Pick-and-place using a CNC mill

[mickelsen]

I've been watching some videos on YouTube that are very interesting. These guys have come up with some pneumatic tool heads in order to use their CNC mill as a pick-and-place machine for PC boards. Here's the site:

http://ciciora.com/picknplace.html

and in the menu there is one called

CNC Taig mill solder paste dispenser

I'm very interested in doing something like this with my mill but I don't know very much about the pneumatics involved. They seem to be using ordinary syringes as the tool head for picking up and placing the parts. They are also using a syringe filled with solder paste for dispensing. They must be using an air pump that can be both a vacuum pump and compressor.

Can anyone help me to find out how to set up the pneumatics for such an application? When I google "pneumatics" I get a gazillion hits. I don't know where to start. I also would like to know what kind of air pump to look for.

Thanks,

Mark

[Laser.Tech]

mickelsen,
I've seen two techniques used for dispensing that could be built/used very easily. The first uses an ordinary syringe, with a stepper motor/screw combination driving the plunger down. The second approach is a little more complex (but still simple): use a peristaltic pump. This is just a set of rotating rollers 'sqeezing' stuff thru a plastic tube. Either approach could be constructed pretty easily and allow precision controlled dispensing of paste, glue, etc.

As far as the pick/place, any small source of vacuum (cheap diaphram pump) and a 3-way solenoid valve are all you would need. Nothing too complicated....

Try looking at surplus electronics dealers for cheap pneumatics (Electronics Goldmine, Surplus Sales of Nebraska, Marlin p. Jones off the top of my head). One other useful part would be a pressure sensor for detecting when a part is being held (in case it's not there or falls off or sticks), $15 from Digi-Key.

Hope this helps,
Laser.Tech

[Jarwalcot]

Mark,

I have a good friend here in GA that you should talk this type of application over with. He's has come up with some great solutions for this type of work. He's good people, even if he did move down from the North (kidding)... I'm sure he could give you some direction. Send me your contact info (jr.walcott@comcast.net) and I'll pass it on to him.

Hope the holiday's are treating you well.

Regards,