This project now has a home: code.google.com/p/smt-pick-n-place-system/

This is part of my efforts to automate assembly of PCBs, using an existing 3D printer with a pick-and-place toolhead instead of acquiring a 40K euro machine. This is a parametric design that can be easily adjusted for various sizes of SMD tape. The gear will also be adjusted depending on the pitch of the tape and components.

A tape feeder like this can cost about 1 euro instead of 200 euro's.

Like most of my design, it was designed in OpenSCAD, openSCAD.org a wonderful tool, especially if you're more of a TUI person than a GUI person.

Personally, I really like the recursion that you can print and cut these parts on open source machines and that they will allow you to automatically assemble the PCBs for 3D printers and laser cutters. Also, the laser cutter can be open source, which is what our friends in Utrecht are working on: see laoslaser.org/

Video: 


Derivatives, additions, improvements and suggestions may also be prized as part of the Ultimaker challenge: 
Ultimaker.com/Challenge !