Over the past few weeks I've spent some time working on improving the strip feeders used by the LumenPnP with the following goals:
Strip feeders should become standardized in form and attachment methods
Strip feeders should be able to mount anywhere on a staging plate in both 0ª and 90º orientation
Strip feeders for 8mm - 16mm tape should be 45mm wide with as many tape channels that can fit in this width
Strip feeders for 24mm tape and beyond should be as skinny as possible with only a single tape channel per print
Strip feeder for 32mm tape must support lateral translation for mounting
This feeder should be adjustable in how it mounts to avoid wasting space on the staging plate
An adjustable strip feeder design should also be created to support 44mm, 56mm, and any additional non-standard widths of tape
Issues
There were a few big challenge with mounting to the staging plate -
There are many places on the LumenPnP where a M3 button head screw can get in the way of installing a strip feeder
The EIA-481-F standard's max tape depth specifications do not leave much room for fasteners at the base of each strip feeder
Solutions
The solution to EIA compliance while respecting pre-existing M3 button head screws is to use a Small Ultra Low-Profile Hex Socket Cap Screw such as CSHELHF-ST3B-M3-10 from Misumi. This is in consideration of the following constraints:
Every mounting hole in a strip feeder must be at least ⌀6mm ID to give clearance for a possible collision with any pre-installed M3 button head screw
Given the above, fasteners used for attaching strip feeders must somehow be larger than ⌀6mm OD to function
The CSHELHF-ST3B-M3-10 is great for this application because it allows us to use a ⌀6mm ID hole with a ⌀8mm x 1mm ↧ counterbore. This low-profile bolt will allow us to stay adherent to the EIA standard.
Alternatively, a Metric Steel Pan Head Slotted Screws such as 90383A104 from McMaster-Carr would potentially work as well.
After considering the above constraints and findings we are left with the following design for the LumenPnP strip feeders:
Version Number
v3.1.0
Bugfix or Enhancement
Enhancement
Description
Over the past few weeks I've spent some time working on improving the strip feeders used by the LumenPnP with the following goals:
Issues
There were a few big challenge with mounting to the staging plate -
Solutions
The solution to EIA compliance while respecting pre-existing M3 button head screws is to use a
Small Ultra Low-Profile Hex Socket Cap Screwsuch asCSHELHF-ST3B-M3-10from Misumi. This is in consideration of the following constraints:The
CSHELHF-ST3B-M3-10is great for this application because it allows us to use a ⌀6mm ID hole with a ⌀8mm x 1mm ↧ counterbore. This low-profile bolt will allow us to stay adherent to the EIA standard.Alternatively, a
Metric Steel Pan Head Slotted Screwssuch as90383A104from McMaster-Carr would potentially work as well.After considering the above constraints and findings we are left with the following design for the LumenPnP strip feeders: