Carrier Tape for SMD Components: Inventory in Mexico and EIA-481 Standard
What we have in stock
More than 170 carrier tape references with physical stock, from a catalog of more than 350. In specific numbers:
- The catalog covers from 8 to 88 mm, and existence is concentrated in 12, 16, 24, 32 and 44 mm, which is where the real rotation is.
- Cavity spacing from 4 to 56 mm, in fourteen different values.
- Cavities from 1.45 × 2.24 mm to 46.7 × 68.4 mm, with depths from 0.65 to 16.5 mm.
Translated into encapsulated terms, there is tape in stock for BGA, QFN, QFP and TQFP, SOIC, SO, SOP, SSOP, TSOP, TSSOP, PLCC and general-purpose SMD components.
And not just the film: the rest of the set too. Cover tape for carriers from 8 to 88 mm, in both sealing families, and reels 7, 13 and 15 inch tapes with 4, 6 and 7 inch cubes. It's not very useful to have the tape if you don't have anything to seal it with or anything to wind it onto.
If the item is in stock and you are in the same city, it will be delivered the same day. It's the difference between waiting for a shipment from Asia when the line is already stopped.
Embossed or punched: which one do you get?
There are two constructions and confusion is common, but in practice the decision has already been made:
- Embossed (Thermoformed, made of plastic). The cavity is a pocket formed in the tape, with a bottom and depth. This is what any component with height or a three-dimensional shape needs: integrated circuits, connectors, inductors, power transistors.
- Punched (die-cut, paper). The cavity is a through-hole in a flat tape, for thin, low-profile components.
If you're sending components to be taped, it's embossed. The 98% used in real-world work is practically the same. Punched components belong to the OEM world: the component manufacturer packages their own chip resistors and capacitors on their production line, in volumes that have nothing to do with a packaging run. Nobody sends out 1010 resistors to be taped; they send out the large, expensive components, and those that arrived in the wrong packaging.
The four measurements that define a carrier tape
With these four pieces of information, a quote is provided without a round trip:
- Tape width. The EIA-481 standards are 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 44 and 56 mm; we go up to 88. It is defined by the size of the component plus the margin of the cavity.
- Pitch between cavities. It has to match what your feeder expects. Otherwise, the machine loses track and the problem is discovered mid-run.
- Cavity: A0, B0 and K0. Length, width, and depth. These are what hold the component in place and define its orientation. Too much clearance allows the part to rotate within the cavity; too little clearance prevents it from fitting or causes it to get stuck when the cover tape is removed.
- Reel. The diameter is limited by your feeder, not by the quantity you want.
Drag drilling is 4 mm pitch in all widths: it's just what allows a tape from one supplier to work on another's machine.
Not all tapes are the same, even if they measure the same.
Two tapes with the same technical specifications can perform very differently online. The difference lies in how they are constructed.
- Multilayer, not single-layer. Good tape is coextruded in several layers. There is one- or two-layer material that costs less and ends up breaking: during drag drilling, in the corners of deep cavities, or simply when unwinding from cold. A tape that breaks halfway down the reel didn't save anything.
- Black, not transparent. The black color comes from the carbon load, which makes the material dissipative throughout its thickness, not only on the surface. Transparent tape usually has a surface antistatic treatment, and that treatment degrades with handling and humidity.
We handle both options depending on your specifications, but the inventory consists mainly of multi-layer black tape, which is what it can withstand.
Annual SKU Compatibility Guide
We published a compatibility guide that covers packaging, cavity size, tape width, and reel size. It helps you choose the right one without going back and forth, and it's one of the most consulted resources on the site.
Why EIA-481 is not just decoration
EIA-481 It's the standard that ensures a tape reel from any supplier will work on any pick-and-place machine. It defines cavity dimensions, pitch, drag perforation, cover tape peel strength, and reel dimensions.
Buying non-standard materials is cheap once. The expensive part is the shift when the feeder fails to engage, and the disposal of the parts that came loose.
Request a quote for carrier tape
Tell us the package or part number of the component, the quantity, and the spool diameter your feeder accepts. With that information, we can tell you which size you need and if it's in stock. Contact us.
What is carrier tape used for?
The carrier tape is one piece of a set, and all three parts must be compatible with each other and with your feeder:
- He cover tape It seals it. It is chosen by width and by type of seal —heat or pressure—, and by its release force.
- The flanges They hold the reel.
- The carrier tape houses the component.
If you prefer not to manage the consumables, we deliver the component already on reel: it's our service of taping of components. And the complete catalog of consumables is available at ESD consumables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have the material in stock or does it have to be imported?
In stock. We maintain over 170 items in physical inventory in Mexico, in the most popular widths and sizes. If you're in the same city, delivery is the same day.
What is the difference between embossed and punched?
Embossing involves creating a deep, thermoformed cavity and is used for components with varying heights or shapes. Punching is a flat, die-cut tape for low-profile parts, and in practice, it's used by the component manufacturer on their own production line. If you're sending components to be taped, it should be embossed.
What widths do they handle?
From 8 to 88 mm, with the inventory concentrated in 12, 16, 24, 32 and 44 mm.
How do I know which one is right for me?
Send us the part number or package name of the component and its dimensions. From there we can determine the width, pitch, and cavity.
What if my component doesn't fit any of the catalog sizes?
The cavity is manufactured to its geometry using a tooling service.
Is the tape antistatic?
Our inventory is primarily multi-layered black tape, dissipative throughout its thickness due to carbon loading. We also carry clear tape when specified.
Do they sell only the consumable or also the service?
Both. You can buy the tape, or send us the component and receive it already taped and verified.
Where do they source from?
Guadalajara (Tlaquepaque, Jalisco) and Querétaro (El Colorado), with national coverage and export capacity.