Carvera Endoscope Mount

This is a mount for attaching an endoscope camera to the Carvera to allow for visual alignment of double sided PCBs. Basically you need to drill at least 3 holes on the top side of your PCB all the way through, measure the centered position with the camera and then flip over the board and measure the wholes again. Then do some linear algebra (solve A * top_points = bottom_points) to figure out how to transform your back gcode. I do the alignment immediately after doing all the cutting on the top surface and keep a constant Z for all camera measurements to mitigate issues with the camera shifting around over time.

You should be able to achieve <0.1mm alignment precision with this method. Naturally the closer the camera is to the PCB, the finer resolution you will get.

The 3d printed parts are made for different diameters of endoscopes. The one I mainly use is the Teslong 5MP auto-focus camera which is 12.5mm in diameter. But, in hindsight the fixed focus ones would have been easier to use but harder to get in a higher resolution. You don't need the lighting from the endoscope as the light strips in the Carvera are sufficient to illuminate most boards.

Note that not all endoscopes support viewing from Windows/Linux/PCs. Keywords to search for are 'Windows', 'Linux', 'UVC' or presence of a male USB type A connector (the 3 in 1 connector endoscopes). Avoid iPhone endoscopes as they are probably not compatible with your computer.

Instructions:

• Print both parts in a strong filament
  • I used 100% infill PCCF with 0.95 extrusion multiplier and the 'print external perimeters first' setting to get dimensionally accurate parts
  • For the body, print with the endoscope hole on the print bed.
• Cut off the endoscope USB cable and solder on a USB-C breakout or just a USB-C cable.
• Attach the endoscope to the mount
  • WARNING: Some of the pictures are from an older version of the mount so the screws are backwards.
  • Use 2 x M2 16mm screws and corresponding nuts.
  • Edge of endoscope should be at least ~22mm below the bottom of the 3d printed part. (Else the view will be obstructed with the laser or spindle)
• Before tightening the clamp, make sure that the camera is aligned straight with the mount by viewing it on your computer.
  • It is very annoying to adjust the orientation of the camera later.
• Attach the mount to your Carvera head by re-using the screw in the same position on the Carvera.
• Use a generous amount of hot glue for cable management.