Manual PnP machines - where to start? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: jmw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2021, 10:27:47 pm
content: I've been thinking about how to improve my prototype assembly process and would like to understand what's out there as far as manual desktop PnP machines.My goal is to improve speed, accuracy, and repeatability of placements, and reduce disasters like sending parts flying or smearing paste because I wasn't aware of where my hand is. My current toolset is tweezers, a hand-operated vacuum pen, and an optical stereo microscope. The border of my comfort zone is placing 0402 and QFN; I'd like to get those firmly inside the comfort zone and maybe open the door to 0201 and BGA. My boards are small with < 100 parts, so I often cut sections of tape and either tape them down to my working table or empty them into a tray and pick from there.Features I think would be helpful:- being able to lock X, Y, Z, X-Y axes for precise positioning- operations done with my hands away from the boardAre these reasonable goals I can achieve with a manual machine, and what manufacturers and commercial products are available that people can recommend? If there aren't commercial products for this level of work, are there any good DIY builds I should learn from?

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2021, 11:26:29 pm
content: I think the only commercial one that locks axes might be an LPKF model that possibly no longer exists (the big brother to LPKF ProtoPlace S).You will find multiple arguments about the merits or otherwise of a manual P&P in here I would look those up, we operate one in a commercial environment and 20 years ago we did full builds on it. Today it might do the odd SIMPLE prototype or get used to place the annoying little strips and baggies of parts I can't bothered to load onto the automatic P&P. They are all expensive and the key feature is probably a suspended pick head and possibly wrist wrest that keeps your arm/elbow/sleeve off your PCB. That bit is clearly easy to DIY yourself using 3D printer parts and a vacuum pen, bolting on a camera/laser and integrating Visualplace might not be that hard either. Ours had pneumatic feeders, lane indicator lights and a counter but none of that gets used anymore.

author: mairo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2021, 02:15:40 am
content: If you are to get a manual PnP, I would say look for a second hand one, new machines are quite expensive, alto they are few brands you can find for under 3k, but the rest are over 6k to ... 30k new.LPKF, Fritsch, Dima and Essemtec come often on eBay and other auction sites. A year a go a nearly new LPKF with accessories sold for 600pounds.The locking head is OK, but I almost never use it (I have worked with LPKF, Mechatronika and Eurocircuit's eC-placer), it slows you alot for something that most probably will get fixed by itself during reflow, or can be retouched later much quicker with a tweezers.Feeders and carousels - It depends on the use you are after - single/few products, or large mix of products. In my case I do large mix of products (prototypes to very low volume (500-3000parts per day)), so setting up the manual PnP machines is almost as time consuming as the automatic ones, so I use them with minimal setup. Next comments are based on my use:- Carousels are vary useful if you have lots of ceramic capacitors that you can just pour in the individual sections and not worry for the orientation too much. SOIC and some other IC packages could also work for the carousels, all other parts you need to place correctly and carefully (which takes time) otherwise is a nightmare when it comes to picking and placing;- Feeders, few 8mm, 1x 12mm and 16mm is what I use (have more, but do not use them often).Another comment I would make (again based on my needs) is that I would not change the manual PnP machine for the current low cost automatic PnP machines currently on the market (lets say machines under 10-15k). This is because when I use the manual machine, I am after the minimal setup time, being 100% confident that all parts will go exactly where they need to and will not loose a single part.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2021, 06:05:23 am
content: What sort of thing are you looking for?Below is a picture from the "ezPick" from Abacom.Something like this may work to reduche shaking and speedup manual assembly a bit, but I'd think that EUR600 for a few drawer sliders and a paralelogram from a shaving mirror is a quite redicilous price.Something of better quality can be made with a few sheets of MDF, some metal profiles and skateboard bearings by any hobbyist who has a bit of mechanical knowledge, and of course a bunch of people have aldready done so and there are some vid's on youtube.If you want a place to start looking, then start by looking at some pictures:https://duckduckgo.com/?q=smt+pick+and+place+manual&t=h_&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

author: 48X24X48X
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2021, 06:39:58 am
content: Please read this thread if you haven't:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/ec-placer-or-other-manual-pnp/

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2021, 07:54:34 am
content: This is not up to the standard of what you want, but others might find it interesting..I've always wanted to build a manual PNP dual rotating assembly platform.The idea isnotfully fleshed out.But here is the concept.You have dual rotating platforms. Outer size about 500mm diameter.Inner is for blank PCBs and the outer holds your SMT tape underneath. Both rotate independently.The SMT tape is just the digikey bags you get with the corner cut off so the tape can poke out and feed up through the holes in the top platform.You would place parts on a blank pcb using vacuum pickup. Then rotate the outer ring to next SMT value and place that. repeat etc.When that PCB is done you rotate the inner section to the next PCB and start again.You would have one of these for each PCB project that you build often. So all the values loaded into the platform would be parts for that project.You could even have a little printed diagram next to each SMT tape is showing where on the PCB the part goes and how many of them to place etc..The thing would probably need to be recessed downwards into a table to create a flat working surface in order to use it.Here's a quick and dirty model in sketchup...

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2021, 04:53:39 pm
content: Quote from: jmw on January 02, 2021, 10:27:47 pmWell, I have not actually used one of these, only full-auto P&P machines. (I have just in the last couple months graduated to my SECOND P&P machine.)But, I just don't see the point in a manual P&P machine. What does it actually accomplish? How will such a machine improve accuracy and repeatability?The only way to do that would be to have computer-controlled XY axes, or maybe to use some kind of mechanical template. The mechanical route would require a template to be made with machine tools, and would likely be slower than by hand. The computer route would turn the machine into a semi-auto machine, if you do that, why not go FULL auto?I have built PLENTY of boards completely by hand, and I know how to do it well. I use a stereo zoom microscope with a large "working distance" for all ICs, but do the caps and resistors without the microscope. When placing the same part in multiple locations or on multiple boards, I can do a component every few seconds. I put a dot of solder on one pad of the passives or one IC pad, tack the part down with tweezers and soldering iron, then do the 2nd pad.Yes, accuracy of placement is not as good as a high-end P&P, but sure good enough for the boards I make.If you are going to spend thousands of Dollars on a machine, why not go with a used full-auto machine or a bottom of the line new import machine.Really, a VERY simple auto P&P is not much more complicated than a 3D printer, the prices ought to be somewhat in line with those.Jon

author: Rat_Patrol
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2021, 05:21:56 pm
content: I designed and 3D printed a bunch of little feeders that were secured to a table. I built a gantry, but dumped it. I had some 50+ individual components for building prototype PCBs from.I used a minimum of 1206 or SOT23, so I didn't use any kind of vision anything: just put on my glasses.I placed well over 10k components on that setup over the last couple years. Actual investment was a couple hundred bucks.The big advantage was individual-ish feeding of components to avoid spillage. I used a simple lazy-susan turntable to rotate the PCB. I made a quick raised platform (3D printed) that I would rest my hand on to avoid messing up the paste or already placed components.The setup is still there, but I don't use it much anymore since I've settled on a number of PCBs and I don't prototype near as much anymore.

author: halfmarble
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 10, 2025, 03:47:34 pm
content: I have created a simple mechanical PNP tool - please check it out and support it here:https://www.crowdsupply.com/halfmarble/steady-hand-tool