An automatic pin insertion apparatus for probe card AOT testing

Abstract

The application relates to an automatic needle inserting device for AOT test of a probe card, which comprises a machine body, a probe card positioning mechanism, a Z-axis mechanism, a block feeding mechanism, a block sticking mechanism, a needle feeding mechanism, a needle inserting mechanism, a visual detection mechanism and a control system. The probe card positioning mechanism is used for bearing and fixing the probe card; the block feeding mechanism is used for automatic feeding of the needle block; the block sticking mechanism is used for grabbing the needle block and sticking and positioning the needle block to a preset position on the probe card; the needle feeding mechanism is used for automatic feeding of the non-rebound needle; the needle inserting mechanism is used for clamping the non-rebound needle and inserting the non-rebound needle into the needle block at a preset force and a preset depth; the Z-axis mechanism has the functions of vertical lifting and rotating station switching, and switches the block sticking mechanism and the needle inserting mechanism to the working station alternately; the visual detection mechanism is used for detecting the inserting quality; and the control system realizes full-automatic needle inserting operation. The device can automatically complete the needle block sticking of the probe card, the non-rebound needle inserting and the quality detection full-process operation, and has high automation degree and high positioning and operation precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor wafer testing technology, and more particularly to an automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing. Background Technology

[0002] Probe cards are core consumables in semiconductor wafer testing, typically requiring AOT (Actual Over-the-Route) testing. To ensure the accuracy and stability of experimental data, non-rebound pins are inserted into preset positions on the probe card. After insertion, the non-rebound pins maintain a fixed posture, move downwards under pressure, and do not spring back after the pressure is removed, thus allowing the inference of the probe's actual compression.

[0003] Currently, the insertion of non-rebound pins in the industry is mostly done manually, which is inefficient, labor-intensive, and the small size of the non-rebound pins makes manual grasping and positioning difficult. This can easily lead to problems such as insertion misalignment, insufficient insertion depth, and pin damage, resulting in deviations in AOT test data and making it difficult to meet the insertion requirements of probe card AOT testing.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide an automatic pin insertion device that can adapt to the non-rebound pin structure, accurately control the insertion posture and force, avoid pin damage, and efficiently complete the probe card pin insertion operation is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an automated pin insertion device for AOT testing of probe cards to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides an automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing, including a body and a pin card positioning mechanism, a Z-axis mechanism, a block feeding mechanism, a block attaching mechanism, a pin feeding mechanism, a pin insertion mechanism, a vision inspection mechanism and a control system mounted on the body, wherein each mechanism is electrically connected to the control system.

[0007] The needle card positioning mechanism is installed in the middle of the machine body and is used to carry, position and clamp the probe card to be inserted.

[0008] The block feeding mechanism is installed on one side of the machine body and is used for automatic feeding of the pin blocks; the block attaching mechanism is located above the pin card positioning mechanism via the Z-axis mechanism and corresponds to the discharge position of the block feeding mechanism, and is used to grab the pin blocks and attach them to a preset position on the probe card;

[0009] The needle feeding mechanism is installed on the other side of the machine body and is used for the arrangement and automatic feeding of non-rebound needles; the needle insertion mechanism is located above the needle clamp positioning mechanism through the Z-axis mechanism and corresponds to the discharge position of the needle feeding mechanism. It is used to clamp the non-rebound needles and insert the non-rebound needles into the needle insertion block according to the preset force and preset depth.

[0010] The Z-axis mechanism has both vertical lifting and rotation station switching functions, and can alternately switch the patching mechanism and the pin insertion mechanism to the working station to complete the patching operation of the pin block and the insertion operation of the non-returning pin in sequence.

[0011] The visual inspection mechanism is located above the pin positioning mechanism and is used to detect the posture, insertion depth and integrity of the non-rebound pin after insertion.

[0012] The control system is used to uniformly schedule the timing actions of each mechanism to achieve fully automatic pin insertion.

