If you are researching pick and place machines for your electronics lab or small production setup, chances are you have come across both the LumenPnP and the PlaceStation. Both are compact, benchtop SMT machines aimed at engineers, hardware startups, and small EMS operations. Here is an honest breakdown to help you decide.
Overview
LumenPnP
The LumenPnP is an open-source pick and place machine developed by Opulo, a US-based company. It started as a community project on GitHub and evolved into a commercially sold machine. It runs on OpenPnP software and has a strong global maker community.
PlaceStation
PlaceStation is a precision SMT pick and place machine designed and manufactured in India by Tejwani Industries Private Limited. It is OpenPnP compatible and built as a complete, ready-to-run machine with local Indian support, INR pricing, and no import duties or shipping delays.
Key Comparison
| Feature | LumenPnP | PlaceStation |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | USA (Opulo) | India (Tejwani Industries) |
| Software | OpenPnP | OpenPnP |
| Minimum component size | 0402 | 0402 and below |
| Feeder support | Powered feeders (Photon protocol) | Powered feeders (8mm, 12mm) |
| Pricing | USD plus import duty and shipping | INR, no import cost |
| Local support | No India support | Full local support, Pune |
| Spare parts | International shipping required | Local spare parts available |
| GST invoice | Not applicable | Full GST invoice provided |
Software: Both Run OpenPnP
Both machines run OpenPnP, a mature open-source pick and place software with a large community and extensive documentation. PlaceStation is tuned and tested specifically with OpenPnP so setup is straightforward out of the box.
The India Factor
This is where PlaceStation has a significant practical advantage for Indian buyers. Importing a LumenPnP to India means paying customs duty and IGST on import, waiting weeks for international shipping, no local warranty support, and no GST invoice for input tax credit claims. PlaceStation ships from Pune, comes with a full GST invoice, and has local support. For Indian businesses this is a material difference.
Ecosystem
The LumenPnP benefits from a large global open-source community. PlaceStation is part of a growing Indian SMT ecosystem. It pairs with the SolderStation reflow oven and StencilStation solder paste printer, all made by the same manufacturer, giving you a complete locally supported SMT line from a single vendor.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose LumenPnP if: You are a maker who enjoys the open-source community, you are based outside India, and you want to contribute to or tinker with the hardware and firmware.
Choose PlaceStation if: You are in India, you want a complete ready-to-run machine with local support and a GST invoice, and you want the option to expand into a full SMT line from a single Indian manufacturer.
Bottom Line
Both machines are capable benchtop pick and place solutions. For Indian buyers specifically, PlaceStation removes the friction of importing, duties, and lack of local support while delivering the same OpenPnP-based workflow at a competitive INR price.