SMT Strip Feeder V4

thingiverse

Fixed bug where spring offset was wrong for printing. Thanks chetan0412. With this fourth design, I've managed to automate the process somewhat, and V3 works fine but cutting strips is getting frustrating. The design is meant to be used with laser-cut parts, if you'd rather print the cartridge sides, there are some STLs that combine the insert with the panels. The cassettes were designed to have a small clear acrylic window that slides in or out to provide access for inserting new SMT tapes; however, I've left them out in practice. The gears were generated by https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6894 and http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3575. Thanks to Greg Frost and Cliff Biffle. Here's the proof of concept: https://youtu.be/LywA-GJsyqs. You'll need some hardware: 1) 4 x M4 threaded rods, length will depend on how many cassettes you make. 2) 2 x M5 smooth rod, I've used aluminum; I'm not sure about wear and tear yet. 3) A geared motor like GA25Y370 75:1 Wild Thumper Metal Gear http://www.dagurobot.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=192. 4) A driver and PSU for the motor triggered by your (Open)PnP software. 5) Some material for a friction plate in the spools, I've used old plastic cards cut to size; again, I'm not sure how practical this will be. I'd love to replace this system with a spring that unwinds and releases under tension, but sourcing that where I live is practically impossible. See my rough hand sketch for an explanation. This project is still in progress and may never become final...