[0013] Preferably, the machine body includes a base, a cast iron frame, a marble platform, a column, a crossbeam, a first linear motor, a shim block, a guide rail, and a movable platform; the base is supported and installed at the bottom of the cast iron frame, and the marble platform is horizontally laid on the upper part of the cast iron frame; the column is vertically fixed to the surface of the marble platform, and the crossbeam is mounted on the top of the column; the guide rail is laid on the upper surface of the marble platform, and the stator of the first linear motor is installed on the upper surface of the marble platform through the shim block and arranged parallel to the guide rail; the bottom of the movable platform is slidably engaged with the guide rail, and the mover of the first linear motor is installed on the side of the movable platform and is arranged opposite to the stator to drive the movable platform to reciprocate along the guide rail; the block feeding mechanism and the needle feeding mechanism are both installed on the movable platform.

[0014] Preferably, the probe card positioning mechanism includes a base plate, an X-axis guide rail, a middle plate, a Y-axis guide rail, an upper slide, a second linear motor, a grating ruler, a vacuum porous ceramic suction cup, and a clamping assembly. The base plate is laid on the upper surface of the marble platform, the X-axis guide rail is laid on the base plate, and the middle plate is slidably fitted on the X-axis guide rail. The Y-axis guide rail is laid on the middle plate, and the upper slide is slidably fitted on the Y-axis guide rail. The second linear motor drives the upper slide to achieve displacement in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The grating ruler is set corresponding to the X-axis and Y-axis guide rails and is used to detect the movement position. The vacuum porous ceramic suction cup is installed on the upper slide and is used to adsorb the probe card. The clamping assembly is installed on the upper slide and is used to clamp the probe card.

[0015] Preferably, the Z-axis mechanism includes a Z-axis base, a servo motor, a ball screw, a Z-axis slide, a vertical guide rail, and a rotating assembly; the Z-axis base is fixed to the crossbeam, and the vertical guide rail is vertically arranged on the Z-axis base; the servo motor is fixed to the top of the Z-axis base, the ball screw is connected to the output end of the servo motor and arranged parallel to the vertical guide rail; the Z-axis slide is driven by the ball screw and slidably fitted on the vertical guide rail, and the servo motor drives the Z-axis slide to move up and down along the vertical guide rail through the ball screw; the rotating assembly is mounted on the Z-axis slide, and the block-attaching mechanism and the pin-inserting mechanism are respectively mounted on the rotating assembly, and the work station is switched as the rotating assembly rotates.

[0016] Preferably, the rotating assembly includes a rotary motor, a coupling, a rotary block, a mechanism fixing component, a limiting optical coupler, an optical coupler fixing component, and an optical coupler baffle. The rotary motor drives the rotary block to rotate through the coupling. The block-attaching mechanism and the pin insertion mechanism are fixed to the rotary block through the mechanism fixing component. The limiting optical coupler is fixed to the optical coupler fixing component, and the optical coupler baffle is fixed to the rotary block and rotates synchronously with the rotary block. The limiting optical coupler and the optical coupler baffle cooperate with each other to achieve rotational positioning.

[0017] Preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a first feeding guide rail, a first bearing slider, a bearing box, and a third linear motor; the first feeding guide rail is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform, and the first bearing slider is slidably engaged with the first feeding guide rail; the bearing box for carrying the pin block is installed on the first bearing slider, and the third linear motor drives the first bearing slider to slide along the first feeding guide rail.

[0018] Preferably, the attaching mechanism includes a first clamping cylinder and a needle block gripper. The first clamping cylinder is fixed to the rotational output end of the Z-axis mechanism, and the needle block gripper is assembled on the output end of the first clamping cylinder. The first clamping cylinder can drive the needle block gripper to open and close, thereby realizing the gripping and release of the inserting needle block.

[0019] Preferably, the needle feeding mechanism includes a second feeding guide rail, a second carrying slider, a needle feeding disc, and a fourth linear motor; the second feeding guide rail is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform, and the second carrying slider is slidably engaged with the second feeding guide rail; the needle feeding disc for carrying the non-rebound needle is installed on the second carrying slider, and the fourth linear motor drives the second carrying slider to slide along the second feeding guide rail.

