Top 5 SMT Line from I.C.T 2024 Customers Cases

The Pivotal Role of SMT Line in Electronics Manufacturing

In 2024, our company has proudly delivered exceptional SMT production line solutions to numerous clients across the globe. Among our many success stories, we have carefully selected the five most representative SMT line. These lines were chosen based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as technical complexity, project intricacy, training requirements, and collaboration index. This article delves into the details of these PCB assembly line.

Article Overview

Introduction to SMT Line

In recent years, with the continuous miniaturization and increasing complexity of electronic products, SMT has become the mainstream technology in the electronic manufacturing industry. The SMT assembly line is a key equipment for realizing SMT technology, which is composed of multiple automated equipment and can efficiently and accurately complete the processes of mounting and soldering electronic components.

Our company has provided 21 SMT assembly lines for customers in the first half of 2024, effectively improving the product quality of customers. Compared with a few years ago, customers generally pay more attention to product quality. In addition to purchasing basic equipment such as pick and place machine, reflow oven, and PCB printing machines, in-line AOI machine has also become the standard.

Importance in Electronics Manufacturing

Take one of our customers for example. They are mainly engaged in the production of computer motherboards and memory cards. Previously, they commissioned other EMS companies to produce on their behalf, but due to limited output and difficult quality control, there were about 200 defective boards out of every 10,000 PCBs, causing huge waste. In order to improve product quality and production efficiency, they decided to invest in the construction of an SMT line and strictly control the production process, effectively reducing the defect rate.

In addition, SMT technology has become the mainstream technology in the global electronics manufacturing industry, and its importance is becoming increasingly prominent. Compared with traditional technologies, SMT has the following advantages:

High production efficiency: SMT line are highly automated and can achieve high-speed, continuous production, effectively improving production efficiency.
Good product quality: SMT technology has high precision, the placement of components is accurate, the welding defect rate is low, and product quality is more guaranteed.
Low production cost: SMT technology reduces manual operations and lowers production costs.

We once provided an SMT assembly line for a Finland LED lighting manufacturer. Previously, the customer mainly used semi-automatic SMT line, and the production efficiency and product quality were difficult to meet the requirements. After adopting our fully automatic SMT assembly line, the customer’s production efficiency increased by 50%, the defect rate decreased by 80%, and the product quality was significantly improved.

Choose the Right SMT Line for Your Company

Selecting the right SMT line is crucial for ensuring efficient and cost-effective manufacturing. Our team of experienced engineers can tailor the best solution to meet your specific needs.

Key Factors to Consider

Production Volume:

High-volume production demands fully automated SMT assembly lines with high-speed capabilities. For instance, we designed a production line for a US hearing aid manufacturer producing 15 million units annually. Our engineers ensured efficient production and product quality by matching the line to their capacity.

Product Type:

Different product types require varying production line configurations. Upon receiving your PCBA and BOM list, we design a suitable production line based on this information. For example, in the Uruguay SMT Electric Meter Assembly Line case, we provided a U-type SMT assembly line to meet their specific needs.

Budget:

SMT production line costs must align with your company’s financial resources and expected return on investment. Customers often calculate their ROI themselves. Some have investors, while others require loans or government support. We consider customer budgets when formulating solutions. For instance, a telecommunications equipment project in Kazakhstan was government-backed with swift funding approvals. We fully cooperated, providing them with an efficient solution.

Choosing the right production line for your company not only enhances production efficiency but also ensures product quality and cost-effectiveness. If you have any requirements, please feel free to contact our expert team. We are committed to serving you.

Top 5 SMT Line of 2024

This year’s top SMT assembly line showcase innovation and excellence in meeting diverse manufacturing challenges. Among them, the Finland – LED Production Line stands out for its exceptional ability to deliver both high precision and high efficiency, perfectly tailored for the demanding requirements of LED lighting production.

Top 5 Finland – LED Production Line

LED lenses, also known as LED lamp bead lenses or LED optical lenses, are optical components used to guide and control LED light. They are widely used in various lighting and display devices, including liquid crystal televisions (LCD TVs).

