The Heavy Lifter: DECAN S2 Multi-Function Placer
If the SM471 chip shooter is the sprinter — fast, lightweight, highly specialized — the DECAN S2 is the decathlete. It places everything the chip shooters can't: large BGAs, fine-pitch QFPs, tall connectors, shielded modules, odd-form parts, and oversized components. And it does it at an impressive 96,000 CPH.
The DECAN S2 is typically the third (and sometimes final) pick-and-place machine in our SMT line. By the time the board reaches it, 80-90% of the components are already placed. The DECAN S2 finishes the job — placing the remaining 10-20% of parts that demand special handling, higher precision, or both.
What "Multi-Function" Means
In SMT equipment classification, there is a clear dividing line:
Chip shooters (like the SM471) place small, two-terminal passives at extreme speed. Component size typically below 14mm. Simple vision requirements. High volume, low mix.
Multi-function placers (like the DECAN S2) handle everything else. BGA packages with hundreds of hidden solder balls. QFP leads at 0.4mm pitch. Tall electrolytic capacitors. Heavy connectors. Shielded modules requiring special grip. Odd-form parts that don't fit in standard tape feeders.
The DECAN S2 spans this entire non-passive universe, and it does so with enough speed that it rarely becomes the line bottleneck.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | DECAN S2 |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | 96,000 CPH (chip), ~25,000 CPH (QFP) |
| Component Range | 0402 to 55mm × 55mm BGAs |
| Maximum Component Height | 15mm (standard), 25mm (optional) |
| PCB Size (max) | 1,200mm × 460mm — extra-long board mode |
| Placement Accuracy | ±40μm for chips, ±25μm for fine-pitch (Cpk ≥ 1.0) |
| Feeder Capacity | 160+ lanes (8mm tape) |
| Vision System | Multi-camera: flying + fixed upward + side-view |
How It Works
The DECAN S2's placement head is fundamentally different from a chip shooter. Key features:
Flying vision for smaller components, inspected in motion
Fixed upward camera with high-resolution for BGAs — every ball is imaged, verified, and aligned
Side-view camera for coplanarity checking on QFP leads — if a lead is bent upward, the machine rejects the component before placement
BGA Placement: Where Precision Counts
BGA (Ball Grid Array) placement is the DECAN S2's signature capability. A typical BGA has anywhere from 100 to 1,500+ solder balls on its underside, arranged in a grid. All of them must land precisely on their corresponding PCB pads, simultaneously.
The stakes are high: a BGA with even one ball misaligned can short to a neighbor, creating a defect that is invisible from the top and sides. Only X-ray inspection (see equipment #8) can see it.
The DECAN S2's BGA process:
Pick from tray (not tape — BGAs often come in JEDEC trays due to moisture sensitivity)
Pass over fixed upward camera: every ball imaged and aligned to sub-pixel accuracy
Compensate for thermal expansion (PCB and component may be at different temperatures)
Place with controlled Z-force and minimal XY drift
Verify placement coordinates against CAD data
Why the DECAN S2 Matters
A line without a capable multi-function machine has to place complex components by hand — slow, inconsistent, and prone to error. Or it has to outsource those placements, adding logistics cost and lead time.
The DECAN S2 eliminates both compromises. It handles the full component spectrum on one SMT line, in one continuous flow, from bare PCB to reflow-ready. This is what allows us to offer true turnkey PCBA — the customer sends a BOM and Gerber files; we handle everything else, including the most challenging placements.
On Our Floor
The DECAN S2 sits between the chip shooters and the reflow oven. It is the last machine to touch the board before soldering. When it finishes, every component — from 01005 resistors to 55mm BGAs — is placed, aligned, and ready for the thermal profile that will permanently bond them to the board.
