FC-RCAS

[thatlittlefrog]

FC-RCAS (FrogCorp Rapid Component Assembly System)

8-nozzle high speed PNP machine aiming for 10k-20k cph.
Features
Conveyor belt
Compact and lightweight toolhead
Belt-driven gantry with 750W AC servos
High speed vision system
0402/0201 passives as well as high-pitch QFNs
I've completed the CAD already, so this will mostly be a build log.

[thatlittlefrog]

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

Look cool!

Do you use Nema8 or Nema11 for the Head?

[thatlittlefrog]

NEMA8 for rotation, and NEMA14 for z motion.

[thatlittlefrog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBU2tCVlyy4 Dual heads

[thatlittlefrog]

Redesigning the toolhead using very small BLDC gimbal motors and improved stiffness/speed, so I can reasonably get a 16 nozzle toolhead at under 1 kg. For Z motion, I will be experimenting with and possibly integrating closed loop, position controlled solenoids so that I can increase the speed while reducing the mechanical complexity. I've contacted some companies, and they can provide customized motors for the C1-C16 axes, which would let me get a spacing of under 20mm in a grid orientation.

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

Sound awesome, but why do they need modifications from the manufacturer?

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

GB2208 already has a hole through which to pass a rod. And from what I have read, a 300gr camera moves well.
I think it could be good for C, it only has 27,5x23mm and 39g. B6

[thatlittlefrog]

GB2208 is too big and heavy for C - I have found customized hollow shaft motors at ~7g and 20mm OD. I'm also using (custom wound) solenoids for Z axis, as it's lighter and more compact than steppers/FOC servos and is less mechanically complex. I'll be using a screw as well as current control to manually set the placement height - the spring would account for any error in placement height.

[thatlittlefrog]

Change of plans - Z axis solenoids are staying, but there is no longer a manual screw to offset the solenoids. Instead, the entire block of 8 solenoids moves up/down with a single Z servo to offset the placement height while in motion. Attached is the new 8n assembly next to the old 8n assembly. The new one will weigh under 1kg including all valves and control electronics, while the old one weighed quite a few kg. This hybrid servo/solenoid/BLDC z assembly should be the lightest and fastest of it's kind, which would give me very high CPH when mounted on a 750w servo driven gantry.

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

The green are the selenoid?

[thatlittlefrog]

Yes, the green portion is the solenoid

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

Ok, thank you. I like this design. Selenoid appear HDI Series from TheLeeCompany.

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

And how are you going to move each nozzle in Z with a single motor in the Z axis? I don't understand that part, so you can only lower and raise all the nozzles together.

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

Or are you thinking of using solenoid thrust instead of a motor? And use a single Z motor to give the height to each nozzle sequentially? This is what I was thinking initially.

[javier.hern...@gmail.com]

Is that what you meant here?

Instead, the entire block of 8 solenoids moves up/down with a single Z servo to offset the placement height while in motion.

hehe, I think you're thinking the same thing as me.

[thatlittlefrog]

Tariffs have lightened up a bit, and in the interest of completing the machine sooner, I've decided to go back to the original toolhead design - Just ordered the remaining steppers and frame extrusion