[0020] Preferably, the needle insertion mechanism includes a second clamping cylinder and a needle gripper. The second clamping cylinder is fixed to the rotational output end of the Z-axis mechanism, and the needle gripper is assembled on the output end of the second clamping cylinder. The second clamping cylinder can drive the needle gripper to open and close, thereby realizing the gripping and release of the non-rebound needle.

[0021] Preferably, the visual inspection mechanism includes a camera and a fixing block. The camera is fixed to the Z-axis mechanism by the fixing block, and the visual range of the camera covers the pin positioning mechanism for checking the quality of the pin insertion operation.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing provided by the present invention has the following advantages:

[0023] 1. This invention is specifically designed for the non-rebound pin insertion process of AOT test probe cards. It combines the structural characteristics of the non-rebound pin itself with a dedicated pin clamping assembly and pressing-related structures. The mechanism's movement is highly matched with the workpiece shape, which can stably complete the pin insertion operation and effectively ensure the smooth progress of AOT testing of probe cards.

[0024] 2. This invention uses a dual-axis slide structure to achieve multi-directional precise positioning of the probe card. Working in conjunction with a vision inspection mechanism, it can not only accurately grasp the non-rebound pin, but also perform real-time detection and control of the insertion posture and insertion depth, effectively avoiding problems such as offset and uneven depth that are prone to occur in manual insertion, and ensuring stable insertion quality.

[0025] 3. The needle card positioning mechanism in this invention is equipped with both a vacuum porous ceramic suction cup and a clamping assembly. It adopts a dual fixing method combining adsorption and mechanical clamping, which can limit and fix the probe card in all directions. The probe card is not easy to move during operation, providing a solid foundation for high-precision insertion operations.

[0026] 4. This invention integrates functions such as automatic feeding, workpiece clamping, station switching, insertion operation, and quality inspection. It can realize the fully automated operation of non-rebound pins from feeding to finished product inspection without frequent manual intervention, which significantly reduces the labor intensity of operators and greatly improves the overall insertion processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a simplified overall structural diagram of an automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the machine body in a specific embodiment of the present invention (the moving platform is not shown).

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the needle card positioning mechanism in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the Z-axis mechanism in a specific embodiment of the present invention (rotating components are not shown).

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the block feeding mechanism installed on the mobile platform in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the patching mechanism in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the needle feeding mechanism installed on the mobile platform in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the pin insertion mechanism in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the visual inspection mechanism and rotating component in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cooperation between the non-rebound pin and the insertion block in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] In the diagram: 001-Probe card, 002-Pin block, 003-Non-return pin;

[0039] 100-Body, 110-Foot, 120-Cast iron frame, 130-Marble platform, 140-Column, 150-Crossbeam, 160-First linear motor, 170-Elevating block, 180-Guide rail, 190-Moving platform, 191-Moving column, 192-Motor;

[0040] 200-Needle positioning mechanism, 210-Base plate, 220-X-axis guide rail, 221-X-axis drag chain, 230-Intermediate plate, 240-Y-axis guide rail, 241-Y-axis drag chain, 250-Upper slide, 260-Second linear motor, 270-Grammeter ruler, 280-Vacuum porous ceramic suction cup, 290-Clamping assembly, 291-Flexible clamping block, 292-Clamping cylinder, 293-Cylinder bracket;

[0041] 300-Z-axis mechanism, 310-Z-axis base, 320-servo motor, 330-ball screw, 340-Z-axis slide, 350-vertical guide rail, 360-rotary assembly, 361-rotary motor, 362-coupling, 363-rotary block, 364-mechanism fixing part, 365-limiting optocoupler, 366-optocoupler fixing part, 367-optocoupler baffle, 368-support rod;

[0042] 400 - Block feeding mechanism, 410 - First feeding guide rail, 420 - First bearing slider, 430 - Bearing box, 440 - Third linear motor;

[0043] 500 - Patch mechanism, 510 - First clamping cylinder, 520 - Needle block gripper;

