Feeder Finger: feeding short tape strips without extension tape

Anyone who works with an SMT line knows the problem. For a prototype or a small batch, you sometimes have only a few centimetres of tape, holding an expensive µBGA or a handful of 0402s. To get a strip like that into a standard feeder, you have to add extension tape or splice it, and thread the cover tape through the feeder. That takes time, and it often costs components too. Feeder Finger has a simple solution, and it is now part of the Smans range.

How it works

A Feeder Finger replaces the original tape guide on your existing OEM feeder. You remove the original guide and fit the Feeder Finger in its place. Your feeders and your machine stay the same, but each feeder becomes a leaderless feeder.

What makes the difference is the patented plow blade. As the tape indexes forward, the blade folds the cover tape flat. You no longer need to add extension tape, thread the cover tape through the feeder or collect the peeled-off tape. To load, you push the tape against the sprocket and let the feeder index.

What you gain

• Short strips, down to about one inch (2.5 cm), feed without any problem. You don’t lose components when adding extension tape, and you don’t need splices or separate strip feeders.
• Loading a feeder is much faster. Users report that their setup time is roughly cut in half.
• Because the cover tape no longer runs through the feeder, it can’t jam either. That means less downtime and fewer operator interventions.
• You can order components in the quantity a job actually needs. With expensive or hard-to-source parts, that quickly makes a difference.
• The biggest gains come in high-mix, NPI and prototyping work, where you change over most often.
• Works with paper and embossed tape, from short strips to full reels.

Built for daily use

Feeder Fingers are precision-milled from anodized aluminium. They are sturdy parts, made to run on your line every day.

Which machines

There are versions for feeders from Fuji, Juki, Panasonic, Yamaha (including iPulse), Hanwha/Samsung and Europlacer. Our product page shows which version you need for each feeder type.

A real-world example

An EMS company in California running three lines with Hanwha Decan machines has fitted Feeder Fingers to 90% of its 8 mm feeders, 500 units in total. The company estimates that it now spends about 80% less time on setup and changeovers. Their reasoning: on a modern line, the placer is rarely the bottleneck, but loading the feeders is.

Want to know more?

You’ll find the full Feeder Finger range on our website. Not sure which version fits your feeders? Get in touch with your Smans contact person. If you’d like to see it in action first, we’ll gladly arrange a demo.