O-M-G cheap pick and place machines coming!

[mikeselectricstuff]

Sparkfun sell a small diaphragm pump
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10398

There are some similar-sized ones on ebay from China

An improvement over turning a small pump on/off is to add a solenoid valve to get a clean release
 when dropping.

[EEVblog]

I originally had a USB microscope mounted, but ended up taking it off. Because the microscope was at an angle, it was difficult to figure out where the device would end up being placed. I tried using a Processing program that displayed crosshairs, and this helped. However, both my friend and I found that using our eyes worked better.

What about one of those thin edoscopes?

[mikeselectricstuff]

How about a 45 degree angled mirror, with a small hole through the middle for the needle?

[Kjelt]

It may be worth keeping a lookout on ebay for a laboratory vacuum pump.

Just trew one away completely useless for these applications, those are made to go to extreme high vacuum, use a lot of oil (smokes) are 30kg+, noisy, take up huge space and need maintenance.
Look for a small maintenance free vacuum pump, they are pricey though. I ended up with the Festool vacuum pump because I can also use it for my other woodworking hobby.
If you want a manual PnP and hate the continuous pumpnoise make sure to install a vacuum vessel of 10 litres that works as a sort of vacuum reservoir (capacitor) and a vacuuum switch that turns (via a relay) on the pump when the vacuuum becomes too low >-0,6 bar for instance.

[mikeselectricstuff]

On this subject, one of the potential uses I was considering for my cheap ipod nano screen+camera combination was as a magnifier.
The cam & screen are small enough to sit right on the camera and not get in the way, and you can get the right focus distance by screwing the lens out of the camera module
Some initial tests look promising - still in the process of investigating different camera modules, but other stuff is getting in the way ATM.

[rob77]

regarding vacuum pump...
did anyone tested a vacuum pump from a diesel car engine ? it's relatively small and can be driven by a relatively small DC motor or a small brushless.

once i'll decide to build a manual pick-and-place, then i'll definitely try such a setup (but for now i don't need a pick-and-place yet).
 

[SeanB]

Diesel vacuum pump will work but it does need an oil feed for the drive side, as it is lubricated with the engine oil, either splash or via a gallery and bleed. Otherwise it will seize up in short order when it runs dry. the ones integrated into the alternator though are self contained and will not need an oil supply, as they have sealed bearings. They do not however tolerate any side load on the shaft so you will likely have to use the alternator rotor shaft and NDE bearing and housing as well in the drive to keep it in alignment. You probably could use an inverter to turn the alternator into a synchronous motor though and not need a motor at all, just a 5V supply and a simple 3 phase driver with simple sequential logic and a current limiting resistor for the rotor current. Low load and easy to drive from 5V.

[rob77]

Diesel vacuum pump will work but it does need an oil feed for the drive side, as it is lubricated with the engine oil, either splash or via a gallery and bleed. Otherwise it will seize up in short order when it runs dry. the ones integrated into the alternator though are self contained and will not need an oil supply, as they have sealed bearings. They do not however tolerate any side load on the shaft so you will likely have to use the alternator rotor shaft and NDE bearing and housing as well in the drive to keep it in alignment. You probably could use an inverter to turn the alternator into a synchronous motor though and not need a motor at all, just a 5V supply and a simple 3 phase driver with simple sequential logic and a current limiting resistor for the rotor current. Low load and easy to drive from 5V.

i'm aware of the need for lubrication, but that can be solved

but the idea of using the alternator + vacuum combo is actually a good one ! modding a 3 phase brush-less driver (one of the higher power controllers for RC brush-less motors - those without HAL feedback) could be a option to turn the alternator into a motor. and the best is that apart from building a support for the alternator/pump combo, there is no other machining needed

[mikeselectricstuff]

I just dug out the Sparkfun pump linked above & I think it would work fine for pick/place use. You can under-run it at about 8-9v to reduce noise (not too bad to start with), and it still puts out plenty of suck.
As I mentioned before, you ideally want a valve to release quickly, but on a DC motor powered diaphragm pump, you may be able to get close to this by actively braking the motor.
You'd probably need to have some intentional leakage as well due to the pump valves, but I think that pump has plenty spare capacity for this.
 

[mikeselectricstuff]

Diesel vacuum pump will work but it does need an oil feed for the drive side, as it is lubricated with the engine oil, either splash or via a gallery and bleed. Otherwise it will seize up in short order when it runs dry. the ones integrated into the alternator though are self contained and will not need an oil supply, as they have sealed bearings. They do not however tolerate any side load on the shaft so you will likely have to use the alternator rotor shaft and NDE bearing and housing as well in the drive to keep it in alignment. You probably could use an inverter to turn the alternator into a synchronous motor though and not need a motor at all, just a 5V supply and a simple 3 phase driver with simple sequential logic and a current limiting resistor for the rotor current. Low load and easy to drive from 5V.

