workforce efficiency is substantial. In a three-shift operation, this automation can eliminate the need for 18-21 workers previously required for manual end-of-line assembly, simply by presenting components in a format compatible with automated placement.

Mick: Yes. We have comprehensive capabilities for designing custom pocket geometries within our tape specifications. Our tape width ranges from 8mm (~5/16") to 88mm (~3 1/2″), with pocket depth being the main constraint. This depth is primarily limited by the reel size - for example, components requiring 18-20mm deep pockets will reduce the number of components that can be wound onto a 21-inch reel due to the increased circumference. Despite these practical limitations, we regularly produce 20mm deep pockets on 88mm tape for larger components.

1. Evaluate their current manufacturing process:

• Analyze their intended assembly method
• Identify opportunities for automation and digitization
• Review each manufacturing step for potential efficiency gains

2. Consult with our engineering team to:

• Assess the feasibility of tape and reel packaging
• Determine specific component requirements
• Evaluate potential efficiency improvements

3. Benefit from our comprehensive design process:

• EPS Global's in-house R&D team designs custom pockets
• We take into account special considerations for complex components (like keeping contacts isolated)
• We have 3D printing capabilities for prototype testing
• We conduct a physical fit verification before final production

Our end-to-end design process ensures that the final solution works precisely as intended, with all technical requirements met before implementation.