Looking for Carrier tape for SMD parts - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: JoeyG
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2025, 04:17:53 am
content: I've got a reel of smd parts I want to take out of a reel and put back in the same reel or another reel. Does anyone know where I can purchase carrier tape or blank reels where I can re-reel after programming.

author: Accu-Sembly
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2025, 06:10:12 pm
content: What I believe you are requesting is not a common practice. Places like Sewate supply them, but "Blank" tape is largely just the "used" strip you peeled off your original from. If you need the supplies, just reuse that. The problem is reapplying the cover tape in a way that functionally and consistently works on a pick and place machine without issues. I would suggest only peeling one side of the cover tape off to remove the component. You should be able to re-insert the part after programming and, after reeling, might be enough to function properly. This practice usually works better with sticky tape, but you don't see much of that anymore.This leads you to your second problem. The only reason to re-reel a component is when you have a high enough volume that the pick and place time reduction offsets the hand place time. When you have that kind of high volume, then re-reeling becomes even more costly to perform. It's a catch-22.Depending on the type of component, you have alternative options. I suggest inserting the programmed parts into tubes or onto trays. Most assembly houses have ample supplies of these and would probably let you take some. You can also find anti-static IC tubes for purchase online.Lastly, there are companies that offer tape and reel services for bulk items, a web search for ones near you should suffice. I have found them only to be cost effective in very specific circumstances (high volume, expensive part, high risk with manual placement).Hope this helps.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2025, 06:27:29 pm
content: I'm not sure what you are doing, I assume it's programming uC's or pre-sorting or testing passives for a tighter tolerance.Some feeders for SMT PnP machines do not peel of the tape at all. They cut the cover tape (lengthwise) over the center, and then fold both flaps outward. This seems to work quite good, but maybe there are some issues with cutting the tape reliably. And when the flaps are folded back again, they should be able to hold your SMT parts still quite securely (especially when rolled up).

author: wemme
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2025, 06:23:05 am
content: Hello.Depending on package you could transfer to tube format (most people hate using tube on PNP) after programming.

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2025, 09:16:48 am
content: You will find this stuff on your usual Chinese suspects if you go looking. Its probably not as uncommon as you think, but uncommon enough you won't find it from your standard production equipment suppliers. I have seen one machine for this task on the 2nd user market, fairly recently, but thats the only time. Possibly it was one of thesehttps://www.metronelec.uk/products/tape-and-reel-machine,quite why they don't list consumables is anyones guess. As others suggest, keeping the carrier tape and reusing with new cover is probably easiest, finding the right carrier for a given package makes it infinitely more complex. At least covertape only has two metrics - adhesion type and width.That said, companies that offer device programming will probably also often have these tools/supplies so they can offer re-reeling - tube/tray to reel services etc. So the reason you want to find this stuff is because of device programming, outsourcing it is an option too.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 16, 2025, 09:21:56 am
content: In France, but here is a consumables supplierhttps://www.w-tech.fr/en/consumables/carrier-tapeW-Tech is the manufacturer of the T&R machine linked above by SMTech