Substrate production simulation method

Abstract

In a substrate production simulation method, a product substrate on which component installation is completed using a substrate production line is simulated. The substrate production line includes an installation line formed by arranging a plurality of component mounting machines, and the component mounting machines install components supplied from a component supply device onto a substrate. The method includes steps (a) to (c). In step (a), the simulation is performed on the premise that the component supply device is continuously provided and recovered to the substrate production line, thereby obtaining a first result. In step (b), the simulation is performed on the premise that the component supply device is provided and / or recovered to the substrate production line by automated equipment and / or an operator, thereby obtaining a second result. In step (c), the first result and the second result are output on the same screen in the form of a passage of time representing the number of production blocks of the product substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] In this specification, a substrate production simulation method is disclosed. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method known as a production simulation method. This method uses a computer simulation to calculate the loads imposed by the layout of multiple processing devices within a production area, the movement of multiple transport units, and the allocation of operators. This simulation calculates the operator load factor, throughput, and equipment operating rate. This method enables layout design that takes into account the number and allocation of operators.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-100092 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] However, the method of Patent Document 1 calculates operator load factors, throughput, and device operating rates, but cannot determine processing delays caused by operator work. Therefore, it is impossible to set the number of operators to eliminate processing delays caused by operator work.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its main object is to easily confirm delays in substrate production caused by automated equipment and operators in a substrate production simulation method.

[0009] Technical solutions to problems

[0010] The substrate production simulation method disclosed in the present invention is a method for simulating a product substrate in which component installation is completed by using a substrate production line. The substrate production line includes an installation line formed by arranging a plurality of component installation machines along the conveying direction of the substrate. The component installation machines install the components supplied from the component supply device onto the substrate, wherein the substrate production simulation method includes the following steps: (a) simulating the production of multiple product substrates by the substrate production line on the premise that the component supply device is provided and recovered to the substrate production line without stopping, thereby obtaining a first result; (b) simulating the production of multiple product substrates by the substrate production line on the premise that the component supply device is provided and / or recovered to the substrate production line by automated equipment and / or operators, thereby obtaining a second result; and (c) outputting the first result and the second result on the same screen in the form of a number of production blocks of the product substrate corresponding to the passage of time.

[0011] In this substrate production simulation method, the first result is the result of simulating the production of multiple product substrates by the substrate production line on the premise that the component supply device of the substrate production line is provided and recovered without stagnation. The second result is the result of simulating the production of multiple product substrates by the substrate production line on the premise that the component supply device of the substrate production line is provided and / or recovered by the automated equipment and / or the operator. Then, the first result and the second result are output on the same screen in the form of a time-dependent form representing the number of blocks of product substrates produced. Therefore, it is easy to confirm whether the second result is delayed compared to the first result. In addition, compared with the first result, the second result includes the operation of the automated equipment and the operator in the premise of the simulation. Therefore, if the second result is delayed in time relative to the first result, it can be said that the delay is caused by the automated equipment and the operator. Therefore, according to the substrate production simulation disclosed in the present invention, it is easy to confirm the delay in substrate production caused by the automated equipment and the operator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 1 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the substrate production layer F.

[0013] Figure 2 It is a perspective view schematically showing the substrate production line 10 .

[0014] Figure 3 It is a perspective view schematically showing the component mounting machine 20 .

[0015] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of the substrate production line 10 .

[0016] Figure 5is the flowchart of the first simulation.

[0017] Figure 6 Graphs showing the results of the first simulation.

[0018] Figure 7 Flowchart of the second simulation.

[0019] Figure 8 is a flow chart of the simulation result display routine.

[0020] Figure 9 This is an explanatory diagram showing a state where graphs showing the results of the first simulation and the second simulation are displayed on the same screen.

[0021] Figure 10 It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the substrate production line 10 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Next, a mode for implementing the substrate production simulation method of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram showing the substrate production layer F. Figure 2 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a substrate production line 10. Figure 3 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a component mounting machine 20. Figure 4 1 is a block diagram showing a structure related to the control of the substrate production line 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the left-right direction (X axis), the front-back direction (Y axis) and the up-down direction (Z axis) are as shown in FIG. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 shown.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the substrate production floor F comprises a first area A1 and a second area A2. The first area A1 is where production processes are performed. Within the first area A1, a substrate production line 10 is located, which produces products (product substrates) by mounting multiple components on substrates and performing soldering. The second area A2 is where logic processes are performed. The second area A2 houses a component storage warehouse 18, a feeder station (not shown), and other facilities. Workers W primarily perform logic processes within the second area A2.

