Hand assembly software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 06:14:25 am
content: I thought some time ago someone mentioned on here some software to aid in hand assembling prototypes, but I can't seem to find the post/reply.I'm looking for something that I can use instead of basic assembly drawings. I've got some large boards with >300 0402 parts to place, and it's a right PITA just following paper assembly drawings.Ideally I'm after something that can import something Altium can put out, then step through each BOM line showing where all of that component type should be placed. So for example I can go through the board and place all the one hundred odd 100nf caps in one go.Seems like the sort of thing there should already be something out there for? Happy to pay for it, doesn't need to be free.

author: jedas
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 10:32:41 am
content: It's not exactly what you asking, but what I do:Open PCB file and SCH. If you select component in the SCH, it will highlight it on PCB file. You can do "find similar" with same value, and it will highlight all 100 nF's for example. Won't work if you don't have a PC in assembly place.

author: enz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 10:48:03 am
content: I remember something like this:https://www.compuphase.com/visualplace/visualplace_en.htmBut never had the need to use it myself.

author: mairo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 10:48:29 am
content: I believe this is what you are after:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/smt-assistant-software-for-handplacing-parts-free-and-awesome/msg874666/#msg874666It works great!For >300 in 0402 parts, I hope you have something better than just a pair of tweezers - a manual, or semi automatic Pick and Place combined with the above software works great.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 11:00:35 am
content: Quote from: jedas on March 01, 2017, 10:32:41 amYeah that's what I've done, but it's not that great visually. It will select components on both sides of the board, and a selected component (even with dimming on) doesn't stand out as much as I'd like on a board full of small parts.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 11:02:57 am
content: Quote from: mairo on March 01, 2017, 10:48:29 amThat's what I was looking for! Thanks, I'll give it a go tomorrow.Yes I've got a manual P&P that I've built. It's not perfect, but it's good enough and a lot better than tweezers. I'm just going to park a 27" monitor in front of it and hopefully this software will do the trick.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2017, 12:14:47 pm
content: VisualPlace looks a bit better developed. It can actually show gerbers instead of a bitmap.The SMT Assistant tool from Alciom might be problematic with large boards and small parts because of the HUGE bitmap you'd have to load to still have resolution zoomed in. (~50 megs)

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 03:20:47 am
content: It's a win from me. Worked great for what I wanted.Yes the graphics aren't as good as would be nice for working on a 200x100mm boards with 0402 parts, it's clear the interface wasn't really designed for it.However it was workable and light years ahead of dealing with assembly drawings that couldn't even print properly on a A4 printer.Just a shame it's not OS, as there's a few graphic things I'd love to fix to make it more workable for my workflow.

author: mrpackethead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 09:06:42 am
content: It shoudl be so hard to write somethign liek this.. but like everything it all takes time.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 09:29:29 am
content: Gerbv is open source. You could put such feature in Gerbv.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2017, 01:27:43 pm
content: Hey Harvs, any chance of a picture of your manual pick and place machine?I've lashed one up myself and I'm not real happy with it.Mine is the style where your "picking forearm" rests on an xy stage on linear slides.A vacuum pickup that can slide up/down and rotate is mounted to the edge of the stage.It just seems more work than using tweezers!

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 01:20:13 am
content: Quote from: mrpackethead on March 02, 2017, 09:06:42 amExactly, it's all time. If I could spend a couple of hours over an evening or two contributing the features I want that'd be great. Spending a couple of days writing and testing the software from scratch doesn't make economical sense for me.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 01:22:53 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on March 02, 2017, 09:29:29 amI'm not actually convinced that gerbers are the best place to start. I took a high res scan of my board (just using a photo flatbed scanner) and used that, makes it easier to locate because what's on the screen is exactly what you're looking at.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 01:29:46 am
content: Quote from: DTJ on March 02, 2017, 01:27:43 pmYou've already seen ithttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/manual-pnp-diy-build/I haven't had the chance to put any more time into developing it, but I've come to terms with many of its quirks. With all the strips of parts in holders or taped down on card, I'd guess it's at least twice the speed of tweezers if not more.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 01:48:46 pm
content: Quote from: Harvs on March 03, 2017, 01:29:46 amHa! So I have.I've built one very similar except the whole stage moves in X & Y, rather than the stage just moving in X and the pickup tool in the Y axis.I've not used it seriously yet but I will need to do so in the next two weeks or so.I might modify it so the pickup tool moves in the Y rather than the whole stage. I find it too hard to move my entire arm precisely enough.Thanks for the reminder!

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2017, 09:03:15 pm
content: I find that lack of precision difficult even for just the long axis being "arm controlled"A friend built one that had the pickup tool separate from the gantry. On a separate linear rail with pivot. I think this might actually be a better design in hindsight, however I wanted to be able to put some automation into the head. Having a tiny stepper do the part rotation would be a great addition.

author: richardlawson1489
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2017, 10:42:32 am
content: I had positive experience with MASCOT and Visual Place. Try with them, this may help you.