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

[JuKu]

The ebay item looks nice. You might also want to check out Shapeoko, Shapeoko | Precision by DefaultShapeoko | Precision by Default and the forum there, as well as eShapeoko MakerSlide Europe - MakerSlide Europe - (Powered by CubeCart). I don't think you can do without machining at least some custom parts, but you can design a machine so, that you only need to cut sheet metal. Cutting and drilling aluminum might be doable for you? Even if not, sheet metal parts should not be very expensive from a laser cutter shop. Gerber is not a good file format, but there are some free or cheap mechanical CAD programs.

[8086]

I'm pretty new to this forum myself so maybe not best placed to advise but if it were me then I would be looking to build from scratch rather than buy an off the shelf machine & then start hacking it about trying to make it suit your requirements.

You are probably right. I will need to build my own if I want to get the combo of speed/cost I want.

If you start from scratch you can built the machine to the exact specification you require for your project. Don't know what your aim is but you may find that most parts from the off the shelf machine are not suitable for your need which is then just a waste of money.
It all depends on what you want the machine to do, pick & place could mean almost anything lol.

Well, I want it to pick and place electronic parts. Similar to this: DIY SMT IMPROVISED PICK AND PLACE MACHINE (TEST) - EMC LINUX - YouTube
I am hoping to make mine faster though.

Even with a limited supply of tools it is possible to construct a machine with a bit of help, even if you bought an off the shelf machine you would have the same problem trying to modify it.

True.

There are plenty of people about who would be able to machine parts for you from what I have seen so far, when you say Gerber files are you using something like Omega? If so as long as you can export as a DXF, EPS or ai vector file which you should be able to do then someone will be able to help.

Well I say gerbers because as my day job is a PCB designer I am used to the format - the parts I would need to have machined would all essentially be 2-dimensional (excluding the thickness of the material). i.e. an outline and holes, much like a PCB. I would be using Altium Designer if I used gerbers. I think it has a DXF export option, actually. I will have to look tomorrow.

The ebay item looks nice. You might also want to check out Shapeoko, Shapeoko | Precision by DefaultShapeoko | Precision by Default and the forum there, as well as eShapeoko MakerSlide Europe - MakerSlide Europe - (Powered by CubeCart). I don't think you can do without machining at least some custom parts, but you can design a machine so, that you only need to cut sheet metal. Cutting and drilling aluminum might be doable for you? Even if not, sheet metal parts should not be very expensive from a laser cutter shop. Gerber is not a good file format, but there are some free or cheap mechanical CAD programs.

Shapeoko I looked at, but it seems to simpe in construction, so simple I may as well try myself to build one.

Do you know any good laser cutting or machining shops that I could use to make custom parts I may need?

So, a few thoughts...

1. Should I make it belt driven, for speed, and low cost? Problem with accuracy though? I don't know...
2. Unsupported rails all round, no large forces to deal with and lower cost than supported rails.
3. Cam driven or belt driven Z-axis? Can't decide...
4. Maybe use extruded aluminium as a frame, not sure on fixings for rails etc though...
5. What motors to use? Belt direct drive so would need to be fairly high torque, simply for overcoming inertia on startup and reverse...


Thanks guys