Nozzle management device

Abstract

The suction nozzle management device includes: an inspection unit that inspects a suction nozzle used in a component mounting machine; a defective product accommodating part capable of accommodating the plurality of suction nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection part in an internal accommodating space; and a notification unit that notifies the outside in accordance with the accommodation status indicating the proportion of the plurality of accommodated nozzles in the accommodation space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to a nozzle management device for managing nozzles used in a component mounting machine. Background Technology

[0002] The technology of mass-producing substrate products by performing substrate processing on substrates with circuit patterns is widespread. As a representative example of substrate processing machines, there are component mounting machines that perform component mounting operations. Most component mounting machines use nozzles that attract components by supplying negative pressure air and perform mounting operations on the substrate. However, if the nozzles are used for a long time, performance degradation and other adverse conditions may occur. As a countermeasure, nozzle management devices can be used to inspect, maintain, and manage the inventory of the nozzles. Patent Document 1 discloses a technical example related to such a nozzle management device.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a nozzle management machine comprising: a first and a second nozzle inspection device for performing multiple inspection items on nozzles used in a component assembly machine; a defective product box for storing defective nozzles; and a nozzle transfer device for transferring defective nozzles from the nozzle inspection device to the defective product box. The defective product box has four spaces separated according to four causes of defect, and the defective nozzle is placed in one space corresponding to the determined cause of defect. Existing technical documents Patent documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6129201. Summary of the Invention The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0005] However, in the technical example of Patent Document 1, if the nozzle management machine continues to operate, the number of defective nozzles determined to be faulty by the nozzle inspection device increases, potentially leading to the overflow of defective nozzles from the defective product box (one form of the defective product storage section). In this situation, the following undesirable condition may occur: the nozzle transfer device may break due to interference between the defective nozzles being transported by the nozzle transfer device and those already placed in the defective product box, causing the overflowing defective nozzles to scatter within the device. To eliminate this possibility, it is necessary to periodically check the storage condition of the defective product box, making the operator's check-up cumbersome. Furthermore, if the check-up is delayed due to certain circumstances, the undesirable condition will not disappear.

[0006] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved in this specification is to provide a nozzle management device that can reduce the possibility of defective nozzles overflowing in the defective product receiving section. Means for solving technical problems

[0007] This specification discloses a nozzle management device comprising: an inspection unit for inspecting nozzles used in a component assembly machine; a defective product storage unit for storing multiple nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space; and a notification unit for notifying an external party based on the storage status, wherein the storage status indicates the proportion of the stored multiple nozzles in the storage space.

[0008] Furthermore, this specification discloses a nozzle management device comprising: an inspection unit for inspecting nozzles used in a component mounting machine; a defective product storage unit for storing multiple nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space; and a notification unit for calculating a storage status representing the proportion of the nozzles in the storage space based on the number of nozzles stored in the storage space, and notifying the storage status.

[0009] Furthermore, the following technical ideas are disclosed in this specification: in the original claim 4, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 1 or 2" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3"; in the original claim 6, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 1 or 2" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5"; in the original claim 8, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 6" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 6 or 7"; in the original claim 10, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 1 or 2" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 1 to 9"; in the original claim 11, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 1 or 2" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 1 to 10"; in the original claim 14, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 11" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 11 to 13"; and in the original claim 15, "the mouthpiece management device according to claim 1 or 2" is changed to "the mouthpiece management device according to any one of claims 1 to 14". Invention Effects

[0010] According to the disclosed nozzle management device, the possibility of defective nozzles overflowing in the defective product receiving section can be reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a top view schematically illustrating a structural example of a component mounting machine using a suction nozzle. Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional view schematically showing the appearance of the nozzle. Figure 3This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle. Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the nozzle management device according to an embodiment. Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing the internal structure after removing the outer casing of the nozzle management device, and includes a block diagram of the control unit. Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of the defective product storage area from a slightly forward and upward angle. Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of a notification where the notification department displays the storage status of the defective goods storage area on a touch panel. Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the action flow of the nozzle management device in response to faulty nozzles. Detailed Implementation

[0012] 1. Structural example of component mounting machine 1 First, refer to Figure 1 An example of the structure of a component mounting machine 1 using a suction nozzle will be described. The component mounting machine 1 performs a component mounting operation on a substrate K. For example... Figure 1 As shown by the arrow in the upper left, the horizontal direction from the left side of the paper to the right is the X-axis direction for transporting the substrate K, the horizontal direction from the lower side (front side) of the paper to the upper side (rear side) of the paper is the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction. The component mounting machine 1 is composed of a substrate transport device 2, a component supply device 3, a component transfer device 4, and a control device 5, all assembled on a base 10.

[0013] The substrate transport device 2 has a pair of guide rails 21 that serve as the transport path for the substrate K. The substrate transport device 2 transports substrates from the substrate loading device and the external transport device to the loading end of the guide rails 21. Figure 1 The substrate K (at its left end) is transported along guide rail 21 to a predetermined work execution position. The substrate transport device 2 has a positioning mechanism 22 that pushes the substrate K at the work execution position upwards and clamps it between the substrate K and guide rail 21. For the positioned substrate K, the component transfer device 4 performs component installation. After the installation is completed, the substrate transport device 2 transports the substrate K from the work execution position to the removal end (…). Figure 1 (The right end), and moved it outside the machine.

[0014] The component supply device 3 is located at the front of the upper surface of the base 10 in the Y-axis direction. The component supply device 3 consists of a plurality of component supply units 31 arranged side by side along the X-axis direction. Each component supply unit 31 supplies a component. In this embodiment, the component supply unit 31 is a belt feeder. The belt feeder delivers a carrier belt containing a plurality of components in a row toward the supply position at the front end. Alternatively, the component supply unit 31 may be a tray feeder using trays that contain components in a grid-like arrangement of multiple receiving sections, or a rod feeder that contains components in a row inside a cylindrical rod.

