I had a good chat with Robin after I'd finished the video and he's got some good hints and tips: - I only ever put the plastic tape covering the components through the slot in the magazine once it's 3-4cm long. Until then I just let it stick out in the front and peel it back further if I need more components. This would have saved me a lot of components pinging around. But to be honest this is only a problem with tiny components like resistors, capacitors etc.. which are incredibly cheap. - Its totally fine to use tweezers alongside the Pixel Pump. I do it all the time. You also said it with the USB connector. That may also be a component which I just place by hand. The Pixel Pump is not meant to replace tweezers entirely. I always have them nearby when doing PCBs. This is great advice - use the right tool for the job! - As you already said, it takes a bit of practice. After a few board the foot pedal becomes almost a natural extension of your body 😁 I don't ever think about it anymore while using the pump. I just "pick" and "release" a part and the rest goes on autopilot. As with everything, practice, practice practice. I'm actually really looking forward to my next pick and place job!
I just got a bunch of the boxes a couple,e days ago, but decided the pump was a bit too rich for my blood, especially since I already have a similar device. But I love the boxes, they’re really nice. Thanks for the review!
In my case, the cost of the device simply did not pay for itself. Therefore, I bought an aquarium compressor for 12 Euros, an aquarium silicone tube for 3 Euros. I printed the vacuum pen and holders for the SMD on a 3D printer. I converted the aquarium compressor into a vacuum pump in 10 minutes. Therefore, the total budget for such a solution in my case was less than 20 Euros. But, having compared it with assembly with tweezers, I came to the conclusion that for me, assembly with tweezers is more convenient. Tweezers allow you to position the SMD element more accurately than a vacuum handle.
I have one manual SMD pick and place pump when I was still using through hole components around 2003. Reason: it was the prop from Gattaca that Ethan Hawke used as a keyboard vacuum.
Useful but i don't assemble enough PCB's for it to pay off. There used to be a simple handheld sucker that had a button to provide the vacuum, for small runs it worked great.
Sorry, but need to jump in totally off topic. In a previous video of yours you were using the ESP32 writing to an SD card in 4 bit mode, but then used sdmmc_write_sectors. I'm using an ESP32 and sdmmc in 4 bit. With some help from chatgpt I got the idf code sort of working but every time I took the SD card and plugged it into my PC it said I needed to format. It was mighty fast but useless to me. I know it's asking a bit much but any chance of doing a short vid or something on how to do this with the idf code. I'm using arduino ide
The problem with SMD is that you NEED a pcb. The advantage is size. I'm too lazy to make a PCB design. In the time it takes to do a good job and not fk up, I can wire the project with old school through-hole parts, perf boards and SMD adapters for the SMD ICs. In a few hours, I'll have my project up and running at the cost close to dirt.
I had a good chat with Robin after I'd finished the video and he's got some good hints and tips:
- I only ever put the plastic tape covering the components through the slot in the magazine once it's 3-4cm long. Until then I just let it stick out in the front and peel it back further if I need more components.
This would have saved me a lot of components pinging around. But to be honest this is only a problem with tiny components like resistors, capacitors etc.. which are incredibly cheap.
- Its totally fine to use tweezers alongside the Pixel Pump. I do it all the time. You also said it with the USB connector. That may also be a component which I just place by hand. The Pixel Pump is not meant to replace tweezers entirely. I always have them nearby when doing PCBs.
This is great advice - use the right tool for the job!
- As you already said, it takes a bit of practice. After a few board the foot pedal becomes almost a natural extension of your body 😁 I don't ever think about it anymore while using the pump. I just "pick" and "release" a part and the rest goes on autopilot.
As with everything, practice, practice practice. I'm actually really looking forward to my next pick and place job!
Those magazines are nice. Would like to get a couple of those.
Stack those boxes neatly somewhere. Learned to save packaging nicely while residing in tokyo with a japanese woman.
"Might get some shorts on the USB connectors - but we will cross that bridge when we come to it", 🤣hidden genius humour for those that know.
Tons of packaging to go straight in the bin!
I'm going to stick to 1206 components after seeing this.
i think they should make it blow a little bit after stopping suction to prevent sticking to the tip
This seems like a fun way to assemble boards; I think I'd get over doing it with a big production run however.
@18:30 that was a pisser; We all make mistakes mate!
I just got a bunch of the boxes a couple,e days ago, but decided the pump was a bit too rich for my blood, especially since I already have a similar device. But I love the boxes, they’re really nice. Thanks for the review!
In my case, the cost of the device simply did not pay for itself. Therefore, I bought an aquarium compressor for 12 Euros, an aquarium silicone tube for 3 Euros. I printed the vacuum pen and holders for the SMD on a 3D printer. I converted the aquarium compressor into a vacuum pump in 10 minutes. Therefore, the total budget for such a solution in my case was less than 20 Euros.
But, having compared it with assembly with tweezers, I came to the conclusion that for me, assembly with tweezers is more convenient. Tweezers allow you to position the SMD element more accurately than a vacuum handle.
I have one manual SMD pick and place pump when I was still using through hole components around 2003. Reason: it was the prop from Gattaca that Ethan Hawke used as a keyboard vacuum.
Useful but i don't assemble enough PCB's for it to pay off.
There used to be a simple handheld sucker that had a button to provide the vacuum, for small runs it worked great.
Sorry, but need to jump in totally off topic. In a previous video of yours you were using the ESP32 writing to an SD card in 4 bit mode, but then used sdmmc_write_sectors.
I'm using an ESP32 and sdmmc in 4 bit. With some help from chatgpt I got the idf code sort of working but every time I took the SD card and plugged it into my PC it said I needed to format.
It was mighty fast but useless to me.
I know it's asking a bit much but any chance of doing a short vid or something on how to do this with the idf code.
I'm using arduino ide
The problem with SMD is that you NEED a pcb. The advantage is size.
I'm too lazy to make a PCB design. In the time it takes to do a good job and not fk up, I can wire the project with old school through-hole parts, perf boards and SMD adapters for the SMD ICs.
In a few hours, I'll have my project up and running at the cost close to dirt.
and then you suddenly sneeze - and everything goes to hell))
Lets try double sized tape
I wonder if just sucking on the tube with mouth would work without the pump!?
10µF is fed in tape holder wrong. Wont matter being non direction component.
İ wonder how much they charge to install them for you,
I told Robin it really sucks 😅
Seriously painful to watch....
uhm, why?