[0024] The production process is a process of producing a product (product substrate) on which a plurality of components are mounted and soldered using the substrate production line 10 .

[0025] The logical process includes picking, equipment, transportation (supply), transportation (recovery), and aftercare. Picking is the operation of taking out the tape reel holding the components required for the production operation from the component storage warehouse 18. Equipment is the operation of setting the tape reel on the feeder. Transportation (supply) is the operation of transporting the feeder after equipment is completed from the second area A2 to the substrate production line 10 in the first area A1. Transportation (recovery) is the operation of recovering the feeder that has been used in the production operation and the feeder that has become empty of components and transporting it from the substrate production line 10 in the first area A1 to the second area A2. Aftercare is the following operation: removing the tape reel that has become empty of components from the feeder and discarding it, or reusing the feeder that still has components that can be used in the subsequent production operation, or removing the tape reel that holds components that cannot be used in the subsequent production operation from the feeder and returning it to the component storage warehouse 18. The logical process is not only performed by the operator W, but sometimes also by automated equipment. Automated equipment includes automated warehouses and automated guided vehicles (AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) 100). These automated warehouses serve as component storage warehouse 18, automatically removing required components. The AGVs 100 are vehicles that automatically transport feeders and other components, traveling between the first area A1 and the second area A2.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the substrate production line 10 includes a printing device 11, a printing inspection device 12, a mounting line 13, an appearance inspection device 14, a reflow oven 15, a feeder storage 60, and a management device 80. These devices are arranged in a straight line in the conveying direction (X direction) of the substrate to form the substrate production line 10. The printing device 11 is a device that prints solder on the substrate. The printing inspection device 12 is a device that inspects the state of the solder printed by the printing device 11. The mounting line 13 is formed by arranging a plurality of component mounting machines 20 along the conveying direction of the substrate. The component mounting machine 20 is a device that takes out the components supplied from the feeder 30 and mounts them on the substrate. The appearance inspection device 14 is a device that inspects the mounting state of the components mounted by the component mounting machine 20. The reflow oven 15 heats the substrate on which the plurality of components are mounted to melt the solder on the substrate to perform solder bonding. The substrate unloaded from the reflow oven 15 is a product (product substrate) on which the plurality of components are mounted and soldered. The feeder storage 60 is incorporated into the substrate production line 10 and stores feeders 30 scheduled for use and used feeders 30 in each component mounting machine 20. A management device 80 manages the entire substrate production line 10. The substrate production line 10 also includes a loader 50. The loader 50 is movable along the X-axis rail 16 and can automatically exchange feeders 30 between the component mounting machine 20 and the feeder storage 60.

[0027] like Figure 3As shown, the component mounting machine 20 includes: a substrate conveying device 21, which conveys the substrate in the X direction; a head 22, which has a nozzle for sucking the components supplied by the feeder 30; a head moving mechanism 23, which moves the head 22 in the XY direction; and a touch panel display 24 (see Figure 2 ) for touch input and screen output. The component mounting machine 20 is also equipped with a marking camera 25, a parts camera 26, a nozzle station 27, etc. The marking camera 25 photographs the reference mark marked on the substrate from above in order to detect the position of the substrate. The parts camera 26 photographs the components adsorbed by the nozzle of the head 22 from below in order to detect adsorption errors and adsorption deviations. The nozzle station 27 accommodates a variety of nozzles that can be replaced according to the type of components adsorbed. In addition, the component mounting machine 20 is equipped with a mounting control device 28 composed of a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (refer to Figure 4 ). The mounting control device 28 controls the entire component mounting machine 20. The mounting control device 28 can input and output signals with the substrate conveying device 21, the head 22, the head moving mechanism 23, the touch panel display 24, the marking camera 25, the parts camera 26, etc. In addition, the component mounting machine 20 has two upper and lower areas at the front where the feeder 30 can be installed. The upper area is the supply area 20A where the feeder 30 can supply components, and the lower area is the storage area 20B where the feeder 30 can be stored. Feeder tables 40 that are formed in an L shape when viewed from the side are provided in the supply area 20A and the storage area 20B. A plurality of feeders 30 are installed on each feeder table 40.

