AI Server Applications

Name: ASMPT GmbH & Co. KG
Address: Rupert-Mayer-Str. 48, Munich, 81379, DE
Telephone: +49 89 20800-22000

Enabling PCBs for High-Performance Computing (HPC)

AI applications are driving a new generation of server hardware, built on highly complex, densely populated PCBs with large, high‑value components such as GPUs and TPUs.

This shift is fundamentally changing SMT production. Larger boards, higher component density, and zero‑defect requirements demand full process control across every stage of assembly.

ASMPT addresses these challenges with integrated SMT solutions specifically designed for AI and high‑performance computing (HPC) production.

Download technical overview (PDF)

Best in-machine solution for HPC SMT production

Placement
machines

SIPLACE

Placement
heads

CP20 for highest speed

SIPLACE CP20 Placement Head - for highest speed

CPP for maximum flexibility

SIPLACE CPP Placement Head - for maximum flexibility

TWIN VHF for large & heavy component handling

SIPLACE TWIN VHF Placement Head - for large and heavy component handling

Component feeding options

SIPLACE Waffle
Pack Changer

SIPLACE Smart Feeder

PCB transport &
pin support

Heavy‑duty conveyor

Smart Pin Support

Programming
system

WORKS Programming
with virtual product build

Component shape based
on data import

Vision
system

Cameras:

Component camera
Stationary camera
PCB camera
Coplanarity camera

In‑machine
inspection capability

Requirements for the assembly of AI and High‑Performance Computing electronics

An error‑free assembly process requires precise control across all process steps.
SIPLACE Placement machines are designed to meet exactly these requirements with a fully controlled process from pick to place.

Process Chain for HPC SMT production

Establish an error‑free assembly process based on proven technology.

Programming

The large number of tiny components and complex BGA connections pose a challenge for the creation of placement programs.

Feeding options

Smart component feeders and tray units need to ensure reliable material supply.

Quality control

Inspection capability in placement machine to verify solder balls, spacer position, foreign objects and coplanarity or warpage.

Creation of placement program PCB handling Component feeding Placement of standard components Inspection of placement positions Inspection for foreign objects Pickup & mounting of BGA Visual & coplanarity inspection of BGA

Conveyor system

Extra large circuit boards must be transported, supported and held securely.

Placement heads

Both the placement of thousands of miniaturized components and the placement of very large and heavy BGAs must be performed without error.

Select a process step above to view the detailed solution.

Programming complex, densely populated boards

Establishing an error-free assembly process starts with programming.

PROGRAMMING AND SIMULATION

Describing a complex layout

For today’s processor BGAs in AI applications, several thousand balls are standard. Future generations will include components with more than 20,000 balls in an irregular pattern. The description of the package is a challenging task.

The WORKS Software Suite offers:

Process-oriented offline programming
Centralized management of programming data
Offline simulation with virtual production steps
ODB++ import
Ball description import
3D visualization (top and bottom) for easy pin support programming

3D view of the PCB bottom side for defining support pin positions in WORKS Programming

PCB view in the WORKS Programming GUI

Import of ball position data at the station or offline station

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Handling capabilities for large, heavy and thick PCBs

SIPLACE solutions enable reliable handling of big circuit boards throughout the entire process.

PCB TRANSPORT

Heavy-duty conveyors

SIPLACE placement machines are already equipped with flexible transport options for handling exceptionally large, heavy and thick PCBs.

Weight up to 10 kg
Size up to 1,520 × 560 mm
Thickness up to 10 mm
Programmable speed

Heavy-duty conveyor system for reliable transport and straight PCB positioning — Heavy-duty conveyor system for reliable transport and consistent, straight PCB positioning

Automatic placement of support pins with continuous position monitoring

PCB SUPPORT

Automatic Smart Pin Support

To prevent bending and vibration, PCBs must be reliably supported during the assembly process. SIPLACE Smart Pin Support provides a faster and significantly more reliable solution compared to manual methods.

Features:

Pins are automatically and precisely positioned based on the definitions in WORKS Programming
3D visualization enables early detection and prevention of collisions with sensitive components during the programming phase
All pins are continuously monitored for correct position and height

Back to process chain Next process step →

Feeding all kinds of components

Placing components ranging from miniature passive SMDs, such as 016008M chips, to large, heavy BGAs requires intelligent feeding solutions.

VIA TAPE AND REEL

SIPLACE Smart Feeder

SIPLACE Smart Feeder are intelligent tape feeder modules designed for flexible production environments.

