About
GPAX
Corporate Background
GPAX ®, Ltd
The Company:
Columbus,
Ohio based GPAX, Ltd is a leader in odd form components handling
for automatic placement. GPAX designs, manufacturers and markets
its tape feeders, taping machines, tapes and tape tooling used
for the packaging and feeding of components for small parts
assembly.
All
product design and manufacturing is performed at the company's
facilities in Columbus, Ohio.
History:
Equipped
with an extensive background in small parts assembly automation,
William Mahoney founded GPAX in early 1988. GPAX pioneered commercialization
of its patented mechanically interlocking tape and reel technology
in late 1988. A significant installed base consisting of applications
in electronics and mechanical parts handling was developed over
the next several years. Today, GPAX remains one of the leading
companies in the field of ODD FORM component assembly automation.
GPAX tape feeders, which integrate with a wide variety of placement
equipment, are offered by the industries premier automation
and placement equipment manufacturers; and, taping equipment,
used by the component manufacturers, continues to package parts
for end-users using GPAX tapes.
Products:
GPAX
has three major product lines: tape feeders, taping equipment
and tapes. The tape feeders integrate directly with the placement
equipment in a "plug-and-play" fashion; the feeders
are fully supported by the placement equipment manufacturers.
Taping equipment is used to package the components in the assembled
tape package. The tapes are made in accordance with industry
standards and are custom designed depending upon the needs as
defined by the end-user. The objective is to provide a seamless
standardized tape and reel solution to the customer base from
part packaging to presentation.
1.
FEEDERS:
• The GPAX
2400 UltraFlex tape feeders are of a generic
design which are then slightly customized to integrate
with the placement equipment it is to be mounted
on.
• The GPAX
2500 UltraFlex tape feeders are made to be
compatible specifically with Fuji QP-2 and QP-3 series
placement equipment.
• The GPAX
2600 UltraFlex tape feeders are made to be
compatible specifically with Panasonic MPA-V2 and MSF
placement equipment.
2.
LOADERS:
• The GPAX
4008 Loader is a semi-automatic taping machine
used to tape components at speeds up to 7,000
indexes per hour. The taping machine can be fully automated.
3.
TAPES:
• GPAX
ThruPAX
tape is a flat Mylar carrier prepunched
with holes to accommodate a component lead
pattern used to package through-hole components. The
carrier is staple spliceable, very low cost and facilitates
multiple parts per pitch. GPAX feeders are used
to feed these tapes.
•
GPAX Semi-Pocket tape is
a shallow pocket embossed
carrier used for taping either through-hole or SMD
components. The carrier is staple spliceable, low cost
and facilitates multiple parts per pitch. GPAX feeders
are used to feed these tapes.
• GPAX
SnapPAX carrier and cover tape is used to package
ultra thin parts which otherwise would "shingle" between
pockets.
•
GPAX
SSMD(sm)
tape is a full pocket embossed carrier
used to package through-hole or SMD components.
This carrier feeds and is staple spliceable on
all standard taping equipment and all OEM feeders and
easily facilitates reuse. Cover tape used is either PSA
or heat activated adhesive.
Strategy:
The
GPAX strategy is to provide the industry with a standardized
tape and reel solution needed for the handling of ODD FORM parts
in automated assembly. Parts are usually packaged in trays,
tubes, bulk and bags which are primarily "least cost"
shipping containers as opposed to automation packaging. Due
to the wide variety of sizes and shapes of the parts and the
absence of a consistent and acceptable method of component delivery
to automatic placement equipment, the need for a reliable standardized
component packaging and feeding methodology is invaluable.
GPAX
mechanically interlocking tape and reel technology is produced
in accordance with the industry standard developed by the Electronic
Industries Alliance (E.I.A.). This facilitates component manufacturers
and end-users ability to automate the assembly of products,
increase quality and reduce cost by implementing a flexible,
reusable and most importantly, a robust and reliable parts handling
methodology that is also an Industry Standard.
Markets:
GPAX serves the automotive, electronics, telecommunications
and appliance industries. Typical parts handling applications
for mechanical parts include: transmission valves, for automatic
transmission assembly; coaxial cables, for cell phone assembly;
fuse clips and shunts used in printed circuit board assembly.
Typical parts handling applications for electronic parts include:
connectors, relays, hybrids, transformers, inductors and capacitors
for printed circuit board assembly.
GPAX
has steadily increased its presence in the international markets
by selling the parts handling solution to domestic end-users
of the tape and reel technology and then providing the taping
equipment and continuous sales of tapes to the end-users' parts
manufacturers in Asia and Europe.
Sales
and Support:
GPAX
sells and supports its international customers, both end-users
and component manufacturers, through a network of qualified
distributors and representatives. North American sales and service
is provided by factory direct personnel operating out of the
Columbus, Ohio headquarters.
GPAX
has developed OEM relationship arrangements with all of the
major global placement equipment manufacturers. These companies
have extensive exposure to the multinational users. They purchase
and resell and support GPAX UltraFlex Feeders used on their
placement equipment.
The
GPAX logo is a registered trademark of GPAX, Ltd. ThruPAX, Semi-Pocket,
SnapPAX, SSMD are trademarks of GPAX, Ltd
