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56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine

CC to myself

#21582

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

Hello all! Quick questions: Is there such a thing as a 56mm feeder for a Panasonic MPA machine? is there any feeders wider than 44mm for these machines?

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#21584

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

Claude-

Indeed there are 56mm tape feeders made for the MPA series. If you need any, let me know. I have a few in stock.

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Stephen

#21587

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

If you have a newer style MPA like the MPA-G3, check out http://www.hoverdavis.com/Products/mpp/mpp.htm I find them much better than the panasonic feeders. You may have to set pitch to 2 or 3 because of timeing issues, or you can change the NC program. (set WT to 1) Over all I find the feeders much better. They are pitch selectable and the pull off tape pulls off at the pick point not three components early. We do multiple change overs a day and lose significant parts with the panasonic feeders. Also the Hover-Davis feeders are cheaper than the panasonics at the larger sizes.

If sales people want to sell their products then make sure they are the best. I have no problem giving my opinion on products, and tend to listen more to other people who actually use the products in question, rather than to the people selling them.

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JS

#21594

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

FYI - Panasonic is an auhtorized to sell Hover Davis feeders. The price is the same as Hover Davis

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#21603

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

Stephen-

I'm not sure since I'm having trouble understanding your post whether you are knocking my post or not. If you did intend some sort of slight than let me clarify your concerns:

1) Claude is not using an MPA-G3 so H.D. is out. 2) I've used PFA MPA feeders for over 20 years. 3) My prices are half what PFA and H.D. would charge.

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Stephen

#21604

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 17 September, 2002

I wasn't knocking your feeders. In fact if you if you sell used feeders for PFA MVIIV I may be getting in touch with you in a couple months. I would have prefered to have my post before your post. I don't like the panasonic MPA feeders, either style. I used the old hook style as well. When I complained about it not being easy to change pitch on the PFA feeders a rep told me "just buy more feeders" He also told us that a certain compnany using HD feeders had to change an O-ring once a week. I emailed a guy I knew at that company and they are happy with the HD feeders.

I finally convinced the owners here to buy some HD feeders and we lose a lot less components with them.

My concerns with the PFA feeders are; 1. not easily pitch selectable 2. the cover tape gets peeled away 3 parts early 3. they are too "mechanical" i.e. they catch on each other in the rack, and need much more attention

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CC to myself

#21616

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 18 September, 2002

Just to add my 2 cents on the adjustment of pitch on MPA feeders:

True: Panasonic do not make it easy to change the pitch on MPA feeders, the thickness of a metal part is what sets the pitch.

My solution: for example, I get a 24mm X 12mm pitch MPA feeders, take out the pitch setting block, drill and tap a hole for a 3mm screw. the height of the screw sets the pitch to 8mm or 4mm. take the screw out to get back to 12mm.

the same idea goes for all types of MPA feeders. It is a very reliable way to change the pitch.

As for these feeders loosing too many parts, the easy solution is to install miniature air flow regulators on the input and output of the actuator, so you can control the speed of the action without loosing any power. The parts will advance in the feeder in a controlled manner and will not jump out.

Those HD feeders look interesting, but I would need to get the base plate for my MPA3, and I don't think they would work on a MPA-80, unless I missed something. Correct me If I'm wrong.

I hope I did not sound like I'm defending Panasonic, I have no interest in doing so. But I have been working with Panasonic machines for close to 13 years, so I learned to work around the bugs like many others around here, I'm sure.

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Stephen

#21637

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 19 September, 2002

Changing the pitch on the newer feeders is a little bit different and involves adjusting the location of a sensor. Where we lose the parts is at change-over. There are some reels that we might put on and take off a feeder 20 times before the reel is finished. We try not to lose any parts when we take a patial reel off the feeder but it does happen. The HD site has what looks like a conversion tray for the other MPA's. It looks interesting.

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steveb

#21704

56mm feeders for Panasonic MPA P&P machine | 23 September, 2002

We have both Panasonic MPA3 56mm feeders and Hover-Davis 56mm feeders. You can go wider than this if you need, we also have a 72mm Hover-Davis feeder. You are correct in stating you will need to base plate for the Hover Davis feeders to work. We have the base plate on the rear section of our machine, and then use the standard Panasonic feeders on the front.

The Hover Davis feeders work well and we'd prefer them over the Panasonic if I was starting from scratch.

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