You have explained it very good. I want to build a little pick&place machine, getting the SMD-component and place it on the right spot. So that I can do this at home. I want to add two cameras, one on the Z-axis and later one to look from the bottom side on the component to turn it to the right angle and get the right position, because with the vacuum nozzle it is impossible to grab the component directly in the middle. Long time I had used such an x-y table to investigate the quality of my self etched PCBs, drill holes, but it was very big and heavy. Now I want something small for my table, because I use much 0402 components this days and if I want to use the same components at home then I do not want to use the pick&place service for a single PCB. But it is not easy to do this by hand, so the plan was born to create a little pick&place machine.
I have a very similar machine so I did enjoy your video. What I am missing are your drawings, can you please advise me where I can get something the same especially the Continuous Arcs as well as the Capitol Building. I can’t really get to test my machine really without them. Regards. Warren Goyne - NZ
Aargh! I knew someone would ask about the drawing programs some day. There isn't an easy answer. For the capitol building drawing, this is just a line drawing I got off the internet, ran it through Inkscape to generate the "path" and ultimately the g-code to send to the machine. When getting started, I used drawings from kids' coloring books because they are simple line drawings. I assume you are using Inkscape to build your G-code. It took me months to learn Inkscape by trial and error, and I wrote a "cookbook" to convert jpeg drawings to G-code. I do not have permission to distribute or publish the Capitol drawing, so I am hesitant to pass it on. My suggestion is to pick a line drawing of your liking and work through the details of the Inkscape/Universal G-code Sender to build your own library of drawings. I'll post my "cookbook" below. Inkscape can be very complicated, and there's a steep learning curve. The circle & line test pattern that I use at the end of the video was created in PowerPoint, and then run thru Inkscape/UGS. The continuous curve drawing is more complicated, but it doesn't involve Inkscape. I wanted to emulate the drawings of the Spirograph toy. Fortunately, Wikipedia's description of the Spirograph gives the formulas to generate the x and y coordinates of the drawn pattern, based on the radius of the two gears. I took those formulas and generated a list of about 5000 x/y coordinates in Excel, and extracted those as a CSV file and turned it into a G-Code file. That drawing you see is the system tracing 5000 small straight lines without lifting the pen. When I first started, I hand-edited very simple G-Code items (squares, circles, zig-zags, etc.) to learn the basics of the code. Learning about origin setting, absolute vs relative coordinates, and pen lifts was essential. Only when I was comfortable with this, did I then start using Inkscape. I know this is sort of an "exercise for the student" answer, but when you learn these techniques, you can have your drawing machine create whatever you want, rather than getting the fixed G-code that someone else created. ------------------------------- Plotter Cookbook Select and prepare jpeg drawing. Take out any small clutter that won’t plot. Open Inkscape and open jpeg drawing. file-> document properties 8.5x11 & portrait lock height X width ratio and shrink jpeg to fit page Path -> Trace Bitmap Use centerline trace or auto trace to get Path built. Watch out for double trace Remove jpeg drawing and leave path. Tool block Extension -> GcodeTool -> Tool Library -> Cone Gives you the tool block. You can edit feed number to change drawing speed. Orientation block Extension -> GcodeTool -> Orientation Points Use mm scale and 2 point to get Orientation block. This block can be moved and stretched to set the origin and scale of the drawing. The arrow-arrow spacing is your scale. G Code Extension -> GcodeTool ->Path to Gcode Set your folder and file name first. Set the Z height for 5 mm. When you apply, the arrow vectors appear on the path, and a GCode file is generated. Edit Gcode for proper pen lifts in Notepad. This text is in “Copy into Header.txt” (Replace G00 Z5.000000 with G01 Z5 F5000 ) This is PEN UP. G00 Z?? commands don’t work. (Replace G01 Z0.000000 F100.0(Penetrate) with G01 Z0 F5000 ) This is PEN DOWN Open UGS (universal gcode sender) and load new Gcode file. Check for drawing size and lookout for anything much over 200 X 200 mm Set up Pen With motor power off, push pen holder all the way down. Power on. Connect Communication. Home XY and Zero Z (Boxed “Z” button) Jog up 2 or 3 mm. Install and lock pen with tip touching, then jog up to 5 mm. Run i
Parts List Power Supply, 24 volt, 6.5 amp, MeanWell Uno R3 Controller, Elegoo Screw Shield set for Uno Hanpose HPV2 Linear Guide Sets, from Banggood, 2 ea 400 mm stroke, 1 ea 300 mm stroke TB6600 stepper motor drivers, 4 each IR Object Sensor Drag Chain 2020 Aluminum extrusion with corner brackets and 90 deg. angle brackets NEMA 17 motor for Z axis lift Minature linear rail, 8 inch 5 mm flange adaptor for z axis pulley Prototype board, LED’s and resistors Stabilo Point 88 pens 8.5 X 11” Card Stock Paper
I built most of this back in 2019 and 2020. I spent about $400 on the early version, and then another $60 or so when I upgraded the Z axis from a servo to a stepper motor. Total about $500.
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Gorgeous machine !! So cool to watch this. The cutting tool is a fabulous idea.
You have explained it very good.
I want to build a little pick&place machine, getting the SMD-component and place it on the right spot. So that I can do this at home.