[0028] The feeder 30 is a component feeding device, such as Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , a tape feeder is constructed to feed a tape containing components at a predetermined pitch. The feeder 30 includes a tape reel 32 on which a tape is wound, a tape feed mechanism 33 for feeding the tape from the tape reel 32, and a feeder control device 34 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 4 ). In addition, the feeder table 40 has a plurality of slots 42 arranged in the X direction at intervals that allow the feeder 30 to be inserted. When the feeder 30 is inserted into the slot 42 of the feeder table 40, the connector (not shown) of the feeder 30 is connected to the connector 45 of the feeder table 40. As a result, the feeder control device 34 can communicate with the control unit (installation control device 28, management device 80, etc.) of the installation destination of the feeder 30. The feeder control device 34 uses the tape feeding mechanism 33 to deliver the components contained in the tape to the predetermined component supply position. When the components at the component supply position are sucked by the suction nozzle of the head 22, the tape feeding mechanism 33 is used again to deliver the components contained in the tape to the predetermined component supply position.

[0029] like Figure 2As shown, the loader 50 can move along the X-axis rail 16 provided on the front surfaces of the plurality of component mounting machines 20 and the front surface of the feeder storage 60 in parallel with the conveying direction (X direction) of the substrate. Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, the loader 50 includes a loader moving mechanism 51 and a feeder transfer mechanism 53. The loader moving mechanism 51 moves the loader 50 along the X-axis rail 16. The feeder transfer mechanism 53 installs the feeder 30 from the loader 50 to the component mounting machine 20 or the feeder storage 60, removes the feeder 30 from the component mounting machine 20 or the feeder storage 60 and stores it in the loader 50, or moves the feeder 30 between the upper transfer area 50A and the lower transfer area 50B. Figure 4 As shown, the loader 50 includes an encoder 55 and a loader control device 57. The encoder 55 detects the X-axis position of the loader 50. The loader control device 57 is composed of a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The loader control device 57 receives the detection signal from the encoder 55 and outputs a drive signal to the loader moving mechanism 51 and the feeder transfer mechanism 53.

[0030] The feeder storage 60 includes a feeder stage 40 having the same structure as the feeder stage 40 provided in the component mounting machine 20 in order to accommodate the plurality of feeders 30 .

[0031] AGV100 is one of the automated equipments that is responsible for the logical process (especially transportation). AGV100 moves between the feeder storage 60 in the first area A1 and the component storage warehouse 18 in the second area A2, while supplying the feeder 30 loaded with components required for production to the feeder storage 60 or collecting the used feeder 30 from the feeder storage 60. Figure 4 As shown, the AGV 100 includes an AGV moving mechanism 101 and a feeder transfer mechanism 103. The AGV moving mechanism 101 is a mechanism for moving the AGV 100 along a predetermined travel track, and includes a motor and a steering device for travel. The feeder transfer mechanism 103 is the same device as the feeder transfer mechanism 53 of the loader 50 described above, and is capable of automatically replacing the feeder 30 between the feeder storage 60 and the component storage warehouse 18. In addition, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, the AGV 100 includes a position sensor 105 and an AGV control device 107. The position sensor 105 detects the travel position of the AGV 100. The AGV control device 107 is composed of a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The AGV control device 107 receives the detection signal from the position sensor 105 and outputs a drive signal to the AGV moving mechanism 101 and the feeder transfer mechanism 103.

