SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-29T00:04:36-06:00SparkFun Electronics0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:9a316943-4cf5-b335-dcfd-e4a22eae28362013-07-16T19:23:18-06:00<p>Told ya. Personally, the Matrix Trilogies are the standard against which every film is compared.<p>When you've done six impossible things before breakfast, why not round it out with a meal at Millways, the restaurant at the end of the universe?</p></p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:20376d55-f6a7-383c-33f2-0dd3a25dd7652013-07-16T18:15:50-06:00<p>OHMYGOSH HOW DID I LIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT WATCHING THESE MOVIES?<p>Why, Mister Anderson, why do you persist? <em>so good</em></p></p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:8b7988bd-e354-347a-52da-a91dd8b884eb2013-02-06T22:08:22-07:00<p>I did what i did because you are * dramatic*<p>The One.</p><p>Wow... good movie, took a couple of times watching the first hour for it to make complete sense (that first scene at least).</p><p>1 down, lots more to go. Adding those to my list :)</p></p>
Customer #385351 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #385351urn:uuid:94e906b7-b1cd-5cf0-0952-09c9b5c0ed1d2013-01-07T19:06:57-07:00<p>Name it Sparky</p>
Customer #294129 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #294129urn:uuid:e9195dc7-c6b9-c31d-62f1-954d721214f92013-01-07T11:08:01-07:00<p>scraperthron</p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:f65f6872-67e9-9920-8a53-bad7c9d507832013-01-07T08:56:07-07:00<p>Also: Watch The Matrix Revolution and The Matrix Reloaded.</p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:e920e118-4a3c-ab05-55ba-bfb1e846cd792013-01-06T21:04:20-07:00<p>Moved to #1 in my families netflix list.<p>Yes, all the mattresses are named Zem, however, this could be the result of a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (or two).</p><p>And I'm sure sparkfun doesnt mind. They geek out as much as we do :)</p></p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:1b80c162-1cd8-bca1-ff97-69cb840c0ea52013-01-06T14:36:57-07:00<p>YES. Definitely. Watch it NOW.<p>Sorry Admin. We should take this to a different forum, not a respectable business' comment thread.</p><p>But: What was it about mattresses? Something about them all being called Zem?</p></p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:85d1f924-8161-446e-eb3f-19d2dfcb56f22013-01-06T13:54:02-07:00<p>Yes. That would be in order. Though I admit to referencing to the book in my third comment.<p>But we haven't even started! The Question to the Answer of Life, the Universe, and Everything! The life cycle of a mattress! Planet wide rock concerts, with ships being driven into the sun! What about the life of training and self-sacrifice needed to be a sandwich maker!</p><p>I must come forward and state that I have never before seen The Matrix. I sense I am missing out on such a wondrous film though... what say you?</p></p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:0281abf5-c3fb-0761-8c9f-b7d958bd47d72013-01-06T03:57:56-07:00<p>I may only offer a feeble reply:<p>How are you doing, Marvin? Quite badly, I expect.
Thank you for making a simple door very happy.
Let's say, for the sake of what I am going to call 'argument', I will call this thing back here a tail. Hey, I can really thrash it around! I may find out what it is used for later. Now, have I built up any coherent picture of things yet?</p><p>No.</p><p>Thusly having my references exhausted, I must exit the competition.
We require a third party to judge who out-Douglas-Adam'ed the other.</p><p>Why, Mister Anderson, why do you Persist? (Oh no, not The Matrix references now.)</p></p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:e389afb7-05f2-e838-f2b9-8812bb10db4c2013-01-05T22:20:46-07:00<p>I am trumped once again in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy randomness. Probability- three to the power of 2 for and rising.<p>The whale, for its brief life, made some profound thoughts while falling.
For example, it thought, in its brief lifetime and even briefer fall-</p><p>"What is this odd sensation I am feeling? It feels very strange, as if some unforeseen force is dragging me somewhere. It makes such a wonderful, whooshing sensation. I will call it falling! But what is this that makes the wonderful whooshing noise, and creates such a tingling feeling all across me. What shall I call it... hmm.. Air! Yes, that is what I must call it. Air, such a wonderful name for such a wonderful thing.</p><p>That is strange, that rather large brownish-green thing seems to be getting larger. In fact, it seems to be the force of the wonderful magnetism that is making me fall! It needs a name, such a beautifully colored thing must have a name. Ground! That is it! Gr-ou-nd. Such a wonderful ring to it, it seems to roll off the tongue rather well..
