Factory Acceptance Checks for an SMT Pick-and-Place Machine

A buyer should decide before the factory acceptance test which measurements count as pass or fail, rather than accepting a general demonstration. For an eight-head pick-and-place machine, ask the supplier to state how positioning accuracy of ±0.01 mm is verified and on what board material, since the catalog value is a reference and may not describe the supplied model.

Build the test around the buyer's own boards. Confirm that the machine handles PCB thickness from 0.2–3.5 mm, and ask for a trial run at the thin and thick ends of that range. For each of the eight heads, request a placement check with a defined sample size and a stated pass criterion. Ask whether accuracy is measured per head or only as a machine average, and whether the result is recorded in a report the buyer keeps.

Define repeatability checks separately from accuracy, and agree in advance how failed placements are counted. A short demonstration may not reveal drift across a longer run.

Before requesting a quote, confirm with the supplier which acceptance tests are included, who supplies the test boards, how results are documented, and what remedy applies if a check fails.