SMALLSMT Vision Placer Pick & Place machines

[Smallsmt]

Bielefeld

[thommo]

Hi Michael,

The new machine looks impressive and will certainly fill a gap alongside the QiHe TVM920. I wish you the best of fortune along its development path and hope you can manage to contain the 'cost factor' of building in a Euro environment.

Good luck - Peter

[H.O]

Please tell me if i'm wrong.  SmallSMT which is a Chinese company is going to make machines in Germany?     Its a bit scary that Germany now is a more viable proposition for manufacturing than China..   

Come on Andrew, drop it already will you. We know you've got some sort of beef with Michael and the way he does what he does but really, it's getting old.

[Smallsmt]

Hi Michael,

The new machine looks impressive and will certainly fill a gap alongside the QiHe TVM920. I wish you the best of fortune along its development path and hope you can manage to contain the 'cost factor' of building in a Euro environment.

Good luck - Peter

Thank you Peter,

the cost factor is a problem but if you need industrial parts you can buy spare parts all over the world like Festo or Mitsubishi they sell on similar price in Germany.
The cabling is reduced by using CAN bus to connect the units.
For the mechanical alignment of a machine we use some tricks to increase the build speed.

Our new design has a reduced part count and clever combination of different construction techniques.
Over all we have 25% higher production costs than China but the machine has different construction quality and reliability.

We wanted a modular machine where customer can upgrade machine over time.
Not the same like all other products from China on the market now.

For example:
If we build a 4 nozzle pnp head you can upgrade your machine by changing the head unit. Only disconnect 2 cables and air pressure supply and release some screws.
After some time you may need another feeder bank. No problem mount the modular feeder unit, connect to power and bus add the air supply and you can use more feeders on your existing machine.

Our motion controller is running inside PC so we can offer a collission avoiding sytem in the future by building a 3d map of the PCB while placing.
This machine supports different Z placement height's if you want to build 3 dimensional structures.

Every peripheral unit is connected by CAN bus and include a CORTEX M4 controller powerfull enough to do all tasks easily.
We use linear scales to measure the current head position like all big pnp machines do.
This will help to detect any position error if the pnp head hits an object and loose position on normal positioning systems!

And finally our current PNP software is good but the new V3 softare will be a step ahead.

Best regards
Michael
 

[protoneer]

Hi Michael,

The new machine looks impressive and will certainly fill a gap alongside the QiHe TVM920. I wish you the best of fortune along its development path and hope you can manage to contain the 'cost factor' of building in a Euro environment.

Good luck - Peter

Thank you Peter,

the cost factor is a problem but if you need industrial parts you can buy spare parts all over the world like Festo or Mitsubishi they sell on similar price in Germany.
The cabling is reduced by using CAN bus to connect the units.
For the mechanical alignment of a machine we use some tricks to increase the build speed.

Our new design has a reduced part count and clever combination of different construction techniques.
Over all we have 25% higher production costs than China but the machine has different construction quality and reliability.

We wanted a modular machine where customer can upgrade machine over time.
Not the same like all other products from China on the market now.

For example:
If we build a 4 nozzle pnp head you can upgrade your machine by changing the head unit. Only disconnect 2 cables and air pressure supply and release some screws.
After some time you may need another feeder bank. No problem mount the modular feeder unit, connect to power and bus add the air supply and you can use more feeders on your existing machine.

Our motion controller is running inside PC so we can offer a collission avoiding sytem in the future by building a 3d map of the PCB while placing.
This machine supports different Z placement height's if you want to build 3 dimensional structures.

Every peripheral unit is connected by CAN bus and include a CORTEX M4 controller powerfull enough to do all tasks easily.
We use linear scales to measure the current head position like all big pnp machines do.
This will help to detect any position error if the pnp head hits an object and loose position on normal positioning systems!

And finally our current PNP software is good but the new V3 softare will be a step ahead.

Best regards
Michael

Hi Michael.

