Questions on DIY pick n place

[admin]

Hello,
I was hoping to get an idea, about what is needed for a Pick & Place machine. Say, an add-on kit for the Fireball. It would need a custom tool holder with the vacuum syringe, and some kind of base which contains the reels for components, and a component centering place (a small open box). The tape needs to be advanced after each pickup, and maybe needs to be changed several times during the entire pick and place session. Assuming you have a fixed number of pickup points (say 5). And you have 15 different components, your going to need 3 sets of reel changes.

The thought of integrated Solder Pasting is really intriguing.

There are numerous file formats out there. Excellon, Gerber, DXF, whatever. And I am learning about the myriad of utilities that exist to convert them from one to another. What file format is used for Pick & Place?

Things that Pick&Place need (I think):
- to free the component from its reel, and 'step' the reel
- above for N reels (and/or trays or other packaging)
- get the component from the reel (that tool is called a sucker?)
- to find out how the component is positioned relative to the sucker

Any thoughts?
~Steven

Copied/moved from Motion Control Forum............

[admin]

Hi Steven,

A pick n place would/could/should actually work very well.
What I'd do if I had time was to look at these videos
and try writing to the people who made them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__dEMKzkLYc&eurl=http://ciciora.com/picknplace.html

Seems like there'd be a response from at least one or two...

John

---Copied/moved from Motion Control----------

[pcbGuy]

I think the biggest problem in making a homemade pick n place is smd tape feed. You probably need at least a half a dozen tape trays if not a few more. Selectively you have to advance one tape without moving the others. Different parts need to move different advancement distances.

Getting destination data is probably fairly easy. Depending on CAE tool, the design data file has to have the part x,y location.

My 2 cents.

[admin]

I found this commercial desktop machine, looks interesting for ideas: http://www.madelltech.com/m2-2.htm

Also manual positioning table:http://www.madelltech.com/xyztable.html

[hplett]

oops
against $30K, DIY is worth trying

[neilw20]

I am new to this forum, but not new to SMD and PCB editors.

I am making my own PICK and PLACE MACHINE using an old ROLAND A2 Plotter.
The base of the plotter is MDF sort of stuff.
Just unscrew all the mechanism and raise it 12mm or so to give clearance for PCB and parts carriers.
Modify the pen carrier to give more Z control. This is the hardest part to do.
I am putting a row of parts carriers all along the short edge of the plotter base, drilled by my CNC to save marking out.
Just a row of accurately place 6mm holes so the that he carriers (aluminum strips with groove machined in them) can be consistently placed.
and a support frame for the carrier hanging off the side.
The plotter has 8 pen holder stations, so the 'tool change' mechanism already exists. Just put sucker tubes in old pens.
One pen is going to have a camera. One is going to have a solder paste dispenser, with external pump.
Software is easy. Just use the existing HPGL so nothing in the plotter needs patching or anything special. Parallel or Serial. USB looks easy.
Visual Basic interface. Teach mode is not an option. It is a feature. Step and repeat feature. Electrostatic hold down with PCB attached to thick paper.
Pity about the seek speed, but you can get extra coffee while you wait.
Would be great to get a laser gadget to be able to solder each joint individually, but this would damage the $20 budget, and OHS aspects.
As project gets going I will post some pictures.

I have my own homegrown PCB editor, 32 layer + SMD specific functions. 20 years development now. Exports to Protel. Mature product.
No you can't have a copy. No one has one, but it you are interested in bringing the PCB editor to market email me with a proposal.
I have never had an interest in marketing, but the manuals are done, and it only needs 3-6 months work to finish, complete with windows version.

Neilw20@optusnet.com.au

Neil Walker.