Contactless data and power transmission
Maintenance-free tape feeding modules
Automatic calibration of pickup position
Automatic pickup offset compensation
Automatic splice detection
Automatic pitch learning
Unique ID for reliable setup verification
1 mm pitch capability

SIPLACE Smart Feeder (detail) — SIPLACE Smart Feeder are accurate, intelligent, lightweight, wireless, and maintenance-free.

VIA TRAY

SIPLACE Waffle Pack Changer (WPC)

For feeding large, odd-shaped components, the SIPLACE Waffle Pack Changer (WPC) is an efficient solution.

Features of the tray unit WPC:

Automatic and fast tray exchange
Non-stop refill of component trays
Full setup verification and traceability

SIPLACE WAFFLE PACK CHANGER
Specification	Capability
Required feeder tracks	30
Dimensions of waffle pack tray carrier (L×W×H)	360 × 260 × 6 mm
Dimensions of waffle pack tray (L×W×H)	347 × 235 × 15 mm
Storage capacity	Up to 28 tray carriers
Height of waffle pack tray including component	Up to 45 mm
Tray changeover time	~1.9 s (over 1 level)

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High-speed placement of standard components

ASMPT’s placement heads play a key role in the outstanding performance and flexibility for standard component placement.

SIPLACE placement heads offer maximum accuracy and advanced process control features:

Component presence/absence check
Pickup offset compensation before pickup
Nozzle tip contamination inspection
Component height measurement
Software-controlled and programmable placement process, including force control

High-speed placement of standard components

MAXIMUM SPEED

Placement Head CP20

The Placement Head CP20 is the ideal collect-and-place head for high-speed placement of standard components at the beginning of an SMT line.

Rotary head with 20 independent segments enables offset correction and placement at all required angles
Component-specific vision parameters enable high-density placement at any placement angle within a single head cycle
Very high-speed placement of components from 016008M up to 8.2 × 8.2 mm
Precise monitoring of Z-axis movement for warpage compensation

MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY

Placement Head CPP

The Placement Head CPP switches between three different placement modes in response to software commands.

High speed and a wide component range combined in one placement head enable optimal line balancing and bottleneck elimination
Placement of components in collect-and-place, pick-and-place, and mixed mode
Placement of components up to 27 × 27 mm in collect-and-place mode
Placement of components up to 40 × 50 mm in pick-and-place mode with the same head

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Verification of components after placement

Before placing high-value BGAs, the presence and placement accuracy of components underneath must be verified.

IN-MACHINE QUALITY CONTROL

Visual inspection

SIPLACE placement machines are equipped with (high-performance) PCB cameras, which can be used to inspect already placed components.

Possible inspection checks:

Check for component presence/absence
Check for component placement position within specified tolerances

Possible inspection locations:

In the placement machine directly after placement
In the placement machine further down the line before placing additional components

Use case for HPC applications:

Typically, spacers (thin discs) are placed underneath the BGA
Prevents solder bridging: maintains minimum height under components to avoid shorts caused by warped BGA corners
Spacers are inspected after placement for presence and correct position
Placement of the BGA is enabled only after successful verification

Microscope picture of BGA after reflow with solder balls and spacer

No non-collapsing spacer

Reason for spacer placement

Placement of non-collapsing spacer

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Detection of foreign objects in the placement area

Tens of thousands of solder balls with diameters of 0.5 to 0.6 mm and pitch values ranging from 0.8 to 1.0 mm make BGA placement a critical process. It is essential to ensure that no foreign objects are present in this area.

DETECTING FOREIGN OBJECTS

Avoiding defects

SIPLACE placement machines feature high-resolution inspection for maximum reliability.

Inspection with the PCB camera before component placement in predefined areas, e.g. under shields or BGAs
Immediately before placing critical components, the system checks that no foreign objects are present in the target placement position
On-demand inspection capability
Inspection area of up to 175 × 175 mm
Software option: On-Board PCB Inspection

Detection of foreign objects with On-Board PCB Inspection

On-Board PCB Inspection for foreign object detection

On-Board PCB Inspection in placement machine

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Secure handling of large and high-value BGAs

The pickup and placement of the BGA is the final step in the assembly of HPC server boards. A combination of a high-performance placement head, specialized nozzles, and precise process control ensures reliable results.

BGA MASTERING

Placement Head TWIN VHF

The Placement Head TWIN VHF (Very High Force) is designed for particularly large and unusually shaped components.

