SMT Strip Feeder V3

pinshape

The third design of an SMT tape holder for PnP applications is taking shape. With this, I've tackled the main issues that have plagued me so far, namely: 1) Replacing tapes must be a breeze without disturbing components in the process. 2) The top level of the tape needs to match the PCB, regardless of component height. 3) No glue should be needed for assembly, and what's applied shouldn't become loose over time. 4) An "off" pick shouldn't interfere with components on the board. 5) Aligning new tapes must be a snap. 6) It's essential to change the colors behind the tapes for optimal vision reliability. A spring is integral to this design, and I initially planned to use plastic from a bottle as the spring material. Two screw holes are drilled into the bottom of the channel for this purpose. The plastic is cut into a strip that fits snugly within the channel and folded over at each end to create the spring's shape. In practice, however, using plastic springs proved labor-intensive, so I opted for sponge instead - and it works just as well so far. To ensure camera calibration ease, I also created blocks to mount my PCBs at a uniform height with the tape's top level. You can find the OpenScad source files on Thingiverse for further reference.