Buffers Standard series
The ideal option for machine customization

Which PCB Buffer best suits your production process?
Nutek provides several PCB Buffers in all sorts of shapes and sizes (PCB = Printed Circuit Board). We will highlight a number of Nutek PCB Buffers and try to explain to you the variety and what to consider when selecting the correct Buffer. To start, a Buffer is used for buffering PCB’s within PCB assembly line to balance or improve the output of the individual process machines within an assembly line. In the text below you find a detailed description of all PCB buffers Nutek offers.
Our buffers are separated in two main types of machines, one using an exchangeable PCB magazine racks and the other is using a mechanical built in register to store the printed circuit boards in.
On the PCB Buffers using an exchangeable magazine rack we use magazine racks in which up to 50 Printed Circuits Boards can be stored at a pitch of 10mm. Often the sizes of the PCB magazine racks can be divided in three sizes:
M 355-400mm (l) x 320mm (w)
L 460-535mm (l) x 380-460(w)
XL 535mm (l) x 530mm (w)
However should your PCB magazine rack dimensions or pitch deviate from the standard racks then Nutek will build the PCB buffer according to your specific PCB magazine rack without any additional charges!
Solutions using exchangeable PCB magazine racks are:
Single Magazine Buffer – PCB Buffer
The Single Magazine Buffer uses a magazine lifter combined with a dual function pusher conveyor to store a large number of PCB’s within the available PCB magazine rack. The magazine lifter controls the upstream dual function pusher conveyor. The magazine lifter standard has an access door and small dummy magazine conveyor at the rear-side. By opening this access door the operator is able to conveniently load/unload a PCB magazine rack in or from the lifter platform. As the PCB magazine rack is manually exchangeable the Single Magazine Buffer can also be used a mid-line loader, mid-line unloader or Reject Buffer. Furthermore the buffer sequence can be selected on the operator panel, there is a choice between FIFO-mode (fist-in-first-out) or LIFO-mode (last-in-first-out). The Pusher Conveyor is equipped with a pusher-assembly containing a short- and long stroke pusher. When loading a PCB in the PCB magazine the short stroke pusher is activated which ensures that PCB is completely inside the PCB magazine rack before the lifter indexes up or down. When unloading a PCB from the magazine the pusher-assembly is pneumatically lifted up before the long stroke pusher is activated to push the PCB all the way out of PCB magazine rack. Note that during (PCB) width changes the width of the Pusher Conveyor and PCB magazine rack needs to be adjusted.
Multi Magazine Buffer – PCB Buffer
The Multi Magazine Buffer uses a magazine lifter combined with a dual function Pusher Conveyor to store a large number of PCB’s within the available PCB magazine rack. The magazine lifter controls the upstream dual function Pusher Conveyor. The magazine lifter standard has magazine conveyors located the rear-side. These Magazine Conveyors have a capacity of two PCB magazine per level and is placed at a 90-degree angle in relation to the line flow. The bottom magazine conveyor is used to store full PCB magazine racks, whereby the upper magazine conveyor can hold empty PCB magazine racks. The PCB magazine racks are fully automatic transferred in- and out of the magazine lifter and locked in position by pneumatic clamps. The Multi Magazine Buffer can also be used a high capacity mid-line loader, mid-line unloader or Reject Buffer. Furthermore the buffer sequence can be selected on the operator panel, there is a choice between FIFO-mode (fist-in-first-out) or LIFO-mode (last-in-first-out). The pusher conveyor is equipped with a pusher-assembly containing a short- and long stroke pusher. When loading a PCB in the PCB magazine the short stroke pusher is activated which ensures that PCB is completely inside the PCB magazine rack before the lifter indexes up or down. When unloading a PCB from the magazine the pusher-assembly is pneumatically lifted up before the long stroke pusher is activated to push the PCB all the way out of PCB magazine rack. Note that during (PCB) width changes the width of the pusher conveyor and PCB magazine racks needs to be adjusted.