Do you have a newsletter that I can subscribe to? Would like to receive updates about the new machine.

Thanks

[Smallsmt]

Hi,
we currently don't support a newsletter but I update the VP-3000 Beta Zone every week.
http://www.smallsmt.biz/visionplacer-vp-3000d/

Best regards
Michael

[protoneer]

@Smallsmt , how does the disk feeder work?





Will you offer a 4 nozzle head upgrade? (Only seeing a two nozzle verion )

[wraper]

Will be VAT charged on top of that price if non VAT registered company or private person buys it? Or will you be registered as small non VAT company at least at the beginning?

[Smallsmt]

The disk feeder rotate to the requested pocket and machine start a loose part detection to identify the part count and center position for pickup.
I used the four head example for explanation only in my opinion four heads not necessary if you have a nozzle changer. But i think we do a dispenser head and if possible a jet printer head in the future.

Yes we charge VAT for private and outside EU customer the VAT is not necessary for EU companies.

[mikeselectricstuff]

The disk feeder rotate to the requested pocket and machine start a loose part detection to identify the part count and center position for pickup.

That's neat - presumably you can use the same motor for rotating and also for shaking it to rearrange parts if you can't see any single ones.
Although you may want some up/down motion to do  this better - maybe optiising  the texture of  the bottom or edges could help shake parts up from a rotary shake movement.

[Smallsmt]

Cool idea!
We want to add QR code to automatically identify the disk and a top plate to put the disk in storage after change. So it's possible to do project depending part setups for some disk for easy exchange.

[langwadt]

...
We use stepper motor (PRO) or servo motor (PREMIUM) to move X and Y axis. ...

What is the advantage of servo motor vs. stepper motor ?

other question: does it use rods and ball bearings or
linear guides and spindle ?

Stepper motor system is cheaper but Servo motor system brings more speed more dynamic and less noise.

We use linear guides for our machine because of better precision.
The machine is too big to use spindle system we decided to use belt and linear scales on each axis to feed back position.

with linear scales on the axis I'd think that it might be possible to go to a coreXY or Hbot type configuration to lower the moving weight and possibly use wire instead of belts

[TJ232]

I want to start a Kickstarter campain in January to sell a small pick & place machine for small office or hobby use.

It's not a replacement for our current machines. We do a special "Maker" machine like the 3d printer industry did before.

The machine will use professional software operating on windows and linux.
It will have one bottom camera and one top camera and should not be bigger than 400x400 mm.
The feeder design will be very simple but it's possible to upgrade by the user by adding new modules or mechanics.
We will support strips, loose parts, drag feeder, and pneumatic feeders.
But it's a kit style based machine you need to build or buy parts to add but the software will support everything from the base.
It should be possible to 3d print parts and use to extend the machine.

The target price will be 2500 to 3000USD and the machine will not be a toy!
Component range 0402 up and 0.5mm component pitch supported.
Dual head design including nozzle changer but only one placement head.
Second head can be used for dispenser or other tools.

I like to receive comments about this idea.

Regards
Michael

Any news about the modular 2/3k EUR machine that you were saying that will be released around Jan 2017?

[Smallsmt]

I am sorry but this concept died. Too many functions to cover and finally the idea to build a modular upgradeable machine destroyed the low price option. This price was only possible if we sell 100 machines in a Kickstarter campain but i think this is not possible.

[Smallsmt]

...
We use stepper motor (PRO) or servo motor (PREMIUM) to move X and Y axis. ...

What is the advantage of servo motor vs. stepper motor ?

other question: does it use rods and ball bearings or
linear guides and spindle ?

Stepper motor system is cheaper but Servo motor system brings more speed more dynamic and less noise.

We use linear guides for our machine because of better precision.
The machine is too big to use spindle system we decided to use belt and linear scales on each axis to feed back position.

with linear scales on the axis I'd think that it might be possible to go to a coreXY or Hbot type configuration to lower the moving weight and possibly use wire instead of belts

I don't understand it clearly but want to tell you we need this strong system to increase our movement speed and reliability over time.

