Just a question, has there been any interest at Asmbly acquiring an Opulo LumenPNP, a pick and place machine (https://www.opulo.io/) for doing electronic board assembly?
Definitely — it’s high on my wishlist, but a few things would need to happen for it to make sense for Asmbly.
Mostly, we’d need to know it would be used. There are a handful of us doing PCBA around the space, but mostly at small scales where turnaround time isn’t critical, so having assembly (full or partial) done by the board house usually makes more sense.
Also, there’s a question of where it would live. The lab is pretty packed as it is, so we’d want to be sure about the investment before making changes to accommodate it.
I’ve been keeping up with Opulo (they publish regular, very transparent updates about the goings-on). There are a couple things in development (automated paste application, double-wide feeders) that aren’t crucial, but would make it easier to say yes to.
I’m still hoping to get some more activity around PCB design/assembly at Asmbly this year, but if the demand for such a thing grows, who knows!
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Thanks John
It’s a slippery slope, right? Next we’ll want a stencil machine and conveyor oven. Where does it end, wave soldering?
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Once the fiber laser is online will we have the capability of making our own solder masks?
I never read up on its capabilities, but I think the resolution is high enough?
As for how often it would be used, I think that can be driven by class cost and availability!
I’m picturing a 2 day course like the CNC, where day one you learn the software, and the 2nd day you use the machine.
I think it ends with self-replicating AI that designs its own hardware and enslaves humanity…
Or it results in another expansion! 
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Sure, that is a machine that may be able to print stencils. I was refering the machine or jig to automate the application of solderpaste onto a panel through a stencil, something like: SMT Stencil Printers | Solder Stencil Printers | PCB Unlimited
We wouldn’t settle for some slow and sloppy plotter style syringe print for that, right?
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I have a reflow oven at my shop and stencil holder. I have space for the pick n place , reels , feeders etc.
Also have an (in progress) environmental chamber and RF chamber. And a CNC PCB milling setup.
Thanks @charlesnw for the offer of your place especially since you’ve got a reflow oven and stencil holder plus more, but I had hoped that the pick n place would be located at Asmbly if we get one.