Electronics > Manufacturing & Assembly
Why so few low-end "manual" pick & place machines on the market?
Harjit:
@Rat_Patrol - can you post a link to your feeder, please?
Rat_Patrol:
--- Quote from: Harjit on October 23, 2021, 06:45:10 pm ---@Rat_Patrol - can you post a link to your feeder, please?
--- End quote ---
Here is a link to the discussion.
I haven't decided if I'm going to open source them or not yet.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/opinions-is-this-a-marketable-product-manual-smd-feeders/
Doctorandus_P:
Hackaday has collected some DIY projects around SMD feeders:
https://hackaday.com/blog/?s=smd+feeder
And there are plenty of youtub video's about those things. From simple DIY projects to probably most or all of the professional brands.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=smd+feeder
One of the bigger problems for a DIY feeder is the cover tape. This always needs some extra mechanism which drives up complexity of the feeder and it usually takes a big part of the time to load ans setup the feeders.
Some time ago I saw a feeder that did not lift the cover tape at all.
Instead it lifted the center of the tape a bit, then cut it with a knife over the length of the tape and then folded both flaps outwards. I like this method a lot. You don't need any leader tape, nor do you have to put the leader tape into some spool. You can just push in a piece of cut tape and start using it.
Topazio:
Hi
I own a PickSoEasy PS20 with 2 USB microscopes.
All the PSE 20 sold have at list 1 USB microscope, there is no model without microscope.
I don't know where you got that price...
on the website (where I bought) the entry level model with only 1 microscope is sold at 410 euros, I bought the double microscope for 460 euros. Honestly, it took out all my stress I had when I was using the tweezers.
The guy now is working on an upgrade kit for all the PSE20 to add stepper motors, he says you will control the machine with a gamepad... and you will be able if you want to use the centroid file of your eagle to send the machine automatically right to the pads position....
He even says you can connect a laser and cut MYLAR to make easily your own stencil....
It seems to be good to be true...
I will believe when I see it
However this is the machine I have , with double microscope...
It is sold with all these accessories
I have since 3 months now... it took me some days to calibrate and learn how to use it, fortunately there are videos on YouTube
There are a lot of automatic expensive openPNP machines on the market but few manual for quick prototyping or small productions...
Before to buy I made an extensive research, and this was the cheapest considering the level... I was almost buying one from a German company for 2000 euros.... More refined, but with only 1 USB microscope... It had electromagnetic brakes, that it is interesting... It helps to stop in position the smd component before to put it down. I learned to use my fingers to stop the wheels on the aluminum bar, so it doesn't move...
However I'm waiting for these upgrade kit... let's see if it is true...
Topazio:
--- Quote from: Doctorandus_P on June 22, 2021, 09:41:29 pm ---I've thought a bit about the "gap" between these machines, and come to the conclusion that it's quite logical.
First it is a niche market.
Then there are the hobbyists. They do not want to spend any money if it can be helped, and much rather cobble something together themselves.
Then, for the commercial market it does not matter if such a machine costs EUR300 or EUR3000. Cost of the machine is small to the salary of the operator.
------------------
I don't like the PSE-20 much. It looks very un-ergonomical.
I do like the simplicity of the VPApanik with the big arm rest.
I do not like the flimsy aluminum guide rails though.
Rubbing the sharp edge of a ball bearing into soft aluminimum is a recipe for a very short lifetime.
This one is similar in appearance, but better thought out:
http://trains.socha.com/2014/07/building-manual-pick-and-place-machine.html
And this one:
But I would not bother with home-made rails, and buy a few MGN12 rails.
The next step up would be to add some electromagnets (for example operated by a foot pedal) to lock the X&Y axis in combination with a (for example 4:1) pantograph to do the final placement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph
I am a bit surprised that none of the commercial machines use a pantograph to reduce hand movement, and make accurate positioning easier.
--- End quote ---
The PSE20 has got long aluminum bars where you rest the arm on... maybe it doesn't look ergonomical, but if you do like in the video for sure you will not get tired... I own one, I can say I've never had to hold the weight of my arms... Plus has microscopes. I use it even for 144 pin 0.5 pitch microcontrollers... try without microscopes...
This video shows a method for precision with 1 microscope.... with 2 microscopes you don't need to use the reference method, you just go to the pad
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