This is getting way out of hand - you don't want anything with oil in the same room. You can buy a perfectly suitable pump for $15 from Sparkfun and probably cheaper for a similar unit on ebay
e.g.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-OKEN-SEIKO-DC12V-Mini-Vacuum-Inflatable-Pressure-Air-Pump-with-1m-Air-Pipe-/121386536850?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c43338f92

No need to dick around improvising stuff.

[Selectech]

The little diaphragm pumps like Sparkfun and similar work great.  Usually get enough vacuum that don't need to change tips so often.  I do most of my 1206 / 0805  SOIC manual placement with 2 tips.  I used a couple of modified aquarium pumps before but was not happy with them.

Be sure to use an in-line filter in the pickup tubing to keep from sucking up dust, debris and solder paste.
Something like this works well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Disposable-1-8-Barbed-Nylon-HDPE-Inline-Air-Liquid-Filter-Partical-Disc-Disk-/310620531751?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48526d2c27

[SeanB]

Those are expensive. I buy the cheap G4164 filters for under $3 each retail, and they do the job.

[Karl Lew]

I am using this pump http://amzn.com/B00A8PLOM0 and am very happy with it.

One of the odd requirements for the in-home micro-factory is noise mitigation. You really don't want to annoy the significant other or roommate watching TV. Not everybody has the luxury of an anti-social soundproof personal makerspace. Many on the FirePick Delta team use the SparkFun pump and unanimously hate the noise. The 10 litre vacuum vessel mentioned above is a great solution--until the pump kicks in when the significant other is watching a scene of quiet emotional intensity. I'm using a reversed fish pump (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A0PYQK/) bought with the assumption that fish tank pumps are acceptably quiet for home use. However, even the fish pump is loud enough to precipitate door slamming. Coanda effect hissing might also result in large objects being thrown across the room in anger. Amusingly, I verified that our vacuum cleaner does produce enough vacuum and is a somewhat acceptable social noise in the home although I think that burning out the vacuum cleaner with extended duty cycles would also led to domestic unrest.

Zapta, in the above context, how do you feel about your vacuum pump. I had not seen this before and it looks quite interesting. Is it acceptable or disruptive in a semi-social setting?

[SeanB]

I actually did use a vacuum cleaner as a replacement for a vacuum pump for around 3 weeks while waiting for the replacement pump. It worked and did survive, though I did have a spare motor assembly for it as spare, but did not need it at all. It ran pretty much 6 hours a day during that time, and survived. Depending on the model you buy they can be pretty quiet, just choose ones with HEPA filters as this tends to muffle the motor noise quite well.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I am using this pump http://amzn.com/B00A8PLOM0 and am very happy with it.

One of the odd requirements for the in-home micro-factory is noise mitigation. You really don't want to annoy the significant other or roommate watching TV. Not everybody has the luxury of an anti-social soundproof personal makerspace. Many on the FirePick Delta team use the SparkFun pump and unanimously hate the noise.

It wouldn't exactly  be hard to put it in a noise reducing box (which could double as your vacuum tank)

[zapta]

Zapta, in the above context, how do you feel about your vacuum pump. I had not seen this before and it looks quite interesting. Is it acceptable or disruptive in a semi-social setting?

I would say about the same noise as those small bug looking fish tank pump. More in the high setting and less in the low setting. In my case it makes more noise because I am using a normally blocked valve. You can here it in this video (and learn how to decorate your boots).

BTW, the ability to set the vacuum level is very important if you use a relief hole instead of a valve because you need to adjust the residual vacuum force to be below the component weight.

[Karl Lew]

Video of rhinestone cowgirl with wandering shoulder strap

Zapta, I am speechless. I never ever ever thought that I would be spending Sunday morning watching a rhinestone video. Thank you for brightening my day. And you're right, the sound is indeed a rubber diagram pump.

And Mike, also thanks for the novel suggestion of putting the pump into vacuum tank for noise mitigation. That one hadn't occurred to us.

SeanB, agreed on Hepa filter. We have a Miele, which is really quiet and really expensive. I did not want to endanger the Ferrari of vacuums with my sucky demands.

[M4trix]

Video of rhinestone cowgirl with wandering shoulder strap

Zapta, I am speechless. I never ever ever thought that I would be spending Sunday morning watching a rhinestone video. Thank you for brightening my day. And you're right, the sound is indeed a rubber diagram pump.

And Mike, also thanks for the novel suggestion of putting the pump into vacuum tank for noise mitigation. That one hadn't occurred to us.

