LitePlacer.com forums

Hi all!
I read through the documentation and I saw several videos of this project. It's impressive and I'm ready to buy it!
The best thing I appreciate is the open-source approach, which allows users to contribute with new ideas and features.

With this post I want to summarize the features of LitePlacer as I understand them to be aware of what I get right now.
I apologize if my English is not so good, it's not my primary language!

Feeders vs open-space
LitePlacer doesn't use feeders but shares the working-space for both PCB and storage area. As far as I understand:
pro: simpler and cheaper mechanical parts, no need for reels (tapes are enough)
cons: quantity and type of components limited by the actual free space on the table

Anyway, I think this is a great approach for prototype/small volumes because I'm going to build a plastic panel for each board, with CNC-machined trenches for each tape. In this way I can simply replace the panel with the one of the current board to have all components already set up. Furthermore I'm going to define several areas for most common components as 100nF capacitors of 1k resistors, to leave them always available on the table.

With this approach, I bet it's possible to use stand-alone feeders, placed externally to the working area, with the tapes that enter a bit inside. Then, the empty tapes will be forwarded below the machine. Ok, the feeders may not be controlled directly from the software, but as said, for most common components it's more useful to have a reel instead of frequently replace the short strips of the tapes.


IC storage and placement
I read the placement of fine-pitch IC is not accurate because it's hard for the vision algorithm to detect the actual rotation of the parts. I'm going to make several stainless stencils with the most common packages I will use. Then I will store the IC inside the stencil footprints. I guess the positioning should be improved in this way because the initial position of the component is highly reliable, isn't it?


Using the machine
Few questions, I apologize if the answers are already present in the documentation, but I didn't find them on the first reading.
* I think it's obvious, but to be sure: I can save the position of each component storage area for each project, isn't it?
* is there any tool to easily work with panelization? I mean, set up one PCB, set offsetX/Y and repeat
* the Z-offset of PCB, and each storage area could be different? i.e. I might have some areas thicker than others
* can I manually control the machine? I mean freely move the nozzle, change it, take something somewhere and place it elsewhere
* is there an auto-learning feature? instead of provide the p&p file, sometimes could be useful to manually place the components (as I asked in the previous point) and (optionally) save the positions for future automatic placement

Bottom line: without any controversy, would you provide a pro/cons summary of this project vs others available (i.e. just search for "open source pick place" on Google) - this should be interpreted as "why should I prefer this system instead of another".

Welcome to the forums!

Feeders: You understand this right. I would love to have a feeder solution that is manufacturable (no 3d prints, no relying on used feeders on eBay), either automatic or manual (strip holders). So far, I don't have one that is economically suitable for the LitePlacer, but I'm certainly not forgotten this! After the new nozzles, lack of feeder solution is the biggest shortcoming, and I'm painfully aware of that.

IC storage and placement:

> I read the placement of fine-pitch IC is not accurate because it's hard for the vision algorithm to detect the actual rotation of the parts.

For loose parts, this is correct.

> the positioning should be improved in this way because the initial position of the component is highly reliable, isn't it?

Yes, and this makes fine-pitch IC placement practical. The software supports this, please see page http://www.liteplacer.com/setting-part- ... placement/.

> I think it's obvious, but to be sure: I can save the position of each component storage area for each project, isn't it?

Yes. You can store and load all parts positions (the software says "tapes"), as well as project specific sections. The software calls these "trays", the idea being that you can set up a tray holding several tapes, and exchange the trays.

> is there any tool to easily work with panelization? I mean, set up one PCB, set offsetX/Y and repeat

Yes: http://www.liteplacer.com/panelizing/

> the Z-offset of PCB, and each storage area could be different? i.e. I might have some areas thicker than others

Yes. I built the machine to help prototyping, and wanted minimum setup. Especially, when building a prototype, you should not need to do setup for each part. The machine measures the pickup and placement Z values for each part, when it uses that part the first time. There is no such concept as part height, so the pickup and placement Z are not related. One of the benefits is what you mention.

> can I manually control the machine? I mean freely move the nozzle, change it, take something somewhere and place it elsewhere

Yes.

> is there an auto-learning feature? instead of provide the p&p file, sometimes could be useful to manually place the components (as I asked in the previous point) and (optionally) save the positions for future automatic placement

There are functions for "pickup this" and "place here", but no learning.

Answering to your bottom line request fully would be a big thing. Besides, I'm not very familiar with other systems out there, so for now, I'll pass. Sorry about that. However, the main point is that I believe LitePlacer is the only machine that is well suited for prototype assembly, especially the minimum setup. It is also the cheapest, as far as I know. Also, there is this thread and the document linked in the first post: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufactur ... -overview/

Thanks for the quick and complete answer!