Placement of components up to 175 × 175 mm
Placement of components with a weight up to 650 g
Individual control and programming of all axes
A wide range of special nozzles and grippers for nearly any component shape
Keep-out areas (e.g. on top of processor units) are considered during nozzle design

Illustration of next-generation AI accelerator (combining one CPU and two GPUs) © NVIDIA

The Placement Head TWIN VHF opens up new possibilities in the assembly of complex BGAs

Special nozzle for pickup on the outer ring only

Illustration of a co-packaged optics (CPO) component for high-speed switches

Back to process chain Next process step →

Ensure reliable solder paste connection for High‑Density BGAs

Between pickup and placement of the BGA, vision-based inspections ensure an error-free final process stage.

VISUAL INSPECTION

Inspection of BGA

Visual inspection has become even more important with the new generation of BGAs.

SIPLACE high‑resolution cameras provide all required inspection capabilities for complex components.

Six illumination angles combined with feature‑based algorithms ensure reliable and repeatable inspection results.

Reliable vision detection of 50,000+ solder balls
Potential vision checks:
- Missing or defective connections
- Incorrect ball size
- Incorrect ball position
- Landside capacitors
- Barcode / Data Matrix code reading
- Verification of orientation marks
Measurement data and camera images can be saved and analyzed

BGA with high amount of balls and landside capacitors

COMPONENT CAMERA TYPE 56
Specification	Capability
Field of View	66 × 50 mm
Min. component size	0.2 × 0.2 mm
Max. component size	200 × 200 mm
Min. lead pitch	200 / 300 µm
Min. lead width	100 µm
Min. ball pitch	140 / 300 µm
Min. ball diameter	80 µm

COPLANARITY INSPECTION

All connections must be within reach

The 3D Coplan Module ensures that all connections come into contact with the solder paste.

Measurement principle:

Height profile measurement using laser triangulation
Calculation of the seating plane
Verification that all connections can be in contact with the solder paste
Inspection of 50,000+ solder balls

3D COPLAN MODULE
Specification	Capability
Component size	Up to 200 × 200 mm
Height resolution	0.5 µm
Min. lead pitch	300 µm
Min. lead width	100 µm
Min. ball pitch	400 µm
Min. ball diameter	200 µm

Result of 3D coplanarity measurement displayed at the station

3D coplanarity measurement of BGA in SIPLACE placement machine

Measurement principle: laser triangulation

Back to process chain First process step →

SIPLACE solutions for HPC manufacturing

Typical machine specification in a line for high performance computing

SIPLACE SX

High-performance platform for demanding SMT production with advanced process control and scalable configurations.

Designed for high throughput and precision
Flexible configuration options for line balancing
Process control features supporting complex assemblies

SIPLACE SX PLACEMENT MACHINE
Specification	SIPLACE SX2
Placement head	CP20 / CPP / TWIN / TWIN VHF
Component size max.¹	175 × 175 mm
Component weight²	up to 650 g
Feeder capacity	120 × 8 mm feeder
Tray Supply	Waffle Pack Changer non-stop refill
PCB size (L×W×H)	1,525 × 560 × 10 mm
PCB weight	up to 10 kg
Options:	Smart Pin Support
Options:	3D Coplan Module
Software:	On-Board PCB Inspection
Software:	OSC Package

¹ 240 × 240 mm available soon | ² Up to 2.0 kg available soon

View SIPLACE SX

SIPLACE X S

Compact and efficient solutions for flexible production environments, supporting a broad component range.

Optimized footprint for space-efficient lines
High flexibility for high-mix manufacturing
Reliable performance across standard SMT applications

SIPLACE X S PLACEMENT MACHINE
Specification	SIPLACE X4 S
Placement head	CP20 / CPP / TWIN
Component size max.	120 × 120 mm
Component weight	up to 160 g
Feeder capacity	160 × 8 mm feeder
Tray Supply	Waffle Pack Changer non-stop refill or matrix tray unit
PCB size (L×W×H)	850 × 685 × 10 mm
PCB weight	up to 10 kg
Options:	Smart Pin Support
Options:	3D Coplan Module
Software:	On-Board PCB Inspection
Software:	OSC Package

View SIPLACE X S

This technical guide outlines the key requirements for assembling AI and HPC electronics and demonstrates how SIPLACE placement solutions enable a fully controlled SMT process, covering everything from programming and component handling through to inspection and final placement.

Download technical overview (PDF)

AI Server Applications

Enabling PCBs for High-Performance Computing (HPC)

Best in-machine solution for HPC SMT production

Requirements for the assembly of AI and High‑Performance Computing electronics

Process Chain for HPC SMT production

Programming complex, densely populated boards

Handling capabilities for large, heavy and thick PCBs

Feeding all kinds of components

High-speed placement of standard components

Verification of components after placement

Detection of foreign objects in the placement area

Secure handling of large and high-value BGAs

Ensure reliable solder paste connection for High‑Density BGAs

SIPLACE solutions for HPC manufacturing

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