[0015] The component transfer device 4 comprises a Y-axis moving body 41, an X-axis moving body 42, a mounting head 43, a suction tool 44, a suction nozzle 60, a substrate camera 46, and a component camera 47. The Y-axis moving body 41 is formed by a component elongated in the X-axis direction and is driven by a Y-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to move along the Y-axis direction. The X-axis moving body 42 is mounted on the Y-axis moving body 41 and is driven by an X-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to move along the X-axis direction. The mounting head 43 is mounted on the front surface of the X-axis moving body 42. The mounting head 43 and the X-axis moving body 42 are driven together in two horizontal directions, moving above the component supply device 3 and above the substrate K.

[0016] A rotatable, axisymmetrically shaped suction tool 44 is provided on the underside of the mounting head 43. The suction tool 44 is driven by an R-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to rotate about a vertical central axis. The suction tool 44 holds a plurality of suction nozzles 60 on its underside. The mounting head 43 and the suction tool 44, holding the plurality of suction nozzles 60, move between the component supply unit 31 and the substrate K.

[0017] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the suction tool 44 has four suction nozzles 60 at equal distances from the vertical central axis. The suction nozzles 60 are driven to rise and fall by a lifting drive mechanism (not shown) and rotate around the vertical axis by a Q-axis drive mechanism (not shown). The suction nozzles 60 are also selectively supplied with negative and positive pressure air by an air supply mechanism (not shown). Thus, each suction nozzle 60 picks up a component at its supply position in the component supply unit 31 and mounts it to the mounting position on the substrate K. Alternatively, the mounting head 43 may omit the suction tool 44 and arrange the multiple suction nozzles 60 in a row or in a grid pattern. Alternatively, instead of the suction tool 44 and the suction nozzles 60, a chuck may be provided in the mounting head 43 to hold and pick up components.

[0018] Multiple mounting heads 43, suction tools 44, and suction nozzles 60 are provided, and can be automatically or manually replaced as needed. In this embodiment, the suction nozzles 60 are automatically replaced. Specifically, three suction stations (48L, 48C, 48R) are arranged side by side along the X-axis on the base 10 between the substrate transport device 2 and the component supply device 3, on the left, center, and right sides. Each suction station (48L, 48C, 48R) carries a suction tray 49 that holds multiple suction nozzles 60 in an automatically replaceable manner. The suction tray 49 has multiple types with different numbers and sizes of suction nozzles 60 that can be accommodated. In the suction stations (48L, 48C, 48R), the suction nozzles 60 held by the suction tool 44 and the suction nozzles 60 contained in the suction tray 49 can be automatically replaced as needed. The nozzle tray 49 can be attached to or detached from the nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R) and can be moved into and out of the nozzle management device 80, which will be described later.

[0019] A substrate camera 46 is mounted downwards on the X-axis moving body 42, side-by-side with the mounting head 43. The substrate camera 46 captures images of the position reference marks attached to the substrate K from above. Image processing is performed on the acquired image data to accurately determine the operation position of the substrate K. A component camera 47 is mounted upwards on the base 10 between the central nozzle station 48C and the right-side nozzle station 48R in the X-axis direction. The component camera 47 captures images of the components held by the nozzle 60 from below as the mounting head 43 moves from the component supply device 3 towards the substrate K. Image processing is performed on the acquired image data to determine the correctness of the component type, and the position and orientation of the component relative to the nozzle 60 are detected and reflected in the mounting operation. Examples of substrate cameras 46 and component cameras 47 include digital imaging devices with imaging elements such as CCD (charge-coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor).

[0020] The component transfer device 4 advances the installation operation by repeatedly performing installation cycles. The installation cycle is described in detail below. First, the component transfer device 4 moves the mounting head 43 to the component supply unit 31 and uses multiple suction nozzles 60 to pick up components. Next, the component transfer device 4 moves the mounting head 43 above the component camera 47. Then, the component camera 47 captures images of the components held by the multiple suction nozzles 60. Next, the component transfer device 4 moves the mounting head 43 to the substrate K to mount multiple components. Next, the component transfer device 4 moves the mounting head 43 back to the component supply unit 31, thus completing one installation cycle.

[0021] The control device 5 is assembled on the base 10, and its position is not limited. The control device 5 consists of a computer device with a CPU that operates via software. The control device 5 stores installation task data received from a higher-level management device (not shown). Based on the installation task data, the control device 5 controls the substrate handling device 2, the component supply device 3, and the component transfer device 4, repeatedly performing installation cycles to advance the installation operation.

[0022] 2. Detailed structure of nozzle 60 Next, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The detailed structure of the suction nozzle 60 is described below. The suction nozzle 60 consists of a main body cylinder 61, two locking pins 62, a flange 64, a suction tube 66, and a force-applying spring 74. The main body cylinder 61 has an upright cylindrical shape. The two locking pins 62 are respectively located at a height near the upper end of the main body cylinder 61 and circumferentially separated by 180°. Each locking pin 62 extends radially outward from the outer circumference of the main body cylinder 61 and protrudes radially inward from the inner circumference of the main body cylinder 61 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 3 ).

[0023] The flange 64 is formed of an annular plate-shaped component and is fixed to the lower side of the main body cylinder 61. The flange 64 extends outward and inward from the main body cylinder 61. A QR code 65 is attached to the upper surface of the flange 64. The QR code 65 contains various information, including at least the individual identification information of the nozzle 60. In addition, codes in a different form than the QR code 65, such as barcodes or numeric strings, may also be attached to the nozzle 60.

