Acceleration-Induced Tension: Transient increases in carrier tape tension caused by feeder indexing, placement head acceleration, or machine start-stop motion.
Adhesive Creep: Time-dependent deformation of adhesive under sustained shear load, potentially resulting in splice displacement.
Alignment Pins: Mechanical features used in splice tools or splice tape systems to maintain carrier tape pitch and sprocket hole alignment.
Anti-Static Properties: Electrical resistance characteristics of splice tapes, carrier tapes, and tools designed to mitigate electrostatic discharge.
Binning: Sorting and organizing components prior to kitting and feeder preparation.
Built-In Alignment Jig: An integrated mechanical guide within a splice tool that assists with accurate tape alignment during splicing.
Carrier Tape: Plastic tape containing component pockets used for automated SMT feeding.
Carrier Tape Pitch: Fixed distance between adjacent component pockets or sprocket holes.
Carrier Tape Splicing: Joining two carrier tape segments to form a continuous tape suitable for feeder operation.
Changeover Time: Time required to transition an SMT line between jobs or reel configurations.
Continuous Carrier Tape Delivery: A materials handling method enabling uninterrupted component feeding through splicing.
Cover Tape: Protective film sealing components into carrier tape pockets prior to placement.
Delamination: Separation of adhesive from the carrier tape or splice backing.
Digi-Reel: Distributor-prepared component reel service delivering custom quantities using splicing, leader tape, and trailer tape.
Dimensional Stability: The ability of a splice zone to maintain pitch and alignment under load.
Double Splice Tape: A splice tape configuration designed to join two carrier tapes simultaneously, commonly used for reel-to-reel transitions.
ESD Compliance: Conformance with electrostatic discharge protection requirements.
Extended Leader Tape: Additional leader tape applied to facilitate feeder threading.
Extended Trailer Tape: Additional trailer tape applied to ensure controlled reel run-out.
Feeder: A mechanical device that advances carrier tape and presents components to the placement head.
Feeder Bank: An assembly containing multiple feeders mounted to a placement machine or staging cart.
Feeder Bank Preparation: Loading, splicing, tensioning, and staging feeders prior to production.
Feeder Compatibility: Ability of spliced tape to advance reliably through a specific feeder design.
Feeder Indexing: Stepwise advancement of carrier tape synchronized with placement.
Feeder Swap: Removal and replacement of feeders, often avoided through splicing.
Feeder Tension: Force applied to carrier tape during operation.
Glossary Anchor: An internal reference connecting glossary terms to related technical documentation.
High-Mix Low-Volume Production: Manufacturing environments with frequent job changes and small batch sizes.
Integrated Circuit Reel: Component reel containing IC packages for SMT placement.
Inventory Consolidation: Combining partial reels into continuous reels through splicing.
Job Kitting: Assembly of all required components for a production run prior to line setup.
Kitting Department: Area responsible for preparing reels, splices, and feeder banks.
Leader Tape: Empty carrier tape attached to the front of a reel for feeder threading.
Live-Line Splicing: Splicing performed while the placement machine remains in operation.
Low-Quantity Splicing: Splicing used for prototype and NPI jobs with minimal component counts.
Materials Flow: Movement of components from storage through production.
Materials Handling: Processes governing preparation, staging, and delivery of components.
Mechanical Shear: Force acting parallel to the splice interface due to feeder tension.
Misfeed: Failure of a feeder to correctly advance or present a component.
MouseReel: Distributor-prepared component reel service providing custom quantities through trimming, splicing, and leader or trailer tape addition, requiring feeder-compatible splice interfaces.
New Product Introduction (NPI): Phase where designs transition from prototype to production.
On-the-Fly Reel Change: Reel transition performed without stopping the SMT placement machine.
Operator-Executed Splicing: Manual splicing performed by machine operators.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): Manufacturing metric influenced by splice reliability and feeder uptime.
Partial Reel: Component reel containing fewer parts than a full manufacturer reel.
Partial Reel Consolidation: Combining multiple partial reels into one continuous reel.
Pitch Alignment: Maintaining consistent pocket spacing across a splice interface.
Placement Machine: Automated system that places surface-mount components onto PCBs.
Pre-Production Splicing: Splicing performed during kitting and feeder preparation prior to line startup.
Prototype SMT Assembly: Low-volume SMT assembly for design validation.
Reel Exhaustion: Point at which a component reel is depleted.
Reel Change Distance: Remaining carrier tape length when splicing is initiated.
Reliability Engineering: Evaluation of splice performance under mechanical and time-dependent stress.
Shear Load: Sustained force applied parallel to the splice interface.
SMT Line: Production line consisting of placement machines, feeders, and support equipment.
SMT Splice Tape: Adhesive tape designed to join carrier tape segments for continuous feeding.
SMT Splice Tool: Mechanical device used to align and assemble splices accurately.
SMT Splice Tape 8 mm: Splice tape sized for 8 mm carrier tape, commonly used for passive components.
SMT Splice Tape 12 mm: Splice tape sized for 12 mm carrier tape.
SMT Splice Tape 16 mm: Splice tape sized for 16 mm carrier tape.
SMT Splice Tape 24 mm: Splice tape sized for 24 mm carrier tape.
SMT Splice Tape 32 mm: Splice tape sized for 32 mm carrier tape.
SMT Splice Tape 44 mm: Splice tape sized for 44 mm carrier tape.
SMT Splice Tape 56 mm: Splice tape sized for 56 mm carrier tape.
SMT Double Splice Tape 8 mm: Double-sided splice configuration for joining two 8 mm carrier tapes.
SMT Splice Tape with Pins: Splice tape incorporating alignment pins to maintain pitch accuracy.
SMT Splice Tape without Pins: Splice tape relying on manual or tool-based alignment.
Splice Backing: Structural layer supporting adhesive in a splice.
Splice Interface: Junction where two carrier tape segments are joined.
Splice Tool with Built-In Alignment: Splice tool featuring mechanical guides or pins.
Splice Tool Manual: Hand-operated splice tool requiring operator alignment.
Splice Zone: Localized area containing the splice interface.
Splice Zone Stability: Ability of a splice to maintain integrity during operation.
Sprocket Hole Alignment: Alignment of indexing holes across a splice.
Sustained Shear Loading: Long-term shear force applied while tape remains under feeder tension.
Tape Indexing: Controlled advancement of carrier tape through a feeder.
Tape Rewind Cycles: Repeated winding and unwinding during splicing and feeder loading.
Tension Spikes: Short-duration increases in feeder tension.
Throughput: Rate at which boards or components are processed.
Trailer Tape: Empty carrier tape attached to the end of a reel.
Uninterrupted Placement: Continuous component placement without machine stoppage.
Yield: Percentage of successfully placed components or boards.
Yield Loss: Component loss or defects caused by feed or splice failure.
Yield Preservation: Maintaining placement accuracy through stable splicing.
This glossary applies to SMT splicing used in:
