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I am looking to source a four-pin, 1.0 mm pitch, vertical JST connector -- either BM04B-SRSS-TB(LF)(SN) or BM04B-SRSS-TBT(LF)(SN). The latter has an extra 'Pick and Place' feature in Digikey. I can't find any info on JST's datasheet for the parts, nor can I find any info on the interwebs. There's a US$0.18 cost difference (the extra feature costing more, not surprisingly) between the parts.

What is this feature specifically? Can the connectors without this feature still be used in pick and place manufacturing?

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1 Answer 1

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The Pick-and-Place version of the connector will have a piece of tape (probably something like kapton) over the open top end of the connector, or some other firm flat surface, so that a vacuum pick-and-place tip can grab onto it.
After reflow soldering you'd need to remove this tape before the connector can be used.

This pic (of a different connector, also from DigiKey) shows the tape over the top.

enter image description here

The other version doesn't have the tape, so the top of the connector is just the open hole where you'd later plug in the mating connector, and the vacuum tip of the pick-and-place machine won't be able to grab it.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Good answer. I've also seen connectors with removable metal spring clips (made from thin sheet metal) instead of the tape. \$\endgroup\$
    – bitsmack
    Commented Feb 1, 2019 at 1:37

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