Feeder Setup (Video Guide)

The FTP PCB has two different types of components: resistors and LEDs. We'll only be populating the resistors to demonstrate disabling placements.

Powered Feeders

If you purchased any 8mm Photon Feeders, we highly recommend using them for populating the FTP board. Follow the instructions for setting them up now, and then proceed to the test run once complete.

Mount a Strip Feeder

1. Get the 8mm strip feeder and mounting hardware from your Getting Started Kit.

   

2. Place the strip feeder onto your staging plate in the columns labeled 14, 15, and 16.

   

3. Use the 2x M3 x 10mm super flat-head screws and M3 wingnuts to mount the strip feeder to your staging plate in holes A15 and G15.

   

4. Load the provided resistors into the left-most track in the strip feeder, making sure that the tape holes are on the left. Don't peel back the clear covering tape yet.

   

5. In OpenPnP, connect to your LumenPnP and home it.

   

Add Feeders

1. Navigate to the Feeders tab in the top-right pane.

   

2. Click on the "Add Feeder" icon button.

   

3. Select ReferenceTrayFeeder and click Accept.

   

4. In the lower-right panel, you'll be in the Configuration tab. Change the Part to be R_0603_1608Metric-R_Small.

   

5. Set the Y Offset to -4. This is the space between components on the tape.

   

6. Set the Y Tray Count to 30. This is the number of components available on the feeder before it needs to be manually moved forward.

   

7. Set the Pick location to: X=130, Y=205, Z=20 as a starting point.

   

   Feeder rotation value

   The Rotation field in feeder configuration sets the orientation that OpenPnP thinks the component starts at in the tape. If you find that your parts are placing with a consistent rotation offset, try adjusting this value (start with increments of 90 degrees) until your parts are placing with the correct orientation.

8. Click on the "Position Camera" icon button to move the top camera roughly over the left feeder.

9. Position the center of the top camera feed over the center of the top-most slot holding a resistor in the tray. You can drag the reticle in the camera feed, or use the jog buttons.

10. Zoom in on the camera feed and precisely position the center of the reticle over the center of the slot holding the resistor. The resistor itself may not be perfectly centered, that is fine.

11. Click the "Capture Camera Location" icon button to save the XY position of the start of the feeder.

12. Click Apply to save the feeder settings

13. Click the Enable checkbox in the feeder list.

Fine-Tuning Feeder Height

1. Select N1 with the N045 nozzle tip using the drop down.

   

2. Navigate to the Feeders tab in the top-right pane.

   

3. Select the feeder you want to start with and click on the "Position Nozzle" icon button to bring the nozzle over the feeder.

   

4. Use the Jog controls to lower the Z axis until the nozzle is touching the surface of the plastic tape cover.

   

5. Click on the "Capture Nozzle" icon button to save the new Z height of the feeder.

   

6. Jog the Z axis safely upwards, and then jog XY gantry away from the feeder.

   

7. Remove the cover film from the feeder.

8. Click the "Pick" icon button to pick a component from the feeder. If the component is picked up properly, your Z-height is correct. If not, you should:

   

   1. Lower the Z height of the feeder by 0.1mm
   2. Press Apply to save the change
   3. Home the machine
   4. Try picking a component from the feeder again.

   Effective Safe Z Coordinate Error

   If you get an "Effective Safe Z coordinate" error as shown below, be sure that you've set the height of the part you're picking in the "Parts" tab.

   

9. After you've successfully picked a component, in the machine Machine Controls pane, switch to the Special Tab.

   

10. Recycle the component you've successfully picked up.

    

Next Steps

Next is running a test job.