[0044] 600-Needle feeding mechanism, 610-Second feeding guide rail, 620-Second bearing slider, 630-Needle feeding disc, 640-Fourth linear motor;

[0045] 700 - Pin insertion mechanism, 710 - Second clamping cylinder, 720 - Pin gripper;

[0046] 800 - Visual inspection mechanism, 810 - Camera, 820 - Fixing block. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To illustrate the technical solutions of the invention in more detail, specific embodiments are listed below to demonstrate the technical effects; it should be emphasized that these embodiments are used to illustrate the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

[0048] The present invention provides an automated pin insertion device for AOT testing of probe cards, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the device includes a body 100 and a needle positioning mechanism 200, a Z-axis mechanism 300, a block feeding mechanism 400, a block attaching mechanism 500, a needle feeding mechanism 600, a needle insertion mechanism 700, a vision inspection mechanism 800, and a control system mounted on the body 100. Each mechanism is electrically connected to the control system.

[0049] The needle card positioning mechanism 200 is installed in the middle of the body 100 and is used to carry, position and clamp the probe card 001 to be inserted with a needle.

[0050] The block feeding mechanism 400 is installed on one side of the machine body 100 and is used for automatic feeding of the pin block 002; the block attaching mechanism 500 is located above the pin card positioning mechanism 200 via the Z-axis mechanism 300 and corresponds to the discharge position of the block feeding mechanism 400, and is used to grab the pin block 002 and attach it to a preset position on the probe card 001;

[0051] The needle feeding mechanism 600 is installed on the other side of the machine body 100 and is used for the arrangement and automatic feeding of the non-rebound needles 003; the needle insertion mechanism 700 is located above the needle clamping positioning mechanism 200 through the Z-axis mechanism 300 and corresponds to the discharge position of the needle feeding mechanism 600. It is used to clamp the non-rebound needles 003 and insert the non-rebound needles 003 into the needle insertion block 002 according to a preset force and a preset depth.

[0052] The Z-axis mechanism 300 has both vertical lifting and rotation station switching functions, and can alternately switch the patching mechanism 500 and the pin insertion mechanism 700 to the working station to complete the patching operation of the pin block 002 and the insertion operation of the non-rebound pin 003 in sequence.

[0053] The visual inspection mechanism 800 is located above the pin positioning mechanism 200 and is used to detect the posture, insertion depth and integrity of the non-rebound pin 003 after insertion.

[0054] The control system is used to uniformly schedule the timing actions of each mechanism to achieve fully automatic pin insertion.

[0055] This equipment has a high degree of integration, with reasonable layout of various functional mechanisms and smooth operation. It is specially adapted to the matching operation requirements of probe card 001, pin insertion block 002 and non-rebound pin 003. It can complete the entire process of block placement, pin insertion and testing in one stop. The automated operation mode effectively reduces manual intervention and greatly improves the overall operation continuity and production efficiency.

[0056] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 6 The machine body 100 includes feet 110, a cast iron frame 120, a marble platform 130, a column 140, a crossbeam 150, a first linear motor 160, a shim block 170, a guide rail 180, and a movable platform 190. The feet 110 are supported and installed at the bottom of the cast iron frame 120, and the marble platform 130 is horizontally laid on top of the cast iron frame 120. The column 140 is vertically fixed to the surface of the marble platform 130, and the crossbeam 150 is mounted on the top of the column 140. The guide rail 180 is laid on the marble platform 190. On the upper surface of the marble platform 130, the stator of the first linear motor 160 is mounted on the upper surface of the marble platform 130 via the shim block 170 and arranged parallel to the guide rail 180; the bottom of the movable platform 190 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 180, and the mover 192 of the first linear motor 160 is mounted on the side of the movable platform 190 and positioned opposite to the stator to drive the movable platform 190 to reciprocate along the guide rail 180; the block feeding mechanism 400 and the needle feeding mechanism 600 are both mounted on the movable platform 190. Please refer to the following for details. Figure 6The movable platform 190 is supported by a bottom movable column 191. The mover 192 of the first linear motor 160 is mounted on the inner side of the movable column 191, and the bottom of the movable column 191 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 180. The machine body 100 of this invention adopts a combination structure of cast iron frame 120 and marble platform 130, which makes the overall equipment rigid and has high operational stability. The shim block 170 realizes the height adaptation of the first linear motor 160, and the mover 192 cooperates with the guide rail 180 to drive the movable platform 190 to slide smoothly, with high motion accuracy and low operating noise.