Solutions using a mechanical built in register to store the printed circuit boards in are:
FIFO Buffer – PCB Buffer
The FIFO Buffer is designed to buffer PCB’s in FIFO (first-in-first-out) mode. The PCB’s are transferred using a special ESD rollers conveyor onto the pick-up location. A motor driven lifter assembly holds 3 (or 4) metal teethed support bars per side to lift the PCB carefully from the ESD rollers conveyor. Once the PCB is lifted the roller conveyor will open allowing the lifter to move freely in Y-axis. Once a PCB request is received from downstream the lifter will position the first loaded PCB in position, then conveyor rails is closed and lifter lowers the PCB on the roller conveyor allowing the PCB to be transferred out towards the downstream machine. The FIFO buffer has a total capacity of 26 PCB’s at a 20mm pitch and when needed can also be switched to LIFO mode (last-in-first-out). The conveyor adjusted.
LIFO Buffer – PCB Buffer
The LIFO Buffer is designed to buffer PCB’s in LIFO (last-in-first-out) mode. The PCB’s are buffered using four special chains per side. These chains are equipped with metal fingers to support the PCB’s at the transport edge at a pitch of 9.5mm. The PCB’s are transferred using an edge belt conveyor, when PCB reach the buffer position in the middle all chains will index-up up lifting PCB from the conveyor. Once a PCB request is received from downstream machine PCB is lowered on the conveyor and transferred out towards the downstream machine. The open design of the PCB buffer promotes versatile use. Besides buffering in LIFO mode, this PCB buffer is also frequently used as a Reject Buffer after an inspection system. Allowing the operator to manually remove and evaluate rejected PCB’s. The buffer can also be used as a Line Loader or Line Unloader in case a production line is used high mix, low volume products whereby the usage of PCB magazine racks is not convenient. The LIFO buffer has a total capacity of 49 PCB’s at a minimum pitch of 9.5mm (selectable) and can only be used in LIFO mode. The conveyor width of this PCB buffer can be manually adjusted using hand crank or automatically.
Vertical Buffer – PCB Buffer
The Vertical Buffer is designed to buffer PCB’s in LIFO (last-in-first-out) mode in fully enclosed machine housing. The PCB’s are buffered using two chains per side on which metal strips are mounted which are equipped with fingers to support the PCB’s at the transport edge. The PCB’s are transferred using an edge belt conveyor, when PCB reach the buffer position in the middle all chains will index-up up lifting PCB from the conveyor. Once a PCB request is received from downstream machine PCB is lowered on the conveyor and transferred out towards the downstream machine. The LIFO buffer has a standard capacity of 20 PCB’s at a minimum pitch of 25.4 mm and can only be used in LIFO mode. This design of this PCB Buffer is highly suitable to increase the buffer capacity up to maximum of 40 PCB’s. The conveyor width of this PCB Buffer can be manually adjusted using hand crank or automatically.
Belt FIFO Buffer – PCB Buffer
The Belt FIFO Buffer is designed to buffer PCB’s in FIFO mode. It uses belt segments to support the PCB’s over its complete length. These belt segments are mounted above each other on metal frame which is able to index up- or down using a ball screw driven lifter platform. When adding or extracting a PCB to/from the PCB Buffer a drive mechanism engages with the belt segment aligned with the line transport height to smoothly transfer the PCB in- or out. The Belt FIFO Buffer has a standard capacity of 20 PCB’s at a 27mm pitch and when needed can also be switched to LIFO mode (last-in-first-out). The conveyor width of the Belt FIFO Buffer can be manually adjusted using hand crank or automatically.
Small capacity FIFO Buffer – PCB Buffer
The Small capacity FIFO Buffer is designed to buffer in FIFO mode. It uses belt segments to support the PCB’s over its complete length. These belt segments are mounted above each other on metal frame which is able to index up- or down. Each belt segment is individually driven to smoothly transfer the PCB in- or out. The open design makes the Small capacity FIFO Buffer very suitable as Reject Buffer after an inspection system. Allowing the operator to manually remove and evaluate rejected PCB’s. The Small capacity FIFO Buffer has a standard capacity of 5 PCB’s at a 50mm pitch. The conveyor width of this PCB Buffer can be manually adjusted using hand crank or automatically.
Customised buffers – PCB Buffer
In addition to the standard PCB Buffers described above, Nutek has years of experience building Customized PCB Buffers. So should your desired Buffer not be among them, please kindly contact our sales team. They will identify your PCB Buffer requirements and offer a suitable solution.
We hope that this detailed explanation of the various PCB Buffer models allows you to select the machine which suits your production process best.
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