The TS10 SMT pick-and-place machine is advertised with an optimal placement speed of 42,000 components per hour (CPH).
That figure describes placement capability under favorable conditions, not the number of completed components or boards every factory should expect each hour.
For production planning, the more useful question is: How many acceptable boards can the TS10 help your line produce during a normal shift?
The answer depends on component mix, feeder arrangement, vision requirements, board handling, changeovers, and downtime.
Understanding those factors helps buyers assess the machine and helps production teams set realistic output targets.
What Does the TS10’s Rated Placement Speed Mean?
Applied Physics lists the TS10 as a 10-head SMT placement machine with automatic nozzle changing, 100 positions for 8 mm NXT feeders, and an optimal mounting speed of 42,000 CPH.
An optimal speed rating is useful for understanding the machine’s upper placement capability. However, it does not establish the cycle time for a particular PCB assembly.
Optimal Speed vs. Benchmark Speed
A separate Charmhigh-branded TS10 listing publishes two figures:
- 42,000 CPH: optimal placement speed.
- 31,000 CPH: placement speed identified as IPC-9850.
These are supplier-published ratings, not independent test results. Buyers should confirm that the figures apply to the exact machine configuration being quoted and request the supporting test conditions.
The benchmark figure provides additional context, but it still does not predict output for every production board.
TS10 Specifications That Affect Production Throughput
The following specifications help explain how the TS10 handles different assembly requirements.
| Specification | Published TS10 Detail | What to Check for Your Production |
|---|---|---|
| Mounting heads | 10 | How effectively the job uses the available heads |
| Placement speed | 42,000 CPH optimal; a separate listing gives 31,000 CPH under IPC-9850 | Test conditions and demonstrated speed on a representative board |
| Feeder capacity | 100 positions for 8 mm NXT feeders | Capacity with your actual mix of feeder widths and packaging |
| Nozzle changer | Automatic, 37-position library | Required nozzle types and frequency of nozzle changes |
| Vision system | Flying cameras for components up to 16 × 16 mm; IC camera up to 36 × 36 mm | Recognition requirements for your component mix |
| PCB size | 600 × 400 mm standard; 1200 × 400 mm optional | Required board configuration, support, and handling time |
| Component height | Up to 12 mm | Compatibility with the tallest components in the assembly |
Specifications are drawn from Applied Physics and the separate Charmhigh TS10 listing. Confirm included equipment, options, and configuration before ordering.
Why Actual TS10 Throughput Differs From Rated Speed
Component Mix and Recognition Requirements
A board containing many repeated small components presents a different placement task from one containing varied ICs, connectors, and components supplied in trays.
Different packages can require different nozzles, pickup settings, recognition routines, and placement conditions. The TS10 lists both flying-camera and IC-camera capabilities, so buyers should ask how their components are recognized and how those requirements affect the demonstrated cycle time.
A useful production trial should therefore represent the actual bill of materials, not only the easiest components to place.
Feeder Arrangement and Material Supply
Feeder capacity is not the same as efficient feeder use. The TS10’s published capacity refers to 8 mm feeder positions; buyers should verify how wider feeders, trays, and tube-feeding arrangements affect the available setup.
Material presentation also matters. Incorrect feeder pitch, pickup position, tape tension, or unstable indexing can cause missed pickups and repeated interruptions. These are general SMT process risks, not verified recurring TS10 faults.
Before a timed trial, confirm that feeders are correctly loaded, pickup coordinates are verified, and enough material is available to avoid unnecessary stops.
Nozzle Changes and Pickup Reliability
The TS10 includes an automatic nozzle changer with a 37-position library. This supports jobs requiring different nozzle types, but the production program still needs appropriate nozzle assignments.
Nozzle wear, contamination, unsuitable nozzle selection, and vacuum problems can lead to rejected or dropped components. Increasing placement speed will not correct those conditions.
Reliable pickup should be established before attempting to shorten the cycle.
PCB Handling, Support, and Alignment
The complete machine cycle includes more than component placement. Board transfer, clamping, fiducial recognition, and unloading also take time.
Board support affects placement quality as well. A poorly supported or warped PCB can move or deflect during placement, while unreliable fiducial recognition can affect alignment. These checks are particularly important when assessing larger panels or assemblies with demanding placement tolerances.
Changeovers and Unplanned Stops
A machine may achieve a strong cycle time while running yet produce fewer boards than expected across a shift.
Program preparation, reel replacement, nozzle setup, first-board inspection, and troubleshooting all reduce available production time. For high-mix work, those activities deserve as much attention as the best recorded placement cycle.
Measure both running performance and shift output. They answer different questions.
How to Estimate Real TS10 Production Throughput
Use the actual assembly and a measured cycle rather than treating the advertised CPH rating as guaranteed output.
Calculate Boards Per Hour From the Complete Cycle
For a stable process:
Boards per running hour = 3,600 ÷ measured seconds per board
If the machine processes a panel containing several boards, first calculate panels per hour, then multiply by the number of boards per panel.
The measured cycle should include the normal board-handling and placement sequence. Record retries and interruptions separately so they are not hidden by a best-case cycle.
Measure Accepted Output Across the Shift
For production planning:
Accepted boards per scheduled hour = accepted boards produced ÷ scheduled production hours
Define accepted consistently using your inspection process. Record changeovers, material shortages, machine stops, and quality losses alongside output.
This makes the result more useful than a placement count alone. It also prevents components placed quickly but requiring rework from being treated as successful production.
How to Test the TS10 Before Purchase
Request a demonstration using your PCB or a closely representative assembly. Provide:
- The bill of materials and placement file.
- PCB or panel dimensions and fiducial details.
- Component package sizes, heights, and supply formats.
- Expected batch sizes and changeover frequency.
- Required inspection and acceptance criteria.
Ask the supplier to report the full cycle time, pickup retries, component rejects, operator interventions, and inspection results.
Also clarify the product page’s minimum-component specification: it lists 01005 among component types, while its stated component range begins at 0201 inch. If small-component capability matters to your process, obtain written confirmation and a relevant placement demonstration.
Finally, evaluate the TS10 within the complete line. Faster placement will not increase finished-board output if printing, reflow, inspection, or material supply becomes the limiting step.
Conclusion
The TS10’s 42,000 CPH optimal rating is a starting point for evaluation, not a production guarantee.
Actual throughput depends on the assembly, setup quality, handling cycle, interruptions, and performance of the surrounding SMT line.
The most reliable basis for a purchase or production target is a representative-board trial.
Measure the complete cycle, record rejects and stops, and confirm accepted output over a realistic operating period.
That shows whether the TS10 meets your production requirements, not simply whether it can approach a catalog speed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the rated speed of the TS10 SMT pick-and-place machine?
Applied Physics lists 42,000 CPH under optimal conditions. A separate Charmhigh TS10 listing also publishes 31,000 CPH identified as IPC-9850. Confirm applicability to the quoted configuration.
2. Does 42,000 CPH represent finished-board output?
No. CPH measures component placements, not completed boards. Board output depends on placements per board, handling time, interruptions, and quality acceptance.
3. How can I estimate TS10 boards per hour?
Divide 3,600 by the measured complete cycle time in seconds per board. Use a representative assembly and account separately for downtime and rejected boards.
4. Why can component rejection reduce throughput?
Rejected components may require retries, replacement material, or operator attention. Potential causes include feeder presentation, nozzle condition, vacuum, and incorrect package or vision data.
5. What should I request during a TS10 demonstration?
Request a run using your component mix and PCB layout, with documented cycle time, rejects, retries, operator interventions, and inspection results.