[0057] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 4 The pin positioning mechanism 200 includes a base plate 210, an X-axis guide rail 220, a middle plate 230, a Y-axis guide rail 240, an upper slide plate 250, a second linear motor 260, a grating ruler 270, a vacuum porous ceramic suction cup 280, and a clamping assembly 290. The base plate 210 is laid on the upper surface of the marble table 130, the X-axis guide rail 220 is laid on the base plate 210, the middle plate 230 is slidably fitted on the X-axis guide rail 220, and an X-axis drag chain 221 is provided next to the X-axis guide rail 220. The Y-axis guide rail 240 is laid on the intermediate plate 230, and the upper slide plate 250 is slidably fitted on the Y-axis guide rail 240. A Y-axis drag chain 241 is provided next to the Y-axis guide rail 240. The second linear motor 260 drives the upper slide plate 250 to achieve displacement in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The grating ruler 270 is set corresponding to the X-axis guide rail 220 and the Y-axis guide rail 240 and is used to detect the movement position. The vacuum porous ceramic suction cup 280 is installed on the upper slide plate 250 and is used to adsorb the probe card 001. Specifically, the clamping assembly 290 includes a cylinder bracket 293, a clamping cylinder 292, and a flexible clamping block 291. The clamping cylinder 292 is mounted on the upper slide plate 250 via the cylinder bracket 293. The output end of the clamping cylinder 292 is equipped with the flexible clamping block 291, which drives the flexible clamping block 291 to clamp the probe card 001. This mechanism adopts an X and Y dual-axis slide structure, which, together with the grating ruler 270, achieves closed-loop position detection with excellent positioning accuracy. The vacuum porous ceramic suction cup 280 and the clamping assembly 290 form a dual fixing method of adsorption and mechanical clamping, and the flexible clamping block 291 can prevent damage to the probe card 001.

[0058] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 5 and Figure 10The Z-axis mechanism 300 includes a Z-axis base 310, a servo motor 320, a ball screw 330, a Z-axis slide 340, a vertical guide rail 350, and a rotating assembly 360. The Z-axis base 310 is fixed to the crossbeam 150, and the vertical guide rail 350 is vertically arranged on the Z-axis base 310. The servo motor 320 is fixed to the top of the Z-axis base 310, and the ball screw 330 is connected to the output end of the servo motor 320 and is parallel to the vertical guide rail 350. The Z-axis slide 340 is driven by a ball screw 330 and slidably mounted on a vertical guide rail 350. A servo motor 320 drives the Z-axis slide 340 to move up and down along the vertical guide rail 350 via the ball screw 330. A rotating assembly 360 is mounted on the Z-axis slide 340, and a block-attaching mechanism 500 and a pin-inserting mechanism 700 are respectively mounted on the rotating assembly 360, allowing for workstation switching as the rotating assembly 360 rotates. The Z-axis mechanism 300 can achieve smooth lifting and lowering by relying on the ball screw 330 and the vertical guide rail 350.

[0059] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 10 The rotating assembly 360 includes a rotary motor 361, a coupling 362, a rotary block 363, a mechanism fixing member 364, a limiting optocoupler 365, an optocoupler fixing member 366, and an optocoupler baffle 367. The rotary motor 361 drives the rotary block 363 to rotate through the coupling 362. The block-attaching mechanism 500 and the pin insertion mechanism 700 are fixed to the rotary block 363 through the mechanism fixing member 364. The optocoupler fixing member 366 is fixed to the fixed end of the rotary motor 361 through a support rod 368. The limiting optocoupler 365 is fixed to the optocoupler fixing member 366. The optocoupler baffle 367 is fixed to the rotary block 363 and rotates synchronously with the rotary block 363. The limiting optocoupler 365 and the optocoupler baffle 367 cooperate with each other to achieve rotational positioning. This invention employs a photoelectric positioning method that combines a limiting optocoupler 365 with an optocoupler baffle 367. This method can precisely control the rotation angle of the rotary block 363, ensuring that the mounting mechanism 500 and the pin insertion mechanism 700 can accurately stop at the work station each time, effectively guaranteeing the consistency of mounting and pin insertion operations.

