Tape and Reel Splice Quality and Feeder Performance

A splice joins two reels so that a feeder can continue without the line stopping. The splice has to pass through the same path as the rest of the tape, and a splice that is thicker or weaker than the tape will stop the machine at the worst moment.

Why Splices Fail

The common failures are a splice that is too thick and jams in the track, a cover tape join that peels open early and a pocket alignment that is out by a pitch. Each of them stops the feeder rather than producing a defect.

The failure is usually a nuisance and occasionally a misplacement. Our placement accuracy notes describe the consequence.

Making the Splice

The carrier tape is joined with splicing tape on the underside, and the cover tape is joined separately. The pockets across the join have to be empty so that no component sits over the splice.

The join should be made with a tool rather than by hand. Our feeder notes describe the setup that follows.

Cover Tape Peel Force

The peel force is specified by the tape supplier and it has to remain inside the range at the splice. A join that increases the force causes the cover tape to break; one that reduces it lets the tape lift early.

The force is measured with a gauge on a sample. Our component selection notes describe the specification that accompanies the part.

Pocket Alignment and Pitch

The pockets have to continue at the same pitch across the splice, because the feeder indexes by pocket rather than by position. A splice that shifts the pitch by a fraction feeds a component into the wrong place.

The alignment should be checked against the sprocket holes rather than the pocket edge. Our feeder calibration notes describe the reference.

Static and Handling

The tape is a dielectric and it can hold charge, so the splice should be made in an ESD controlled area with the components protected. A splice made on a bench is a charge event.

Our floor control notes describe the arrangement.

When Not to Splice

A splice in a fine pitch part is riskier than one in a chip component because the placement tolerance is smaller. Where the risk is high, the reel should be changed at a natural break.

The decision is a line management one. Our yield analysis notes describe how the cost is compared.

Verification

The verification is a splice made with a tool in an ESD area, a peel force measured at the join inside the specification, a pocket pitch checked against the sprocket holes, and no component sitting over the splice.

Our quality notes describe how the records are kept.

Process Control and Verification

Where the requirement is not written down, the shop supplies its own default, and the default is chosen for the process rather than for the design. The measurements that matter are the repeatable ones: conductor width and spacing, annular ring, finished hole size, plating thickness and surface finish are all verifiable on a coupon that travels with the panel.

Running a first article through the same checks as the production panel confirms that the two agree, and that comparison is the cheapest form of process control available at prototype stage. Keeping a sample from the panel turns a dispute into a measurement, because the same coupon can be re-examined by both parties without rebuilding the batch.

Reviewing the design before the data is released is cheaper than correcting it after the panel is in the tank, because every step downstream inherits the decision made at the front end. Documenting the assumption is part of the design work, and a short note on the drawing prevents a question that would otherwise arrive a day later and cost a day of schedule.

The process window is set by the narrowest step in the flow, so an improvement anywhere else shows up as margin rather than as yield until that step is addressed.

Checks Before Release

The checks that matter are the ones performed on the product rather than on a sample kept for the purpose, because a coupon that travels with the panel is the only evidence about that panel. Where a requirement can be measured, it should be measured at the point of manufacture and recorded against the board or the lot it applies to.

A parameter that is set once and never re verified drifts, and the drift is usually discovered by a defect rather than by the record. The tooling, the material and the profile form one system, and a change to any of them should be assessed against the other two before it is released.

Where the process window is narrow, the measurement resolution has to be better than the window, or the data cannot distinguish a good part from a marginal one. A record that identifies the operator, the date and the settings is worth more than a record that identifies only the result.

FAQ

Does a splice always cause a stoppage? No. A well made one passes through the feeder without notice, which is why the method matters more than the frequency.

Can any two reels be spliced? Only where the tape width, pocket size and pitch match. Mixing part numbers on one feeder is a different and more serious error.

What does gopcb provide for tape and reel handling? We provide splices made with a tool in an ESD controlled area, carrier and cover tape joined separately, empty pockets across the join, a peel force measured at the splice against the specification, and pocket pitch verified against the sprocket holes.