In LCD TV backlighting systems, LED production line play a crucial role. They evenly distribute the light emitted from LED lamp beads onto the LCD panel, resulting in bright, clear images. Additionally, LED lenses can also improve image contrast, color saturation, and uniformity.

Top 5 Finland - LED Lighting SMT Production Line

Reason for Selection:

High Precision Requirements: LED lighting products demand a high-precision and high-efficiency production line to ensure product consistency and quality.

Technical Features:

High Efficiency and High Precision: Employs a vacuum PCB loader, fully automatic PCB printing machine I.C.T-1200, HANWHA SM482 PLlus pick and place machine, L8 SMT reflow oven, cooling vertical buffer machine, SMT conveyor, PCB depaneling machine, and solder paste mixer to achieve high production efficiency and precision.
Large-size PCB Requirements: Caters to the customer’s 1.5-meter LED product production, seamlessly integrating a fully-auto LED production line from the 1.5-meter SMT vacuum loader to the 1.5-meter cooling buffer machine, enabling unmanned production.

Project Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Relatively low project complexity due to clear customer requirements and the selection of high-performance SMT machines, ensuring optimal line performance.

Training Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

One engineer provided intensive training for 5 days, ensuring the proper installation and operation of all SMT machines, and providing detailed operation manuals and technical support.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

Comprehensive Factory Setup: Offers comprehensive support from factory rental, renovation, and electrical installation to equipment placement, debugging, and initial product production, ensuring smooth factory handover and efficient operation.

Top 4 Malaysia – LED Lens Semi-automatic SMT Assembly Line

Reason for Selection:

Catering to LED Industry Needs: Automated production with the flexibility to handle different product sizes and types.
Low Investment, Maximum Production Benefits: Minimizing investment costs while maximizing production efficiency.

Technical Features:

Semi-auto Production: Utilizes a semi-automatic PCB printing machine, LED lens dispensing machine, Hanwha SMT481 Plus pick and place machine, L8 reflow oven, SMT conveyor and SMT cooling conceyor to accommodate products up to 1.2m in size. This SMT line strikes a balance between fully automation and semi-auto operation, enhancing production flexibility.
Production Capacity: Produces 1,000 LED bulbs and 400 LED strips per hour.

Project Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Relatively low project complexity and straightforward operation. However, the line is optimized to meet specific customer needs, ensuring efficient production and cost control.

Training Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

One engineer provided 10 days of training, focusing on the customer’s hands-on operation and understanding of the machinery for the first 3 days. The remaining 7 days ensured that the customer could proficiently operate the production line.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

Supply Chain Integration: The customer already has a complete LED production line. Adding the LED lens production line further enhances their supply chain, enabling full-process control from component production to complete lamp assembly.

Top 3 Kazakhstan – Communication Equipment PCB Assembly Line

Top 3 Kazakhstan - Communication Equipment SMT Line

Reason for Selection:

High Efficiency and Focus: Optimized component handling and full automatic PCB assembly line production processes to meet the specific needs of communication equipment manufacturing.
Professionalism: The customer has a high level of expertise, from initial design to product manufacturing.

Technical Features:

SMT Machine: Utilizes a PCB loader, fully automatic PCB printing machine, JUKI RS-1R pick and place machine, L8 reflow oven, and off-line SMT AOI V8 to ensure high-quality and efficient production.
Soldering Technology Selection: Employs SS430 selective wave soldering machine to meet specific soldering requirements and improve production quality.
Strong Solution Compatibility: The SMT solution is designed to accommodate the future production of base station server motherboards and can be extended to handle more advanced and complex products in the future.

Project Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Moderate complexity, targeted SMT machines integration, and SMT process optimization ensure the efficient operation of the PCB assembly line.

Training Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

One engineer provided 7 days of training, overcoming language barriers between Kazakh, English, and Chinese, to ensure that the customer fully understands all aspects of the full automatic SMT assembly line and operation methods.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

Support from Scratch: Provides comprehensive support from initial factory setup to full operation of the production line, ensuring a smooth transition for the customer from 0 to 1.

