YDL-983A Solder Paste Dispenser Translation/Label

[geo_leeman]

Hi all, I just bought a eBay solder paste dispenser (YDL-983A) and found that the manual was all in Chinese! Luckily a few years ago there was a thread herehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/translator-needed/msg78447/#msg78447 that had the translation of the 16 different modes. I decided to make some heavy duty labels to stick on the unit so I won't have to keep track of a bit of paper! I've posted the PDF and Illustrator files for anyone that wants it. It prints on Avery 60502 chemical grade labels. The edge of the labels is really close and sometimes a smidge off the label if the printer doesn't feed correctly. Anyhow, I have a few extras if anyone wants one! Also feel free to edit. PDF should be editable with anything. 

Illustrator: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xa6xlozwn68me3/paste_modes.ai?dl=0
PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mr5clyselco718/paste_modes.pdf?dl=0

[tooki]

The technical writer in me weeps when I see those translations.  (I don't speak Chinese, but I can tell a bad text when I see it...)

[geo_leeman]

Yeah, the translation was far from perfect. I thought about trying to dress it up some, but everything I did made the text longer and I didn't want to make it any smaller. Every year the glasses Rx is getting stronger anyway! It gets the meaning across, but I'm happy to update the text if folks have a suggestion.

[tooki]

I'll give it a shot when I get back home later. But it would be helpful if you could elaborate on what the modes actually mean — they aren't entirely self-explanatory out of context.

[packetbob]

Here is an Instructable I did on setting up my 983A...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-set-up-repair-adjust-and-use-a-solder-paste/

You may find it helpful...

[geo_leeman]

Here is an Instructable I did on setting up my 983A...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-set-up-repair-adjust-and-use-a-solder-paste/

You may find it helpful...

That is a great tutorial! I ended up buying most of those exact parts to connect it to my compressor. I do need to add an air dryer though.

I'll give it a shot when I get back home later. But it would be helpful if you could elaborate on what the modes actually mean — they aren't entirely self-explanatory out of context.

The idea is that each time you press the foot pedal to dispense solder paste onto your board it will do one of the 16 operations listed. It can dispense paste while you have the pedal down, use the pedal as an on/off switch, of dispense a preset amount the given number of times.

[tooki]

Here is an Instructable I did on setting up my 983A...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-set-up-repair-adjust-and-use-a-solder-paste/

You may find it helpful...

Awesome, that was super helpful! In fact, you already have a much, much better translation of the table than the eevblog one: http://cdn.instructables.com/FHC/HZMW/IDCXI2JZ/FHCHZMWIDCXI2JZ.LARGE.jpg

From that I actually understand what is meant.

Now let my try my hand at the text.

Less-invasive rewrite:

Code: [Select]

F1: Hold switch to dispense continuously. Release switch to stop.
F2: Tap switch to begin cycling between SET TIME and INTERVAL. Tap switch again to stop.
F3: Hold switch to cycle between SET TIME and INTERVAL. Release switch to stop.
F4: Cycle between SET TIME and INTERVAL continuously whenever powered on.
F5: Tap switch to dispense 1 shot according to SET TIME and INTERVAL cycle.
F6-16: Tap switch to dispense 2-12 shots according to SET TIME and INTERVAL cycle.

Alternatively, the individual lines can be more succinct if we use a preamble.

Gut-the-building-to-bare-concrete rewrite:

Code: [Select]

The SET TIME control selects the duration of a single dispensing shot.
The INTERVAL control selects the time delay between shots.

F1: Hold switch to dispense continuously (not in shots). Release switch to stop.
F2: Tap switch to begin dispensing shots. Tap switch again to stop.
F3: Hold switch to dispense shots continuously. Release switch to stop.
F4: Dispense shots continuously whenever powered on.
F5: Tap switch to dispense 1 shot.
F6-16: Tap switch to dispense 2-12 shots.
Although I don't love the word "tap", it's unambiguous about being momentary, whereas "push" and "press" are ambiguous. "Tap" and "hold" make a nice contrasting pair. "Shot" is a goofy word, I suppose, but the trigger on the machine uses that name, so I ran with it.

