LitePlacer.com forums

Hi,

I built a low cost pick and place machine and programmed it to read Altium files. Not exactly the most compatible choice of CAD system to support... Even though Altium is the CAD system I use, it likely is not the CAD most of my users use. I'd like to support more, but I need your help.

Please vote above what CAD you'd like to be supported. If you REALLY like it to be supported, please send me (juha@liteplacer.com) as many from the following list as you are able to:

- file format definition
- example pick and place file
- a 1:1 PDF of the board of the example

thank you for your help!

-Juha

JuKu wrote: - file format definition

I can send you some kicad examples, just let me know what do you mean by file format definition. If you want I can share with you the project file also.

metRo_ wrote:

JuKu wrote: - file format definition

I can send you some kicad examples, just let me know what do you mean by file format definition. If you want I can share with you the project file also.

If you can send me a link to kicad documentation page which describes the pick and place file format, great. I don't need the project file, but I do need a pdf printout, so I can see that my interpretation is correct.

FYI: Beta-level DipTrace support was added a while ago.

JuKu wrote:FYI: Beta-level DipTrace support was added a while ago.

Awesome, good to hear.

KiCad support is now also added, with the following note: The current version of KiCad allows you to put spaces to component value. The KiCad generated .pos file is space separated, and the field width can change. These don't fit together, and will change in a future version of KiCad. So, spaces in values are not accepted without quotes around them (this is how I'm told the KiCad will behave in the future).

I've read in several test files successfully. Still, I consider the support for KiCad and DipTrace to be in beta, unless there are some reports of successful placements using these programs.

are altium samples still needed ?

No, Altium was the only one supported from the beginning (it is the system I use). But it does not make much sense to have a lowest cost pick and place machine available and support only one high cost CAD system.

For DipTrace, please see http://www.liteplacer.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=26.

another diptrace user here.