[0032] like Figure 4As shown, the management device 80 is composed of a well-known CPU 81, ROM 82, RAM 83, and memory (HDD or SSD) 84. It is connected to an input device 85 such as a keyboard and mouse, and a display 86 such as an LCD. The management device 80 is connected to the mounting control device 28, the loader control device 57, and the AGV control device 107 to enable two-way communication. The management device 80 receives information related to the mounting status of the component mounting machine 20 from the mounting control device 28, information related to the driving status of the loader 50 from the loader control device 57, and information related to the driving status of the AGV 100 from the AGV control device 107. The management device 80 sends a command signal related to mounting to the mounting control device 28, sends a command signal related to the loader 50 to the loader control device 57, and sends a command signal related to the AGV 100 to the AGV control device 107. The management device 80 is communicatively connected to the feeder control devices 34 of the feeders 30 stored in the feeder storage 60, enabling access to information about the stored feeders 30. The management device 80 stores the production plan in the memory 84. The production plan includes production information, production targets, and other information. The production information includes information related to the components required to produce the product substrates and the target number of product substrates to be produced. The production plan includes information on the production of multiple types of product substrates. Therefore, production information is stored for each type of product substrate. The production targets include information such as the target production time required to execute the production plan.

[0033] Next, a description will be given of a first simulation performed by the management device 80. The first simulation is a simulation performed on the premise that the feeder 30 is supplied to and recovered from the mounting line 13 without stagnation. Figure 5 This is a flowchart for the first simulation. In the first simulation, when continuously producing multiple product substrates, the production operations assigned to each component mounter 20 are optimized to maximize production efficiency in the mounting line 13, and the number of component mounters 20 comprising the mounting line 13 is set to meet production targets. The production operations involve determining, for each component mounter 20, which feeders 30 to place on the feeder table 40 and in what order, and which component types to place on the substrate S and in what order.

[0034] When the first simulation starts, the CPU 81 of the management device 80 reads the current production plan from the memory 84 (S110). Next, the CPU 81 sets a predetermined initial value (for example, 4) for the number of component mounting machines constituting the mounting line 13 (S120). Then, the CPU 81 performs optimization processing on all the component mounting machines 20 constituting the mounting line 13 and generates a production operation group (including the production operations of all component mounting machines 20) (S130). Here, it is assumed that a plurality of product substrates are produced in sequence according to their respective target numbers of blocks. Therefore, a production operation group is generated for each type of product substrate. Next, the CPU 81 calculates the scheduled production time required to execute this production plan (S140). When calculating the scheduled production time, if the loader 50 needs to replace the feeder 30 when starting to produce the next product substrate after producing a certain number of product substrates, the scheduled production time is also calculated taking into account the operating time of the loader 50. Next, the CPU 81 determines whether the scheduled production time is within the target production time (S150). If the scheduled time exceeds the target production time, the number of component mounting machines 20 constituting the mounting line 13 is increased by 1 (S160), and the process returns to S130 again. On the other hand, if the scheduled production time is within the target production time in S150, the CPU 81 saves the number of component mounting machines 20 at this time and the optimized production operation group in the memory 84 (S170). Thereafter, the CPU 81 creates a graph showing the passage of time of the number of production blocks of the product substrate based on the result obtained in S170 (refer to Figure 6 ), and save the chart in the memory 84 (S180), and end the simulation.

[0035] Here, the optimization processing of the production operation group in the case of making a certain product substrate is described. CPU81 finds the production operation group in which the scheduled processing time (scheduled cycle time) of the production operation in each component mounting machine 20 is within the predetermined allowable range and the production time in the mounting line 13 is the shortest. When generating the production operation, CPU81 sets the assembly sequence based on the production plan, assigns the assembly sequence to each component mounting machine 20, sets the installation order of the assigned components for each component mounting machine 20, sets the arrangement of the feeder 30 for each component mounting machine 20, and generates the production operation of all component mounting machines 20. The assembly sequence is set by specifying the component type, assembly position and type of suction nozzle used (type of suction nozzle used) according to the assembly sequence. The allocation of the assembly sequence to each component mounting machine 20 is carried out in a manner that the number of assembly sequences assigned to each component mounting machine 20 is equal or as equal as possible. The assembly sequence of the components is set so that, for example, when the components are assembled on the substrate S, the assembly of the components will not be hindered by the components assembled first. The arrangement of the feeders 30 is set so that, for example, the feeders 30 that supply a greater number of components to be mounted on the substrate S are positioned closer to the center of the feeder table 40 in each component mounter 20. There are various assembly sequences, allocations of assembly sequences, the order in which the allocated components are mounted, and arrangements of the feeders 30, resulting in an enormous number of combinations of production workgroups. When calculating the scheduled cycle time for each component mounter 20, the CPU 81 calculates the scheduled cycle time based on simulations or previously accumulated data. From the enormous number of combinations of production workgroups, the CPU 81 identifies a production workgroup whose scheduled cycle time for all component mounters 20 falls within a predetermined allowable range and whose production time is the shortest.