Top 2 Europe – Power Supply SMT Line

Ask for Power Supply SMT Line

Reason for Selection:

Comprehensive Customer Support: In 2023, I.C.T assisted multiple global customers in building factories and integrating equipment solutions. In Europe, we helped a customer establish a power supply production line, achieving full-process automation, including fully automated PCB assembly line, desktop SMT assembly line including , and DIP line.
Customer Needs: Electronics manufacturing power supply manufacturers need to keep pace with the trend of miniaturization, integration, and intelligence in power supplies, leading to a growing demand for manufacturing equipment. As a sincere partner to our customers, we have met their equipment needs.
Dust-free Workshop: In the early stages of customer factory construction, we provided recommendations based on IPC standards, including temperature, humidity, and anti-static measures, to ensure that the production environment meets SMT and ESD requirements and to construct a dust-free workshop in accordance with ISO 14644-1 standards.

Technical Features:

I.C.T is committed to providing customers with superior manufacturing solutions and constantly innovating its technology to meet their evolving needs. Our technical features include:
Carefully designed SMT production line and DIP production lines to ensure product reliability and quality, addressing the technical challenges of power supply manufacturing.

SMT Line:

Error-proofing system: This system of the pick and place machine effectively prevents component misplacement, improving production efficiency and product quality.
10-zone reflow oven: Adopts a small circulation mode to perfectly handle the uneven heating caused by the height difference of components on the product.
In-line SMT AOI machine: Full-auto inspects product quality to ensure that products meet quality standards.

DIP Line Integration:

Nitrogen wave soldering machine: Significantly improves welding quality and reduces solder oxidation.
ICT tester: Performs overall static testing on products to meet production quality control and testing requirements.

Comprehensive Line Setup:

Full automatic SMT assembly Line: Includes SMT machine such as a PCB loader, PCB printing machine, JUKI RS-1R pick and place machine, reflow oven with CBS（Central board support）, cooling SMT conveyor, SMT buffer machine, SMT AOI machine, and PCB NG unloader to ensure efficient operation of the production line.
DIP Line Integration: insertion line, wave soldering machine, wave unloader, PCB flipper, SMT conveyor, belt assembly line and ICT tester to ensure the perfect realization of the DIP process.
Desktop SMT Line: Integration of equipment such as a manual PCB printing machine, desktop pick and place machine, and desktop reflow oven, to be used for R&D samples of new products and new technologies by customers.

Project Difficulty: ★★★★☆

Based on the development trend of power supplies, in addition to the standard SMT production line and DIP production line for mass production, we have also configured a desktop SMT assembly line for customers for R&D samples of new products and new technologies.

Training Difficulty: ★★★★☆

During all SMT production line machine DIP machine delivery, I.C.T engineers provided 17 days of technical support at the European customer’s site, covering the installation, commissioning, and training of all SMT machine on the 3 lines. Professional training is essential during the production process. We adopt a training mode of theory + practice + assessment to ensure that customers fully master the operation of the SMT machines. After passing the assessment, training qualification certificates are issued to customer engineers.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

New Factory Support: Provide comprehensive support from factory construction and equipment installation to comprehensive training to ensure the smooth commissioning and delivery of the new factory.

Pick and Place Machine Training

ICT Tester Training

Training Difficulty: ★★★★☆

During all smt line machine DIP machine delivery, I.C.T engineers provided 17 days of technical support at the European customer’s site, covering the installation, commissioning, and training of all SMT machine on the 3 PCB assembly line. Professional training is essential during the production process. We adopt a training mode of theory + practice + assessment to ensure that customers fully master the operation of the SMT machines. After passing the assessment, training qualification certificates are issued to customer engineers.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

New Factory Support: Provide comprehensive support from factory construction and equipment installation to comprehensive training to ensure the smooth commissioning and delivery of the new factory.

Top 1 Uruguay – SMT Electric Meter SMT Line +DIP Line

Inquiry for SMT+DIP Line

Reasons for Ranking:

U-shaped SMT Line: The SMT production line was optimized multiple times to utilize a U-shaped layout, maximizing space and saving costs for the customer due to limited factory space.
High Production Demand: Smart meters require high production rates and extremely low defect rates, demanding efficient coordination between the SMT Line and DIP line.
Comprehensive Integration: Seamless integration of the entire line ensures high production efficiency and quality.

