NeoDen YY1 Pick And Place Machine With Under $3K Price for Hobbiest/Low vol Usag

[Dieselburner]

What I have noticed: if component isn't rotated - placement is precise; if it is rotated - placement is misaligned. In my particular case I was able to reproduce the issue 100% - around 10 out of 10 retries with unpopulated PCB (w/o solder paste) and one single QFP-64 pitch 0.5. Every time this IC is rotated (so far I tried only with 90 CW) the misalignment offset is exactly 0.1 mm to the right (X axis).

Played around today to analyze this issue a bit more. Now I'm pretty sure this happens always and the offset can be on any axis after rotation. My gut tells me this happens because nozzles does not sit perfectly in the center, and camera calibration is far from perfect. I believe all of this can be avoided if the software would rotate components BEFORE camera vision, not after.

[Nickbr]

What I have noticed: if component isn't rotated - placement is precise; if it is rotated - placement is misaligned. In my particular case I was able to reproduce the issue 100% - around 10 out of 10 retries with unpopulated PCB (w/o solder paste) and one single QFP-64 pitch 0.5. Every time this IC is rotated (so far I tried only with 90 CW) the misalignment offset is exactly 0.1 mm to the right (X axis).

Played around today to analyze this issue a bit more. Now I'm pretty sure this happens always and the offset can be on any axis after rotation. My gut tells me this happens because nozzles does not sit perfectly in the center, and camera calibration is far from perfect. I believe all of this can be avoided if the software would rotate components BEFORE camera vision, not after.

The nozzles can be wonky, in the factory menu you can calibrate the 2 heads then you will see the nozzle that is on it wobble above the "lower camera".
I  now use the smallest nozzle for 0402 as it also has the least clearance/wobble it is the CN030 (I recently got the CN020 but i have not used it yet), what type of nozzle are you using and where do you pick the components from? the CN040 that I have certainly has a 0.1mm play on the nozzle tip.

This is certainly something that could be improved on Neoden their side, especially if i compare it to my essemtec nozzles that have almost no play and a butter smooth on the vertical movement (spring loaded up/down), but the price difference is also enormous. I made my own 0201 and some spare 0402 nozzle tips on my lathe that I place in the existing essemtec nozzles main body. It took some enjoyable precision lathe work (with magnifiers) but saved me a few 1000 euro back when I needed it also it was ready the same day I wanted to use it .

[2nOrderEDO]

For anyone interested, I'm selling my Neoden YY1, since I don't have a use for it anymore. Good opportunity if you are close to Zurich.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/sale-neoden-yy1-switzerland-or-eu/msg6140809/#msg6140809

[okebbeko]

Hi,

I currently have an OpenPNP machine (PSE-3000, uses T-2 feeders), what works much better than anticipated. Placed at least 40-50k components without much trouble, but of course, it is not a production machine.... Feeders are OK.

Looking to share the load and increase capacity for a single project, urgent one....

How long it takes for a YY1 to get a board started and learn it? 1 day?
Would mainly use it for 0603 and some IC (TSSOP, QFN). Can it reliably place thousands and thousands of parts?
Or I shall just give up on these low cost ones, and go for a

Alternatively I can just get another OpenPNP one.

[GerardG]

Hello okebbeko,

Using the YY1 original software is OK. But still some quirks in the setup of the software if you are already used to OpenPNP.
The original software does not take in account the stretch of the belt and there is only 1 fiducial mark that is used per PCB. This can result in a little rotation.
There is already a port to OpenPNP because of the Neoden software.

The scaling of the machine should be taken in account before loading the file into the YY1. Sometimes this can be done during the export of the CSV file from the CAD software.
The last time I worked with the Neoden I had trouble recognising the TI chips, they changed the finish on the chips to NiPdAu. And the YY1 has no good setting for this.

I could be wrong and they solved it meanwhile!

[okebbeko]

Hello okebbeko,

Using the YY1 original software is OK. But still some quirks in the setup of the software if you are already used to OpenPNP.
The original software does not take in account the stretch of the belt and there is only 1 fiducial mark that is used per PCB. This can result in a little rotation.
There is already a port to OpenPNP because of the Neoden software.

The scaling of the machine should be taken in account before loading the file into the YY1. Sometimes this can be done during the export of the CSV file from the CAD software.
The last time I worked with the Neoden I had trouble recognising the TI chips, they changed the finish on the chips to NiPdAu. And the YY1 has no good setting for this.

I could be wrong and they solved it meanwhile!

Thanks!
At the end I decided to just get another OpenPNP one, it was quite reliable and I have all the setup/files, so I will get going faster.
However, the YY1 is more "professional" looking and does have the reel holder integrated in a better way.....