Am I correct that the "switch" in question means the user's choice of the front-panel SHOT button, the foot switch/pedal, or the finger trigger on the handpiece? Would it make more sense to simply use "trigger" instead of "switch"?

[tooki]

I'll give it a shot when I get back home later. But it would be helpful if you could elaborate on what the modes actually mean — they aren't entirely self-explanatory out of context.

The idea is that each time you press the foot pedal to dispense solder paste onto your board it will do one of the 16 operations listed. It can dispense paste while you have the pedal down, use the pedal as an on/off switch, of dispense a preset amount the given number of times.

Yeah I understood that bit, my question was what the 16 modes are. That's what wasn't clear at all in the eevblog translation. But packetbob's instructables cleared that all up.

[tooki]

P.S. I'm a native speaker of English, living in Switzerland, and worked as a technical writer/translator/editor for years. Writing succinct texts — e.g. names of commands and settings for software user interfaces — is one of the most fun parts of that job IMHO. It's easy to add words, but it's a fun challenge to see how much you can take away, to leave only the minimal text needed for full clarity.

[geo_leeman]

P.S. I'm a native speaker of English, living in Switzerland, and worked as a technical writer/translator/editor for years. Writing succinct texts — e.g. names of commands and settings for software user interfaces — is one of the most fun parts of that job IMHO. It's easy to add words, but it's a fun challenge to see how much you can take away, to leave only the minimal text needed for full clarity.

I really like the gutted and re-written text! You are completely right about using tap and hold as a contrasting pair. I'm a scientist and try to communicate clearly when talking to the public, but my technical manuscripts probably don't get enough thought about things like this.

You are correct about the switch being the button on the front panel (just used for testing, not really practical when using it in an assembly environment), the foot switch, or the button on the syringe.

Unrelated side note: The footswitch had a cable about 24" long. If you get one, plan to extend the cable!

[tooki]

I'm a scientist and try to communicate clearly when talking to the public, but my technical manuscripts probably don't get enough thought about things like this.

Sadly, that's usually the case. There's always pressure to rush things out the door, proofreading (never mind professional editing) be damned.

Frankly, I think everyone in every field, technical or not, should get trained in technical writing. It's so bizarre that in school, kids are all taught literary writing, even though most people's writing in the real world (e.g. on the job) will actually be technical writing, even if it's just things as simple as a memo to coworkers on how a new business process works, how to refill the coffee machine, or whatever.

And given that the techniques taught in literary writing are often diametrically opposed to those for technical writing, people end up writing really bad technical texts. For example, in school literary writing, people are taught to find synonyms for words, to keep the text interesting and non-repetitive. In technical writing, on the other hand, it's absolutely essential to use terms as consistently as possible, avoiding synonyms at all cost. Or how series of short sentences are considered poor style in literary writing, but are often the clearest in technical texts.

I've always been a good writer, but 7 years of being a forum moderator/admin (on what was at the time the biggest Mac computer forum outside of Apple's own, as far as we could tell) gave me tons and tons of experience in technical writing. In college, beyond the basic English classes that were general requirements, I also took a technical writing class and a science writing class, both of which I aced. It also doesn't hurt that my mom is an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher. :p

 

Unrelated side note: The footswitch had a cable about 24" long. If you get one, plan to extend the cable!

I actually don't plan to get one — I just saw the word "translation" and was attracted to it like a mosquito to a bug zapper!

[Klima]

Hello guys!

This is my first post, I know, but I would like you to make me a favor. I was just sitting at my workbench, dispensing the solder paste, while suddenly my almost new YDL-983A stopped working. No reaction to buttons, no display. After some screw-fighting I figured out that the micro (SM8952 - seems to be just a 8051) is literally hot. Seems it will never be able to control the valve any more. Would anyone care to take a look and chceck whether it is possible to download hex from the micro and send it to me, so I can replace my controller (and possibly find the cause of failure, should it happen once again).
I know what you say - write a better firmware, use arduino etc, but I really do not want to spend too much time on that, especially now that I am back to soldering iron & solder and still have a few boards to finish by the end of the week.
BTW, the build quality of the dispenser is atrocious - see for yourself - cables are everywhere!

In case anybody else run in such a problem - I have made a replacement controller using ATmega16.

[tooki]

You should really start a separate thread, since your question has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of this thread, which is the label.