[0060] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 6The block feeding mechanism 400 includes a first feeding guide rail 410, a first bearing slider 420, a bearing box 430, and a third linear motor 440. The first feeding guide rail 410 is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform 190, and the first bearing slider 420 is slidably fitted on the first feeding guide rail 410. The bearing box 430 for carrying the pin block 002 is installed on the first bearing slider 420. The third linear motor 440 drives the first bearing slider 420 to slide along the first feeding guide rail 410, thereby continuously feeding the block attaching mechanism 500 and ensuring continuous production operation.

[0061] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 7 The attaching mechanism 500 includes a first clamping cylinder 510 and a needle block gripper 520. The first clamping cylinder 510 is fixed to the rotational output end of the Z-axis mechanism 300, and the needle block gripper 520 is mounted on the output end of the first clamping cylinder 510. The first clamping cylinder 510 can drive the needle block gripper 520 to open and close, realizing the gripping and releasing of the needle block 002. The dedicated first clamping cylinder 510, paired with the needle block gripper 520, has a structure that matches the shape of the needle block 002, smoothly completing the gripping and releasing actions.

[0062] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 8 The needle feeding mechanism 600 includes a second feeding guide rail 610, a second bearing slider 620, a needle feeding disc 630, and a fourth linear motor 640. The second feeding guide rail 610 is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform 190, and the second bearing slider 620 is slidably fitted on the second feeding guide rail 610. The needle feeding disc 630, which carries the non-rebound needles 003, is installed on the second bearing slider 620. The fourth linear motor 640 drives the second bearing slider 620 to slide along the second feeding guide rail 610. The needle feeding disc 630 can arrange the non-rebound needles 003 in an orderly manner, and completes automatic feeding in conjunction with the fourth linear motor 640. It has good adaptability for slender non-rebound needles 003. It should be noted that the first feeding guide rail 410 can be integrated with the second feeding guide rail 610, and the third linear motor 440 can be shared with the fourth linear motor 640. The needle feeding mechanism 600 and the block feeding mechanism 400 can be arranged in separate zones and driven independently, without interfering with each other.

[0063] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 9The needle insertion mechanism 700 includes a second clamping cylinder 710 and a needle gripper 720. The second clamping cylinder 710 is fixed to the rotational output end of the Z-axis mechanism 300, and the needle gripper 720 is mounted on the output end of the second clamping cylinder 710. The second clamping cylinder 710 can drive the needle gripper 720 to open and close, thereby realizing the gripping and release of the non-rebound needle 003. The needle gripper 720 is specially designed according to the structure of the non-rebound needle 003 and works with the second clamping cylinder 710 to complete the needle picking and insertion actions.

[0064] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 10 The vision inspection mechanism 800 includes a camera 810 and a fixing block 820. The camera 810 is fixed to the Z-axis slide 340 of the Z-axis mechanism 300 via the fixing block 820. The visual range of the camera 810 covers the pin positioning mechanism 200 and is used to inspect the quality of the pin insertion operation. The vision inspection mechanism 800 can acquire images of the workpiece after insertion in real time. The positional relationship between the non-rebound pin 003 and the pin insertion block 002 is as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the visual inspection mechanism 800 can automatically detect the posture, insertion depth, and integrity of the non-rebound pin 003, enabling online control of work quality and effectively improving the finished product qualification rate.

[0065] The working process of the automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing provided by this invention is as follows:

[0066] S1: Equipment initialization, the control system sets the insertion process parameters, including insertion force, insertion depth, pin position coordinates, etc.; then controls each mechanism (Z-axis mechanism 300, moving platform 190, pin positioning mechanism 200, block feeding mechanism 400, pin feeding mechanism 600, etc.) to reset to the initial position.

[0067] S2: Place the probe card 001 to be inserted onto the vacuum porous ceramic chuck 280 of the needle card positioning mechanism 200; after the sensor senses that the workpiece is in place, the control system starts the vacuum generator and uses the vacuum porous ceramic chuck 280 to adsorb the probe card 001; then the clamping cylinder 292 moves, driving the flexible clamping block 291 to clamp the probe card 001 from all sides, completing the dual fixation of adsorption and mechanical clamping, ensuring that the probe card 001 does not move during the operation.

[0068] S3: The block feeding mechanism 400 is started, and the third linear motor 440 drives the first bearing slider 420 to slide along the first feeding guide rail 410, conveying the pin block 002 in the bearing box 430 to the working station below the Z-axis mechanism 300; at this time, the block attaching mechanism 500 is in the initial position, and the Z-axis mechanism 300 drives the block attaching mechanism 500 to move vertically downward. The first clamping cylinder 510 responds to the action and drives the pin block gripper 520 to clamp the pin block 002, completing the material picking.

[0069] S4: The second linear motor 260 of the needle card positioning mechanism 200 drives the upper slide 250 to move along the X-axis guide rail 220 and the Y-axis guide rail 240. The closed-loop position feedback is achieved through the grating ruler 270, so that the preset position on the probe card 001 is precisely aligned with the center of the pin block 002.

[0070] S5: The servo motor 320 of the Z-axis mechanism 300 drives the Z-axis slide 340 to descend via the ball screw 330, which drives the pin block 002 to move toward the probe card 001, pressing and sticking the pin block 002 onto the preset position of the probe card 001.

[0071] S6: After the patch is applied, the Z-axis mechanism 300 is reset to its initial height, and the patch feeding mechanism 400 and the pin positioning mechanism 200 are reset; repeat steps S3 to S5 to complete the patching of all the pin blocks 002 in sequence.

[0072] S7: After all the pin blocks 002 are pasted, the rotating component 360 of the Z-axis mechanism 300 is started. The rotary motor 361 drives the rotary block 363 to rotate 180° through the coupling 362. With the cooperation of the limit optocoupler 365 and the optocoupler baffle 367, precise positioning is achieved, so that the pin mechanism 700 replaces the block pasting mechanism 500 and enters the working position.

[0073] S8: The needle feeding mechanism 600 is started, and the fourth linear motor 640 drives the second bearing slider 620 to slide along the second feeding guide rail 610, conveying the non-rebound needle 003 in the needle feeding plate 630 to below the Z-axis mechanism 300; the Z-axis mechanism 300 drives the needle insertion mechanism 700 to move vertically downward, the second clamping cylinder 710 responds to the action, and drives the needle gripper 720 to clamp the non-rebound needle 003, completing the needle picking.

[0074] S9: The XY dual-axis of the pin positioning mechanism 200 is readjusted to ensure that the center of the pin block 002 already attached to the probe card 001 is precisely aligned with the center of the non-rebound pin 003.

[0075] S10: The Z-axis mechanism 300 drives the non-returning pin 003 to descend, inserting the non-returning pin 003 into the pin block 002 according to the preset force and preset depth, thus completing the insertion action.

[0076] S11: After the single needle insertion is completed, the Z-axis mechanism 300 is reset, the needle feeding mechanism 600 and the needle clamping positioning mechanism 200 are reset; repeat steps S8 to S10 to complete the insertion of all non-returning needles 003 in sequence.

[0077] S12: After all the pin insertion operations are completed, the camera 810 of the vision inspection mechanism 800 is activated to take pictures of the non-rebound pin 003 on the probe card 001, automatically detecting its insertion posture, insertion depth and pin integrity, and realizing online quality control.

[0078] S13: After the test is completed, the control system controls each mechanism to reset to the initial position; then the vacuum generator and clamping cylinder 292 stop working, and the operator takes out the probe card 001 that has been inserted, and the entire probe insertion process ends.