[0024] The adsorption tube 66 has an upright cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller than that of the main body tube 61, and is longer than the main body tube 61. The adsorption tube 66 is disposed inside the main body tube 61 and the flange portion 64, and protrudes downward beyond the flange portion 64. The upper surface of the adsorption tube 66 becomes the base end 67 of the nozzle 60, and the lower surface of the adsorption tube 66 becomes the front end 68 of the nozzle 60. Furthermore, the interior of the adsorption tube 66 forms an airflow path 70. The airflow path 70 connects from the base end 67 to the opening 71 of the front end 68. The opening shape of the opening 71 can be, for example, an oblong shape. However, it is not limited to this; the opening shape of the opening 71 can also be circular, elliptical, gourd-shaped, etc.

[0025] like Figure 3As shown, a flange portion 73 protruding radially outward is provided at approximately the middle height of the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption tube 66. A helical force spring 74 is inserted into the outer side of the adsorption tube 66 in a compressed state. The force spring 74 is located between the locking pin 62 protruding radially inward towards the main body cylinder 61 and the flange portion 73 of the adsorption tube 66. The force spring 74 applies a downward force to the adsorption tube 66 relative to the main body cylinder 61. According to this structure, the adsorption tube 66 can slide relative to the main body cylinder 61 while rising and falling relative to it; in other words, it can extend and retract. Furthermore, the adsorption tube 66 is normally in an extended state where the flange portion 73 is in contact with the flange portion 64. Figure 3 (The state shown).

[0026] When the suction nozzle 60, held by the suction nozzle tool 44, descends to adsorb components, the front end 68 of the suction tube 66 comes into contact with the component, and the main body cylinder 61 descends slightly further. At this time, the suction tube 66 compresses the force spring 74 and becomes shortened, separating the flange portion 73 from the flange portion 64. Furthermore, when the suction nozzle 60 descends to install components, the main body cylinder 61 descends slightly further after the component held by the front end 68 of the suction tube 66 comes into contact with the substrate K. At this time, the suction tube 66, as described above, changes from an extended state to a shortened state. Additionally, even when no component is clamped, the suction tube 66 will shorten when it descends and comes into contact with any object. This configuration can be applied to the sliding inspection described later.

[0027] Prolonged use of nozzle 60 may lead to performance degradation and other adverse effects. Specifically, the following four defects in nozzle 60 can be considered. (1) The airflow rate is reduced due to foreign objects entering the airflow path 70 and deformation of the opening 71, and the apparent airflow rate is increased due to air leakage caused by damage to the adsorption tube 66. (2) The adverse effect of increased sliding load when the adsorption tube 66 slides relative to the main body tube 61. (3) The adsorption state of the element is unstable due to deformation or damage of the front end 68 and the opening 71. (4) Poor reading due to stains or partial peeling of QR code 65. As a countermeasure to these problems, a nozzle management device 80 can be used to perform the inspection, maintenance and inventory management of the nozzle 60.

[0028] 3. Overall structure of the nozzle management device 80 refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The overall structure of the nozzle management device 80 in the embodiment will be described. Figure 4As shown, the nozzle management device 80 has a generally elongated cuboid shape. A door 82 is located approximately at the center height of the front of the nozzle management device 80. By opening the door 82, the aforementioned nozzle tray 49 can be moved in and out, and defective nozzles 60, as described later, can be removed. A touch panel 86 is located above the door 82. The touch panel 86 can display various information and allow for operator input.

[0029] like Figure 5 As shown, the nozzle management device 80 consists of a housing 90, a tray receiving part 92, a nozzle transport part 94, a first inspection part 96, a cleaning part 98, a drying part 100, a control part 160, and a second inspection part 170. The housing 90 consists of a hollow frame structure frame part 102 and a beam part 104 mounted on the frame part 102.

[0030] The tray receiving section 92 is disposed inside the frame section 102 and protrudes to the upper surface of the frame section 102. The tray receiving section 92 has multiple tray holders 106 and support arms 108. The multiple tray holders 106 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The tray holders 106 are frames for holding the nozzle trays 110. Each nozzle tray 110 can hold multiple nozzles 60.

[0031] The support arm 108, driven by an arm drive mechanism (not shown), rises and falls behind the multiple tray holders 106, approaching and moving away from them. As a result, the support arm 108 removes the nozzle tray 110, the object of operation, from the tray holder 106 and stores it in the opposite direction. The nozzle tray 110 removed from the tray holder 106 moves to the upper surface of the frame portion 102 as the support arm 108 rises. This allows the nozzle 60 to be removed from the nozzle tray 110. Furthermore, the nozzle tray 49 has a substantially the same shape as the nozzle tray 110 and can be handled similarly. However, the number of nozzles 60 accommodated in the nozzle tray 49 may differ from that in the nozzle tray 110.

[0032] The nozzle transport unit 94 is disposed on the beam portion 104. The nozzle transport unit 94 has a transport head 120 and a head drive mechanism 122. The head drive mechanism 122 is an XYZ type drive mechanism that moves the transport head 120 on the frame portion 102 in the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction. The lower surface of the transport head 120 is provided with a downward-facing camera 126, a nozzle holding portion 128 that holds the nozzle 60 in a detachable manner, and an air supply device 130.

[0033] On the other hand, two fixed platforms 131 for mounting the nozzle tray 49 are provided on the upper surface of the front side of the frame portion 102. The nozzle transport unit 94 transports the nozzle 60 between the nozzle tray 49, which has been moved into and set on the fixed platform 131, and the nozzle support plate 110 supported by the support arm 108 of the support plate receiving portion 92, holding the nozzle 60 in the nozzle holding portion 128. Moreover, the nozzle transport unit 94 operates in various scenarios that cause the nozzle 60 to move.