[0036] Figure 6 is a graph showing the results of the first simulation, and is a graph showing the change in the number of produced product substrates over time when a plurality of product substrates are produced. Figure 6 In the graph, there are 21 types of product substrates, namely T1 to T21. In this graph, there are many rightward rising segments, but each segment represents the process of producing a target number of product substrates of one type. For example, the process until the target number of product substrates of type T1 are produced is Figure 6 The leftmost rising line segment is shown in FIG. If the process is completed, the number of substrates is temporarily reset to zero. After that, the process continues until the target number of product substrates of type T2 are produced. Figure 6 The second rightward rising line segment from the left is represented in FIG. Furthermore, the section from the production of the target number of type T5 product substrates to the start of production of type T6 product substrates is represented by a rightward descending line segment. However, during this section, the feeder 30 is replaced by the loader 50 of the substrate production line 10.

[0037] Next, the second simulation performed by the management device 80 will be described. Figure 7 This is a flowchart for the second simulation. The second simulation is based on the premise that automated equipment (AGV 100, automated warehouse, etc.) and operators W supply and retrieve feeders 30 to and from the assembly line 13. This simulation is executed after the first simulation is completed. The second simulation is implemented, for example, using Siemens Plant Simulation.

[0038] Before the second simulation begins, the operator uses the input device 85 to input the information required for the second simulation. As the information required for the second simulation, for example, in addition to the number of operators W responsible for the logic process, the types and number of automated equipment, the operation time required for picking, the operation time required for equipment, the time required for transportation, the operation time required for post-processing, etc. are listed. As the operation time required for picking, the time for taking out components from the component storage warehouse 18, the time for moving components from the picking work site to the equipment work site, etc. are listed. As the operation time required for equipment, the time for taking out the feeder 30 from the feeder placement, the time for installing the reel 32 on the feeder 30, etc. are listed. As the time required for transportation, the transportation time for supplying the feeder 30 from the second area A2 to the substrate production line 10 in the first area A1, the transportation time for recovering the feeder 30 from the substrate production line 10 in the first area A1 and moving it to the second area A2, etc. are listed. This transport time can be calculated based on the operator W's moving speed and distance when transporting, or based on the AGV 100's moving speed and distance when transporting. Examples of post-processing time include the time required to remove the reel 32 from the feeder 30 and the time required to return the feeder 30 to its original location. Information input by the operator is stored in the memory 84.

[0039] When the second simulation starts, the CPU 81 of the management device 80 reads the current production plan, the results obtained by the first simulation (number of units and production operation groups), and the information required for the second simulation from the memory 84 (S210). Next, the CPU 81 calculates the delay caused by the supply and recovery of the feeder 30 relative to the assembly line 13 by the automation equipment and the operator W (S220). The delay is calculated based on the information read in S210. For example, in the case of the delay obtained by the first simulation, Figure 6In the graph, the time from the end of the production of the product substrate of type T8 to the start of the production of the product substrate of type T9 is tx. However, when the number of feeders 30 that need to be replaced in the assembly line 13 is large, depending on the number of operators W and the number of automated equipment, sometimes even if the time tx has passed since the end of the production of the product substrate of type T8, the picking and equipment operations in the logic process are not completed. In S220, such a delay is calculated. Then, the CPU81 makes a graph showing the results of the second simulation, and saves the graph in the memory 84 (S230), ending the simulation. Specifically, the CPU81 makes a graph taking into account the delay calculated in S220 based on the graph obtained in S180 of the first simulation (refer to Figure 9 dashed line in the graph).

