The objective of this project is to design a device that can pick up standoffs and place them on to Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) without the use of an adhesive patch.
Sponsor
PennEngineering
Team Members
Chloe Pehanick Aaron Graser Shiv Patel Joshua Wamboldt
Project Poster
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Project Video
Project Summary
Overview
The current method of installing Internally threaded standoffs onto PC Boards – called surface mount standoffs – is to apply an adhesive patch to the top of every standoff. This patch allows a vacuum to be generated between the installation tool and the standoff. The standoff is picked up by a machine that uses vacuum pressure and then placed onto the PC Board, where it is soldered into position. After soldering, the patch must be removed by hand from every standoff and discarded. The adhesive patch solution adds additional cost and manual labor for removing the patch once the standoff has been soldered on to the PC board.
Objectives
The team – Kind of Standoffish – will design and develop a new device that will make the adhesive patch obsolete. This new device will allow a vacuum to pick up and place an internally threaded fastener on a PC Board. The device must then be returned to its original position, in order to pick up the next standoff in line. This cycle will require an innovative design. The team will create prototypes of their best design and test the functionality of the device. The optimal result would reduce waste, cost, and the manual labor required to install these fasteners.
Approach
-Discussions were held with Penn Engineering Sponsors to establish customer needs.
-Research on existing solutions and patent information was performed to aid the brainstorming process.
-A concept generation and concept selection process were completed in order for the team to choose the most viable solution.
-The first iterations of the Spring-Loaded Cup and Plug Diffusor were presented to Penn Engineering team and adjustments were made based on feedback and testing outcomes.
-CAD models of several iterations of the cap mold were designed and presented to the sponsor.
-First iterations of the test bench and test code were developed in order to use for durability testing of the cap prototype.
-The cap prototype and test bench systems were merged in order to begin testing for durability. Modifications had to be made to the test bench after attempting test runs.
-The final design was reviewed and approved by the PennEngineering sponsors and presented to the professor at the end of the semester.
Outcomes
-The solution used the mechanism of the industrial vacuum to pick and place a standoff using an adaptor to place on the vacuum nozzle.
-The team’s solution will cost $1.27, which includes the Silicone material of the cap, the 3D printed cap mold, and the Spring-Loaded Cup and Plug Diffusor
-The team’s solution will cost less than the current solution of the adhesive patch.