the x direction the component placing device 1 is further provided with a drive system for moving the nozzle 8 with respect to the component pick up unit 7 in the direction indicated by the arrow p 3 and in the opposite direction i e parallel to the z direction the drive means comprise a servo motor that is provided with means from which the position of the motor can be determined fig2 shows a control diagram 21 of a processor of the component placing device 1 for controlling the movement of the nozzle 8 in the z direction and in the opposite direction the control diagram 21 comprises an adjusting point generator 22 into which the desired position in the z direction is input this position depends on the level at which a component 12 is expected to be present at the component supplying device 11 and near the substrate 10 on the expected location for positioning the component the positions in the z direction may vary due to measuring inaccuracies thickness tolerances thermal expansions curvatures of the substrate 10 etc the information supplied from the generator 22 is fed to a position controller 23 which controls an amplifier.