There are so many packaging materials on the market, and the scale of production and industry chain is so large that China will remain the leading producer of semiconductor packaging materials until 2023. The first thing we will talk about today is carrier tape. Carrier tape is a packaging material used for semiconductor packaging and surface mounting. It is a packaging material that stores, positions, and transfers electronic components. This carrier tape usually comprises printed circuit boards, plastic film, and adhesive materials. They are divided into two main parts: the substrate and the cover tape.

1. What are the dimensions of the substrate?

The standard size of the carrier tape substrate is usually 330mm x 550mm, but there are other non-standard sizes, such as 260mm x 330mm or 400mm x 600mm, but these non-standard sizes are relatively rare. Substrates are usually made of materials such as polyimide (PI) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and their thickness usually ranges from 0.1mm to 0.4mm.

2. What are the carrier tape widths?

The width of the carrier tape is usually related to the size of the components in it. In the semiconductor packaging industry, typical widths of carrier tapes are typically 8 mm, 12 mm, 16 mm, 24 mm, 32 mm, and 44 mm. In addition, other non-standard sizes of carrier tapes are available. For small sizes SMD components, such as 0402, 0603, and 0805 packages, typically use 8mm or 12mm carrier tape, while for large-size components, such as QFN, BGA, and LGA packages, a wider carrier tape, such as 32mm or 44mm, is required.

3. What is the carrier tape hole pitch?

Carrier tape hole pitch refers to the spacing of components on the carrier tape. Typically, the carrier tape hole pitch is 4mm, 8mm, 12mm, or 16mm. An 8mm carrier tape hole pitch is used for most SMD components, while some smaller ones may use a smaller hole pitch.

4. carrier tape thickness range?

Carrier tape thickness is usually between 0.2mm to 0.6mm, but the thickness will vary depending on the material and application. The thickness of the carrier tape is usually associated with the width of the tape, as the increased width results in a more robust carrier tape, thus requiring a thicker carrier tape to support the electronic components.

5. What are the classifications of cover tapes?

There are usually two types of cover tapes: fully enclosed and semi-open. Fully enclosed cover tapes can completely seal electronic components to maximize protection from the outside environment and reduce damage to components from vibration and static electricity. Semi-open cover tape can facilitate the operator for assembly and maintenance, but its protection performance is relatively poor.  

Cover tapes are usually divided into two categories. One type is fully enclosed, and the other is semi-open

The advantages and characteristics of the fully enclosed type: fully enclosed cover tape can completely seal the electronic components, the maximum protection from the outside environment. It can reduce the components receiving external vibration and damage by static electricity. And can effectively prevent the outside world from bringing dust and moisture hazards. If the electronic components are to be transported or stored for long distances, using fully enclosed cover tape is ideal.

The advantage of semi-open type cover tape is that it facilitates assembly and maintenance, but its protection is relatively poor and suitable for use in stable environments. Such a semi-open cover tape is not completely sealed, can also increase heat dissipation performance, can avoid heat, and thus cause damage to the components; in the low-temperature environment or high-temperature environment requires special heat dissipation, such packaging is a certain advantage.

Summary

Finally, I then introduced the carrier tape and the type and size of the carrier tape. The electronics industry chooses the right size and material for the right medicine to be more suitable for storing electronic components in packaging boxes. To ensure a smooth production process and minimize the possibility of damage and waste of components, the last time introduced fully enclosed and semi-open carrier tape must be selected according to the need to improve the yield rate and the actual production process to improve production efficiency.