PREDICTING TIMES FOR PICK AND PLACE MATERIAL REPLENISHMENT FOR A PICK AND PLACE LINE

A method and a pick and place line for predicting a time for replenishing pick and place material (C) comprises (a) detecting a current filling level of component material from a first component feeder; (b) determining the planned pick and place operations which are still required in order to populate all component carriers (PCB) of a current batch production in a first pick and place station; (c) determining a position of a component carrier along the transport path which has been populated in a second pick and place station and which is still to be populated in the first pick and place station; and (d) predicting the time for replenishing pick and place material at the first feed track based on the detected current filling level, the determined planned populated operations and the determined current position.