Now that I have named that, I must find out why I am here.. I think it must hav-"</p><p>at which point the whale collides with the ground, and a rather wet thud reverberates throughout the area. After the dust settles, there is not much left of the whale but a few pieces of blubber and a rather large crater.</p></p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:450995ad-4451-85b1-a63e-dbc3742cfce52013-01-05T15:04:22-07:00<p>Ah, this must be some obscure definition of "Safe" that I haven't heard yet.
My colleague is rapidly loosing limbs, and a large Sperm Whale has just materialized over a planet. Then, after a sudden wet thud, was silence. For a while, nothing happened. Then, for a short time afterward, nothing continued to happen.</p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:e0fdf9d9-6b45-6e54-5d06-9bbc6b23afac2013-01-05T11:59:14-07:00<p>In other news today, two rather scruffily attired men and a sofa, a Chesterfield we believe, have just materialized in the middle of Lord's Cricket Ground. One man seems to have a bone through his beard, unfortunately we do not know as of why yet. We don't think they mean any harm, they've been rather good-natured about it. Not the bone, but with suddenly materializing at the Cricket Ground. Hold on just a second, it seems now the sofa has just vanished...<p>Something else has also seemed to stir up the two men, but frankly that is Somebody Else's Problem...</p></p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:57e0f8e7-62d1-d9ac-2495-d090e6b0598a2013-01-05T11:04:02-07:00<p>Unfortunately, due to the Probability Drive (Two to the power of one-hundred-thousand to 1 against and falling), the HG2G'S construct has been replaced by a set of senior network analysts, and Ford is now a penguin.<p>Oh No, Not again.</p></p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:a0f48fc0-7655-c4dd-8c3e-b8f2b20b77bf2013-01-05T09:58:10-07:00<p>Oh, it won't matter. This is all just a construct, thanks to the HG2G MKII...</p>
TLAlexander on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IITLAlexanderurn:uuid:7447e9cc-8316-3b61-7cf3-cf636b9803652013-01-04T16:29:09-07:00<p>Actually they said above that it was still well worth it. Sounded like a few days of labor was much cheaper than the cost difference between the two.</p>
JWRM22 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIJWRM22urn:uuid:734a366f-bd2e-626b-4233-bd1af77c0cca2013-01-04T10:05:44-07:00<p>Names for machines, that remembers me from the time I used to work for the dutch post as engineer, keeping the sorting machines running. Every giant sorting machine has a name that also serves like an acronym. All names are girl names, sometimes they took weeks to find a good name.<p>Not that I'm good at it.. :P</p></p>
Customer #311563 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #311563urn:uuid:12393ba4-c33d-8ee1-2fd9-4bf2b52187122013-01-03T16:35:10-07:00<p>MetalOctopus</p>
limemaverick on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIlimemaverickurn:uuid:fafafabc-8daa-c421-50ac-d6ca0137b0732013-01-03T10:36:21-07:00<p>Stencils McScreedy?</p>
MikeGrusin on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMikeGrusinurn:uuid:add7f3a5-f753-97ac-45b6-a93e44fb5d032013-01-03T10:22:44-07:00<p><em>I'm the one who knocks...</em></p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:376fb802-e0db-cc4d-51e5-3e5955a0a2412013-01-03T09:05:11-07:00<p>We've found that the inconsistencies in the PCB panel dimensions, from one panel to the next, make any sort of permanent or semi-permanent alignment fixture unusable. The cuts made by the PCB fabricator typically result in very slight dimensional differences between panels of the same design and even from the same fabrication run. I'm unsure that drilling out mount holes in the panels would result in any greater consistency that would not require at least some small adjustments of the stencil itself to ensure the apertures are lined up perfectly with the pads on the PCB.</p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:3ea87100-a2dc-9f8e-a50c-357d7380d2272013-01-03T07:56:44-07:00<p>Oh, It does. Just Don't Panic when it's wired backwards.</p>
vapidr1 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIvapidr1urn:uuid:b546820c-d553-2aa5-56b1-8ca576f3858a2013-01-03T07:36:51-07:00<p>Heisenberg and Pinkman. Since you're already hacking the stencil machine, add a uC and speaker so it says "Bitch!" every time it finishes a board.</p>
