Assemblers who can’t justify halting production runs to obtain counts of remaining component inventories are going to welcome a new device from Manncorp. Aptly named “SpotCheck,” this hand-held counter fits most pockets and budgets. Where it differs from customary reel counters is in its unique design that provides fast estimates of parts quantities without removing the tape from the pick-and-place feeders. There is no time lost in threading leader tape and loading the reel onto the counters – which, according to Manncorp CEO, Henry Mann, “cannot be accomplished by traditional counters. At only $349, SpotCheck’s is also very affordable.”

Completely self-contained and requiring no attachments, SpotCheck produces SMD tallies in less than 60 seconds without interrupting production. Another feature, according to Mr. Mann, is SpotCheck’s pre-kitting functionality. “By providing almost instantaneous readouts of SMD quantities to be used in upcoming runs, risk of parts run out is prevented and downtime for component reloading is avoided. This makes it a must for any SMT line. Accuracy range is ±5%,” he stated.