[chilired100]

As far as using a camera system, it would help for alignment purposes. Even if the system was only setup with a cross hair for "manual" alignment. If you use a camera, keep in mind that your software would need to be setup for an offset between camera and the center of placement tool. In this instance you place something then jog the camera with your cross hairs to the center of what was placed to create a quick camera to tool offset. This offset would need to happen each time the machine is powered down and re-started...depending on the equipment maybe each time you change your board.

That is something to keep in mind with using a camera system. I can offer other pieces of advice given worked and still work with many SMT placement machines, stencil printers, reflow ovens, selective waves, adhesive dispensing etc..

[scsi]

Just found this thread and wanted to give everybody watching it a heads up. There is another thread discussing CNC/PnP conversion and I posted some videos of my machine there a couple days ago. Here's the link.

[Eclipze]

For those interested, I've started building my pick and place machine.

I'm posting picture updates in this thread
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97551