TJBish on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IITJBishurn:uuid:0a1d2f6c-6dff-f045-9ab4-f6a029936b022013-01-03T07:29:44-07:00<p>Cupcake. Since the paste is like icing and the stencils are like the little cakes... mmm... I might just have to go eat one or more now..</p>
mct75 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IImct75urn:uuid:2ce2d17c-09a7-089c-4dec-e32acdd5af822013-01-03T06:04:08-07:00<p>Mr Crowley!</p>
gt1957 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIgt1957urn:uuid:464985b1-c0c1-394a-26ee-112a5c72214d2013-01-02T22:30:07-07:00<p>Mr. Magoo. He had vision problems too...</p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:d6f848eb-5d62-3c56-1cc9-1dbc280cbede2013-01-02T20:23:22-07:00<p>It better come with a towel....</p>
Chandhooguy on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIChandhooguyurn:uuid:f8e31a10-10b2-4f42-12e3-600d1d7778fa2013-01-02T20:14:00-07:00<p>How about...
The Vertically Varying, Solder Paste Carrying, Lean Mean Precise Machine of Death?</p>
Spade on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IISpadeurn:uuid:87208f7b-5230-7da0-771d-ef928ced9f3b2013-01-02T20:00:37-07:00<p>How about naming him Sten?
Short for Stencil</p>
Customer #235394 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #235394urn:uuid:5c60d0c6-d1b6-0653-d0a3-0de4b6dbb8702013-01-02T19:06:59-07:00<p>R2D2</p>
Sora62896 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IISora62896urn:uuid:dbe56ce7-f6d1-7f26-d1d6-128ec94f70fb2013-01-02T18:50:17-07:00<p>But will the spare boards eventually come back into stock along with the parts bag?</p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:dd433720-5026-aadd-9c4f-c23a0ffce00e2013-01-02T18:49:59-07:00<p>Hey...thanks! We're excited to be learning more and more about the amazing tools that are available for using in PCB assembly automation.<p>Have you looked into our tutorial on making your own stencils?: https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/383</p></p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:a8d8fe3e-ef83-c764-513b-4f536838b36b2013-01-02T18:41:32-07:00<p>Everyone at Parallax is great! You are right. Rocklin is the true home of Parallax.<p>Please do come visit if you ever find yourself near Boulder!</p></p>
DogCollarLabor on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIDogCollarLaborurn:uuid:cf629b47-403c-5193-561e-ba17794956462013-01-02T18:40:03-07:00<p>How about "Blade Runner"</p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:866e6dad-3c53-8613-01d2-081fe4c75a292013-01-02T18:36:46-07:00<p>We have passed along our feedback to them, but the language barrier has been difficult to overcome. If we ever get a chance to visit Shenzhen again, we would love to visit this manufacturer to talk about design improvements in person.</p>
AngusP on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIAngusPurn:uuid:4d972a6c-1aad-be77-772f-ff796183f8e42013-01-02T18:34:05-07:00<p>I can see a post by Nate in about August 2013 detailing how Pete and the Engineering team have built a huge automated assembly line that now does everything for you SparkFun lot, so you spend most of your time playing XBox and emptying the SFE Keg :-P</p>
AngusP on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIAngusPurn:uuid:1f42e10b-856b-1894-bfaa-f83421212eff2013-01-02T18:29:28-07:00<p>If you think about it, an inkjet can do an A4 sheet in about 6-8 seconds (Ballparking here...) so it would be slower than a good stenciler - plus you'd have to deal with clogs, tank refills, cleaning, blah blah blah. And if it was built in house, then maintenance would be cheap-ish (depending on how bad it broke and the fact that you don't have to pay markup) but hard to train new employees in. BUT - it might be something for someone in the community to have a shot at! Could work out great!</p>
RobBrownNZ on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIRobBrownNZurn:uuid:9d68e02a-2d4a-bd3e-ea3a-8dcd705f71492013-01-02T18:01:04-07:00<p>Do you have young children, by any chance?</p>
