Hi Paul,
I thought you might like to actually see the surface mount machines making some boards.
CASE Assembly Solutions, Inc. - Quality Electronics Manufacturing - Facility
A short way down is a flash video of the machines that place 50k parts a minute. The video dose not do the machines justice as it moves faster then the camera can record, the machine was actually slowed down as well to better show it working.
In the video, the machine places all passive components as well as any other parts that come on tape reels. The board is then transfered to the next machine on conveyers to the next machine that places parts like large IC's and processors form trays and tubes. Then it travels down another conveyer to the 9 foot long multi stage reflow oven. When it comes out the other side, there all done.
Then in the other room is one of the coolest machines I think I ever seen. It is basically a giant dishwasher for PCB's. Ever felt a PCB that was kinda sticky or had a white film on it? That is from the resin used in soldering. This giant washer pressure washes the boards and then blow dries them. Sparkly Clean ready for shipment.
-Adam