[0034] The first inspection unit 96 is responsible for two inspection items using sensors: sliding inspection and flow rate inspection. The first inspection unit 96 is configured with a load sensor 142, a connector 146, and a nozzle transport unit 94. The load sensor 142 is disposed on the upper surface of the frame unit 102. The load sensor 142 is used to perform a sliding inspection by measuring the sliding load when the suction tube 66 of the nozzle 60 slides. Specifically, the main body 61 of the nozzle 60, which is the object of inspection, is held by the nozzle holding part 128 of the transport head 120. Next, the head drive mechanism 122 lowers the transport head 120 and the nozzle 60, bringing the suction tube 66 into contact with the load sensor 142. At this time, the load sensor 142 measures the downward load acting from the front end 68 of the suction tube 66. Based on the measured load, it is determined whether the sliding condition of the suction tube 66 is good.

[0035] Connector 146 is disposed on the lower surface of air supply device 130 and is supplied with air from air supply device 130. The flow rate of nozzle 60 is checked using the air supplied from air supply device 130 to connector 146. Specifically, connector 146 is driven by head drive mechanism 122 to move above nozzle 60 mounted on cleaning tray 158 (described later) and connects to nozzle 60. Next, air is supplied from air supply device 130 to nozzle 60 via connector 146. During air supply, the air flow rate is measured, and it is determined whether the air flow rate in airflow path 70 of nozzle 60 is adequate. For example, positive pressure air with known pressure can be used as the air supplied for the check. Alternatively, the pressure of the flowing air can be measured instead of the flow rate check.

[0036] The second inspection unit 170 is responsible for two inspection items using image processing: code reading inspection and nozzle tip shape inspection. The second inspection unit 170 comprises the aforementioned downward-facing camera 126, upward-facing camera 182, an image processing unit (not shown), and a nozzle transport unit 94. The camera 126 captures an image of the QR code 65 on the nozzle 60 held by the nozzle holding part 128 of the nozzle transport unit 94 from above, obtaining image data. The image processing unit reads the QR code 65 from the image data, obtaining various information contained in the QR code 65. When the image processing unit cannot read the QR code 65, it determines that the code reading is faulty.

[0037] A camera 182 is positioned upwards adjacent to the load sensor 142 on the upper surface of the frame portion 102. The camera 182 captures image data from below of the tip 68 and opening 71 of the suction nozzle 60 held by the suction nozzle holder 128. An image processing unit processes the image data, extracts the shape of the tip 68 and opening 71, and determines whether it is within a predetermined allowable error range. If the shape of the tip 68 and opening 71 in the image data exceeds the allowable error range, the image processing unit determines that the tip shape of the suction nozzle is defective.

[0038] The cleaning section 98 and drying section 100 are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the nozzle 60. The cleaning section 98 is located next to the tray receiving section 92. The cleaning section 98 has an exposed position ( Figure 4 The diagram shows the position of the cleaning tray 158, which is composed of a cleaning and drying mechanism 150 and a cleaning tray moving mechanism 152. In the exposed position, the suction nozzle 60 is transferred to the cleaning tray 158 by the suction nozzle transport unit 94. The cleaning and drying mechanism 150, with the suction nozzle 60 already transferred to the cleaning tray 158, performs cleaning using liquids such as cleaning water and drying using gases such as blowing air inside. The cleaning tray moving mechanism 152 moves the cleaning tray 158 between the exposed position and the interior of the cleaning and drying mechanism 150.

[0039] The drying section 100 is located next to the cleaning tray 158 in the exposed position. The drying section 100 performs final drying of the suction nozzle 60. Specifically, in the cleaning and drying mechanism 150, since the suction nozzle 60 is dried while mounted on the cleaning tray 158, it may not be sufficiently dried. In particular, cleaning water may remain between the relatively movable main body cylinder 61 and the suction tube 66 of the suction nozzle 60, affecting sliding inspection. Therefore, in the drying section 100, drying air is alternately introduced into the nozzle 60 from the base end 67 side and the front end 68 side to perform sufficient final drying. The cleaning section 98 and the drying section 100 are components that clean the interior of the suction nozzle 60 with liquid; alternatively, they can be cleaning sections that blow air into the interior of the suction nozzle 60.

[0040] Normally, after being cleaned and maintained by the cleaning unit 98 and the drying unit 100, the nozzle 60 undergoes inspection in the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170. A defective product receiving unit 200 is provided to receive nozzles 60 that are deemed defective in a certain inspection item. The nozzle transport unit 94 holds the nozzles 60 deemed defective in the first inspection unit 96 or the second inspection unit 170 in the nozzle holding unit 128 and transports them to the defective product receiving unit 200. Furthermore, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the held nozzles 60, allowing them to fall into the upwardly opening receiving space of the defective product receiving unit 200.

[0041] On the other hand, nozzles 60 that are deemed good in all inspection items will be returned by nozzle transport unit 94 to nozzle tray 110 or nozzle pallet 49. In addition, nozzle management device 80 may not immediately store nozzles 60 that are deemed defective in defective product storage unit 200, but may instead perform a re-inspection after cleaning and maintenance by cleaning unit 98 and drying unit 100.

[0042] The control unit 160 is constructed using a computer equipped with a CPU, memory, etc. The location of the control unit 160 is not particularly limited. The control unit 160 controls the display of the touch panel 86 connected to the communication network and receives input from the operator. The control unit 160 controls the tray receiving section 92, the nozzle transport section 94, the first inspection section 96, the cleaning section 98, the drying section 100, the air supply device 130, and the second inspection section 170. The control unit 160 uses the individual identification information contained in the QR code 65 read by the barcode reader or camera 126 appropriately disposed within the housing 90 to manage the current position of the multiple nozzles 60, manage the implementation status of inspections and cleaning maintenance, and manage inventory status.

