SMT nozzle manufacturers analyze the functions of pick-and-place machine nozzles

The component structure of a pick-and-place nozzle typically consists of a base and a nozzle tip. The base is generally machined from steel, while the nozzle tip can be made of several materials—including ordinary steel, tungsten steel, ceramics, and diamond steel (also known as black material).

Although a nozzle from an SMT nozzle manufacturer seems simple with only two components, even a standard nozzle requires 10 to 15 manufacturing processes. These include blanking, CNC lathe turning for external shape, rounding, drilling, nozzle tip assembly, rough grinding (surface grinding, cylindrical grinding), precision grinding, inner hole cutting, polishing, inspection, and more.

SMT nozzles are not only critical components for the pick-and-place machine to pick up, place, and mount electronic components, but also serve as the background for the optical vision system's camera during image capture. They primarily use vacuum suction to pick up components and compressed air to place the adsorbed components onto the target coordinates of the circuit board.

For optimal performance when the pick-and-place machine nozzle picks up a component, the center of the component, the center of the nozzle, and the spatial center of the captured image must align. The adjustment of the optical vision system essentially compensates for deviations caused by misalignment in actual working conditions.

Different surface mount components require specific nozzles for pickup. Nearly all nozzles are equipped with a reflective background, which is designed to provide a favorable backdrop during image acquisition. This ensures that target information is accurately highlighted during image processing—when capturing images, the nozzle acts as a background to enhance the contrast of the component's image, making it clearer and more distinguishable.