Calling all DIY PnP Machine makers

Chat about pick and place machines, reflow ovens, assembly techniques and other SMT tips & trix

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guru_florida
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 5:32 am

Calling all DIY PnP Machine makers

Post by guru_florida »

I am making my own cnc pnp machine. This would be my second CNC home build...so dont be a doubter or a hater! :)

I would like to start a build thread but i would really like to see pics and experience from other DIY builders. So please post your experience.

I will be looking over the publicly available pnp control software in the next few weeks. I am expecting it to be pretty crappy for the most part - hopefully I will be suprised though. General CNC software is atrociously bad. Not the control stuff, but the CAM software.

I am thinking of using EMC2 as the core motor control of the steppers, but the configuration of EMC will be custom and wont have any gcode interpreter at all. Instead I will write my own emc extension to understand pnp commands and that extension will wire into the base emc motion modules. (emc is very programmable and extendable, it's modeled after PLC CNC controllers afterall.)

My first steps will be very simple:
1. Working cnc machine with single head unit
2. Vacuum control with small set of nozzles
3. Top vision (just a webcam), no bottom vision
4. Alignment using mechanical pocket edges
5. Cut tape pickup using simple delrin block with cut outs, head unit will advance the cut tape

Later, i will work on bottom vision and better feeders. I have some cad picks i can post soon.

C

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alphatronique
 
Posts: 231
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:30 am

Re: Calling all DIY PnP Machine makers

Post by alphatronique »

Hi

i not sure personally that cnc software was really adapted to pick-place , yes it do motor control but user interface ?

1-) placement head requite lot of dynamic/sequential logic ,need to handle dropped part ,part teaching ,etc etc ..

2-) pick place was much more that x,y machine ,60% and more of the machine was user GUI/soft feature
trust me you not what to enter 200 part coordinate + rotation by hand + feeder pick point for assemble 10 PCB ...
whit year of experience i find that most of small batch was faster build by hand that program the machine
that explain that have finish to do my own system....

3-) i sud jest you build first the machine and make basic test whit cnc software , then build\adapt software

4-) try to build head/feeder first since it the hardest mechanical task (you may BANNED it on a milling for start ..)

good luck ;-)

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