Used Siemens SIPLACE F5 HM for ICs, fine-pitch, tray-fed and large components after high-speed placement. Verify heads, vision, feeders and tooling before purchase.
The Siemens SIPLACE F5 HM is a flexible SMT placement machine designed to handle the ICs, fine-pitch packages, tray-fed parts and special components that often remain after high-speed chip placement. If those remaining components still require manual placement or a second production pass, the line keeps paying for that flexibility gap through additional handling, scheduling and process-control work on every board it produces.
The F5 HM combines two placement functions on one X/Y gantry. A 12-nozzle Collect & Place head provides up to approximately 11,000 CPH for smaller standard components, while a 6-nozzle version trades some benchmark speed for broader IC coverage. A dedicated Pick & Place head handles larger, fine-pitch and special components individually, with published capability up to approximately 55 × 55 mm and selected components with an edge length up to about 92 mm.
This is the main reason to choose the F5 HM. If the high-speed section of the line already places standard SMDs fast enough, replacing productive equipment simply to gain capability for the last group of difficult components solves the wrong problem. A correctly configured used F5 HM concentrates the investment on the missing flexible-placement stage instead of buying more chip-placement capacity that the factory does not need.
The platform can support tape feeders, stick magazines, trays, waffle-pack systems and application-specific component supply according to the installed configuration. For factories already operating compatible SIPLACE equipment, existing feeder resources, technician experience and maintenance practices may continue to provide value where compatibility is confirmed.
When a suitable F5 HM is already available with the required flexible-placement package, it may also shorten the path to adding that missing process capability compared with turning one production gap into a broader equipment-replacement project. For project-driven, seasonal or uncertain demand, the lower capital commitment of a used machine can also reduce the factory's exposure if the flexible workload later declines.
The F5 HM is strongest when a meaningful but limited part of the BOM requires this extra flexibility. If most placements are standard small components, an HS50 or HS60 is a more direct way to add throughput. If the flexible machine needs to carry a much larger share of both standard and difficult placements, a three-gantry SIPLACE HF3 deserves comparison.
| Parameter | Reference Specification |
|---|---|
| Machine Type | Flexible single-gantry SMT placement machine |
| Placement Gantries | 1 X/Y gantry |
| Head Configuration | 12-nozzle or 6-nozzle Collect & Place head plus dedicated Pick & Place head |
| 12-Nozzle Head Performance | Up to approximately 11,000 CPH |
| 6-Nozzle Head Performance | Up to approximately 8,500 CPH |
| Pick & Place Performance | Up to approximately 1,800 CPH |
| 12-Nozzle Component Range | Approximately 0.6 × 0.3 mm to 18.7 × 18.7 mm |
| 6-Nozzle Component Range | Approximately 1.6 × 0.8 mm to 32 × 32 mm in the standard configuration |
| Pick & Place Component Range | Approximately 1.6 × 0.8 mm to 55 × 55 mm; selected components may support an edge length up to approximately 92 mm |
| Maximum Component Height | Up to approximately 20 mm with the Pick & Place head |
| Maximum Component Weight | Up to approximately 25 g with the Pick & Place head |
| Feeder Capacity | Up to 118 tracks based on 8 mm tape width |
| Component Supply | Tape feeders, stick magazines, trays, waffle-pack systems and application-specific feeders according to installed configuration |
| Single-Conveyor PCB Range | Approximately 50 × 50 mm to 508 × 460 mm; length up to approximately 610 mm with the required option |
| Dual-Conveyor PCB Range | Approximately 50 × 50 mm to 460 × 216 mm per lane |
These are OEM reference capabilities rather than guaranteed performance from every used F5 HM. Actual placement performance depends on the installed Collect & Place head, Pick & Place head condition, nozzle and gripper wear, vision calibration, tray equipment, feeder setup, conveyor, software and overall machine condition. DCA, Flip Chip and other special applications should not be assumed from the F5 HM model name alone.
The buying decision starts with the components that remain after high-speed placement. If the problem is insufficient standard-SMD throughput, an F5 HM does not solve the bottleneck. If the problem is a smaller but technically difficult group of components that prevents the board from being completed automatically, the economics are very different.
| Production Situation | Better Direction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Standard SMD placement still sets the board cycle | HS50 / HS60 | Add high-speed placement capacity where the actual bottleneck exists |
| High-speed placement is sufficient, but difficult ICs, tray-fed or special components remain | F5 HM | Add the missing flexible finishing stage without replacing productive high-speed capacity |
| The flexible machine must carry a substantial share of both standard and difficult placements | HF3 | Three configurable gantries provide more room to balance placement output with component flexibility |
| Only a very small number of special components remain | Check the economics first | A dedicated flexible machine may not be justified if the remaining workload is too small |
One of the most expensive mistakes when buying a used F5 HM is assuming that every configuration handles tray-fed, fine-pitch and special components equally. A machine may carry the correct F5 HM model name but still lack the Pick & Place vision package, tray equipment, tooling or feeder setup required for the components that justified the purchase in the first place. Even changing between Collect & Place head configurations can require the correct hardware, software reconfiguration and recalibration.
This is why price should not be the first comparison point. The strongest used-F5 HM business case is the ability to add the specific flexible process the existing line is missing while keeping productive high-speed equipment in service. Compatible feeders, placement heads, nozzles and selected replacement parts can also be matched through our ASM spare-parts supply where suitable items are available.
Before price becomes the deciding factor, verify the actual Pick & Place head, Collect & Place configuration, vision package, tray equipment, tooling, feeder package, conveyor and software on the machine being offered. Configuration information, current machine photos, software details, powered-on test footage and remote live inspection can be reviewed where available.
If you are not sure whether this product matches your machine, send us the model, label photo or old part picture for checking.
