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GPAX, Ltd
790 Cross Pointe Rd. Columbus, Ohio 43230 USA PH: 614-501-7622 FX: 614-501-7626 SA_Mahoney@gpax.com http://www.gpax.com |
GPAX INTRODUCES "LE" TAPES
GPAX, Ltd....................................................................... Columbus, Ohio announced a new version of their ThruPAX Flat Carrier that now allows vacuum nozzles and parallel jaw grippers to acquire through-hole parts. The pre-punched lead holes in the flat GPAX polyester carrier are precisely punched slightly larger than the part lead diameter. This maintains component lead pattern registration in the carrier tape, and results in zero retention force so that parts can be acquired with vacuum nozzles or parallel jaw grippers and placed directly on the PCB without using vision.
The GPAX tape packaging and delivery method is extremely cost effective compared to tubes and full pocket tapes feeding only one part per pitch. The GPAX EIA standard format includes multiple parts per row on a 610mm diameter supply reel offering over 3,000 parts of line inventory on one feeder with spliceable tapes. The carrier is punched – not thermoformed as are tubes or full pocket carrier – and with formats of 4 parts per pitch or more, the flat carrier tape is produced and used at very low cost. Bill Mahoney, Vice President, Marketing says, "These LE tapes offer maximized throughput and reduced cycle times with multiple vacuum head placement equipment. With large line inventories and virtually no downtime for splicing tapes, equipment utilization is optimized and thruput maximized. We have a high volume installation at one of the worlds largest contract manufacturers placing odd form through-hole parts on GPAX at a placement rate of under 0.9 seconds per part, continuously!" With placement cycle times of through-hole parts approaching those of SMT, the cost model to automate odd form parts is now significantly more attractive.
Taping the parts is much lower cost too. Unpopulated supply reels (610mm) of flat pre-punched carrier are dense and contain enough carrier to package up to 48,000 parts. This results in about 47 fewer reel changes compared to full pocket carrier. GPAX carrier is then staple spliced leader to trailer on the taping machine providing maximized uptime of taping equipment, particularly when automated. Since 610mm output reels carry 3,000 parts or more, as opposed to small and costly plastic reels with perhaps 400 parts per reel, the math model shows GPAX is significantly lower cost to use.
"It’s really straight forward", says Bill, "The end-user gets an EIA standard proven tape package at a very low cost, lots of line inventory, better asset utilization with maximized throughput. We have real life basedcost models to prove it – to get a copy, e-mail WA_Mahoney@gpax.com."
GPAX feeders are distributed directly through the placement equipment OEM and mount on virtually all equipment handling odd form parts.
GPAX, Ltd is a manufacturer of component packaging and feeding products in tape and reel format for use in electronic and mechanical assembly automation. With headquarters located in Columbus, Ohio, USA, GPAX markets its products worldwide to users, OEM’s and component manufacturers through a direct sales force, a network of assembly systems integrators, and appointed distributors and representatives.