A conveying system and control method for PCB production

Abstract

The application discloses a carrying system and control method for PCB production, and belongs to the technical field of PCB production transmission equipment, which comprises a rack, a multi-track conveying mechanism, a plate collecting mechanism, a buffer stereoscopic warehouse and a carrying mechanism, wherein the multi-track conveying mechanism comprises a front-end push plate assembly arranged at the feeding end of a plasma cleaning device and a rear-end push plate assembly arranged at the discharging end of the plasma cleaning device; the plate collecting mechanism is used for sequentially feeding PCBs into a magazine for storage; the buffer stereoscopic warehouse comprises a bottom frame and a plurality of buffer tracks arranged on the bottom frame, the buffer tracks comprise regular tracks and extension tracks, the extension tracks are provided with extension structures which can be telescoped along the conveying direction thereof; and the carrying mechanism comprises a crown block and a multi-axis robot. The application has the effects of realizing PCB carrying in the whole process before and after the plasma cleaning process in a compact space, and realizing multi-process comprehensive coverage and parallel efficient operation in the whole link.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of PCB board production conveying equipment technology, and in particular to a material handling system and control method for PCB board production. Background Technology

[0002] In SMT (Surface Mount Technology) assembly lines, PCBs after reflow soldering typically require a plasma cleaning process to remove residual flux, organic contaminants, and oxides, improving the reliability of subsequent mounting and soldering. Plasma cleaning equipment is a critical process, requiring auxiliary equipment such as feeding, buffering, and board collection to form a complete automated production line. In actual production lines, besides plasma cleaning, it is usually connected to multiple processes before and after, such as AOI (Automated Optical Inspection), X-ray inspection, and functional testing.

[0003] In existing technologies, after PCB boards are output from upstream equipment, they need to be collected into a hopper. The full hopper is then transported to the inlet of a Plasma cleaning equipment. The PCB boards on the hopper are placed one by one into the Plasma cleaning equipment. After cleaning, the PCB boards are collected into the hopper one by one from the outlet and then sent to the downstream process. However, existing Plasma loading and unloading equipment typically uses a fixed conveyor belt + linear hopper conveyor line layout. Traditional linear conveyor lines can only cover a limited path and cannot meet the needs of multi-directional and multi-target handling. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above deficiencies, this invention provides a material handling system and control method for PCB board production. The system uses an overhead crane for high-speed material handling along a fixed path and a robotic arm for multi-target transfer. This composite material handling system can cover the handling of all material boxes before and after the Plasma cleaning equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a material handling system for PCB board production, including a rack, a multi-track conveyor mechanism, a board receiving mechanism, a buffer storage unit, and a material handling mechanism, wherein:

[0006] The multi-track conveying mechanism includes a front pusher plate assembly located at the feed end of the Plasma cleaning equipment and a rear pusher plate assembly located at the discharge end of the Plasma cleaning equipment. The front pusher plate assembly is used to convey the PCB board into the Plasma cleaning equipment, and the rear pusher plate assembly is used to convey the PCB board to the receiving mechanism.

[0007] The board receiving mechanism is used to sequentially collect PCB boards into the material box for storage.

[0008] The cache storage system includes a base frame and several cache tracks mounted on the base frame. The cache tracks include regular tracks and extended tracks. The extended tracks are equipped with an extension structure that can extend and retract along their conveying direction.

[0009] The handling mechanism includes an overhead crane and a multi-axis robot. The overhead crane is used to move the material box in a straight line, and the multi-axis robot is used to perform short-distance, multi-pose, high-precision multi-directional transport of the material box.

[0010] Preferably, both the front-end pusher assembly and the rear-end pusher assembly include:

[0011] At least two slide rails fixed to the frame, extending along a first direction and spaced apart along a second direction;

[0012] A conveying track that slides in conjunction with the slide rail;

[0013] A conveyor belt connected to the conveying track is used to drive the conveying track to reciprocate along its length.

[0014] The pusher cylinder and the synchronous belt that can drive the pusher cylinder to reciprocate are provided. The reciprocating direction of the synchronous belt is the same as that of the conveyor belt. The pusher cylinder is used to abut against the end of the PCB board and drive the PCB board to move under the drive of the synchronous belt.

[0015] Preferably, the conveying track includes a transmission plate slidably connected to the slide rail and a plurality of limiting strips detachably and lockably connected to the transmission plate, wherein two adjacent limiting strips form an independent PCB board track;

[0016] The transmission plate has multiple sets of positioning grooves spaced apart along the first direction and extending parallel to the second direction. The positioning grooves are used to install and fix the limiting strip.

[0017] Preferably, the plate-retrieving mechanism includes a plate-retrieving clamp and a drive assembly, wherein the drive assembly can drive the plate-retrieving clamp to move;

[0018] The board receiving clamping machine is used to clamp the material box and receive the PCB board under the drive of the drive component.

[0019] Preferably, the plate clamping machine includes a base fixedly connected to the drive assembly, a lower clamp fixed to the lower end of the base, and an upper clamp disposed above the lower clamp. A clamping cylinder is provided between the upper clamp and the base. The clamping cylinder is used to drive the upper clamp to move up and down to clamp the material box.

[0020] Preferably, the handling system further includes a transfer station and a barcode scanner. The transfer station is located at the side end of the receiving mechanism and is an independent station for changing, temporarily storing, and transferring material boxes. The barcode scanner's scanning end is directed towards the transfer station to scan the material boxes.

[0021] Preferably, the extended track includes a track support, a conveyor belt, and a drive motor for driving the conveyor belt to move;

[0022] The drive motor and the extension structure are located at opposite ends of the track support.

[0023] The extension structure includes an extension platform and a telescopic assembly, the telescopic assembly being used to drive the extension platform to extend and retract along the length direction of the track support;

[0024] The extension structure also includes a limiting frame and a lifting member. The limiting frame is located at the end of the extension platform away from the drive motor and is used to limit the position of the material box. The lifting member is located between the extension platform and the limiting frame and is used to drive the limiting frame to move up and down so that the material box is detached from the surface of the conveyor belt.

[0025] Preferably, the overhead crane adopts an overhead suspension structure, and the overhead crane includes a dual-axis linkage gripper and a three-axis linkage gripper. The dual-axis linkage gripper is used for fixed-route transport, and the three-axis linkage gripper is used for large-scale transport with horizontal movement across the entire area.

[0026] Preferably, the handling system further includes a transfer track located within the dual working range of the overhead crane and the multi-axis robot, used for temporarily storing material boxes to be transferred or returned.

[0027] Secondly, this application also provides a control method for a material handling system for PCB board production, applied to the material handling system for PCB board production described in any of the above claims, comprising the following steps:

[0028] Step 1, Feeding and Cleaning: The upstream board feeding equipment outputs PCB boards, and the multi-track conveying mechanism in parallel mode sends the PCB boards into the Plasma cleaning equipment, which performs the cleaning process.

[0029] Step 2, Unloading and Receiving: After the PCB board is cleaned, the rear pusher assembly pushes the PCB board from the Plasma cleaning equipment to the receiving mechanism;

[0030] Step 3, Distribution and Transfer: The overhead crane and the multi-axis robot perform multi-level parallel handling;

[0031] Steps 1, 2, and 3 are synchronous parallel operations.

[0032] In summary, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. Adopting an adaptive adjustable multi-track conveyor mechanism, it can achieve stepless adaptation of PCB boards within a wide range, which can significantly improve the conveying efficiency of small-sized boards and improve the versatility and production efficiency of the equipment.

[0034] 2. A telescopic multi-layer buffer 3D library with a lifting mechanism to prevent interference is adopted, which solves the problem that the overhead crane cannot directly clamp the multi-layer buffer equipment, thus improving space utilization.

[0035] 3. By adopting a combination of overhead cranes and multi-axis robots for material handling, a material transfer system that combines high and low speeds and complements long and short distances is realized, which solves the problem of inflexibility of fixed routes and effectively improves the overall operating efficiency of the material handling system.

[0036] 4. Full-process automated closed-loop control enables full-process traceability of PCB board materials, process matching, and production data statistics, significantly improving the stability and intelligence level of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the handling system in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic top view of the overall structure of the handling system in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the multi-track conveying mechanism in the handling system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of section A in the middle;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the multi-track conveying mechanism and the plate-receiving mechanism in the conveying system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the plate-receiving mechanism in the conveying system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the handling system in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of the overhead crane and buffer track in the handling system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a partial structural diagram of the buffer track in the transport system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0046] Figure 10 This is a partial exploded view of the buffer track structure in the transport system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0047] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the handling system in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0048] Figure 12 This is a partial structural diagram of the overhead crane in the handling system of Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0049] Figure 13 This is a flowchart of the control method in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0050] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0051] 1. Frame; 2. Multi-rail conveyor mechanism; 21. Front pusher assembly; 22. Rear pusher assembly; 211. Slide rail; 212. Conveyor track; 2121. Transmission plate; 2122. Limit bar; 2123. Positioning groove; 213. Conveyor belt; 214. Pusher motor; 215. Synchronous belt; 216. Push rod bracket; 217. Pusher cylinder; 2171. Contact block; 3. Plate receiving mechanism; 31. Plate receiving clamp; 311. Base; 312. Upper clamp; 313. Lower clamp; 314. Clamping cylinder; 315. Material box sensor; 32. Drive assembly; 4. Buffer automated storage and retrieval system; 41. Base frame; 42. 42A. Buffer track; 42B. Standard track; 42C. Extended track; 421. Track support; 422. Conveyor belt; 423. Drive motor; 424. Extended structure; 4241. Extended platform; 4242. Telescopic assembly; 42421. Telescopic cylinder; 42422. Guide block; 42423. Guide rail; 4243. Limiting frame; 4244. Lifting component; 4245. Locking rod; 5. Transport mechanism; 51. Overhead crane; 511. First drive shaft; 512. Second drive shaft; 513. Third drive shaft; 514. Gripper; 52. Multi-axis robot; 6. Transfer station; 7. Barcode scanner; 8. Handover track. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] In the automated production of PCB boards, non-destructive handling of PCB boards is a common and ongoing technical requirement. However, existing PCB board handling equipment not only uses a single handling mechanism 5, but also struggles to simultaneously achieve both high efficiency for long-distance batch transfers and flexibility for precise short-distance docking. This results in discontinuous process connections, poor automation loop, and unstable production cycle time. Furthermore, its fixed single-rail conveyor structure makes it unsuitable for mixed-line production of PCB boards of various specifications. To address these issues, this application provides a handling system for PCB board production. This system utilizes a multi-rail adaptive adjustable conveyor structure, a multi-layer three-dimensional buffer structure with telescopic lifting to prevent interference, a handling structure composed of a crane 51 and a multi-axis robot 52, and a corresponding sensor-based time-series linkage control strategy. This enables automated collaborative production processes that achieve adaptive conveying of PCB boards of various specifications, multi-layer interference-free buffering of material boxes, and efficient transfer of long and short distances. This significantly improves the versatility of the production line, space utilization, handling stability, and overall capacity.

[0055] To concretize the inventive concept, refer to Figures 1 to 2 The handling system includes a frame 1, a multi-rail conveyor mechanism 2 and a pallet receiving mechanism 3 mounted on the frame 1, a buffer storage unit 4 and a handling mechanism 5 that interface with the pallet receiving mechanism 3, and a linkage control device.

[0056] The multi-track conveyor 2 includes a front pusher assembly 21 for conveying PCB boards to the Plasma cleaning equipment and a rear pusher assembly 22 for conveying PCB boards to the take-up mechanism 3.

[0057] The board receiving mechanism 3 is used to sequentially collect PCB boards into the material box for storage.

[0058] The buffer storage unit 4 includes several buffer tracks 42 for storing material boxes;

[0059] The handling mechanism 5 is a composite handling structure, including a crane 51 and a multi-axis robot 52. The crane 51 is used to drive the material box for linear transport; the multi-axis robot 52 is used to perform short-distance, multi-pose, high-precision multi-directional transport of the material box.

[0060] The linkage control device (not shown in the figure) includes a main controller, a human-machine interface (HMI), a PLC, and multiple sets of sensors. It is responsible for the timing logic of the entire system, the joint control of the execution actions between various mechanisms, and I / O (input / output) processing.

[0061] Reference Figures 2 to 3The multi-track conveyor mechanism 2 is the core unit for PCB boards entering and exiting the Plasma cleaning equipment. Its front-end pusher assembly 21 is located at the inlet end of the Plasma cleaning equipment, and its rear-end pusher assembly 22 is located at the outlet end of the Plasma cleaning equipment. The two are respectively connected to the inlet and outlet ends of the Plasma cleaning equipment to achieve adaptive parallel conveying and precise synchronous pushing of PCB boards of different widths. The board receiving structure is used to collect the cleaned PCB boards one by one, layer by layer, and neatly into the material box to achieve automated and orderly material receiving. The buffer storage 4 is equipped with multi-layer retractable and expandable buffer tracks 42 for batch temporary storage of full and empty material boxes to facilitate back-end production scheduling. For example, when it is necessary to prioritize the processing of another specification of PCB board, the PCB board of the current specification can be temporarily stored in the buffer storage 4. The overhead crane 51 is used for high-speed, linear, batch transport of material boxes over long distances, with large strokes and fixed paths. Combined with the multi-axis robot 52, which enables short-distance, multi-attitude, high-precision, and multi-directional flexible transfer, the two types of transport equipment form a composite transport system that combines high and low speeds and complements long and short distances. Compared with the traditional single transport mechanism 5, it can effectively solve the problem of inflexibility in fixed paths and significantly improve the flexibility of material transfer scheduling and the overall operating efficiency of the production line.

[0062] Reference Figures 1 to 2 The core structure, assembly relationship, and driving principle of the front-end pusher assembly 21 and the rear-end pusher assembly 22 are identical. They differ only in size adaptation based on the effective conveying stroke required at the inlet and outlet ends of the Plasma cleaning equipment. They are precisely aligned and installed at the inlet and outlet ends of the Plasma cleaning equipment, respectively, to collaboratively complete the fully automated docking operation of automatic loading before PCB board cleaning and automatic unloading after cleaning. Specifically, the front-end pusher assembly 21 is responsible for pushing the PCB board into the Plasma cleaning equipment, while the rear-end pusher assembly 22 is responsible for moving the PCB board from the Plasma cleaning equipment to the receiving mechanism 3. To avoid repetition, the following detailed explanation of the specific structure and working principle will focus on the front-end pusher assembly 21 as an example.

[0063] Specifically, refer to Figures 2 to 3The front-end pusher assembly 21 includes several slide rails 211 fixed on the frame 1, a conveyor track 212 that slides and adapts to the slide rails 211, and a conveyor belt 213 that drives the conveyor track 212 to move. The slide rails 211 extend along a first direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) and there are at least two slide rails 211, which are spaced apart along a second direction (X-axis direction in the figure) to form a multi-track limiting and guiding structure to ensure the smoothness of the conveyor track 212 when it slides. The conveyor track 212 is fixedly connected to the conveyor belt 213. When the conveyor belt 213 is driven, it can drive the conveyor track 212 to reciprocate along the length direction of the slide rails 211. The conveyor belt 213 is independently driven by a conveyor motor (not shown in the figure). Through the closed-loop transmission of the conveyor belt 213, the conveyor track 212 is driven to make precise reciprocating linear movement along the length direction of the slide rails 211, so as to achieve seamless and precise docking between the conveyor track 212 and the port of the Plasma cleaning equipment.

[0064] Reference Figures 3 to 4 To ensure complete transfer of the PCB board, the front-end pusher assembly 21 also includes several pusher cylinders 217, a pusher motor 214 for moving the pusher cylinders 217, and a synchronous belt 215. The pusher motor 214 drives the synchronous belt 215 for conveying. The front-end pusher assembly 21 also includes a push rod bracket 216 fixedly connected to the synchronous belt 215. Several pusher cylinders 217 are spaced apart on the push rod bracket 216 along a first direction. The cylinder body of the pusher cylinder 217 is fixedly connected to the push rod bracket 216. The piston rod end of the pusher cylinder 217 is equipped with a flexible abutment block 2171. The abutment block 2171 can flatly fit against the end of the PCB board, increasing the contact area, dispersing the extrusion pressure, and avoiding rigid point contact that could damage the edge of the board. The pusher operation employs a strict collaborative logic: after the pusher motor 214 drives the synchronous belt 215 to move the pusher bracket 216 to the preset initial position, the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 extends, causing the contact block 2171 to contact the end of the PCB board. Subsequently, the synchronous belt 215 continues to drive the pusher cylinder 217, achieving synchronous displacement of the PCB board through the contact block 2171 against the end of the PCB board, thus completing the precise pushing of the board. The reciprocating direction of the synchronous belt 215 is consistent with the reciprocating direction of the conveyor belt 213, ensuring that the overall displacement of the conveyor track 212 is coordinated with the local pusher action of the PCB board.

[0065] Reference Figures 3 to 4To enable the handling system to adapt to PCBs of different sizes, the conveying tracks 212 of both the front-end pusher assembly 21 and the rear-end pusher assembly 22 adopt a modular adjustable spacing structure, which includes a transmission plate 2121 and several limiting strips 2122. The transmission plate 2121 is slidably connected to the slide rail 211 as the reference bearing structure for the overall conveying. The limiting strips 2122 are detachably and lockingly connected to the transmission plate 2121, forming independent PCB track through adjacent limiting strips 2122. By adjusting the installation spacing of the limiting strips 2122, PCBs of different widths can be flexibly adapted. Simultaneously, the number of PCBs conveyed in parallel can be adjusted according to the width requirements of the PCBs, enabling PCB type change production and significantly improving the equipment's versatility and adaptability.

[0066] Specifically, refer to Figures 3 to 4 The conveyor track 212 has multiple sets of parallel positioning grooves 2123 spaced apart along the first direction (Y-axis direction in the figure). The positioning grooves 2123 extend parallel along the second direction (X-axis direction in the figure). The cross-section of the positioning grooves 2123 along the third direction (Z-axis direction in the figure) is "convex". A matching locking nut is nested inside the positioning groove 2123. The limiting strip 2122 is locked and fixed to the locking nut in the positioning groove 2123 by bolts. The locking nut is preferably a hexagonal / octagonal nut. Since the upper opening width of the convex positioning groove 2123 is smaller than the distance between opposite sides of the locking nut, the groove of the positioning groove 2123 can achieve circumferential limiting of the locking nut, eliminating the problem of the locking nut loosening due to rotation or high-frequency vibration during bolt tightening, which leads to locking failure. At the same time, the limiting strip 2122 can achieve local stepless fine adjustment, adapting to PCB boards of any width range. The locking nut and bolt are not shown in the picture; their size only needs to match the positioning groove 2123.

[0067] The width of the transmission plate 2121 in this application (i.e., its length along the X-axis) is set according to the maximum width of the PCB board that the Plasma cleaning equipment can conventionally clean. In this embodiment, the maximum cleaning size of the Plasma cleaning equipment is 50mm-350mm, which is merely an example and does not limit the scope of protection of this invention. The transmission plate 2121 can adaptively adjust and switch the number of conveyor tracks 212 according to the board specifications. For PCB boards with a width of 250mm-350mm, the conveyor track 212 is a single-track conveyor, meaning one board is fed in parallel at a time. For PCB boards with a width of 50mm-80mm, the conveyor track 212 is a four-track parallel conveyor, meaning four boards are fed in parallel at a time. Compared to single-track conveyor, the production capacity can be increased by four times, achieving efficient batch conveying of small-sized boards. In this embodiment, a four-track parallel conveyor is used as an example. To match the force requirements of multi-track parallel conveying, the number of pusher cylinders 217 corresponds one-to-one with the number of parallel tracks, meaning there are also four sets of pusher cylinders 217. In some embodiments, if the conveying track 212 is a single-track or double-track conveyor, for large-size board conveying scenarios, two or more pusher cylinders 217 can be configured to push in coordination, and the force on the board can be distributed by multi-point symmetrical contact, so as to improve the stability of the PCB board during movement and improve the PCB board conveying yield.

[0068] Reference Figure 5 The board collection mechanism 3 is used to achieve automated and precise collection of cleaned PCB boards, including a board collection clamping machine 31 and a drive assembly 32. The drive assembly 32 can drive the board collection clamping machine 31 to move precisely along a second direction (X-axis in the figure, horizontal left and right) and a third direction (Z-axis in the figure, vertical up and down). The board collection clamping machine 31 is a dedicated clamping execution unit for material boxes, which can rigidly and stably clamp empty or fully loaded material boxes. Through the drive assembly 32, it drives the material boxes to be precisely aligned in multiple dimensions and connects one by one to the independent conveying tracks 212 of the rear pusher assembly 22 to complete the layered, orderly, and neat collection of multiple PCB boards.

[0069] Specifically, refer to Figures 5 to 6The plate clamping machine 31 includes a base 311 connected to the drive assembly 32, an upper clamp 312 and a lower clamp 313 for clamping the material box, and a clamping cylinder 314. The base 311 is rigidly fixed to the power output end of the drive assembly 32. The clamping cylinder 314 is disposed between the upper clamp 312 and the base 311, and the cylinder body of the clamping cylinder 314 is fixed to the base 311. The upper clamp 312 is fixed to the piston rod end of the clamping cylinder 314. The lower clamp is fixed to the bottom of the base 311 and is arranged vertically opposite to the upper clamp 312, forming an openable and closable symmetrical clamping structure. The piston rod of the clamping cylinder 314 extends and retracts, causing the upper chuck 312 to move. When the plate-retrieving clamping machine 31 needs to clamp the material box, the piston rod of the clamping cylinder 314 extends, placing the material box between the upper chuck 312 and the lower chuck 313, and bringing the side wall of the material box into contact with the base 311. Then, by controlling the piston rod of the clamping cylinder 314 to retract, the upper chuck 312 moves towards the lower chuck 313, thereby clamping the material box. To solve problems such as material box clamping positioning offset and misalignment, the plate-retrieving mechanism 3 also includes a material box sensor 315, used to detect whether the side wall of the material box is in contact with the base 311. When the material box sensor 315 detects that the material box is in contact with the side wall of the base 311, the clamping cylinder 314 controls its piston rod to retract.

[0070] Reference Figures 5 to 6 The handling system also includes a transfer station 6 and a barcode scanner 7. The transfer station 6 is located at the side of the receiving mechanism 3 and is a dedicated independent station for material box replacement, temporary storage, and transfer. The barcode scanner 7 is fixedly positioned facing the transfer station 6 and has dual detection and identification functions: first, it identifies the unique identification code of the material box by scanning the code, realizing full-process traceability of PCB board materials, process matching, and production data statistics; second, it detects the presence or absence of material boxes at the transfer station 6 through photoelectric sensing, providing a basic start signal for the system's automated scheduling. The replacement of the PCB boxes to be clamped by the board receiving clamping machine 31 is completed at the transfer station 6, forming a cyclical operation logic: an empty PCB box is placed at the transfer station 6. When clamping is performed, the drive component 32 moves the board receiving clamping machine 31 to the transfer station 6. The PCB box is pre-positioned between the upper clamp 312 and the lower clamp 313, with the side wall of the PCB box against the base 311. After the PCB box sensor 315 detects the signal that the PCB box is in place, the linkage control device controls the piston rod of the clamping cylinder 314 to retract, causing the upper clamp 312 to clamp the PCB box downwards, achieving rigid fixation of the PCB box without deviation. When the PCB box on the board receiving clamping machine 31 has finished storing the PCB board, the board receiving clamping machine 31 moves towards the transfer station 6 under the drive of the drive component 32. Then, the board receiving clamping machine 31 places the PCB box on the transfer station 6. By controlling the extension of the piston rod of the clamping cylinder 314, the PCB box is detached from the board receiving clamping machine 31, waiting for subsequent dispatch and transfer by the overhead crane 51.

[0071] Reference Figures 7 to 8To reduce the footprint of the automated storage and retrieval system (AS / RS) 4, a multi-layered three-dimensional buffer structure is adopted, including a base frame 41 for mounting several buffer tracks 42. The buffer tracks 42 are arranged in multiple layers on the base frame 41, abandoning the traditional single-layer planar buffer layout and making full use of vertical space to arrange multiple buffer positions. That is, multiple buffer tracks 42 are set in the vertical space, thereby increasing the utilization rate of vertical space and reducing the space occupied by the equipment on the ground. In this embodiment, a three-layered buffer track 42 is used as an example. The buffer tracks 42 are, from bottom to top, the first track, the second track, and the third track. Addressing the common problem in traditional multi-layered three-dimensional buffer equipment where the middle layer material box is obstructed by the upper track structure and cannot be directly retrieved or placed by the overhead crane 51, in this implementation, the buffer track 42 includes a conventional track 42A and an extended track 42B. The first track is a conventional track 42A, the second track is an extended track 42B, and the third track can be either a conventional track 42A or an extended track 42B, which can be flexibly selected according to the operating range of the overhead crane 51. The structural difference between the conventional track 42A and the extended track 42B is that the extended track 42B is equipped with an extension structure 424. The extension structure 424 has a telescopic function that can drive the material box to extend out of the main working area of ​​the track support 421, so that the overhead crane 51 can grab or place the middle layer material box without obstruction, which is suitable for multi-layer dense buffer layout.

[0072] Reference Figure 8 In some embodiments, the cache library 4 can be configured with more layers, such as four or five layers, depending on actual usage requirements. Except for the bottom cache track 42 and the top cache track 42, the cache tracks 42 of other layers are all configured as extended tracks 42B to maximize the elimination of multi-layer operation interference. The top and bottom tracks can also be configured with extended track 42B structures as needed according to the design of the ground space and the design of the crane 51 operation area to adapt to complex multi-workstation scheduling scenarios.

[0073] Specifically, refer to Figures 9 to 10Each buffer track 42 includes a track support 421, a conveyor belt 422, and a drive motor 423 for driving the conveyor belt 422. To avoid interference between moving parts, this application adopts a staggered layout design, that is, the extension structure 424 and the drive motor 423 are located at opposite ends of the track support 421, to avoid motion interference between the drive motor 423 and the extension structure 424 and ensure stable operation of the equipment. The extension structure 424 includes an extension platform 4241 and a telescopic component 4242. The telescopic component 4242 is used to drive the extension platform 4241 to move telescopically along the length of the track support 421. The extension structure 424 also includes a limiting frame 4243, which is located at the end of the extension platform 4241 away from the drive motor 423, and is used to limit the position of the material box to prevent the material box from shifting or slipping during the telescopic process. In the normal buffer state of the material box, the extension platform 4241 is completely retracted inside the track bracket 421, without occupying extra space, ensuring a compact layout. When the trolley 51 needs to pick up or place the material box on the middle track (second track), the telescopic component 4242 can drive the extension platform 4241 to extend outward and push the material box to an unobstructed independent working area. After the picking up or placing operation is completed, the telescopic component 4242 drives the extension platform 4241 to retract and reset, completing one unobstructed material box scheduling.

[0074] Reference Figures 9 to 10 The telescopic assembly 4242 includes a telescopic cylinder 42421, a guide block 42422, and a guide rail 42423. In this embodiment, the telescopic cylinder 42421 is an actuator capable of reciprocating linear motion. Depending on the load capacity of the material box, a pneumatic telescopic cylinder 42421, a hydraulic telescopic cylinder 42421, or an electric telescopic cylinder 42421 can be selected. The cylinder body of the telescopic cylinder 42421 is fixedly connected to the rail support 421, and the telescopic rod of the telescopic cylinder 42421 is fixedly connected to the extension platform 4241. The movement of the extension platform 4241 is controlled by the telescopic movement of the telescopic rod. To address the issue of easy swaying during telescopic extension of the cantilevered extension platform 4241, the guide block 42422 is locked to the guide rail 42423, meaning the guide block 42422 can only move horizontally along the direction of the guide rail 42423. Furthermore, to improve the stability of the extension platform 4241's movement, at least two guide blocks 42422 are located on both sides of the telescopic cylinder 42421 and are fixedly connected to the track support 421. The guide rail 42423 is slidably engaged with the guide block 42422 and is fixedly connected to the extension platform 4241. This double-sided symmetrical guide and limiting structure ensures the stability of the extension platform 4241 when the telescopic rod moves.

[0075] Reference Figures 9 to 10To prevent hard friction between the material box and the surface of the conveyor belt 422 during the extension and retraction of the extension structure 424, a lifting member 4244 and a locking rod 4245 are provided between the extension platform 4241 and the limiting frame 4243. The lifting member 4244 is used to drive the limiting frame 4243 to move up and down, and the locking rod 4245 is used to limit the lateral and longitudinal movement of the limiting frame 4243 on the extension platform 4241. There are at least two locking rods 4245, which are vertically arranged. The lower end of the locking rod 4245 is fixedly connected to the extension platform 4241, and the upper end is slidably connected to the limiting frame 4243, thereby limiting the lateral and longitudinal movement of the limiting frame 4243 on the extension platform 4241, while allowing the limiting frame 4243 to move up and down along the locking rod 4245. Before the extension and retraction assembly 4242 changes state, the lifting member 4244 drives the limiting frame 4243 and the material box above it to rise, thereby causing the material box to detach from the surface of the conveyor belt 213. In this embodiment, the lifting member 4244 needs to move the limit up and down a short distance, so the lifting member 4244 is preferably an airbag. Of course, the lifting member 4244 can also be a telescopic rod structure such as a cylinder.

[0076] Reference Figures 9 to 10 To ensure the stability of the movement of the limiting frame 4243, at least two lifting members 4244 are provided and spaced apart along the length of the limiting frame 4243. Airbags are located between the extension platform 4241 and the limiting frame 4243. In practical applications, the size ratio of the limiting frame 4243 to the airbag size can be used, or multiple sets of airbags can be provided along the width of the limiting frame 4243. In this embodiment, two airbags are used as an example based on the actual size of the material box. In this embodiment, the length of the limiting frame 4243 is aligned with the width of the track support 421. The length of the limiting frame 4243 is slightly less than the distance between the two conveyor belts 422. The width of the limiting frame 4243 is set according to the size of the material box. The width of the limiting frame 4243 can be equal to or slightly less than N times the size of the material box in the conveying direction, to ensure that the extension structure 424 can extend and retract N material boxes without interfering with other material boxes on the track support 421. N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. In this embodiment, N is preferably equal to 1.

[0077] Reference Figures 9 to 10The extended structure 424 employs a frictionless telescopic timing logic: Before the telescopic component 4242 initiates its telescopic action, the lifting component 4244 is prioritized for inflation and lifting, raising the limit frame 4243 and the material box as a whole. This ensures the bottom of the material box is completely detached from the surface of the conveyor belt 422, keeping the material box suspended throughout the telescopic operation without any hard friction. This protects the conveyor belt 422, extends the equipment's lifespan, and completely avoids problems such as PCB board displacement and material damage caused by friction-induced vibration. After the telescopic operation is completed, the lifting component 4244 depressurizes and falls back, restoring the material box to the surface of the conveyor belt 422, allowing for continued buffer conveying operations. The lifting component 4244 utilizes an airbag, which offers advantages such as low noise, flexible buffering, and no impact, making it suitable for precision PCB board production scenarios and effectively avoiding the material displacement problems caused by the impact of traditional rigid cylinder lifting.

[0078] Reference Figures 9 to 10 To achieve automated and precise collaborative operation between the multi-layer buffer tracks 42 and the overhead crane 51, this application embodiment designs a complete sensing and timing linkage software control strategy for each buffer track 42, forming a closed-loop control logic including automatic material box feeding detection, delayed alignment locking, no-load standby judgment, lifting before removal, overhead crane 51 loading and unloading, and automatic reset. Each buffer track 42 is equipped with a feeding sensor and a position sensor to detect the feeding status of the buffer track 42, the position of the material box, and the material saturation of the material box track in real time. Based on the model output of the feeding sensor and the position sensor, hierarchical timing judgment and action output are executed.

[0079] Specifically, the automatic buffering control process of buffer track 42 is as follows: The system continuously scans the status of the feed sensor. After the feed sensor has been continuously and stably triggered for a preset time (e.g., 1s, 2s, the anti-shake duration can be set as needed) to eliminate instantaneous vibration interference, it is determined that the feed end of the buffer track 42 has been effectively fed into the material box. Then, the system detects the position sensor of the current buffer track 42 to determine whether the buffer track 42 is full. If the position sensor does not detect the position signal output by the position sensor before the conveyor belt 422 starts conveying, it means that the buffer track 42 is not full. Then, the linkage control device starts the conveyor belt 422 to feed the material. After the position sensor is triggered, the conveyor belt 422 continues to run for a delay time (e.g., 3s, 6s). If the position sensor is stably triggered, it means that the buffer track 42 is full. When the position sensor detects that the material box is completely in place, the system stops after controlling the conveyor belt 422 to continue running for a delay time, and the anti-shake delay ensures that the material box is stationary and aligned.

[0080] The material feeding and discharging linkage process of the buffer track 42 is as follows: The system monitors the operating status of the overhead crane 51 in real time. When it is determined that the overhead crane 51 is idle and there is a material feeding and discharging scheduling requirement in the growth line, the corresponding target buffer track 42 automatically enters the material feeding and discharging preparation state. Taking the buffer track 42 as the extension track 42B and the material feeding of the buffer track 42 as an example, the buffer track 42 strictly follows the exclusive timing action of "lifting first and then extending". First, the lifting component 4244 is controlled to inflate and lift the material box, so that the material box is completely separated from the contact surface of the conveyor belt 422 to eliminate subsequent extension and contraction friction. Then, the extension cylinder 42421 is controlled to drive the extension platform 4241 to extend outward, and the material box is completely pushed to the outer working area where the overhead crane 51 can grab without obstacles.

[0081] Reference Figures 11 to 12 To further reduce space occupation, the overhead crane 51 adopts an overhead suspension structure, meaning it is installed on the ceiling, significantly reducing the overall footprint of the equipment and solving the space constraint problem. The overhead crane 51 includes a first drive shaft 511, a second drive shaft 512, a third drive shaft 513, and grippers 514. The grippers 514 are pneumatic or electric clamping structures, symmetrically clamping the material box from both sides of the top, ensuring even force distribution and preventing damage to the material box frame structure. In some embodiments, the overhead crane 51 can be configured with multiple sets according to actual usage requirements; that is, the number of the first drive shaft 511, second drive shaft 512, third drive shaft 513, and grippers 514 can all be multiple. In this embodiment, the overhead crane 51 is configured with a dual-set drive shaft and dual-gripper 514 synchronous operation mode, which can simultaneously complete the material box handling at two workstations, doubling the transfer efficiency compared to a single-gripper 514 overhead crane 51. The overhead crane 51 includes two operating modes: a dual-axis linkage gripper 514 and a three-axis linkage gripper 514. The dual-axis linkage gripper 514 can only move along the X and Z axes. It is simple to control and suitable for high-speed transfer of large quantities of material boxes along fixed routes over long distances, with high handling efficiency. The three-axis linkage gripper 514 can move along the X, Y, and Z axes and is suitable for large-scale handling with horizontal movement across the entire area.

[0082] Specifically, refer to Figures 11 to 12The dual-axis linkage gripper 514 is located at the end of the third drive shaft 513 facing the cache storage 4. The third drive shaft 513 drives the gripper 514 to move up and down reciprocally in the vertical space (i.e., along the Z-axis). The third drive shaft 513 is mounted on the first drive shaft 511, which drives the gripper to move reciprocally in the second direction (i.e., the X-axis). The three-axis linkage gripper 514 is located at the end of the third drive shaft 513 facing the cache storage 4. The third drive shaft 513 drives the gripper 514 to move up and down reciprocally in the vertical space (i.e., along the Z-axis). The third drive shaft 513 is mounted on the second drive shaft 512, which drives the third drive shaft 513 to move reciprocally in the first direction (i.e., the Y-axis). The second drive shaft 512 is mounted on the first drive shaft 511, which drives the gripper to move reciprocally in the second direction (i.e., the X-axis).

[0083] In this embodiment, the overhead crane 51 and the buffer storage unit 4 employ interlocking control logic. Relying on multiple coordinated scheduling mechanisms, including the feeding sensor and position sensor of the buffer track 42, and the load determination of the crane 51's gripper 514, unmanned material box retrieval and placement operations are achieved. The specific control process is as follows: the system first determines the current load status of the crane 51 and executes operation priority scheduling. If the crane 51's gripper 514 has no material box, it enters the material retrieval standby process; if the crane 51 is currently carrying a material box, it prioritizes the material placement process to avoid process conflicts and operational chaos. During the material retrieval operation, the crane 51 has multiple safety interlocking linkage logics: the system needs to first determine that the position sensor of the target buffer track 42 has been stably triggered, and only after confirming that the material box is accurately in place can the corresponding track be allowed to switch to the material dispensing standby state; if no position signal is detected, the crane 51 remains in a safe waiting position. After confirming that the material dispensing conditions are met... The first drive shaft 511 and / or the second drive shaft 512 are used to move the gripper 514 to the preset material waiting position above the target buffer track 42. Then, the third drive shaft 513 drives the gripper 514 to a safe height. After that, the first drive shaft 511 and / or the second drive shaft 512 are finely adjusted to complete the precise alignment of the gripping position. After alignment, the overhead crane 51 controls the gripper 514 to fully open, and the third drive shaft 513 precisely descends to the preset clamping height. After clamping the material box and confirming that it is in place, the gripper 514 is driven to rise back to the full height. At the same time, the system updates the status of the corresponding buffer track 42 to the waiting state, completing the single-grip operation. When the overhead crane 51 successfully grips the material box and the position sensing signal disappears, the linkage control device determines that the material box has been completely removed from the conveyor belt 422, controls the telescopic cylinder 42421 to retract, and the lifting component 4244 to depressurize and descend, so that the extension structure 424 completes the reset, waiting for the next buffer and discharge scheduling.

[0084] Reference Figure 11The multi-axis robot 52 is deployed at the rear end or outlet side of the Plasma cleaning equipment, within the reach of the overhead crane 51 for material handling. The end effector of the multi-axis robot 52 is a material box gripper. In this implementation, the multi-axis robot 52 can be selected as a six-axis vertical multi-joint robot or a SCARA robot depending on the space and load. The multi-axis robot 52 has multi-posture and high-precision gripping capabilities, responsible for short-distance, multi-target, and flexible material box transfer operations, making up for the lack of flexibility of the fixed path of the overhead crane 51, and forming a highly efficient and complementary composite handling system with the overhead crane 51. To facilitate the gripping and transfer of material boxes by the multi-axis robot 52, the handling system also includes a transfer track 8. The transfer track 8 is used to buffer and place material racks, and is located within the dual working range of the overhead crane 51 and the multi-axis robot 52. It is used to temporarily store material boxes to be transferred or returned, realizing a seamless connection between the long-distance batch handling of the overhead crane 51 and the short-distance precise docking of the multi-axis robot 52, ensuring continuous and stable production cycle. The structure of the transfer track 8 and the buffer track 42 can be the same; that is, the transfer track 8 can be either a regular track 42A or an extended track 42B, depending on the actual number of layers and setup requirements. The transfer track 8 and the buffer automated storage and retrieval system 4 are separately and independently deployed, forming two independent handling areas to avoid safety risks caused by human-machine interference. This ensures safety when manual handling of the material boxes is required, meaning that machines and humans work in two separate areas without interfering with each other.

[0085] Example 2

[0086] Please refer to Figure 13 This embodiment discloses a control method for a material handling system in PCB board production, which is applied to the material handling system described in Embodiment 1. The entire system relies on a linkage control mechanism to achieve coordinated scheduling of all processes. It communicates with the host computer of upstream board supply equipment, Plasma cleaning equipment, downstream AOI inspection equipment, X-Ray inspection equipment, etc., via industrial Ethernet, acquiring real-time operating status, production cycle time, and fault signals of each device, thus achieving independent controllability and coordinated operation of each mechanical structure. The control method specifically includes the following steps:

[0087] Step 1, Feeding and Cleaning: The upstream board feeding equipment outputs PCB boards, and the multi-track conveyor 2, in parallel mode, sends the PCB boards into the Plasma cleaning equipment, which then performs the cleaning process.

[0088] Specifically, the multi-track conveyor 2 adjusts the spacing of the limit bars 2122 according to the specifications and dimensions of the PCB boards output by the upstream board supply equipment, thereby selecting the number of parallel boards fed onto the conveyor track 212. After receiving the PCB boards output from the upstream board supply equipment, the front-end pusher assembly 21 drives the conveyor track 212 to precisely align with the inlet of the Plasma cleaning equipment via the conveyor belt 213. Simultaneously, the pusher motor 214 and the pusher cylinder 217 are started. The pusher cylinder 217 abuts against the end of the PCB board, pushing multiple PCB boards located on its conveyor track 212 into the Plasma cleaning equipment.

[0089] Step 2, Unloading and Receiving: After the PCB board is cleaned, the rear pusher assembly 22 pushes the PCB board from the Plasma cleaning equipment to the receiving mechanism 3.

[0090] Specifically, after the PCB board cleaning is completed, the Plasma cleaning equipment sends a cleaning completion signal to the linkage control device, and the rear pusher assembly 22 starts the coordinated unloading sequence. First, the conveyor belt 213 drives the conveyor track 212 to move towards one end of the Plasma cleaning equipment, so that the end of the conveyor track 212 is precisely aligned with the discharge port of the Plasma cleaning equipment. Then, the synchronous belt 215 drives the pusher bracket 216 to move to the end of the PCB board facing the front pusher assembly 21. Then, the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 is controlled to extend. When the synchronous belt 215 drives the pusher bracket 216 to move towards the receiving mechanism 3, the contact block 2171 abuts against the end of the PCB board and drives the PCB board to move towards the receiving mechanism 3. When the PCB board is completely transferred from the Plasma cleaning equipment to the conveyor track 212, the conveyor belt 213 and the synchronous belt 215 maintain the same transmission speed, driving the conveyor track 212 to move synchronously toward one end of the receiving mechanism 3 until the conveyor track 212 docks with the material box on the receiving mechanism 3. At the same time, the synchronous belt 215 and the conveyor belt 213 stop conveying and the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 retracts, causing the pusher to separate from the PCB board.

[0091] Because the material box adopts a layered storage structure, each layer can only store one PCB board to avoid damage to the panel caused by stacking PCB boards. The board receiving mechanism 3 can only clamp one material box at a time. Therefore, the rear pusher assembly 22 pushes the PCB boards on the PCB track into the material box of the board receiving mechanism 3 in sequence. That is, when the material box on the board receiving mechanism 3 is precisely aligned with one of the PCB boards on the conveyor track 212, the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 corresponding to that PCB board extends, so that the contact block 2171 contacts the PCB board. Then, the synchronous belt 215, driven by the pusher motor 214, pushes the PCB board toward the material box until the PCB board is completely inserted into the material box. After the single board is stored, the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 resets. Subsequently, the pusher motor 214 rotates in the reverse direction, causing the synchronous belt 215 to drive the pusher cylinder 217 towards one end of the Plasma cleaning equipment until the pusher cylinder 217 is located at the end of the PCB board away from the receiving mechanism 3, at which point the transmission stops. Simultaneously, the receiving clamp 31 moves under the drive of the drive assembly 32, the material box vertically shifts to the next receiving station, and horizontally shifts so that another storage space in the material box aligns with another PCB board. At this point, the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 aligned with this PCB board extends, causing the contact block 2171 to contact the end of the PCB board. Then, the synchronous belt 215, driven by the pusher motor 214, pushes the PCB board towards the material box until the PCB board is completely inside the material box, at which point the piston rod of the pusher cylinder 217 retracts. This pushing operation is repeated until all PCB boards are sequentially transferred to the receiving mechanism 3.

[0092] Step 3, Distribution and Transfer: The overhead crane 51 and the multi-axis robot 52 perform multi-level parallel handling.

[0093] Specifically, the overhead crane 51 is responsible for high-speed transport along a fixed path, while the multi-axis robot 52 is responsible for short-distance transfer of multiple targets. The overhead crane 51 and the multi-axis robot 52 form a composite transport structure to cover the material box transport path before and after the Plasma cleaning process. When the material box on the receiving mechanism 3 has finished storing the PCB board, the receiving clamping machine 31 delivers the material box to the transfer station 6. The overhead crane 51 removes the material box from the transfer station 6 and transports it to the corresponding downstream process buffer position according to the production schedule. This downstream process buffer position can be either the buffer track 42 or the transfer track 8, depending on actual production needs. The multi-axis robot 52 transports the material box on the transfer track 8 to the entrance of other process equipment (such as AOI, X-Ray, etc.), simultaneously retrieving empty material boxes from other processes and placing them on the transfer track 8, achieving rapid return of empty material boxes.

[0094] Meanwhile, empty material boxes temporarily stored in the buffer storage unit 4 can be retrieved as needed by the overhead crane 51 and accurately transferred to the transfer station 6, continuously supplying the receiving mechanism 3 to complete the PCB board collection operation, forming a fully closed-loop automated production process of "loading-cleaning-unloading and receiving-multi-level transfer-empty material box return". The entire control method effectively solves the problems of low transfer efficiency and low space utilization in the production line through dual-structure parallel scheduling, three-dimensional buffer storage, and adaptive conveyor matching, and greatly improves the operating efficiency of the PCB board production line.

[0095] The above handling system consists of: upstream board supply equipment outputs PCB boards - front-end pusher assembly 21 receives the PCB boards and pushes them into the Plasma cleaning equipment - Plasma cleaning equipment performs the cleaning process - rear-end pusher assembly 22 pushes the PCB boards out of the Plasma cleaning equipment and into the material box - overhead crane 51 removes the material box from the transfer station 6 - the material box is stored in the buffer storage 4 / transfer track 8 - multi-axis robot 52 transfers the material box to the downstream process. For the same PCB board, steps 1-3 are sequential actions. However, for the entire handling system, steps 1-3 can be synchronous and parallel operations, with each operation independent of the others and coordinated. That is, while the front-end pusher assembly 21 pushes the PCB board output from the upstream board supply equipment into the Plasma cleaning equipment, the rear-end pusher assembly 22 can also simultaneously push the PCB board that has completed the cleaning process in the Plasma cleaning equipment into the receiving mechanism 3. At the same time, the overhead crane 51 and the multi-axis robot 52 can also perform their respective handling tasks.

[0096] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0097] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0098] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A material handling system for PCB board production, characterized in that: It includes a rack (1), a multi-rail conveyor mechanism (2), a pallet receiving mechanism (3), a buffer storage unit (4), and a handling mechanism (5), wherein: The multi-track conveying mechanism (2) includes a front push plate assembly (21) disposed at the feed end of the Plasma cleaning equipment and a rear push plate assembly (22) disposed at the discharge end of the Plasma cleaning equipment. The front push plate assembly (21) is used to convey the PCB board into the Plasma cleaning equipment, and the rear push plate assembly (22) is used to convey the PCB board to the receiving mechanism (3). The board receiving mechanism (3) is used to sequentially collect PCB boards into the material box for storage; The cache storage unit (4) includes a base frame (41) and several cache tracks (42) arranged on the base frame (41). The cache tracks (42) include a regular track (42A) and an extended track (42B). The extended track (42B) is provided with an extension structure (424) that can extend and retract along its conveying direction. The conveying mechanism (5) includes an overhead crane (51) and a multi-axis robot (52). The overhead crane (51) is used to drive the material box for linear conveying, and the multi-axis robot (52) is used to convey the material box in short distances, multiple postures, and high precision in multiple directions.

2. The material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the front pusher assembly (21) and the rear pusher assembly (22) include: At least two slide rails (211) fixed to the frame (1) extend along a first direction and are spaced apart along a second direction; A conveying track (212) that slides in cooperation with the slide rail (211); A conveyor belt (213) connected to the conveying track (212) is used to drive the conveying track (212) to reciprocate along its length. The pusher cylinder (217) and the timing belt (215) that can drive the pusher cylinder (217) to reciprocate are provided. The direction of reciprocating movement of the timing belt (215) is the same as the direction of reciprocating movement of the conveyor belt (213). The pusher cylinder (217) is used to abut against the end of the PCB board and drive the PCB board to move under the drive of the timing belt (215).

3. The material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 2, characterized in that: The conveying track (212) includes a transmission plate (2121) slidably connected to the slide rail (211) and a plurality of limiting strips (2122) detachably and lockingly connected to the transmission plate (2121), with two adjacent limiting strips (2122) forming an independent PCB board track; The transmission plate (2121) has multiple sets of positioning grooves (2123) spaced apart along the first direction and extending parallel to the second direction. The positioning grooves (2123) are used to install and fix the limiting strip (2122).

4. The material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plate-collecting mechanism (3) includes a plate-collecting clamp (31) and a drive assembly (32), wherein the drive assembly (32) can drive the plate-collecting clamp (31) to move; The board receiving clamp (31) is used to clamp the material box and receive the PCB board under the drive of the drive assembly (32).

5. A material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 4, characterized in that: The plate clamping machine (31) includes a base (311) fixedly connected to the drive assembly (32), a lower clamp (313) fixed to the lower end of the base (311), and an upper clamp (312) disposed above the lower clamp (313). A clamping cylinder (314) is provided between the upper clamp (312) and the base (311). The clamping cylinder (314) is used to drive the upper clamp (312) to move up and down to clamp the material box.

6. A material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 5, characterized in that: The handling system also includes a transfer station (6) and a barcode scanner (7). The transfer station (6) is located at the side of the receiving mechanism (3) and is an independent station for changing, temporarily storing, and transferring material boxes. The barcode scanner (7) scans the material boxes by pointing its barcode recognition end toward the transfer station (6).

7. A material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The extended track (42B) includes a track support (421), a conveyor belt (422), and a drive motor (423) for driving the conveyor belt (422) to transmit. The drive motor (423) and the extension structure (424) are located at opposite ends of the track support (421); The extension structure (424) includes an extension platform (4241) and a telescopic assembly (4242), the telescopic assembly (4242) being used to drive the extension platform (4241) to move telescopically along the length of the track support (421); The extension structure (424) further includes a limiting frame (4243) and a lifting member (4244). The limiting frame (4243) is disposed at one end of the extension platform (4241) away from the drive motor (423) and is used to limit the position of the material box. The lifting member (4244) is disposed between the extension platform (4241) and the limiting frame (4243) and is used to drive the limiting frame (4243) to move up and down so that the material box is disengaged from the surface of the conveyor belt (422).

8. A material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The overhead crane (51) adopts an overhead suspension structure. The overhead crane (51) includes a dual-axis linkage gripper and a three-axis linkage gripper. The dual-axis linkage gripper is used for fixed-route transport, and the three-axis linkage gripper is used for large-scale transport with horizontal movement across the entire area.

9. A material handling system for PCB board production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transport system also includes a transfer track (8), which is located within the dual working range of the overhead crane (51) and the multi-axis robot (52) and is used to temporarily store the material boxes to be transferred or returned.

10. A control method for a material handling system for PCB board production, applied to the material handling system for PCB board production as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step 1, feeding and cleaning: The upstream board supply equipment outputs PCB boards, and the multi-track conveying mechanism (2) in parallel mode sends the PCB boards into the Plasma cleaning equipment, which performs the cleaning process. Step 2, Unloading and Receiving: After the PCB board is cleaned, the rear pusher assembly (22) pushes the PCB board from the Plasma cleaning equipment to the receiving mechanism (3); Step 3, Distribution and Transfer: The overhead crane (51) and the multi-axis robot (52) perform multi-level parallel handling; Steps 1, 2, and 3 are synchronous parallel operations.

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