Premium SMT Splice Tape • Leader Tape Extenders • U.S.-Made Adhesives • Industry Partnerships With 3M, Nitto, Saint-Gobain, and More Modern surface-mount manufacturing runs at blistering speeds. Feeder tension, carrier-tape friction, component miniaturization, and reel changes all create pressure points where inferior splice tape fails. That’s exactly why Sierra Electronics has spent more than four […]
SMT downtime is expensive — the average line costs $250–$850 per minute depending on the equipment level. Leader Tape Extenders and partial reel solutions have become one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce downtime and keep production stable. Why Downtime Happens Short reels Misfeeds during changeovers Operators rethreading tapes Weak carrier-to-leader adhesion […]
The electronics industry is accelerating fast, and the biggest changes in 2025 revolve around automation, U.S. reshoring, component miniaturization, and supply chain resilience. Here’s how SMT facilities are adapting — and where opportunities lie. Trend 1: The Shift Back to U.S. Manufacturing Driven by: Tariffs Global supply chain volatility Quality inconsistency in imported materials The […]
0201 shortages, rolling distributor ship dates, and why smart splicing keeps your SMT line alive Even as the electronics market moves through phases of recovery, one issue continues to strain production floors around the world: persistent shortages of high-volume passives, especially 0201 capacitors, inductors, and resistors. Operators already know the symptoms: partial reels, unpredictable deliveries, […]
Whether you’re running high-speed placement or high-mix prototype builds, the quality of the SMD reel matters more than most engineers realize. Inferior reels warp under tension, deform under heat, and cause winding inconsistencies that disrupt feeders. This guide helps buyers choose the correct reel for their process. Common SMD Reel Sizes TapeSplice.com manufactures the full […]
When SMT production teams compare splice suppliers, the conversation usually ends the moment reliability is tested. While Chinese splice tapes dominate in volume, they consistently fall short in long-term adhesion, film strength, and overall quality. Here is a direct, data-backed comparison. Adhesive Strength: The #1 Failure Point Weak adhesive is the most common cause of […]
How Sierra Electronics became the gold standard in SMT splice tape reliability, yield, and long-term cost savings. Overview SMT production efficiency lives and dies by splice quality. A weak bond, misaligned sprocket holes, or inconsistent PET film can stall an entire SMT line—costing thousands in downtime per hour. Today, more contract manufacturers are abandoning low-cost […]
Surface-mount production lives or dies on uptime, consistency, and the reliability of the materials feeding your pick-and-place systems. SMT splice tape is one of the smallest components on the line, yet the cost of a single splice failure can exceed the cost of a full day’s worth of tape. This guide breaks down the primary […]
Selecting the right pick-and-place machine is one of the most critical decisions in building a reliable and efficient SMT production line. Whether you’re assembling prototypes, running high-mix batches, or operating a full high-speed manufacturing environment, the performance of your placement system directly affects throughput, accuracy, and overall product quality. Modern pick-and-place machines offer a wide […]
In high-volume electronics manufacturing, the mantra is simple: Speed and Consistency. Every second a pick-and-place machine is idle, your profitability drops. While import options flood the market, compromising quality is never worth the risk of unplanned downtime. At Sierra Electronics (Tapesplice.com), we stand alone in our commitment to domestic quality. We are proud to be […]