[IconicPCB]

Linear positional sensor + servo motor + timing belt is looking for trouble.

The belt is possibly too compliant and the whole servo loop may become unstable. Bad Juju.

[Smallsmt]

Linear positional sensor + servo motor + timing belt is looking for trouble.

The belt is possibly too compliant and the whole servo loop may become unstable. Bad Juju.

No we use two different regulation loops Servo has encoder that's the first loop and the second stage position controller correct the position using the linear scales.
A second approach is to use the servo controller using external voltage controlled mode the the servo loop will be regulated by position controller.
The third option is a kind of auto calibration technique.

We will test all end of the month in our first prototype machine.

[langwadt]

...
We use stepper motor (PRO) or servo motor (PREMIUM) to move X and Y axis. ...

What is the advantage of servo motor vs. stepper motor ?

other question: does it use rods and ball bearings or
linear guides and spindle ?

Stepper motor system is cheaper but Servo motor system brings more speed more dynamic and less noise.

We use linear guides for our machine because of better precision.
The machine is too big to use spindle system we decided to use belt and linear scales on each axis to feed back position.

with linear scales on the axis I'd think that it might be possible to go to a coreXY or Hbot type configuration to lower the moving weight and possibly use wire instead of belts

I don't understand it clearly but want to tell you we need this strong system to increase our movement speed and reliability over time.

you'd still use linear guides, corexy/hbot are just a different drive system where both the X and Y motors are stationary so there is less weight to move around so potentially higher speed

[Smallsmt]

I really dislike this kind of long belt systems.
We want to reach a precision below 0.05mm and I can't believe this is possible with your corexy/hbot.
Vibration is another problem too!
Think about the fast acceleration the belt is working like a spring.

Corexy/hbot could be a solution for a cheap PNP machine we need to think about!
But first VP-30XXD need to get finished.

[langwadt]

Linear positional sensor + servo motor + timing belt is looking for trouble.

The belt is possibly too compliant and the whole servo loop may become unstable. Bad Juju.

it is not a milling machine so it doesn't matter (with in reason) if the path moved is super accurate 

so you could use different set of parameters or with steppers run open loop until you get within a
few mm and then switch to get the final accurate position

[harry4516]

Hi,
we currently don't support a newsletter but I update the VP-3000 Beta Zone every week.
http://www.smallsmt.biz/visionplacer-vp-3000d/

Best regards
Michael

I understand the release date for the Visionplacer Software is beginning 2017,
but what is the roadmap for the VP-3000 ?

[Smallsmt]

Harry,
roadmap;)?

We are currently building the prototype today most of the parts where finished.
Software is under heavy developmemt.

The first beta customer and dealer machines will be shipped in January.
End of February we ramp up production  so delivery for customer machines will be in March.

Today I updated the VP-3000D preview section at the end you find the first production pictures.
http://www.smallsmt.biz/visionplacer-vp-3000d

[harry4516]

thanks for the pictures, looks promising.
keep up the good work.

[protoneer]

Hi @Smallsmt ...

Do you have specs on the feeder solinoids and will they be available as spare parts?

Do you have protocol specs for your P&P controllers? I am busy with interfacing a TVM802 for openPNP and a protocol spec would have made it much quicker to do...

Your machines looks really good.

[Smallsmt]

Hi @Smallsmt ...

Do you have specs on the feeder solinoids and will they be available as spare parts?

The solenoids are standard Festo valves available all over the world.
They quote 16000000 cycles I think that's enough

Do you have protocol specs for your P&P controllers? I am busy with interfacing a TVM802 for openPNP and a protocol spec would have made it much quicker to do...

Yes all of our customers have access to the protocol specs we offer in our download area.

Your machines looks really good.

Thank you for the compliments we did lot of work until now to reach this goal.

Our complete team is working hard to build the best machine in market at this price level!

Best regards
Michael