VccDood on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIVccDoodurn:uuid:498a72e0-a352-4f6b-5f84-4da3123a895b2013-01-02T17:44:23-07:00<p>But, the new PnP machine has ensured the retirement of the "grab bag o' stuff our PnP dropped" product :( Maybe you can start a "random strips that are too small to start a new batch" grab bag category!</p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:a1f7feab-07f1-653e-1f21-c740cbed6fd22013-01-02T17:44:18-07:00<p>As Bob said, nobody was displaced by this equipment addition. All signs point towards more PCB assembly production being needed in the coming years. :) So our equipment upgrades are only enabling us to continue to meet this increased demand with greater efficiency.</p>
Customer #327664 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #327664urn:uuid:0c020c39-b0b2-3e00-0cfd-947548edb26f2013-01-02T17:41:03-07:00<p>Those are a couple of awesome machines you guys have! Those are nice looking!<p>I do have a question, I'm about to begin building 10-15 boards every two weeks (maybe three) but need a way to create stencils easily. How would you recommend making them for a small home-based fabrication? I've seen various methods and not sure what would be the best way to start off with. Any suggestions would be great!</p></p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:78236cfe-f9fc-70ba-a4b5-19ecc88fef1f2013-01-02T17:39:36-07:00<p>We introduced an Aqueous Technologies Trident CL (closed loop) washer into our equipment lineup a couple years ago. It has been a great batch washer for us. Before buying that washer, we had attempted to repurpose a used lab glassware washer but we never could quite dial in the results we were looking for.</p>
evading on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIevadingurn:uuid:ced049ac-0ac4-86ec-fc2f-f943c9a8689e2013-01-02T17:28:51-07:00<p>Red LEADer</p>
Madboy #82637 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMadboy #82637urn:uuid:65212104-83a0-a04f-1311-a802c630071b2013-01-02T17:00:20-07:00<p>Tom Sawyer</p>
sgrace on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIsgraceurn:uuid:4ad90ff5-8b66-098e-6958-f51dea30027b2013-01-02T16:25:47-07:00<p>My complaint with the ink jet style is:<ol>
<li>Costly. If something breaks it's money down the drain in 2 pipes (production downtime and maintenance costs)</li>
<li>You have to train people on how to use the machine to make sure things are right. (This also takes money).</li>
<li>Low RoI with SFE's current level of work.</li>
</ol><p>The thing about PCB boards that feed into the PNP is, you want to the output of the PCB to match that of the PNP's input. You don't want any point in the line where you have to wait. By waiting, you can cause higher failutes. See where the assembly line efficiency comes in?</p><p>I'm not saying the ink jet style is bad, I'm saying that it's overkill for SFE at the moment.</p></p>
North Alabama PC on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IINorth Alabama PCurn:uuid:62e86e03-b2bd-f76e-5e2f-ffa6268042d62013-01-02T15:35:03-07:00<p>Hey SparkFun, Parallax is in Rocklin CA not Sacramento. Rocklin is about 45 min drive (not during rush hour) from Sacramento. I have stopped by as well and talked to Nick Ernst (tech) about my Elev-8 build. I have stopped by many other times to pick up items I have ordered or attend their robotics fair held once a year at Parallax. If I traveled near Bolder CO more I would stop by SparkFun.</p>
rjb on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIrjburn:uuid:ad2347b4-0024-d083-3dcb-158f858894812013-01-02T15:06:43-07:00<p>"Squeegee"<p>Which sounds like one of Mario's brothers.</p></p>
0xDBFB7 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part II0xDBFB7urn:uuid:055e37f9-954e-95f2-312d-ad50ab33e4c12013-01-02T14:57:42-07:00<p>How about: The Model 42<p>Because it's the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Solder Squeegeeing.</p></p>
PalmTreesandPICs on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIPalmTreesandPICsurn:uuid:bf75ef42-8751-f4a7-2ba5-40828c12cf022013-01-02T14:04:11-07:00<p>Name: Mechastentacilatoratorux.<p>... or whatever, I don't care.</p></p>
jmlynesjr on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIjmlynesjrurn:uuid:104cc684-ac84-bd95-fc4a-ee596d123b812013-01-02T13:57:01-07:00<p>Are you feeding your modifications back to the manufacturer for inclusion in the next machine upgrade? And of course you could then be a beta tester and get a second machine out of the deal. Or even become the US rep...
