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MDC ECM97 pick and place system

I bought this machine in 2013 to assemble DiscFerret PCBs. It's turned into a project in itself!

The control PC is an old Pentium PC, with a Kumagai KP422 motion control card and an MDC custom 16-bit PC I/O card.

Unfortunately MDC Co. now appears to be out of business (as of late 2019), so parts availability is precisely nil. I am looking into the possibility of machining new nozzles.

  • Documentation and/or software for the Kumagai KP422 I/O card (I expect this will be in Japanese – this is fine!)
  • Source code for the ECM control software is apparently “in the wild” – this would be extremely useful!
  • Spare nozzles – any for the ECM series machines (ECM93, ECM95, ECM97, ECM98, ECM99, ECM Luna) will do.
  • Any documentation, software, etc. for the ECM series machines which I don't already have

Please email philpem@gmail.com if you have any of the above

  • ECM97 Console variant with Cyberoptics LaserAlign HD component alignment system, top-down teaching camera and automatic fiducial sensor (EYE sensor)
  • Two feeder mounts (front and back) for a total of 48 feeders
  • Mix of 8mm, 12mm and 18mm feeders
  • Vibratory feeder
  • PCB conveyor

Specifications according to this page:

  • Accuracy ± 0.1mm
  • Air supply 60psi (4.14bar, 4.22kgf/cm2)
  • Min PCB size 2 x 2 inch (50 x 50 mm)
  • Max PCB size 14 x 17.5 inch (355 x 445mm)
  • X/Y axis drives: AC servo motor, 1/100mm step
  • Theta axis drive: Stepping motor, 0.2-degree step
  • Z-axis drive: Stepping motor, 0.05mm step
  • Chip sizes: 0201 to 0804, SOIC/PLCC up to 20mm in length. Fine pitch to 20 mils (0.5mm).
  • Placement rate: Manufacturer's spec 3600cph, 4000cph under optimal conditions. (Realistically? Probably about half that)

Component documentation:

I have a complete hard drive image of my ECM97's PC, with various versions of the ECM software. I am working on extracting the necessary parts of the ECM driver software.

The ECM hard drive image contains the following additional tools:

  • Panasonic PANATERM servo driver configuration software
  • LaserAlign LA_VIEW software configured for the LaserAlign HD
Nozzle number Part number OD ID Part suitability
1 074966 0.9 0.5 0402, 0603 chip packages.
MDC: 1005, 1608, “Super mini”
2 074954 1.2 0.8 0805, 1206 chip packages. “Case A” tantalum.
MDC: 2125, 3126, “Mini Mould”, “Tantalum D”
3 074970 2.0 1.4 Small SMD diodes, “Case B” and “Case C” tantalum.
MDC: “Mini Power”, “Tantalum B”, “Tantalum C”.
4 Slot reserved for nozzle changing or expansion nozzles
MDC: n/a
5 074955 4.0 2.0 SMD diodes, SOP, “Case D” tantalum.
MDC: “Mini Power”, SOP, “Tantalum A”
6 074956 7.0? Quad flatpack ICs. Two-part nozzle; has a nozzle and a collar which enlarges the OD to 7mm.
MDC: QFP
Part number OD ID Part suitability
074965 0.8mm radius 1/16W and 1/8W MELF
074969 1.2mm radius 1/4W MELF
076596 0.5 0.25 0201 chip components (0603 metric)
  • KP422 I/O card
    • IDEC JM series, 20 and 40 way (discontinued, now produced by KEL)
      • Alternative: KEL 8800 series
      • PCB-mount right-angle
        • 8830-020-170L-F right angle PCB mount, 20 way
        • 8830-040-170L-F right angle PCB mount. 40 way
      • PCB-mount straight
        • 8830-020-170S-F straight PCB mount, 20 way
        • 8830-040-170S-F straight PCB mount, 40 way
      • Cable-mount receptacle
        • 8822-020-171-F receptacle cable side, 20 way
        • 8822-040-171-F receptacle cable side, 40 way
  • MDC PC I/O card
    • IDC, ?? way

Mekko was the UK sales/support contact for these machines, but no longer supplies them.

Manncorp sold them under alternative names, but will not provide any support without a service contract.

Possible addons/improvements:

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  • Last modified: 2020/07/13 12:58
  • by philpem