[0040] Next, the simulation result display routine executed by the management device 80 will be described. Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the routine. This routine is executed after the second simulation is completed. When the routine starts, the CPU 81 of the management device 80 reads the charts of the first simulation and the second simulation from the memory 84 (S310). Then, the CPU 81 displays these two charts on the same screen of the display 86 (S320), and ends this routine. In S320, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 As shown, the two graphs are outputted as graphs in which the production start time is aligned on the coordinates with the horizontal axis being the time and the vertical axis being the number of produced product substrates. Figure 9 In the figure, the solid line represents the result obtained by the first simulation, and the dotted line represents the result obtained by the second simulation. Figure 9 , it's clear at a glance that the dotted line is delayed compared to the solid line. This indicates that the number of workers W or the types and number of automated equipment entered is inappropriate, causing a delay in the logical process and preventing the production process from proceeding as intended. In this case, the operator changes the number of workers W and the types and number of automated equipment and performs a second simulation. This operation is then repeated until the two graphs output on the same screen match (or until the deviation between the two graphs falls within the acceptable range).

[0041] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the substrate production simulation method disclosed herein is clarified. The first simulation of this embodiment corresponds to step (a) of the disclosure, the second simulation corresponds to step (b), and the simulation result display routine corresponds to step (c).

[0042] In the present embodiment described above, the result of the first simulation is the result of a simulation based on the premise that the feeder 30 is provided and recovered relative to the substrate production line 10 without stagnation. The result of the second simulation is the result of a simulation based on the premise that the feeder 30 is provided and / or recovered relative to the substrate production line 10 by the automated equipment and / or the operator W. Then, the first result and the second result are output on the same screen in the form of a passage of time corresponding to the number of production blocks of the product substrate. Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm whether the second result is delayed compared to the first result. In addition, compared with the first result, the second result includes the operation of the automated equipment and the operator in the premise of the simulation. Therefore, in the case where the second result is delayed in time relative to the first result, it can be said that the delay is caused by the automated equipment and the operator (caused by the logic process). Therefore, according to the substrate production simulation disclosed in the present invention, it is possible to easily confirm the delay in substrate production caused by the automated equipment and the operator.

[0043] Furthermore, the results of the first and second simulations are output as a graph with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the number of product substrates produced, with the production start time aligned (see Figure 9 ) Therefore, compared with the case where the number of produced product substrates corresponding to the passage of time is output in a table format, it is possible to more easily confirm whether the production of the product substrates has been delayed.

[0044] Furthermore, if the results of the second simulation are delayed relative to those of the first simulation, the following operation is repeated until the delay between the second simulation results and the first simulation results falls within an acceptable range: the number of automated equipment and / or the number of workers W are changed to eliminate the delay, the second simulation is rerun using the changed number, and the results of both simulations are displayed on the same screen. This allows the determination of the number of automated equipment and / or workers W that will not cause delays in the production of product substrates.

[0045] Furthermore, the supply and / or collection of the feeders 30 include the operation of taking out components required for substrate production from a warehouse, the operation of setting the tape reel 32 on the feeder 30 used in the component mounting machine 20, the operation of transporting the feeder 30 with components set thereon to the substrate production line 10, and the operation of collecting the feeder 30 that is no longer needed from the substrate production line 10. These operations can easily become a major cause of delays in the production of product substrates.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can of course be implemented in various forms within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0047] For example, Figure 10As shown, the substrate production line 10 of the above embodiment may also include a substrate supply device 112 that supplies unmounted substrates without components to the printing device 11 located upstream of the mounting line 13; and a substrate storage device 114 that stores product substrates from the reflow oven 15 located downstream of the mounting line 13. Furthermore, in the first simulation, the loading operation of the unmounted substrates onto the substrate supply device 112 and the retrieval operation of the product substrates from the substrate storage device 114 may be performed without interruption. In the second simulation, the loading and retrieval operations may be performed by automated equipment (e.g., AGV 100) and / or an operator W. The loading and retrieval operations are logical processes. In this way, in the substrate production line 10 including the substrate supply device 112 and the substrate storage device 114, delays in substrate production caused by automated equipment and operators W can be easily identified. Specifically, it is possible to estimate production delays caused by delays in the preparation of loading unmounted substrates and delays in storing product substrates.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the substrate production line 10 is configured to include a printing device 11. In this case, in the first simulation, the preparatory work of the printing device 11 (e.g., the supply of solder paste to the printing device 11, the replacement of masks and squeegees, etc.) can be performed without interruption. In the second simulation, the preparatory work of the printing device 11 can be performed by automated equipment (e.g., AGV) and an operator W. The preparatory work of the printing device 11 is a logical process. In this way, in the substrate production line 10 including the printing device 11, delays in substrate production caused by automated equipment and operators can be easily confirmed.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the results of the first and second simulations are output as a graph with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the number of product substrates produced, with the production start time aligned. However, the graphs representing the respective results may be output in a manner that is arranged vertically or horizontally on the screen. Alternatively, the results of the first and second simulations may be output in a table format that associates the number of product substrates produced with time.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the management device 80 executes the first simulation and the second simulation, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, one or more computers other than the management device 80 may execute the first simulation and the second simulation.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the feeder 30 is exemplified as the component supply device. However, a tray on which components are placed may be used instead of or in addition to the feeder 30 .

