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SMT electronics assembly manufacturing forum.


SMT feeder adapters

Views: 4411

#53478

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

I noticed on the floor that workers hand place some SMT parts becuase some parts that came in a tube (instead of on a reel) do not fit properly into the tube feeders. The tubes dont align properly in the feeders becuase of their size.

Are there any adapters for this type of thing? It seems ridiculous to hand place SMT parts when you have an SMT line designed to do it for you.

If there aren't any on the market has anyone ever fabbed some? I don't want to re-invent the wheel here. I have a pretty decent machine shop to make them if anyone has some designs it would be very much appreciated.

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PR

#53480

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

Why not look into getting them on reels?

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#53481

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

What brand/model of machine are you talking about? What package style is the part?

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#53482

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

In some cases it's just cheaper to get tubes and we dont need excessive inventory because we are not a big job shop.

Either way though we have to deal with tubes for now. Are the belt feeders still a good alternative option in todays market? I've never witnessed one in use by any company I've worked for.

Why is that? Are they very expensive or are they just not user friendly?

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#53483

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

I just made a more in depth query on the floor and what I thought was one issue is many many issues.

We are hadn placing parts that came in bulk instead of tubes, another issue is the vision system won't register teh part corrrectly, another is the job is a proto run and becuase of the low volume the SMT tech didnt want to work through the issues just yet becuase the units had to ship ASAP.

So yeah too many issues to be fixed by just a feeder adapter.

Just ignore this string of posts.

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aj

#53485

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

Hi,

we have the same problem here but have a solution.

We have Fuji FIP3 machines but this should be the same for all - use the tube that the parts are in for part presentation ! i.e. cut out a window big enough at the top of the tube for the nozzle to pick up the part and problem solved just stick the tube to the Stick feeder .

aj

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#53490

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

Thank you, That is a great, yet simple and cost effective idea.

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#53499

SMT feeder adapters | 31 January, 2008

The tubes don't fit the feeders? I have a Contact Systems vibratory feeder base on my CSM84. It comes with 8 lanes of SOIC only. Well, I use a wider variety of the small chips, from SSOP to wide SO's. The feeder base has some threaded holes in the side, normally for the clamp that holds the tubes in place. I machined some new feeder lanes for the specific different-size tubes/chips that I was using. I attach these to the side of the 8-lane feeder, and then teach the new location to the machine. The extra mass doesn't seem to disturb the feeder at all.

Another problem I've found is the tubes' inner dimensions seem to vary quite a bit, and some MFR's chips really float around in the overly wide tube. They can get cocked nearly 45 degrees as they come out and hang up on the edge. So, I keep a bunch of empty tubes around so I can swap chips to a tube that feeds the machine better.

Jon

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Reflow Oven