Appendix B: How is it used? - ploopyco/pnp-feeder GitHub Wiki

Installing tapes into the feeder

This feeder requires a bit of advanced space to ensure proper operation, so begin by peeling the tape back over no fewer than 5 devices in the tape. (Our feeder will waste about 9 devices during regular installation, which is superior to many other offerings.)

Once the tape is peeled back, slowly thread the tape into the top part of the rear of the feeder. Once it's been slotted through, the Tape Peeling Tongue will catch on the exposed tape and peel it, but it will not peel it off - instead, it'll lift it, fully exposing the device underneath.

Once a device is exposed by the Tape Peeling Tongue, it's ready to go. Slot the feeder into the base plate.

Part advancement

Many pick-and-place machines will offer the ability to perform some kind of action before performing a "pick". The key usage feature of the Ploopy Feeder is to press down on the Tape Advance Lever before performing the pick, which will advance the tape by a single device slot.

Tape ejection

The tape is ejected out of the rear of the feeder. This will require a bit of advanced planning to accommodate, as the tapes do not simply vanish. Once a sufficiently large amount of tape has been ejected from the rear of the feeder, simply cut it with a pair of scissors.

Simple example usage

For a simple example of how the feeder is used during regular operation, check out this video.