[0052] In the above embodiment, CPU81 can also determine whether the deviation of the two charts obtained in S320 of the simulation result display routine is within the allowable range. If it is not within the allowable range, the second simulation is performed again by automatically increasing at least one of the number of operators W, the type of automated equipment and its quantity, and repeating this operation until the deviation of the two charts is within the allowable range.

[0053] The substrate production simulation method disclosed herein may also be configured as follows.

[0054] In the substrate production simulation method disclosed herein, in step (c), the first and second results may be output as a graph with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the number of product substrates produced, with the production start time aligned. This makes it easier to confirm whether substrate production delays have occurred, compared to outputting the number of product substrates produced over time in a tabular format.

[0055] The substrate production simulation method disclosed herein may further include the following steps: (d) if the second result is delayed relative to the first result in step (c), changing the number of automated equipment and / or the number of operators to eliminate the delay in the second result, and re-performing steps (b) and (c) using the changed number; and (e) repeating step (d) until the delay in the second result relative to the first result in step (c) falls within an allowable range. In this way, the number of automated equipment and / or the number of operators that will not cause delays in substrate production can be determined.

[0056] In the substrate production simulation method disclosed herein, the provision and / or recovery of the component supply device may include at least one of the following operations: an operation of taking out the components required for the substrate production from a warehouse, an operation of setting the components in the component supply device used in the component mounting machine, an operation of transporting the component supply device on which the components are set to the substrate production line, and an operation of recovering the component supply device that is no longer needed from the substrate production line.

[0057] In the substrate production simulation method disclosed herein, the substrate production line may include a substrate supply device that supplies an unmounted substrate on which the component is not mounted to the upstream side of the mounting line and / or a substrate receiving device that receives the substrate on which the component is mounted from the downstream side of the mounting line. In step (a), the simulation is performed on the premise that the loading operation of the unmounted substrate on the substrate supply device and / or the retrieval operation of the product substrate from the substrate receiving device are performed without interruption. In step (b), the simulation is performed on the premise that the loading operation and / or the retrieval operation are performed by automated equipment and / or an operator. In this way, in a substrate production line including a substrate supply device and a substrate receiving device, delays in substrate production caused by automated equipment and operators can be easily confirmed.

[0058] In the substrate production simulation method disclosed herein, the substrate production line may include a printer that prints solder paste onto the substrate upstream of the mounting line. Simulation is performed in step (a) under the premise that the printer's preparatory work is performed continuously. Simulation is performed in step (b) under the premise that the printer's preparatory work is performed by automated equipment and / or an operator. In this manner, delays in substrate production caused by automated equipment and operators can be easily identified in a substrate production line that includes a printer.

[0059] Industrial Applicability

[0060] The substrate production simulation method disclosed herein can be applied when a substrate production line is used to produce a product substrate on which components are mounted.

