Smart Stencil Rack from Scienscope

A smart stencil storage rack is an automated solution for storing and managing solder stencils used in the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) process. Its purpose is to safely archive stencils, prevent damage, and ensure they are quickly available for production, while also providing full traceability and inventory management.

The system uses multi-color LED lights (Pick-to-Light technology) to illuminate the exact location for storing or retrieving a specific stencil, eliminating manual searching and minimising operator time. This allows for storage or retrieval in just a few seconds per stencil.

The smart stencil rack has built-in sensors that automatically detect when a stencil is placed or removed. By scanning a unique ID or part number, the system tracks the stencil’s location in real-time, providing a full, accurate inventory account and preventing the use of worn-out or incorrect stencils through cycle management

The smart stencil rack is designed to accommodate standard stencil sizes, including 23″x23″ and 23″x29″.

It offers different models with varying slot widths to fit stencils of different thicknesses:

• WH-SRA-5: 5mm stencil width (10mm spacing), 120 total capacity.
• WH-SRA-20: 20mm stencil width (25mm spacing), 70 total capacity.
• WH-SRA-40: 40mm stencil width (45mm spacing), 42 total capacity.

Yes, the smart stencil rack is Industry 4.0 ready and can seamlessly integrate with any Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. It can exchange information via various protocols, including CSV, XML, text files, APIs (HTTP/TCP/IP), and SQL databases.

The rack includes an ESD (electrostatic safe) caster base, making it mobile so it can be moved as needed within the production environment. It does not require special room conditions.

The system is fully integrated with some stencil cleaning equipment manufacturers. It ensures that a stencil removed for cleaning is not returned to the “ready” inventory until a signal is received from the cleaning equipment confirming it is clean and ready for production.