Nordson EFD UltimusPlus, Solder Paste Dispenser Landscape

[openyk]

I'm in the market for a high-quality fluid dispenser (manual and CNC compatible). Application is mainly solder paste contact-ejection for low-quantity in-house PCBA batches. We plan to use manual mode with the foot pedal and maybe get 3-axis-integrated later. For the curious, we use ChipQuik's no-fridge lead-free SAC305 T4 halogen-free R0L0 paste.

Heard around that Nordson EFT was up there, so added to the shortlist. Random search.. Checked out Loctite (SD10 released <2012), Dymax (SD200, not sure release date but brochure updated 2020), etc.

Nordson's latest dispenser (UltimusPlus) released late 2019. Looks great. Read through whole user's manual. CEO put their personal phone number as emergency backup contact on manual. 5yr warranty. I wonder how adjustable the air input is (stock is plug-in hose port, 6mm OD) (I'm used to NPT and industrial quick-connects). Type 1 is the 10 to 100psi model and I assume that's preferable over type 2 (0.3 to 15 psi) for this application? Not sure how pricey it is.

https://www.nordson.com/en/divisions/efd/products/fluid-dispensing-systems/ultimusplus-i-ii-dispensers

Does anyone have experience with this dispenser?

Or, if anyone can speak to the current state of solder paste dispense technology and perhaps share a recommendation, I'd appreciate it (trying to do due diligence before shelling out X K$).

[SMTech]

If I'm reading this correctly, you want to use dispensing systems to apply solder paste to PCBs for low volume assembly/prototyping. I should stop you there, use a stencil, its cheaper, quicker & more effective. Solder paste is not a simple dispense and anything but the most high end systems  are not capable of even coming close to a basic stencil setup, as even a low end user you will encounter devices that time/pressure or Archimedean screw dispense methods cannot dispense accurately enough. There is a reason the market is not flooded with cheap robotic dispensers for low volume manufacturers wanting to avoid buying stencils or the time associated with getting them. There is also a reason solder paste is barely a footnote in the types of fluid those machines dispense, because when they are its as a top up process or rework. If you want to be cheap or flexible, you'd be better off cutting stencils form OHP film with a vinyl cutter, crappy but effective for the bulk parts.. allegedly.

[Mangozac]

I agree with SMTech; there's no way this could be considered technically or economically effective compared to a stencil for standard prototyping or assembly. Frameless stencils are so cheap nowadays (you pay more in freight than you do for the stencil itself) and can typically be supplied by the PCB manufacturer so I wouldn't screw around with trying to cut them out of vinyl unless you needed to achieve something crazy like same day turnaround.

I will note that before I had used a stencil I was somewhat intimidated by them but with prices where they are these days you can't really go wrong. I now have a fully automated SMT assembly line and whole shelves full of framed stencils