Apparatus for achieving printed circuit board planarity

摘要

According to the present invention, a system for placing surface mount components on a planar PCB has a placement apparatus which picks up a surface mount component to be placed on the PCB and moves it along the x and y axes to the desired PCB component location. The placement apparatus then moves a predetermined vertical distance towards the PCB. Next, a contact apparatus of the system having a spring bias force moves in a vertical direction towards the PCB until it makes contact with the PCB at a location in close proximity to the PCB component location. The contact apparatus has a spring bias force which holds the PCB planar at the PCB component location so that the surface mount component may be placed on the PCB.