LitePlacer-rmod Updates

[thereza]

I assume once your version is as you want it, you want to move forward. It is way too good work to be abandoned, so yes, I want to take care of it. It is just a matter of practicalities. You hate Github, that I'm currently using. I don't have any opinion on what version control or what host to use. As for the contribution acknowledgement, of course. Please indicate how you would like to do that (with full name, with company name also, with nickname only, other points). I'm honored for the effort you have given to the small community and you deserve all praise for that.

I don't mind migrating it back into github as it doesn't seem to delete other people's files - just mine - if that facilitates development. I still want to make changes but I don't have the time right now. I'll probably recontribute again moving forward.

Let me try checking into github and giving you access to it - that might be easiest..

[Knas]

So, is anyone successfully using the software? i can't run it more than a few minutes without it crashing on me. Still can't add tapes, it seems to not do what it's supposed to even following the instructions given. The cameras also keeps disconnecting, i'm wondering though if that's not a hardware issue with the cameras as it happens on both linux & windows with two different laptops.

[Covert]

Knas, Yes I'm running a job every third day or so on it. Only made minor changes to the newest 0.4 version. My camera's stay connected for day's until I reboot. I would check there first.

[mrandt]

Juha, what is your plan regarding the further maintenance and enhancement of the software?

I believed you wanted to take ownership of version 2 but honestly did not observe much activitiy in that direction.

I do appreciate Reza's work but believe development should not just stop here.

There are currently 27 documented issues which could be addressed:
https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-ver2/issues

Many ideas and enhancement requests have been discussed in the forums. Do you keep a backlog of future functionality and have any roadmap you could share? I think current users and future customers would appreciate that.

Could you at least migrate the software sources to GitHub, so it is easier for people to fork the repo and post pull requests for their changes? I am afraid we will end up with many isolated, disjunct versions otherwise.

Thank you and best regards
Malte

[Knas]

So a few updates;

Indeed some of my problems seems to stem from the cameras, the thing is that instead of reporting that the camera is disconnected or that the recognition routines can't find what they're looking for, the whole program just crashes which becomes a huge pain. I generally get a unhandled 'System.NullReferenceException' in the main program file.

Another couple of things that i've noticed is that like reported here, https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-ver2/issues/31, the tape direction is regarded - this was the initial cause of all my crashes.

Also the program doesn't want to load bottom layers despite me checking the "load bottom" checkbox, ive temporarily overcome that by simply commenting out the lines handling component layer data.

The last issue, which exists with both the rmod version and jukus last version is that even though camera offset is correctly set, and works perfectly on the PCB, it *always* gets misaligned at component pickup despite the fact that the camera shows the component spot on. This is really strange as i'd expect the same offset on the PCB when trying to hit a footprint, though that's always right on the money.

[Knas]

So after replacing both cameras the software does not crash anymore. Still, the component pick-up gets misaligned almost every time - any ideas what could make this happen? It seems to only affect it on the Y axis and my component tapes are above the board so i wonder if it's a cumulative error somewhere? I will try and see what happens if i put them just to the right of the board instead. I'm also having trouble with the TinyG timing out, but i'll research that a little further..

[JuKu]

So after replacing both cameras the software does not crash anymore. Still, the component pick-up gets misaligned almost every time - any ideas what could make this happen? It seems to only affect it on the Y axis and my component tapes are above the board so i wonder if it's a cumulative error somewhere? I will try and see what happens if i put them just to the right of the board instead. I'm also having trouble with the TinyG timing out, but i'll research that a little further..

Your bar is skewed so that the needle goes down in an angle. Measuring and correcting this is possible with the help of up looking camera, much like the square correction works. This is a good feature to add, and I filed an issue for this. In the meanwhile, loosen the screws that attach the long rails to Y roller plates and use the play of screw holes the other way. This might take a bit of trial and error to get right.

[WayOutWest]

I'm also having trouble with the TinyG timing out, but i'll research that a little further..

I had this problem too; it can be caused if the TinyG believes it has moved more than the size of the machine along any axis during homing. If that happens the TinyG goes out to lunch and doesn't come back!

[Covert]

@Knas see my thread in this sub forum Kabsch algorithm and make sure you don't have the same issue I had. I posted my solution there.

Also make sure your belts are tight enough. Mine where too lose. Slack compensation is enable for me.
Make sure the machine is anchored at all 4 points on the bench. I think this should sort you out.

[Covert]

Got stuck on another bug today. My paper filter has a 5x zoom but it was not enable. The zoom was still being included in the move calculation. Simple fix is to not have ANY zoom filter that are not enabled.