[0043] 4. Detailed structure of the defective goods storage section 200 Next, refer to Figure 6 The detailed structure of the defective product receiving section 200 is described below. The defective product receiving section 200 is positioned at the front of the upper surface of the frame portion 102 within the housing 90, within easy reach of the operator's hand when the door 82 is opened. The defective product receiving section 200 has a bottom, a front, a rear, and two sides, forming a horizontally elongated box shape with an upward opening. The front and sides of the defective product receiving section 200 are approximately upright relative to the bottom. The rear of the defective product receiving section 200 slopes relative to the bottom, and the opening area at the top of the defective product receiving section 200 is larger than the bottom area. The interior of the defective product receiving section 200 is divided into seven receiving compartments by six partitions 210 parallel to the sides. Each receiving compartment has a label (201-207) indicating its respective purpose affixed to its front side.

[0044] The following will Figure 6 The left-hand storage space of the defective product storage section 200 is designated as the first storage space R1, and the right-hand storage space is designated as the seventh storage space R7, numbered sequentially from left to right. The label 201 of the first storage space R1 indicates "Code reading failure: nozzle station left". That is, the first storage space R1 stores the nozzle 60 that was determined to be defective during the code reading inspection of the second inspection section 170 and moved in from the nozzle station 48L on the left side of the component mounting machine 1.

[0045] Furthermore, label 202 of the second containment space R2 is marked "Code Reading Failure: Suction Station Center". This means that the second containment space R2 contains a suction nozzle 60 that was determined to be faulty during the code reading check and was moved in from the central suction station 48C. Similarly, label 203 of the third containment space R3 is marked "Code Reading Failure: Suction Station Right". This means that the third containment space R3 contains a suction nozzle 60 that was determined to be faulty during the code reading check and was moved in from the right-side suction station 48R.

[0046] Next, label 204 of the fourth containment space R4 indicates "Faulty flow rate check". This means that the fourth containment space R4 contains the nozzle 60 that was determined to be faulty during the flow rate check of the first inspection unit 96, regardless of which nozzle station (48L, 48C, 48R) it was moved from. Furthermore, label 205 of the fifth containment space R5 indicates "Faulty sliding check". This means that the fifth containment space R5 contains the nozzle 60 that was determined to be faulty during the sliding check of the first inspection unit 96. Moreover, label 206 of the sixth containment space R6 indicates "Faulty nozzle tip shape". This means that the sixth containment space R6 contains the nozzle 60 that was determined to be faulty during the nozzle tip shape check of the second inspection unit 170.

[0047] Next, label 207 of the seventh containment space R7 indicates "Inspection Stopped Midway". In the first inspection section 96 and the second inspection section 170, it is extremely rare for the inspection of the nozzle 60 to be stopped midway due to some reason, without a good or bad determination. In such cases, the nozzle 60 whose good determination result is not determined cannot be used. Therefore, the seventh containment space R7 contains the nozzle 60 whose inspection in the first inspection section 96 and the second inspection section 170 was stopped midway.

[0048] As described above, the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 are divided into inspection items corresponding to the various inspection items of the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170. Accordingly, the nozzles 60 determined to be defective are classified according to each inspection item, thereby improving the efficiency of subsequent processing. For example, the nozzles 60 stored in the first storage space R1, the second storage space R2, and the third storage space R3 have been identified as defective due to QR code 65. Therefore, the operator can easily reuse the nozzles 60 by scanning and re-attaching the QR code 65.

[0049] Furthermore, for the nozzle 60 housed in the sixth housing space R6, the deformation or damage to the front end 68 and the opening 71 has been determined to be the cause of the defect. Therefore, the operator can discard the nozzle 60 without attempting difficult repair work. If the interior of the defective product housing section 200 were a single housing space, the individual causes of defect for the multiple nozzles 60 determined to be defective would be unknown, making subsequent processing cumbersome and difficult to understand.

[0050] Furthermore, the first containment space R1 to the seventh containment space R7 are divided into distinct internal volumes based on actual data regarding the defect rate or number of defects in each of the multiple inspection items. For example, in the actual inspection data of the first inspection section 96 and the second inspection section 170, the number of defects in the code reading inspection is higher than that of other inspection items, and the defect rate is also higher. In addition, the number of defects and defect rates among the three inspection items—sliding inspection, flow rate inspection, and nozzle tip shape inspection—are not significantly different. Moreover, the number of nozzles 60 that stop midway through inspection is extremely small. The distribution trend of the number of defects for each inspection item in this specific example is expected to continue in the future without drastic changes.

[0051] Therefore, as Figure 6 As shown, the combined volume of the first containment space R1, the second containment space R2, and the third containment space R3, which correspond to defects in the code reading check, is divided into larger volumes. Furthermore, the volume of the fourth containment space R4, which corresponds to defects in the sliding check, is divided into a moderate volume smaller than the aforementioned combined volume. Similarly, the volumes of the fifth containment space R5, which corresponds to defects in the flow rate check, and the sixth containment space R6, which corresponds to defects in the nozzle tip shape check, are divided into moderate volumes. Additionally, the volume of the seventh containment space R7, which corresponds to defects caused by mid-check interruption, is divided into a moderate volume smaller than the aforementioned. Therefore, the containment status of defective nozzles 60 is not extremely concentrated in the multiple containment spaces. This allows for effective utilization of the defective product containment unit 200. If the volumes of the multiple containment spaces were uniform, the specific containment space corresponding to a large number of defective items would frequently become full. Therefore, the defective product containment unit 200 would not be effectively utilized, and the operator would need to frequently remove the nozzles 60.

[0052] Furthermore, the first containment space R1, the second containment space R2, and the third containment space R3 are divided to correspond to each of the multiple nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R) of the component mounting machine 1. In other words, the containment space corresponding to the large number of defects identified during code reading checks is subdivided into three sections for each nozzle station (48L, 48C, 48R). Accordingly, the multiple nozzles 60 determined to be defective can be contained approximately equally in the three sections. If a larger containment space is used in one section, the nozzles 60 may accumulate in a localized area of ​​the larger containment space, which is undesirable.