Technical Features:

U-shaped Line: The SMT line was optimized multiple times to utilize a U-shaped layout, maximizing space and saving costs for the customer due to limited factory space.
High Precision and High Efficiency: Utilizes SM471 Plus+ SM481 Plus pick and place machine to meet the high production demand of 1,000 units per hour.
Full Automation: SMT Line-DIP Line-PCB Assembly Line achieves fully automated production, saving labor and resources.
Intelligence: AOI Machine I.C.T-5146 intelligently analyzes product defect rates using AI algorithms, improving the customer’s product pass-through rate.

SMT Line

U-shaped SMT Line

DIP Line

Project Difficulty: ★★★★★

Successfully integrated SMT line, DIP line, and Assembly line from 900mm to 750mm to 350mm height, achieving automatic seamless docking, maximizing space optimization and cost-effectiveness. These designs saved space without increasing the customer’s costs.

Project Complexity: ★★★★★

The project started with the customer’s intention to find a new production base in Argentina and Uruguay. It involved guiding the customer’s preliminary preparation work, factory layout, and related hardware setup and construction, discussing the required machines and materials for the entire process from PCB to finished product packaging and shipping. After extensive discussions, simulations, and layout, the team assisted the customer step by step until the final machine installation, training, and successful product production and delivery.

Training Difficulty: ★★★★★

2 engineers underwent comprehensive training and equipment calibration for 15 days to ensure that customers could operate and maintain the SMT machines proficiently.

Cooperation Index: ★★★★★

All-round Support: Providing comprehensive support from factory construction, renovation, electrical and gas installation, to equipment placement, debugging, and initial product production, ensuring a smooth handover from 0 to 1.

SMT Production Line Selection Guide

Selecting an SMT production line requires careful consideration of several factors, including production volume, product type, and budget. To ensure you choose the right line for your needs, evaluate different options based on their efficiency, reliability, and the level of supplier support provided. Here are some key aspects to consider:

Production Volume Requirements:

Can the SMT line handle your expected output? High-speed pick and place machines and PCB printing machines can significantly boost production volume.

Product Specifications:

What types of electronic components will you be assembling? The line’s capabilities should align with your product complexity. Multi-functional pick and place machine can handle a wider variety of components.

Budget Constraints:

Cost-effective SMT lines are available, but consider the long-term return on investment. Investing in high-precision printing machines and advanced reflow ovens can improve product quality and reduce rework costs.

Supplier Reputation:

Choose a reputable supplier with a proven track record and a commitment to quality. Look for companies that offer comprehensive support services, including:

One-Stop Service: Comprehensive Support for You

We go beyond just providing high-quality SMT production lines. We offer a one-stop SMT solutions to address all your challenges during the setup process:

On-site Installation: Our professional engineers will install all equipment, including pick and place machines, PCB printing machines, and reflow oven, SMT conveyor, PCB loader unloader, ensuring proper operation for optimal performance.
Machine Commissioning: Experienced engineers will commission all the SMT machines to ensure they function at peak efficiency.
Customer Training: We provide comprehensive training for your staff on operating the entire SMT production line, including pick and place machines, PCB printing machine, and reflow oven, to guarantee they are proficient and can maximize line productivity.
Technical Support: Our dedicated team offers 24/7 technical support to promptly resolve any production issues that may arise with your pick-and-place machines, printing machines, or reflow ovens.

Our comprehensive service ensures you receive full support throughout the entire process, from initial setup to ongoing production. This maximizes the efficiency and reliability of your SMT production line, allowing you to focus on achieving your manufacturing goals.

Conclusion

The top five SMT production lines we offer boast unique features and advantages. This showcases our capability to deliver cutting-edge solutions tailored to various industries and specific requirements. Each line reflects our commitment to high precision, efficiency, and quality in electronics manufacturing.

I.C.T is committed to globalization and localization services, just to be your most sincere partner! Contact us today to learn more about our solutions and how we can help you achieve your manufacturing goals.