reference

Component supply carriers

How SMT parts are packaged for handling and machine feeding — and why it matters for placement. A part sits at a fixed orientation in its carrier, so the carrier is where the pick-and-place rotation actually comes from.

Tape & Reel

machine-feedable

The dominant pick-and-place carrier: components in pocketed tape wound on a reel.

Cut Tape

machine-feedable

Short strips cut from tape & reel for prototypes and small runs.

Tube (Stick)

machine-feedable

ICs stacked in an anti-static plastic stick.

Tray (JEDEC)

machine-feedable

Matrix tray for fine-pitch and large ICs — QFP, QFN, BGA.

Bulk / Bag

hand-place

Loose parts in a bag — not directly machine-feedable.

Ammo Pack (Fan-fold)

machine-feedable

Carrier tape fan-folded into a box instead of wound on a reel.

Carrier orientation is what the converter corrects when it prepares a job. See also feeders, machines and the SMD package reference.