[0053] 5. Control functions associated with defective nozzle 60 Next, the control functions associated with the processing of the nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective will be explained. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the control unit 160 has four control function units mainly composed of software: a containment status calculation unit 161, a notification unit 162, a transport restriction unit 163, and a recovery control unit 164. Furthermore, the containment status calculation unit 161 may also be included as a part of the notification unit 162.

[0054] The containment status calculation unit 161 calculates the containment status, representing the proportion of the multiple nozzles 60 determined to be defective, within each of the first containment spaces R1 to the seventh containment space R7. In this embodiment, the containment status is expressed as the containment count converted to the number of small nozzles 60. It should be noted that, as mentioned above, nozzles 60 come in various sizes, such as small, medium, and large. Therefore, the containment status calculation unit 161 needs to calculate not only the number of nozzles 60 contained in the containment space, but also the containment count equivalent to the containment status based on various sizes.

[0055] As a specific example, the containment status calculation unit 161 counts a small suction nozzle 60 as one, and converts one medium-sized suction nozzle 60 into two small suction nozzles 60. Furthermore, the containment status calculation unit 161 converts one large suction nozzle 60 into three small suction nozzles 60. The aforementioned conversion rates of "1:2" and "1:3" can be varied according to the actual situation of various sizes. Conversion rates including decimal points (such as "1:2.5") are also permitted.

[0056] Whenever the nozzle 60 is moved to and housed in one of the first to seventh housing spaces R7, the housing status calculation unit 161 obtains the dimensions of the nozzle 60, recalculates, and updates the number of units that can be housed in that housing space. The housing status calculation unit 161 is software-based, eliminating the need for additional hardware such as sensors to detect housing status. Therefore, the increase in manufacturing costs for the nozzle management device 80 is suppressed.

[0057] The notification unit 162 targets each of the first containment spaces R1 to the seventh containment space R7. The notification unit 162 provides notification corresponding to the containment status (number of containment units) of each of the first containment spaces R1 to the seventh containment space R7, or notifies the containment status itself. However, the seventh containment space R7, whose containment status is difficult to increase, may be excluded from the notification targets. As a specific notification method, the notification unit 162 may provide notification based on the touch panel 86 or a display on another display unit. However, it is not limited to this; the notification unit 162 may also use a notification light, a notification sound, or wireless communication to transmit information to a mobile terminal held by the operator.

[0058] The notification unit 162 notifies at least one of the first to seventh storage spaces R7 that it has become full. For example, the notification unit 162 displays "Defective product storage unit 200 is full. Please remove the nozzle 60" on the touch panel 86. Alternatively, the notification unit 162 may use a graphic symbol or other graphic display instead of text to provide notification. Regarding the full-load state, a predetermined threshold for full load is set for each of the first to seventh storage spaces R7. A full-load state is defined as the storage condition increasing to this threshold. In this embodiment, the threshold is represented by the number of small nozzles 60 that fill the storage space, i.e., the full-load count. However, the stacking arrangement of the multiple nozzles 60 contained in each of the first to seventh storage spaces R7 cannot be uniformly determined and lacks reproducibility. In other words, the full-load state is uncertain.

[0059] As a countermeasure, the nozzle transport unit 94 moves the release position of each of the multiple nozzles 60 in the horizontal direction in each of the first to seventh storage spaces R1 to R7. Accordingly, the upper height of the multiple nozzles 60, which are arranged side-by-side in the horizontal direction, is made uniform in each of the first to seventh storage spaces R7, preventing them from piling up. While this control of the release position significantly stabilizes the stacking state of the multiple nozzles 60, it is still not uniformly determined. In other words, there is no clear benchmark for defining the full load state of the storage space. Therefore, to avoid the possibility of nozzles 60 overflowing from the storage space, a small full load number (threshold) is set on the safety side.

[0060] When the notification unit 162 notifies the aforementioned full-load state, the transport restriction unit 163 also functions. The transport restriction unit 163 restricts the transport operation of the nozzle transport unit 94 based on the containment status within the containment space. Specifically, when the containment status reaches a threshold full-load state, the transport restriction unit 163 restricts the transport operation of the nozzle transport unit 94. This limits further transport and containment of the nozzle 60 into the full-load containment space, thereby eliminating the possibility of the nozzle 60 overflowing.

[0061] In addition to notifying the full load status, the notification unit 162 can also notify the containment status (containment capacity) before it increases to the threshold (full load). For example, in response to a notification request based on an input operation on the touch panel 86, the notification unit 162 can display on the touch panel 86. Figure 7 The notification example shown. Figure 7 In the summary table of notification examples, the top row displays the purpose of each of the first containment spaces R1 to the seventh containment spaces R7. Furthermore, the columns in the second row display the full load count corresponding to the threshold; the columns in the third row display the containment count corresponding to the containment status. The full load count remains constant, while the containment count typically increases sequentially. Moreover, the columns in the fourth to sixth rows display details for each size of the suction nozzle 60 used to calculate the containment count.

[0062] For example, regarding the "code reading malfunction at the left suction station" corresponding to the first containment space R1, the full load count is 20 and the containment count is 12. Furthermore, as details of the containment count 12, it shows 7 small suction nozzles, 1 medium suction nozzle, and 1 large suction nozzle. In other words, the calculation process of the containment status calculation unit 161 for containment count 12 = 7 + 2 × 1 + 3 × 1 is shown. Additionally, regarding the "flow check malfunction" corresponding to the fourth containment space R4, the full load count is 40 and the containment count is 15. Furthermore, as details of the containment count 15, it shows 11 small suction nozzles, 2 medium suction nozzles, and 0 large suction nozzles. In other words, the calculation process of the containment status calculation unit 161 for containment count 15 = 11 + 2 × 2 + 3 × 0 is shown.