James</p>
Blacklab1 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBlacklab1urn:uuid:ab374142-535d-2918-0a08-2d5deb9094c52013-01-02T13:29:15-07:00<p>All the information is already there in the Gerber files.
And the program just has to read the file. A lot like what your computer already does on with your printer.<p>Bob-E-Digital down below gives an example >></p><p>http://www.mydata.com/www2/main.nsf/content.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=48BF55DB06CCED31C125777D002C2628&cat=C38</p></p>
Blacklab1 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBlacklab1urn:uuid:bdf4108f-cf8f-bfa7-27b6-d3ab44796f4c2013-01-02T13:21:51-07:00<p>Speaking of Washing, what is SF using to clean the flux off the boards and is that automated too?</p>
sgrace on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIsgraceurn:uuid:60653862-07a8-400d-81f0-fbf25be8e7b82013-01-02T13:20:56-07:00<p>An ink jet style one verses a stencil... I'd rather get a stencil one. Granted you use more solder, but the ink jet style you have program with the gerber files. This means training, plus it will mean more costly issues in the future.</p>
GregK on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIGregKurn:uuid:f10226e5-6ed3-4885-606a-40aa5c3f31372013-01-02T13:20:31-07:00<p>BBBSST (Big Blue Beige Stencil Squisher Thing)
or just Mr. Squishy Pants.</p>
Bob-E-Digital on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBob-E-Digitalurn:uuid:84c91f41-bb9a-a0ef-5ffd-49adcb559b4b2013-01-02T13:18:43-07:00<p>this exists...<p>http://www.mydata.com/www2/main.nsf/content.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=48BF55DB06CCED31C125777D002C2628&cat=C38</p></p>
Blacklab1 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBlacklab1urn:uuid:d53e8bed-0ea0-531f-338d-e370de79f7442013-01-02T13:18:31-07:00<p>But then you're back to square one when SF decides that your current solution is too slow and you’re faced with going to an Ink Jet printer style of solder pasting your boards. My bet is you would end up using less solder paste with an Ink Jet printer then the stencil printer. I can’t wait for you guys to come up with your own form of Ink Jet printer with a .01 mil head on an X-Y plotter to paint your own boards. It seems you guys have the talent to figure out how to make one.<p>If I was SF, I would make sure SLT CO Ltd gave you schematics for their unit. Also I hope you guys didn't null and void the warranty with your hack. Most big companies don't like you hacking their machines.</p></p>
Bob-E-Digital on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBob-E-Digitalurn:uuid:798525d6-764f-b34f-a9bd-d1352a66d4c12013-01-02T13:15:01-07:00<p>We get the stencils directly from DEK. http://www.dekpsp.com/psp.nsf/dek/stencils<p>We go with the VectorGuard Blue series.</p></p>
Blacklab1 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBlacklab1urn:uuid:a3a4656b-2da9-f42e-4ea4-643c12f584212013-01-02T12:59:08-07:00<p>I second that- it would really cool to have PCB assembly too.</p>
customerX on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIcustomerXurn:uuid:1fbd294e-f6ed-325d-4762-d4c2d53ff8222013-01-02T12:58:21-07:00<p>Kludgy</p>
Thimplum on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIThimplumurn:uuid:dc82dcba-5d54-a9b8-724f-4740ba1cb7f32013-01-02T12:57:06-07:00<p>Oops. Edited. I meant finish it, not fini ****.</p>
customerX on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIcustomerXurn:uuid:7bb178d2-eb23-1dcf-359f-35d011c41d5c2013-01-02T12:55:46-07:00<p>Smudge</p>
Thimplum on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIThimplumurn:uuid:6f9ebfa7-49ae-af7b-f3df-9692d3507dcc2013-01-02T12:55:26-07:00<p>I've been thinking of making a small scale version of something like this. I was working on a parts list and just need to finish it up.</p>
nsted on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IInstedurn:uuid:0dcf3adc-386c-f885-9982-543bea6a99da2013-01-02T12:46:26-07:00<p>Zach Hoeken has a nice tutorial on exactly that...
http://www.hoektronics.com/2012/10/27/super-simple-smt-stencil8/</p>
scharkalvin on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIscharkalvinurn:uuid:eb2282a2-7eb2-ba75-b209-2e46768ceaa92013-01-02T12:41:54-07:00<p>After looking at the new machine I started to wonder why you even need stencils.
