Electronic Assembly Machinery | SMT & PCB Equipment

Explore electronic assembly machinery, SMT equipment and PCB production machines for professional electronics manufacturing. Makitor allows buyers to compare new and used equipment by production capacity, automation level, PCB dimensions, placement technology, configuration, condition and price.

Before choosing electronics manufacturing equipment, define the process you need to automate. A complete production line may include solder paste printing, component placement, reflow soldering, PCB handling, optical inspection and testing, while smaller workshops may only require individual or semi-automatic machines.

Electronic assembly machinery

Electronic assembly machinery includes equipment used to manufacture, assemble, solder, inspect and handle printed circuit boards and electronic components.

Depending on the production process, equipment may include:

Pick and place machines.
SMT production equipment.
Solder paste printers.
Reflow ovens.
PCB conveyors.
Automatic optical inspection systems.
PCB loaders and unloaders.
Soldering equipment.
Rework stations.

SMT equipment

Surface mount technology is widely used for assembling electronic components directly onto printed circuit boards.

An SMT production line can contain several interconnected machines.

Before purchasing SMT equipment, consider:

PCB dimensions.
Component sizes.
Required throughput.
Placement accuracy.
Number of product references.
Available factory space.
Required automation level.

SMT line equipment

A typical SMT line may combine several stages of production.

Depending on the application, these can include:

Solder paste printer.
PCB inspection.
Pick and place machine.
Reflow oven.
Conveyors.
AOI inspection.
Loading and unloading systems.

SMT line price

The price of an SMT line depends heavily on its capacity, speed, equipment configuration and level of automation.

A complete line may cost considerably more than individual machines because it can include several production stages and auxiliary systems.

When comparing prices, check what is actually included:

Feeders.
Conveyors.
Software.
PCB loaders.
AOI systems.
Installation accessories.
Spare parts.

Pick and place machines

A pick and place machine automatically collects components from feeders or trays and places them onto the PCB.

Important specifications include:

Placement speed.
Placement accuracy.
Number of heads.
Feeder capacity.
PCB dimensions.
Component range.
Vision system.
Control software.

Placement speed

Manufacturers may specify maximum placement rates under controlled test conditions.

Actual production output also depends on:

Component mix.
PCB complexity.
Feeder arrangement.
Machine travel distances.
Product changeovers.

Placement accuracy

Accuracy becomes especially important when working with small components, fine-pitch packages and densely populated boards.

When buying used equipment, inspect the condition and calibration of the machine’s cameras, axes and placement heads.

SMT feeders

Feeders supply electronic components to the placement machine.

When evaluating a used machine, verify:

Number of feeders included.
Feeder widths.
Mechanical condition.
Electronic compatibility.
Availability of additional feeders.

Vision systems

Modern placement machines commonly use cameras to recognise component position, orientation and dimensions.

Check:

Cameras.
Lighting.
Calibration.
Vision software.
Image quality.

Solder paste printers

Solder paste printers deposit solder paste onto defined areas of a PCB before components are placed.

Equipment may be:

Manual.
Semi-automatic.
Fully automatic.

Compare:

Maximum PCB size.
Printing accuracy.
Stencil dimensions.
Alignment system.
Printing pressure control.
Automation level.

Semi-automatic electronics assembly equipment

Semi-automatic equipment for electronics assembly can be suitable for prototypes, smaller production runs and businesses that do not require a fully automated SMT line.

Potential advantages include:

Lower initial investment.
Smaller footprint.
Flexible production.
Easier product changes.

The right solution depends on the required production volume and accuracy.

Reflow ovens

A reflow oven heats assembled PCBs according to a controlled temperature profile in order to form solder joints.

Compare:

Number of heating zones.
Cooling zones.
Conveyor width.
Conveyor speed.
Temperature control.
Electrical power requirements.

Reflow temperature profile

The thermal profile must be appropriate for the solder paste, components and PCB design used in production.

On used equipment, verify that each heating zone reaches and maintains the required temperature consistently.

PCB conveyors

PCB conveyors connect individual machines and transfer boards through the manufacturing line.

Important specifications include:

Adjustable width.
Length.
Transport speed.
Working height.
Board direction.
Machine communication compatibility.

PCB loaders and unloaders

Automatic loading and unloading equipment can improve production flow by handling PCB magazines at the start or end of a production line.

Check:

Magazine dimensions.
PCB sizes.
Cycle time.
Communication interfaces.
Working height.

AOI inspection equipment

Automatic optical inspection systems use cameras and software to inspect selected characteristics of assembled PCBs.

Depending on the machine and programming, they may detect:

Missing components.
Incorrect orientation.
Placement errors.
Some solder defects.
Other programmed deviations.

SPI systems

Solder paste inspection systems can inspect the paste deposition process before component placement.

This can help identify certain printing problems before boards continue through the line.

PCB assembly machine price

The price of a PCB assembly machine varies significantly depending on the technology involved.

Factors include:

Placement speed.
Accuracy.
Number of heads.
Feeder capacity.
PCB dimensions.
Automation.
Brand and model.
Year.
Condition.

Wave soldering machines

Wave soldering machines may be used for certain through-hole components and PCB assembly processes.

Compare:

Working width.
Preheating system.
Solder temperature control.
Conveyor speed.
Solder pot capacity.
Extraction requirements.

Selective soldering

Selective soldering machines apply solder to specific areas of a PCB according to the programmed manufacturing process.

Important factors include precision, programming capability, PCB dimensions and process control.