I want to add two cameras, one on the Z-axis and later one to look from the bottom side on the component to turn it to the right angle and get the right position, because with the vacuum nozzle it is impossible to grab the component directly in the middle.
Long time I had used such an x-y table to investigate the quality of my self etched PCBs, drill holes, but it was very big and heavy. Now I want something small for my table, because I use much 0402 components this days and if I want to use the same components at home then I do not want to use the pick&place service for a single PCB. But it is not easy to do this by hand, so the plan was born to create a little pick&place machine.
I have a very similar machine so I did enjoy your video. What I am missing are your drawings, can you please advise me where I can get something the same especially the Continuous Arcs as well as the Capitol Building. I can’t really get to test my machine really without them.
Regards.
Warren Goyne - NZ
Aargh! I knew someone would ask about the drawing programs some day. There isn't an easy answer.
For the capitol building drawing, this is just a line drawing I got off the internet, ran it through Inkscape
to generate the "path" and ultimately the g-code to send to the machine. When getting started, I used drawings
from kids' coloring books because they are simple line drawings. I assume you are using Inkscape to build your G-code.
It took me months to learn Inkscape by trial and error, and I wrote a "cookbook" to convert jpeg drawings to G-code.
I do not have permission to distribute or publish the Capitol drawing, so I am hesitant to pass it on. My suggestion is to pick a line drawing of your liking and work through the details of the Inkscape/Universal G-code Sender to build your own library of drawings. I'll post my "cookbook" below. Inkscape can be very complicated, and there's a steep learning curve. The circle & line test pattern that I use at the end of the video was created in PowerPoint, and then run thru Inkscape/UGS.
The continuous curve drawing is more complicated, but it doesn't involve Inkscape. I wanted to emulate the drawings of the Spirograph toy. Fortunately, Wikipedia's description of the Spirograph gives the formulas to generate the x and y coordinates of the drawn pattern, based on the radius of the two gears. I took those formulas and generated a list of about 5000 x/y coordinates in Excel, and extracted those as a CSV file and turned it into a G-Code file. That drawing you see is the system tracing 5000 small straight lines without lifting the pen.
When I first started, I hand-edited very simple G-Code items (squares, circles, zig-zags, etc.) to learn the basics of the code. Learning about origin setting, absolute vs relative coordinates, and pen lifts was essential. Only when I was comfortable with this, did I then start using Inkscape.
I know this is sort of an "exercise for the student" answer, but when you learn these techniques, you can have your drawing machine create whatever you want, rather than getting the fixed G-code that someone else created.
-------------------------------
Plotter Cookbook
Select and prepare jpeg drawing. Take out any small clutter that won’t plot.
Open Inkscape and open jpeg drawing.
file-> document properties 8.5x11 & portrait
lock height X width ratio and shrink jpeg to fit page
Path -> Trace Bitmap
Use centerline trace or auto trace to get Path built. Watch out for double trace
Remove jpeg drawing and leave path.
Tool block
Extension -> GcodeTool -> Tool Library -> Cone
Gives you the tool block. You can edit feed number to change drawing speed.
Orientation block
Extension -> GcodeTool -> Orientation Points
Use mm scale and 2 point to get Orientation block. This block can be moved and stretched
to set the origin and scale of the drawing. The arrow-arrow spacing is your scale.
G Code
Extension -> GcodeTool ->Path to Gcode
Set your folder and file name first. Set the Z height for 5 mm.
When you apply, the arrow vectors appear on the path, and a GCode file is generated.
Edit Gcode for proper pen lifts in Notepad. This text is in “Copy into Header.txt”
(Replace G00 Z5.000000 with G01 Z5 F5000 ) This is PEN UP. G00 Z?? commands don’t work.
(Replace G01 Z0.000000 F100.0(Penetrate) with G01 Z0 F5000 ) This is PEN DOWN
Open UGS (universal gcode sender) and load new Gcode file.
Check for drawing size and lookout for anything much over 200 X 200 mm
Set up Pen
With motor power off, push pen holder all the way down.
Power on. Connect Communication. Home XY and Zero Z (Boxed “Z” button)
Jog up 2 or 3 mm. Install and lock pen with tip touching, then jog up to 5 mm.
Run
i
Parts List
Power Supply, 24 volt, 6.5 amp, MeanWell
Uno R3 Controller, Elegoo
Screw Shield set for Uno
Hanpose HPV2 Linear Guide Sets, from Banggood, 2 ea 400 mm stroke, 1 ea 300 mm stroke
TB6600 stepper motor drivers, 4 each
IR Object Sensor
Drag Chain
2020 Aluminum extrusion with corner brackets and 90 deg. angle brackets
NEMA 17 motor for Z axis lift
Minature linear rail, 8 inch
5 mm flange adaptor for z axis pulley
Prototype board, LED’s and resistors
Stabilo Point 88 pens
8.5 X 11” Card Stock Paper
Thank you so much.
Amazing works dear man 👍
What is cost?
Music
Clean and Dance - An Jone
Wind Riders - Asher Fulero
Shadowing - Corbyn Kites
Lovely choices :)
Price?
I built most of this back in 2019 and 2020. I spent about $400 on the early version, and then another $60 or so when I upgraded the Z axis from a servo to a stepper motor. Total about $500.