Why can't you have a CNC controller move a squirter head to directly print the solder paste onto the boards just like with a 3D printer? I suppose it wouldn't be fast enough for large volume needs, but wouldn't that work for hobby PC production?</p>
scharkalvin on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIscharkalvinurn:uuid:1ea28637-82b6-9c00-5319-deb043fcdb432013-01-02T12:34:15-07:00<p>You'd think that the same house that makes the boards could make the stencils (from the same cad files) so they should drill the aligment holes in both. If all panels are the same size then all would have the holes in the exact same spots, which should line up with holes in the bed of the stencil machine.</p>
Kratz on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIKratzurn:uuid:44135501-a1dc-bfc0-fd2d-af3f231f22552013-01-02T12:13:53-07:00<p>I don't know much about these processes, but as far as alignment, couldn't you just put a quarter inch hole in three corners of the stencil and PCB, then put some quarter inch pegs in the machine table? Assuming the drilling and traces are aligned on the PCB this should result in a perfect alignment every time. Or am I wrong?</p>
nsted on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IInstedurn:uuid:ff6e39da-9169-a306-669b-e18bb2f06fb02013-01-02T12:01:28-07:00<p>Love these posts on manufacturing! What about the stencils themselves? Where do you get these done? or do you do them in house?</p>
Jeeves on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIJeevesurn:uuid:c816065a-c9b1-bc0d-2c6e-3209024f1a5b2013-01-02T11:51:32-07:00<p>How about... "The [Spread] Eagle"? Too off-color?</p>
Pelican on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIPelicanurn:uuid:26b357af-0e79-acff-d329-57cc682b94382013-01-02T11:26:25-07:00<p>For a name, how about "Leadsmith". It's almost spelled out right there on the panel, it kind of describes what it does (modulo lead-free solder paste), and it sounds like a snarky name for a gunslinger.</p>
Customer #154910 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IICustomer #154910urn:uuid:aaabd06f-d875-e9c8-bec0-d7c321ea28ab2013-01-02T11:02:46-07:00<p>How about "Pasty Smurf"</p>
Bob-E-Digital on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBob-E-Digitalurn:uuid:8598ab45-f1de-5675-ada4-9dc05c74ba7c2013-01-02T10:55:40-07:00<p>This machine hasn't put anybody out of work. It has simply made the work easier for our pick and place operators.<p>To be honest, with the addition of this machine, we have discussed the idea of our pick and place operators to become more general "equipment operators". Expanding their roles to include everything automated. Stenciling, PnP, Reflow, Washing, AOI, etc. So if anything, this new arrival has given our staff more work!</p></p>
sanloublues on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIsanloubluesurn:uuid:409229fb-b5e9-9e18-6e36-7bb692adaf112013-01-02T10:52:31-07:00<p>Swiper the Box</p>
scharkalvin on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIscharkalvinurn:uuid:2669f978-4567-09f3-61fc-517e9969fb1a2013-01-02T10:51:28-07:00<p>OK, so how many people did this new arrivial put out of work?