SeanB, agreed on Hepa filter. We have a Miele, which is really quiet and really expensive. I did not want to endanger the Ferrari of vacuums with my sucky demands.

I haven't noticed the wandering shoulder strap until you mentioned it. I was looking at the pick up tool all the time. Is this a bad sign that I'm getting old? 

[rob77]

I haven't noticed the wandering shoulder strap until you mentioned it. I was looking at the pick up tool all the time. Is this a bad sign that I'm getting old? 

no, it's the sign that the lady in the video is getting old (i'll go to hell for this one, but worth it  )

[M4trix]

I haven't noticed the wandering shoulder strap until you mentioned it. I was looking at the pick up tool all the time. Is this a bad sign that I'm getting old? 

no, it's the sign that the lady in the video is getting old (i'll go to hell for this one, but worth it  )

Uf, I already thought something is wrong with me. 

j/k 

Edit: Anyways, she's a good looking woman. 

[and101]

I originally had a USB microscope mounted, but ended up taking it off. Because the microscope was at an angle, it was difficult to figure out where the device would end up being placed. I tried using a Processing program that displayed crosshairs, and this helped. However, both my friend and I found that using our eyes worked better.

What about one of those thin edoscopes?

This is the type of camera I am using on the head of my PnP machine.  It is not great in terms of image quality but it is perfectly usable for inspecting the pcb and aligning components and it is tiny which makes it easier to find somewhere it put it.

Here is a screen shot of it looking at a populated board, I think the smallest parts are 0201.  The camera is about 80mm above the pcb.  At the moment I am just using natural lighting as I still need to design a defused LED array to fit on the head.

[mamalala]

Many on the FirePick Delta team use the SparkFun pump and unanimously hate the noise. The 10 litre vacuum vessel mentioned above is a great solution--until the pump kicks in when the significant other is watching a scene of quiet emotional intensity. I'm using a reversed fish pump (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A0PYQK/) bought with the assumption that fish tank pumps are acceptably quiet for home use. However, even the fish pump is loud enough to precipitate door slamming.

Build a small wooden box, line the insides with soft foam (like the stuff used in a mattress), that will silence it quite a bit. In addition you can put a small "reservoir" vessel inside it as well, to mitigate the noise from the pulsating air"suck".

Greetings,

Chris

Edit: Damn, Mike beat me to it

[Corporate666]

That would always be way too expensive. These feeders are designed for high reliability under heavy usage for years on end, and would be way over-engineered for something like this.
 I doubt you could but a single new feeder for any current machine for less than the target price of this machine.

Again. $100 is way too expensive for a machine like this

What I'm saying is that if the feeder is compatible with the Quad style (totally self contained, the machine and feeder have no connection to one another - and the feeder handles 100% of the job of presenting the part at X/Y location each time the nozzle comes over), then someone using the PnP for a "real" application can buy a bunch of Quad (or MyData or whatever brand) of feeder... or they can use a home grown solution, or they can use cut strips or tape, or heck, they could even line up a row of components manually.  Abstracting the feeder from the machine and possibly offering a cheap solution but with the ability to use commercial solutions would be a huge bonus for a machine like this.

Same for the nozzles... IIRC, my Quad's just have something like a #10-24 threaded hole with the vacuum through it - the entire nozzle assembly screws in.  Someone wanting a robust solution could by an off-the-shelf nozzle/spring assembly, or they could use a cheap home grown solution also - but better to make the machine compatible with tried-and-true off the shelf parts which are available.

[JohnSL]

This is the type of camera I am using on the head of my PnP machine.  It is not great in terms of image quality but it is perfectly usable for inspecting the pcb and aligning components and it is tiny which makes it easier to find somewhere it put it.

I used one of these USB Microscopes: Mini Portable 200X USB Digital Microscope

Here is a screen shot from the camera that I was using:



As you can see, because of the angle, it's a little difficult to position the part just right. When the part is above the board, the part will be near the top of the picture. So you have to move the crosshairs to the center of the part placement location, and then slowly move the part down. While this seemed like a great idea, I found it doesn't work as well in practice. For this to be effective, I think I would want two cameras 90 degrees from each other. It's amazing how important stereo vision is to getting the correct placement with a manual machine.

By the way, what software are you using on your machine?

[Kjelt]

I am looking at ccv camera's since USB requires another computer with monitor and I'd like the manual PnP to be autonomous.
Besides it would be nice to have two camera's for two 90^o angles on some large flatpack ic's for placement I think.
Problem I have is the distance to the board, if I use a 25mm lens I get too little zoom at a reasonable distance. To correct this I should make an extender putting the lens further away from the sensor.