Vacuum Pick And Place For SMD Parts

[Pete] has written up this in depth how-to on building a vacuum pick and place from an aquarium pump and a pen. The pump conversion to vacuum is extremely simple, with a slight modification to a valve being all that is necessary. The pen is only slightly more involved, but still extremely simple. This entire project could be done in an evening for less than $30. If you’re doing a ton of SMD work, it could be a no-brainer.

[thanks Drone]

20 thoughts on “Vacuum Pick And Place For SMD Parts

  1. @ino, yes you could use a tweezer, but once in a while they will get launched when fiddling with them. Seem like a better solution to me!

    I wonder if a electromagnet could be used alternatively?

  2. There is an issue here. While it is safe to use it to suck air, if any fluid gets drawn in you will have a fire. The pump is AC and the outlet dumps the fluid inside the case causing a short. A safer method is to use ad aquarium dosing pump, which has a vac and a pressure side for pumping fluid. You can get them on Amazon.

  3. From the website :

    “That’s it! The pen cost $0.75, the silicone tubing was $1 per foot (four feet seems about right), the Luer adapter cost about $0.30 each, Three suction cup tips about $4.00, and the aquarium pump cost $10. The total cost was less than $18.00!”

  4. Or you could use a commercial version which only costs half as much..

    I have one of these for my fine scale models. But the constant vac in this hack appeals to me. The tool does tend to leak and loose pressure just when you least want it too.

  5. We use a similar commercial model in my chemistry lab to handle small silicon wafers (with not flammable, but highly corrosive liquids) and to solve the issue we just use syringe filters between the tip and the ‘pen’. They’re disposable and are available in a variety of diameters depending on how clumsy you’re feeling that day. Buys you the time to save your pump.

    “There is an issue here. While it is safe to use it to suck air, if any fluid gets drawn in you will have a fire. The pump is AC and the outlet dumps the fluid inside the case causing a short. A safer method is to use ad aquarium dosing pump, which has a vac and a pressure side for pumping fluid. You can get them on Amazon.”

  6. @Jess said, “Or you could use a commercial version which only costs half as much.”

    That one doesn’t have constant vacuum. Hack that one and connect it to the hacked vacuum pump. Perfect.

  7. I suppose you can also re-purpose one of those small keyboard vacuums?

    @Whatnot, you may be able to pick up an smd with your finger but you’ll have a tough time positioning it :)

  8. I wish someone would come up with a cheap desoldering pump along these lines. Not a manual one, a powered one like you get on some solder stations with an electric pump.

    The commercial ones are heated too but you don’t need that if you also have a soldering iron.

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