[0061] Description of Reference Numerals

[0062] 10: Board production line 11: Printing device 12: Print inspection device 13: Mounting line 14: Appearance inspection device 15: Reflow oven 16: X-axis rail 18: Component storage warehouse 20: Component mounting machine 20A: Supply area 20B: Storage area 21: Board conveying device 22: Head 23: Head moving mechanism 24: Touch panel display 25: Marking camera 26: Parts camera 27: Nozzle station 28: Mounting control device 30: Feeder 32: Tape reel 33: Tape feeding mechanism 34: Feeder control device 40: Feeder table 42: Slot 45: Connector 50: Loader 50A: Upper transfer area 50B: Lower transfer area 51: Loader moving mechanism 53: Feeder transfer mechanism 55: Encoder 57: Loader control device 60: Feeder storage 80: Management device 81: CPU 82: ROM 83: RAM 84: Memory 85: Input device 86: Display 100: AGV 101: AGV moving mechanism 103: Feeder transfer mechanism 105: Position sensor 107: AGV control device 112: Substrate supply device 114: Substrate storage device A1: First area A2: Second area F: Substrate production floor W: Worker

Claims

1. A substrate production simulation method is a method for simulating the production of a product substrate on which components are mounted using a substrate production line, wherein the substrate production line includes a mounting line formed by arranging a plurality of component mounting machines along a substrate conveying direction, wherein the component mounting machines mount the components supplied from a component supply device onto the substrate, wherein: The substrate production simulation method includes the following steps: (a) performing a first simulation of the production of a plurality of product substrates by the substrate production line, on the premise that the component supply device is continuously supplied and recovered by the substrate production line, thereby obtaining as a first result the number of component mounting machines whose scheduled production time falls within a target production time and an optimized production operation group, and generating, based on the first result, a first graph indicating the passage of time in the number of produced product substrates; (b) performing a second simulation of the production of the plurality of product substrates by the substrate production line, on the premise that automated equipment and / or an operator supplies and / or recovers the component supply device to the substrate production line, calculating delays caused by the automated equipment and / or the operator, thereby obtaining a second result based on the first result of the first simulation and the calculated delays, and generating a second graph representing the passage of time of the number of produced product substrates based on the second result; as well as (c) Displaying the first graph and the second graph on the same screen to output the first result and the second result.

2. The substrate production simulation method according to claim 1, wherein: In the step (c), the first result and the second result are output as a graph in which the production start time is aligned on a coordinate system with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the number of produced product substrates.

3. The substrate production simulation method according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate production simulation method includes the following steps: (d) if the second result is delayed relative to the first result in the step (c), changing the number of the automated equipment and / or the number of the workers to eliminate the delay in the second result, and performing the steps (b) and (c) again using the changed number; as well as (e) Repeating the step (d) until the delay of the second result relative to the first result in the step (c) falls within an allowable range.

4. The substrate production simulation method according to claim 2, wherein: The substrate production simulation method includes the following steps: (d) if the second result is delayed relative to the first result in the step (c), changing the number of the automated equipment and / or the number of the workers to eliminate the delay in the second result, and performing the steps (b) and (c) again using the changed number; as well as (e) Repeating the step (d) until the delay of the second result relative to the first result in the step (c) falls within an allowable range.

5. The substrate production simulation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The provision and / or recovery of the component supply device includes at least one of the following operations: The operation of taking out the components required for the substrate production from the warehouse, the operation of setting the components on the component supply device used in the component mounting machine, the operation of transporting the component supply device on which the components are set to the substrate production line, and the operation of recovering the component supply device that is no longer needed from the substrate production line.

6. The substrate production simulation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The substrate production line includes: a substrate supply device for supplying unmounted substrates without the components mounted thereon to the upstream side of the mounting line and / or a substrate receiving device for receiving the substrates on which the components have been mounted from the downstream side of the mounting line. In the step (a), the simulation is also performed on the premise that the loading operation of the unmounted substrate on the substrate supply device and / or the retrieval operation of the product substrate from the substrate storage device are performed without stopping. In the step (b), the simulation is also performed on the premise that the loading operation and / or the retrieving operation are performed by automated equipment and / or an operator.

7. The substrate production simulation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The substrate production line includes a printing device for printing solder paste on the substrate on the upstream side of the mounting line. In the step (a), the simulation is also performed on the premise that the preparation work of the printing device is performed continuously. In the step (b), the simulation is also performed on the premise that the preparation work of the printing apparatus is performed by an automated device and / or an operator.

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