[time-nuts] OT stuffing boards: was GPS interface/prototyping board

[Don Latham]

I do not see why a small pick and place assist system could not be built on a 3-d printer.
Don

> On Jun 24, 2016, at 8:32 AM, Attila Kinali <attila at kinali.ch> wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 20:16:34 -0500
> Oz-in-DFW <lists at ozindfw.net> wrote:
> 
>> 1. Pick and place machines use a lot of floor space (even for the
>>    "small" ones are more than 1/2 a bench.)
>> 2. Even the best ones require pretty continuous tuning. If you aren't
>>    using them continuously each new run is a new and different
>>    experience.  Often unpleasant for the first few scrapped boards.
> 
> The trick is to use semi-manual pick&place machines for low volumes.
> Ie machines that you do not program, but guide by hand. This allows
> faster and more accurate placing of components than would be possible
> with a pure manual process, but does not have any of the complexity
> of the fully automated solutions. The components do not need to be
> 100% exactly centered, as the surface tension of the molten solder will
> pull the parts into place (which is also the reason why the copper inside
> the solder resist mask should be symmetric).
> 
> These machines are still all pretty expensive (IMHO, the cheapest
> start from around 2kusd IIRC), but with the continuous growth of the hobbyist
> market, and that market becomming more and more professional/proficient,
> the production volumes of these  machines will for sure rise and thus become
> cheaper. I am pretty sure that we will see hobbyist marketed pick&place systems
> build upon open source based control systems in the next couple of years.
> There are already a couple of DIY systems out there, that look quite good.
> e.g http://vpapanik.blogspot.de/2012/11/low-budget-manual-pick-place.html
> http://www.briandorey.com/post/Diy-Manual-Pick-and-Place-Machine-part-1
> 
> 
>> Solder stencils make **all** the difference.
> 
> Oh, yes! Please, do not try syringe dispensers! These fail more often than
> they work. Also pay the additional couple of bucks to get a steel stencil
> instead of a kapton one. Especially if you make more than one or two boards
> or those with fine pitch.
> 
> 			Attila Kinali
> 
> -- 
> It is upon moral qualities that a society is ultimately founded. All 
> the prosperity and technological sophistication in the world is of no 
> use without that foundation.
>                 -- Miss Matheson, The Diamond Age, Neil Stephenson
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.
> 

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Lucky is he who has been able to understand the causes of things.
Virgil
-------------------------------
"Noli sinere nothos te opprimere"

Dr. Don Latham, AJ7LL
Six Mile Systems LLC, 17850 Six Mile Road
Huson, MT, 59846
mailing address:  POBox 404
Frenchtown MT 59834-0404

VOX 406-626-4304
CEL 406-241-5093
Skype: buffler2
www.lightningforensics.com <http://www.lightningforensics.com/>
www.sixmilesystems.com <http://www.sixmilesystems.com/>