SMT component finished products are packaged in four types: tape and reel, bulk, tube, and tray.

 

1. Bulk Packaging

 

Leadless and non-polarized SMC components can be packaged in bulk, such as general rectangular and cylindrical capacitors and resistors. Bulk packaging is low-cost, but it is not conducive to automated equipment picking and placement.

2. Tape and Reel Packaging

Tape and reel packaging is suitable for components other than large-sized QFP, PLCC, and LCCC chips.  There are three specific forms: paper tape, plastic tape, and adhesive tape. (1) Paper Tape. Paper tape consists of a base tape, carrier tape, cover tape, and a winding reel (tape reel), as shown in Figure 1. The small circular holes on the carrier tape are positioning holes for the feeder's gear drive; the rectangular holes are component cavities for placing components. 

 

Paper Tape

When packaging components with paper tape, the component thickness should be approximately the same as the paper tape thickness. The paper tape should not be too thick, otherwise the feeder cannot drive it. Therefore, paper tape is mainly used for packaging chip resistors and capacitors of 0805 size (and smaller) (with a few exceptions). Paper tape is generally 8 mm wide and is wound onto a plastic reel after packaging the components.

 

Plastic Tape

The structure and dimensions of plastic tape are roughly the same as those of paper tape, except that the component cavities are convex, and the structure and dimensions are shown in Figure 2. Plastic tape packaging is used for a wide variety of components, including various leadless components, composite components, irregularly shaped components, SOT transistors, and SOP/QFP integrated circuits with few leads. During placement, the upper peeling device on the feeder removes the film cover tape before picking up the components.

 

Plastic Tape Structure and Dimensions: Both paper and plastic tapes have a row of positioning holes on one side, which are used to guide the tape forward and position it when the pick-and-place machine picks up components. The pitch of the positioning holes is 4 mm (the tape pitch for components smaller than the 0402 series is 2 mm). The spacing between components on the tape depends on the length of the components, generally a multiple of 4 mm. Tape and Reel Packaging Dimensions and Standards

 

The reels used for tape and reel packaging are made of polystyrene (PS) material and consist of one to three components. They are available in blue, black, white, or transparent colors and are usually recyclable.

 

Adhesive Tape and Reel Packaging

Adhesive tape and reel packaging uses adhesive tape on the bottom, with the ICs mounted on the tape. It features a double-row drive mechanism.  During placement, the feeder has a bottom peeling device. Adhesive tape and reel packaging is mainly used for packaging larger surface-mount components, such as SOPs, chip resistor networks, and delay lines.

 

3. Tube Packaging

 

Tube packaging is mainly used for SOP, SOJ, PLCC integrated circuits, PLCC sockets, and irregularly shaped components. From the perspective of finished product manufacturing types, tube packaging is suitable for products with a wide variety of types and small production volumes.

 

The packaging tubes (also called material strips) are made of transparent or translucent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, extruded into a standard shape that meets the requirements, as shown in Figure 3. Each tube contains tens to nearly a hundred components, and the components in the tube have a consistent orientation and cannot be installed incorrectly.

 

4. Tray Packaging

 

Trays are made of carbon powder or fiber material. Trays used for components requiring exposure to high temperatures typically have a temperature resistance of 150°C or higher. The trays are molded into a standard rectangular shape, containing a uniform matrix of cavities, as shown in Figure 4. The cavities hold the components, providing protection during transportation and handling. The spacing ensures accurate component positioning for standard industrial automation equipment used in circuit board assembly. Components are arranged in the tray with the standard orientation placing the first pin in the beveled corner of the tray.

 

Tray packaging is mainly used for QFP, narrow-pitch SOP, PLCC, and BCA integrated circuits.