Starting point for a pick and place - cheapy CNC and convert or build my own?

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Originally Posted by Robin Hewitt

I've got one of them. I tend to collect things I used to drool over. Things I could not afford can now be picked up for a few quid.
I wonder if you could gut a steel tipped pen and convert it to a pick up nozzle? :beer:

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Hmm...perhaps, but I think I may have to create a little z axis so for now I have removed the pen holder completely. In the process accidentally allowed the wire that drives the y axis to come loose, resulting in basically a complete teardown and rebuild of the unit. Oops. Still, was useful to see where everything goes ;)

Not sure where to go next, lol.

I'm thinking perhaps a servo cam pick up tool, with vacuum. I may make a small controller board, that can act as a middleman, taking PC commands, and sending serial commands to the plotter, and dealing with the new z-axis.

Oh, and if anyone knows a source for the PSU for one of these plotters, I would like to know, since I am using my bench PSU to power it right now.

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Originally Posted by 8086

if anyone knows a source for the PSU for one of these plotters, I would like to know

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If you want something to Google, the PSU has what looks like a part number:-

Roland DCP-305

9.7V = 700mA
31V = 700mA

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Originally Posted by Robin Hewitt

If you want something to Google, the PSU has what looks like a part number:-

Roland DCP-305

9.7V = 700mA
31V = 700mA

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Thanks for that, but I have tried DCP-303, DCP-304, DCP305... Can't find anything :( I may have to build my own. Or perhaps make a new controller. Oh well, another thing to do :)

Interestingly, the PCB itself inside the unit says 9V/28V - not sure why it has a 9.7V/31V PSU!

Try giving Roland a call, I am guessing that if they do still have a power supply it will be expensive. Never dealt with them myself but have read on other forums that their technical department can be very helpful.

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Originally Posted by martin54

Try giving Roland a call, I am guessing that if they do still have a power supply it will be expensive. Never dealt with them myself but have read on other forums that their technical department can be very helpful.

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I actually had to call them about a missing PSU for a keyboard once. They were very helpful, but like you say, expensive. For now I have replaced the power socket with screw terminals and semi-permanently attached my power supply.

Last night I bought a DB9->DB25 serial converter and a LPT cable from Maplin, unfortunately neither worked, the LPT probably because I wasn't configuring it correctly on the PC, and the serial because they use a non-standard wiring. So I made a serial cable with things I had around already and hey presto! So now I have a PC interface working for it, and can move it around. I am planning to buy a dremel 4000 and the dremel drill press/vice thing, and make a part to attach to the carriage that used to hold the electromagnet that put the pen down. Will update as I go - should I make a build thread somewhere else or just use this one?

You would be better off starting a new post for the build log in the correct section, you are likely to get more help that way & it stops it getting messy with different topics.

As for your power supply unit, Roland who make musical instruments & Roland DG the people who make plotters & printers are 2 completely different companies lol Main reason I suggested giving them a call wasn't so much to buy a new power supply but to see if the technical department could help at all with more info on the machine, user manuals, schematics service manuals that sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by martin54

As for your power supply unit, Roland who make musical instruments & Roland DG the people who make plotters & printers are 2 completely different companies

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Oh yeah. Lol, oops. Still Roland (the music ones) were nice :P I thought you meant roland as in roland and not as in specifically roland dg, since roland dg is roland and roland is roland but roland dg is not roland music etc etc, my head hurts.

I have the user manual for it, so I can use it to move the shuttle to an absolute or relative X,Y via serial, which is all I need as far as the plotter is concerned, though I may try and get a service manual just to see what's what.

My plan now is to create a Z axis, with a small stepper for component rotation, and a vacuum attachment. Then I'll make a controller board for the stepper, and vacuum valve, with a serial output to the plotter to tell it where to go. This way I can talk to my controller via USB and since inside the plotter there are a few extra mounting points, if I make the board to fit, it should be pretty seamless.

In the immediate future though, I need to get my dremel ordered and return these useless wires to Maplin. :)

Does anyone know of a source for really small drawer sliders or linear slides?

What's the dremmel for ? Are you trying to turn it into a pick & place machine or a router or maybe both ? Dremmels are actually quite heavy or would be for such a machine & the motors being small might not be up to the cutting forces of a router.
If it's just as a pick & place machine picking up small items then if you can't find small enough linear bearings a bit of thin diameter stainless rod & iolite or phosphor bronze bushes might work.
If you want to fit a cutting motor then maybe best to make one rather than use a dremmel, Tenson made one for his machine that he advertised for same which looked to be quite light & using a smaller motor you could probably make it even lighter still.
http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/items-...t-spindle.html

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Originally Posted by martin54

What's the dremmel for ? Are you trying to turn it into a pick & place machine or a router or maybe both ?

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It's only going to be a pick and place, the dremel is to help me make parts for it.

I am finding various slides around, but they are somewhat expensive, as an example: Buy Linear Slides - Assemblies BSP precision ball slide,35Lx10Wmm IKO Nippon Thompson BSP1035SL online from RS for next day delivery.

Thats the cheapest price I have found yet. I am sure that some time ago I came across some small drawer sliders that would have been perfect...but I can't find them again. :(