Pick and Place file problem when flip board (Bottom Layer) X axis goes negative  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: FullRock66
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 01:07:27 pm
content: Hi Folks, I have a problem with pick and place file, I´m using a pick and place machine (automatic) and when I try to generate the pick and place file to the bottom side of the board the X axis goes to negative values and machine doesnt work, to generate bottom side I flip the board (View- Flip Board) and set the origin on the lower left side of the board, Anyone knows why X axis goes to negative?.

author: ANTALIFE
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 01:27:51 pm
content: Have you tried generating the pick & place file via outjobs? As in add an .outjob file to the project and export a pick & place file through that

author: FullRock66
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 01:39:29 pm
content: Dear ANTALIFE, yes, I try to do that, but results are the same, the official documentation of Altium say the next :After launching the command, the entire workspace for the editor will be turned over (flipped).All actions and editing commands are supported for flipped boards/components. The coordinate space remains logically the same, ie. the workspace origin moves from the bottom-left to the bottom-right. The current grid position increases in the X (horizontal) direction as you move the mouse from right to left, instead of the normal left to right.Any output generated while the view is flipped will maintain the correct 'viewed-from-top' coordinate information.meI really dont know if that information means that its imposibble to correct the position of the axis on Flip Board ....Thanks for your reply .

author: DerekG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 02:58:21 pm
content: Quote from: FullRock66 on May 07, 2018, 01:07:27 pmI have noticed this too. I guess no-one has reported this bug to Altium. You will note that when you flip the board, the newly flipped board moves in the x axis & you have to re-zoom to centre the board again on your monitor.If you send the pick & place file to a board shop they will quickly notice this & apply an x offset to counteract the incorrect offset. Of course, this only comes into play if you are robot loading components onto the bottom side of the board.This offset problem has been with AD for a very long time ........... maybe as long back as the first releases of AD.Don't hold your breath, but if you report it to Altium they might get around to fixing it. As it is easy to replicate in all cases, it should not be hard for them to correct their code.

author: FullRock66
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 03:19:16 pm
content: Dear DerekG, thanks a lot for your reply, I´m starting to feel alone on Universe, did you know how to correct this quickly ?. I´m using a pick and place machine (TM240A old fashion of Neoden) and to operate bottom layer I need to correct X negative axis, do the correction vía Excel vía maths its a little roug. You mention this :the newly flipped board moves in the x axis &you have to re-zoom to centre the board again on your monitor.this its the solution?.Thanks!!!!

author: FullRock66
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 04:58:10 pm
content: Dear DerekG, I found the solution, its a cavern days solution but its works!, if you need to know how to correct the bug temporarily please let me and I show you how.

author: DerekG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2018, 11:44:32 pm
content: Quote from: FullRock66 on May 07, 2018, 04:58:10 pmYes, please let us know. Many loading houses simply use vision (cameras) to reset the origin so they can work with the file.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2018, 03:34:43 pm
content: pick data is always generated form top view. you NEVER flip the board.the pick data will tell you if a part is top or bottom. the pick machine will do the translation for you.