Electronics rework equipment

Rework equipment can be used for removing, replacing or repairing certain electronic components.

Compare:

Heating control.
Bottom preheater.
Vision system.
PCB support.
Nozzles.
Temperature programming.

BGA rework stations

BGA rework equipment is designed for specialised component removal and replacement operations.

Temperature control and component alignment are particularly important for these processes.

PCB manufacturing equipment

Electronic production can require different machinery depending on whether the business manufactures bare PCBs or assembles components onto existing boards.

Before buying, clearly determine whether equipment is required for:

PCB production.
Component assembly.
Soldering.
Inspection.
Testing.
Repair.

Equipment for prototype electronics production

Prototype production often prioritises flexibility rather than maximum speed.

Useful characteristics may include:

Easy programming.
Fast product changeovers.
Flexible feeders.
Wide PCB compatibility.
Low-volume production capability.

Equipment for volume production

Higher-volume factories usually place more emphasis on:

Throughput.
Automation.
Repeatability.
Production uptime.
Automatic handling.
Maintenance support.

PCB dimensions

Always confirm the minimum and maximum PCB dimensions supported by the equipment.

Other important specifications can include:

PCB thickness.
PCB weight.
Edge clearance.
Transport direction.

Industrial control software

Software is an important part of automated electronics machinery.

When buying used equipment, verify:

Installed software version.
Licences.
Backups.
Machine programs.
Compatibility with current systems.

Industrial computers

Some electronic production machines depend on a dedicated industrial PC.

On older equipment, computer hardware and operating system compatibility may become an important maintenance consideration.

PLC, servo motors and drives

Automated production equipment may use PLCs, servo motors and drive systems for machine control.

Check:

Machine alarms.
Servo drives.
Motors.
Sensors.
Communication systems.
Spare part availability.

Compressed air requirements

Some electronics production machinery requires compressed air.

Before installation, verify:

Required pressure.
Air consumption.
Air quality.
Connection size.

Electrical requirements

Before purchasing machinery from another country, confirm:

Voltage.
Frequency.
Single-phase or three-phase supply.
Installed power.
Connection requirements.

New electronic assembly machinery

New equipment has no previous wear on placement heads, motors, cameras, conveyors, sensors or electronic control systems.

Warranty availability depends on the manufacturer or seller.

Used electronic assembly machinery

Buying used electronics manufacturing equipment can reduce the initial investment required to create or expand a production line.

Technical inspection is especially important because the machine’s software and electronic controls may be as important as its mechanical condition.

What to inspect on used electronic equipment

Check:

Axes and guides.
Placement heads.
Servo motors.
Cameras.
Sensors.
Conveyors.
Software.
Industrial computer.
Control electronics.
Documentation.

Operating hours

Operating hours can provide useful information but should not be considered alone.

Maintenance history and the type of production performed can be equally important.

Maintenance history

When available, review records for:

Preventive maintenance.
Repairs.
Calibration.
Head servicing.
Software updates.
Component replacement.

Calibration

Some machines require periodic calibration to maintain placement accuracy and repeatability.

Verify whether the required tools, procedures and software remain available.

Machine testing

When possible, perform a functional test before buying.

Check:

Startup.
Axis movement.
Vision system.
PCB transport.
Feeders.
Sensors.
Machine alarms.
Temperature control where applicable.

Technical documentation

For complex electronics machinery, documentation can significantly affect future maintenance.

Useful documents include:

User manuals.
Service manuals.
Electrical diagrams.
Software backups.
Spare parts lists.
Calibration procedures.

Spare parts

Before purchasing older machinery, check the availability of critical parts such as:

Servo motors.
Drives.
Cameras.
Sensors.
Electronic boards.
Feeders.
Industrial computers.

Electronic equipment obsolescence

Older industrial machines may rely on electronic components or software that are no longer manufactured or officially supported.

Always investigate spare parts and technical support before purchasing older equipment.

Electronic assembly machinery prices

The price of electronic assembly machinery depends on factors such as:

Machine type.
Production speed.
Accuracy.
Automation level.
PCB capacity.
Manufacturer.
Model.
Year.
Condition.
Included accessories.

Total cost of an electronics production line

In addition to purchase price, consider:

Transport.
Installation.
Commissioning.
Feeders.
Software.
Compressed air.
Extraction systems.
Maintenance.

How to choose electronic assembly equipment

Before purchasing, define:

Production process.
PCB dimensions.
Component types.
Required throughput.
Required accuracy.
Automation level.
Available space.
Budget.

Buy electronic assembly machinery on Makitor

On Makitor you can compare new and used electronic assembly machinery, SMT equipment and PCB production machines using the technical information available in each listing.

Compare production technology, capacity, speed, automation, condition, location and price before selecting equipment.

View electronic machinery →

Frequently asked questions

What machinery is used for PCB assembly?

Depending on the process, equipment may include solder paste printers, pick and place machines, reflow ovens, conveyors and inspection systems.

What is an SMT line?

An SMT line is a combination of machines used to assemble surface-mounted electronic components onto printed circuit boards.

What should I inspect on used electronics machinery?

Inspect the mechanical systems, placement heads, cameras, sensors, motors, electronics, software, documentation and spare part availability.

What determines PCB assembly machine price?

Price depends mainly on machine type, placement speed, accuracy, feeder capacity, automation, age, condition and included equipment.

Is semi-automatic equipment suitable for small production?

It can be suitable for prototypes and lower production volumes when full automation is not required.