[0063] Operators can input requests for notifications at any time from the menu screen of the touch panel 86, and the display will show... Figure 7 The notification example shown allows for confirmation of the displayed content. Therefore, compared to the existing technology of visually confirming the defective product containment section 200 through the observation window of door 82, the operator can further confirm a more accurate containment status. Furthermore, the notification section 162 can also use a graphical display employing pie charts or similar methods to provide notifications, instead of... Figure 7 The numerical values ​​are displayed in the form of a summary table.

[0064] In addition, the operator needs to respond to a notification of full load status from the notification unit 162. Specifically, the operator opens the door 82 and removes not only the nozzles 60 of the fully loaded storage space from the device, but also all the nozzles 60 of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 of the defective product storage unit 200 from the device. Afterwards, the operator operates the reset switch to restore control from the menu screen of the touch panel 86. As a result, the restoration control unit 164 functions. The restoration control unit 164 sends a reset signal to the storage status calculation unit 161. Upon receiving the reset signal, the storage status calculation unit 161 performs a reset process to set the storage status (number of contents) of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 to zero. As a result, the function of the handling restriction unit 163 is eliminated.

[0065] As a first variation in response to a full-load notification, the operator can open door 82 and remove the suction nozzle 60 from the fully loaded storage space outside the device, while leaving the suction nozzles 60 in the other storage spaces that are not fully loaded intact. In this first variation, the reset switch and reset signal are individually configured for each of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7, and the reset process is performed separately.

[0066] As a second variation, a structure can be adopted in which the defective product receiving section 200 is detachably installed on the frame section 102. In the second variation, the operator opens the door 82, moves the defective product receiving section 200 out of the device, removes the suction nozzle 60 from outside the device, and then reinstalls the emptied defective product receiving section 200 on the frame section 102. Although the workload of the second variation is sometimes reduced compared to the implementation method, depending on the size of the defective product receiving section 200 and the total weight when the suction nozzle 60 is contained.

[0067] As a third variation, the opening operation of door 82 can replace the operator's operation of the reset switch on touch panel 86. In this third variation, a detection unit is provided to detect the open state of door 82, and the output line of the detection unit is connected to control unit 160. The detection signal from the detection unit enables the recovery control unit 164 to function. On the other hand, when door 82 is opened, the operator always needs to remove the nozzle 60 from the defective product receiving section 200. That is, even when moving the nozzle tray 49 in or out, the operator still needs to remove the nozzle 60 from the defective product receiving section 200. In this third variation, the operator does not need to operate the reset switch.

[0068] Furthermore, in the implementation method and the first and second modifications, even without notification of a full load, the operator can remove the nozzle 60 from the defective product receiving section 200 and operate the reset switch. Thus, when the operator arrives near the nozzle management device 80 and one of the receiving spaces R1 to R7 is nearly full, removing the nozzle 60 beforehand avoids the inconvenience of having to return after the space becomes full.

[0069] 6. Operation of the nozzle management device 80 Next, refer to Figure 8 The action of the nozzle management device 80 in response to a faulty nozzle 60 is explained. Figure 8 The illustrated workflow is primarily driven by control from the control unit 160, with some aspects related to the operator. Furthermore, actions related to the insertion and removal of the nozzle tray 49, the movement of the nozzle support plate 110, and the cleaning and maintenance of the nozzle 60 are omitted from this workflow. At the start of the workflow, it is assumed that none of the first to seventh containment spaces R1 are fully loaded.

[0070] exist Figure 8 In step S1, the control unit 160 causes the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170 to inspect the nozzle 60. In the following step S2, the control unit 160 branches the operation flow based on whether the inspection result is good or bad. If the inspection result is good, the control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S1 and performs the inspection of the next nozzle 60. During the period when the inspection result is good, steps S1 and S2 are repeatedly executed. When an inspection result is bad, the operation flow proceeds to step S3.

[0071] In step S3, the control unit 160 branches its operation flow based on whether the predetermined storage space (one of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7) to accommodate the defective nozzle 60 is full. In step S4, when the nozzle is not full, the transport restriction unit 163 does not function, and the nozzle transport unit 94 holds the defective nozzle 60 in the first inspection unit 96 or the second inspection unit 170 and transports it to the defective product storage unit 200. In the next step S5, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the nozzle 60 by controlling the release position, allowing it to be accommodated in the predetermined storage space.

[0072] In the next step S6, the containment status calculation unit 161 obtains the dimensions of the contained nozzle 60, recalculates and updates the containment status (number of contents) of the containment space. In the next step S7, the notification unit 162 determines whether the containment space is full based on the updated containment status and branches the operation flow. If it is not full, the operation flow returns to step S1, and the control unit 160 performs a check on the next nozzle 60. In step S8, when it is full, the notification unit 162 notifies that it is full and records the containment space that is full (one of the first containment space R1 to the seventh containment space R7). This record is referenced in step S3.

[0073] After executing step S8, control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S1. Therefore, even if one of the first to seventh storage spaces R7 becomes full, the operation continues. Furthermore, the operation of storing the defective nozzle 60 in a storage space that is not full is performed without hindrance. Additionally, when the notified operator removes the nozzle 60 from the defective product storage section 200 at an appropriate time, control unit 164 resumes functioning, and the operation continues.

[0074] Therefore, if the operator fails to remove the nozzle at the appropriate time, the storage space corresponding to the defective nozzle 60 may become full. In other words, if the predetermined storage space becomes full in step S3, the operation flow branches to step S11. In step S11, the transport restriction unit 163 functions, preventing the nozzle transport unit 94 from transporting the defective nozzle 60. Furthermore, the control unit 160 interrupts the operation and temporarily enters standby mode. At this time, the notification unit 162 preferably notifies the operator of the need for emergency action. For example, the notification unit 162 displays on the touch panel 86, "Standby mode is in effect because the defective product storage unit 200 is full. Please remove the nozzle 60 immediately."