OR did you just free some staff up to do other pressing tasks?</p>
sgrace on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIsgraceurn:uuid:7b68bf4a-f6c7-30f2-6a4a-41a5d6f8a6bc2013-01-02T10:31:09-07:00<p>I totally understand. Buying something like this is no easy task and finding the best deal for a machine that does what you want is like looking for the Ark.<p>As I am not a manufacturing engineer, I do not know what variables to take into consideration, so my suggestions might be fart in the wind.</p><p>But it is good to see you guys trying to streamline things.</p></p>
barryjh on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIbarryjhurn:uuid:ef5464e2-76cf-6037-5362-fa909aa105432013-01-02T10:22:32-07:00<p>Any chance you will be expanding BatchPCB to offer PCB assembly with all this new found assembly power? :)</p>
MountainMateo on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIMountainMateourn:uuid:08542cec-5868-13cb-8000-dafa260484462013-01-02T10:20:52-07:00<p>You make some very good points. However, the printer we bought was purchased at a fraction of the price of a DEK machine. It would take a great deal more problems and downtime to negate the cost savings and value that we're getting from this specific setup.</p>
EvilGenius121 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEvilGenius121urn:uuid:66a64afe-43a3-c91e-f70c-056f87adc8c92013-01-02T10:16:06-07:00<p>Mr. The Terminator</p>
Bob-E-Digital on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIBob-E-Digitalurn:uuid:d03a18b3-3a84-00f5-5b91-b44767f0a5e12013-01-02T10:13:04-07:00<p>your last comment is correct, more boards with less error should result in about the same amount of ding and dent as the past.<p>Typically errors that result in ding and dent boards are things like PCB manufacturer defects, unsuccessful rework attempts, etc. And the frequency of those issues shouldn't change to much with this new process.</p></p>
Emcee Grady on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIEmcee Gradyurn:uuid:d8a1ecb8-d332-e809-b94a-cbe38c811c282013-01-02T10:12:22-07:00<p>Right you are - fixed! Thanks.</p>
DrPhibes on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIDrPhibesurn:uuid:35170160-bc59-89a0-2913-69b2a908aff72013-01-02T10:09:57-07:00<p>Mr. Squishy</p>
DrPhibes on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIDrPhibesurn:uuid:149573f9-81e0-e88a-ed4d-31b29e0d3c442013-01-02T10:09:41-07:00<p>Hindsight is 20/20. The addition labor hours for hacking and downtime probably added a considerable amount to the cost of the LEADSMT machine.</p>
RobertC. on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIRobertC.urn:uuid:4a6529bf-0b05-6ab2-a22a-2c0c116b111e2013-01-02T10:07:25-07:00<p>nice.</p>
diz on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIdizurn:uuid:9ec22217-b29e-1390-54c8-b2047473aab32013-01-02T10:06:50-07:00<p>When referring to a season, the word "fall" should not be capitalized.</p>
cgosnell on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIcgosnellurn:uuid:14b76223-f8a4-7d81-6e42-afb717768bcd2013-01-02T10:03:09-07:00<p>Liability issues...<p>I left a note under 'General' by mistake regarding worker injury liability issues you need to be aware of. Please check it out.</p></p>
Pokey on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIPokeyurn:uuid:0cd23342-8157-7a0c-d38e-5f12f7d86a892013-01-02T10:02:28-07:00<p>Slimer</p>
sgrace on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IIsgraceurn:uuid:59fde68f-2dbb-dd8b-1dce-45a75d3155ca2013-01-02T09:53:23-07:00<p>I know you guys are doing the cost analysis of going with DEK verses a, by far, inferior PCB machine. Why not take the price hit and not have to deal with hacking the machine to do what you want? Plus, within bargaining, you could have DEK do proper training (and certify people on their equipment) and probably get some servicing requests lined up for when it breaks down (if it does).<p>To me, in production situations, it's better to be overly cautious and go with something that is going to work, not something that was shipped wrong, has no schematic, wired wrong, and you had to hack to do something you want.</p><p>I don't know, maybe I'm thinking about this the wrong way, but I would've gone with the DEK for these reasons: Support in the States, Programmable to PCB, can handle a lot of PCBs when the demand is needed, trainability (one thing everyone should strive for is to be on machines that EVERYONE uses). Plus, DEK, like most companies, should put the extra effort in when the machine breaks.</p><p>For the name suggestion: Mr. Pasty.</p></p>
Sora62896 on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IISora62896urn:uuid:b9d1c6a8-978f-c5f0-0d80-d454cab73e432013-01-02T09:45:04-07:00<p>Sparkbot 2000!!!<p>So if it produces more boards at a time, does this mean that there will be more dings and dents scrap boards?</p><p>more board + less error = similar amount of spare boards?</p></p>
TFlock on Welcoming Our New Robot Friends :: Part IITFlockurn:uuid:7539bdfa-5743-5034-0294-97a9d3e88ba92013-01-02T08:53:14-07:00<p>Banksy</p>