Just prototyping a board with some SMT 0603 LEDs (L296 series) and I noticed the OSRAM LEDs were supplied on the usual 8mm tape, but with double density (two LEDs for every linear sprocket hole).
Is this going to cause problems with older SMT equipment?
Yes, older machines, like my Philips CSM84, have feeders set up for a minimum 4mm component spacing. If you run these parts on them, 50% of the parts will end up on the floor.
There are SO MANY choices in LEDs, these days, you can find almost anything. One other issue I ran into is the round-top LEDs don't pick up well with standard P&P nozzles. I have an old-school machine (Philips CSM84) and had really bad pick up problems with 0603 LEDs. I moved up to 0805 flat-top LEDs, which fit the 0603 PCB footprint fairly well, and rarely have pick-up problems with those. So, it all depends on the machine it will be run on. So, check with your contract manufacturer to make sure whatever you design into the board can be placed by their equipment.
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