[0075] In the next step S12, the notified operator removes the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product receiving section 200 and operates the reset switch on the touch panel 86. Consequently, in the next step S13, the control unit 164 resumes function and sends a reset signal to the receiving status calculation unit 161. The receiving status calculation unit 161 performs a reset process to set the receiving status (number of contents) of the first receiving space R1 to the seventh receiving space R7 to zero. Therefore, the function of the handling restriction unit 163 is eliminated.

[0076] After executing step S13, the control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S4, allowing the operation to continue. In step S4, the nozzle transport unit 94 resumes transporting the nozzle 60, which has been determined to be defective, to the defective product receiving unit 200. In the following step S5, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the nozzle 60, allowing it to be received in the emptied predetermined receiving space.

[0077] According to the embodiment, the nozzle management device 80 can issue notifications corresponding to the storage status of the nozzles 60 in the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 of the defective product storage section 200, or issue notifications regarding the storage status. Therefore, by checking the notification content, the operator can omit or simplify the operation of checking the storage status. Moreover, the operator can refer to the notification content and perform the operation of removing the nozzles 60 from the defective product storage section 200 at an appropriate time. Therefore, the possibility of the nozzles 60 overflowing in the defective product storage section 200 can be reduced.

[0078] 7. Application and Variations of the Implementation Methods Furthermore, in this embodiment, the containment status of each of the first containment space R1 to the seventh containment space R7 is expressed as the number of contents converted to smaller nozzles 60, but it can also be expressed as a percentage calculated by (number of contents / full load) × 100%. Additionally, the multiple containment spaces of the defective product containment section 200 can be divided into sizes corresponding to the various sizes of the nozzles 60. In this manner, the sizes of the multiple nozzles 60 contained in the containment spaces will be uniform, so the containment status calculation unit 161 can calculate the containment status based on the number of nozzles 60.

[0079] Furthermore, the defective product receiving section 200 is not limited to the box shape described in the embodiment. For example, it can be formed by dividing the upper surface of the frame section 102 into sections. Moreover, even a defective product receiving section with a single receiving space that is not internally divided can be applied to the embodiment. Additionally, even if multiple undivided box-shaped defective product receiving sections 200 are provided instead of a box-shaped defective product receiving section 200 divided into multiple receiving spaces, the same function and effect as the embodiment can be produced. Besides this, the embodiment can be applied and modified in various ways. Symbol Explanation

[0080] 1: Component mounting machine 48L, 48C, 48R: Nozzle station 49: Nozzle tray 60: Nozzle 61: Main body cylinder 66: Adsorption tube 68: Front end 70: Airflow path 71: Opening 80: Nozzle management device 82: Door 86: Touch panel 94: Nozzle transport section 96: First inspection section 110: Nozzle support plate 128: Nozzle holding section 160: Control section 161: Containment status calculation section 162: Notification section 163: Transport restriction section 164: Recovery control section 170: Second inspection section 200: Defective product containment section 210: Partition R1~R7: First~Seventh containment spaces.

Claims

1. A nozzle management device, comprising: The inspection department inspects the nozzles used in the component mounting machine; The defective product receiving section has an internal receiving space capable of housing multiple nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection section; and The notification department notifies external parties of the containment status, which indicates the proportion of the contained nozzles within the containment space.

2. A nozzle management device, comprising: The inspection department inspects the nozzles used in the component mounting machine; The defective product receiving section has an internal receiving space capable of housing multiple nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection section; and The notification unit calculates the containment status based on the number of nozzles contained in the containment space and notifies the containment status.

3. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The notification unit calculates the containment status based on the number and various sizes of the suction nozzles contained in the containment space.

4. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The notification unit notifies that the containment status has increased to a predetermined threshold, which is a threshold that defines the full load of the containment space.

5. The nozzle management device according to claim 4, wherein, The notification department notifies the containment status prior to the increase to the threshold.

6. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The nozzle management device includes a nozzle transport section, which holds the nozzles that are determined to be defective by the inspection section and transports them to the defective product receiving section.

7. The nozzle management device according to claim 6, wherein, The suction nozzle transport section releases the held suction nozzle, causing it to fall into the upward-opening receiving space; and By moving the release position of each of the multiple suction nozzles in the horizontal direction, the upper height of the multiple suction nozzles that are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction in the receiving space is made uniform.

8. The nozzle management device according to claim 6, wherein, The nozzle management device includes a transport restriction unit, which restricts the transport action of the nozzle transport unit according to the containment status.

9. The nozzle management device according to claim 8, wherein, When the containment condition increases to a predetermined threshold, the transport restriction unit restricts the transport action of the nozzle transport unit. The predetermined threshold is a threshold that defines the full load of the containment space.

10. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The nozzle management device includes a recovery control unit that resets the containment status after the nozzle is removed from the containment space.

11. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The defective product receiving section has multiple receiving spaces that are divided into sections. The notification unit will notify each of the multiple containment spaces.

12. The nozzle management device according to claim 11, wherein, The multiple receiving spaces are divided into multiple inspection items corresponding to the inspection items of the inspection department for judging the defects of the nozzle.

13. The nozzle management device according to claim 12, wherein, The multiple containment spaces are divided into distinct contents based on actual data of the defect rate or number of defects in each of the multiple inspection items.

14. The nozzle management device according to claim 11, wherein, The plurality of said receiving spaces are divided to correspond to each of the plurality of nozzle stations provided on the component mounting machine for the placement of the nozzles.

15. The nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The nozzle management device has multiple defective product receiving sections. The notification department will notify each of the multiple defective product receiving departments.

Images