[0079] In summary, the automatic pin insertion device for AOT testing of probe cards provided by this invention achieves stable mounting of various mechanisms based on the body 100. The pin card positioning mechanism 200 ensures high-precision and high-reliability fixing of the probe card 001. The Z-axis mechanism 300 and the rotating component 360 enable flexible switching between multiple workstations. The block feeding mechanism 400 and the pin feeding mechanism 600 automatically feed the workpiece. The block placement mechanism 500 and the pin insertion mechanism 700 sequentially complete the placement and insertion operations. Finally, the vision inspection mechanism 800 performs quality inspection. The entire device is specifically designed for AOT testing probe cards, exhibiting strong adaptability, high positioning and operational accuracy, and a high degree of automation, significantly improving the production efficiency and product quality of the pin insertion process.

[0080] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An automated pin insertion device for AOT testing of probe cards, characterized in that, It includes a body and a needle positioning mechanism, a Z-axis mechanism, a block feeding mechanism, a block attaching mechanism, a needle feeding mechanism, a needle insertion mechanism, a vision inspection mechanism, and a control system mounted on the body. Each mechanism is electrically connected to the control system. The needle card positioning mechanism is installed in the middle of the machine body and is used to carry, position and clamp the probe card to be inserted. The block feeding mechanism is installed on one side of the machine body and is used for automatic feeding of the pin blocks; the block attaching mechanism is located above the pin card positioning mechanism via the Z-axis mechanism and corresponds to the discharge position of the block feeding mechanism, and is used to grab the pin blocks and attach them to a preset position on the probe card; The needle feeding mechanism is installed on the other side of the machine body and is used for the arrangement and automatic feeding of non-rebound needles; the needle insertion mechanism is located above the needle clamp positioning mechanism through the Z-axis mechanism and corresponds to the discharge position of the needle feeding mechanism. It is used to clamp the non-rebound needles and insert the non-rebound needles into the needle insertion block according to the preset force and preset depth. The Z-axis mechanism has both vertical lifting and rotation station switching functions, and can alternately switch the patching mechanism and the pin insertion mechanism to the working station to complete the patching operation of the pin block and the insertion operation of the non-returning pin in sequence. The visual inspection mechanism is located above the pin positioning mechanism and is used to detect the posture, insertion depth and integrity of the non-rebound pin after insertion. The control system is used to uniformly schedule the timing actions of each mechanism to achieve fully automatic pin insertion.

2. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The machine body includes a base, a cast iron frame, a marble platform, a column, a crossbeam, a first linear motor, a shim block, a guide rail, and a movable platform. The base is supported and installed at the bottom of the cast iron frame, and the marble platform is laid horizontally on the upper part of the cast iron frame. The column is vertically fixed to the surface of the marble platform, and the crossbeam is mounted on the top of the column. The guide rail is laid on the upper surface of the marble platform, and the stator of the first linear motor is installed on the upper surface of the marble platform through the shim block and arranged parallel to the guide rail. The bottom of the movable platform is slidably engaged with the guide rail, and the mover of the first linear motor is installed on the side of the movable platform and is arranged opposite to the stator to drive the movable platform to reciprocate along the guide rail. The block feeding mechanism and the needle feeding mechanism are both installed on the movable platform.

3. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The probe card positioning mechanism includes a base plate, an X-axis guide rail, a middle plate, a Y-axis guide rail, an upper slide, a second linear motor, a grating ruler, a vacuum porous ceramic suction cup, and a clamping assembly. The base plate is laid on the upper surface of the marble platform, the X-axis guide rail is laid on the base plate, and the middle plate is slidably fitted onto the X-axis guide rail. The Y-axis guide rail is laid on the middle plate, and the upper slide is slidably fitted onto the Y-axis guide rail. The second linear motor drives the upper slide to achieve displacement in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The grating ruler is set corresponding to the X-axis and Y-axis guide rails and is used to detect the movement position. The vacuum porous ceramic suction cup is installed on the upper slide and is used to adsorb the probe card. The clamping assembly is installed on the upper slide and is used to clamp the probe card.

4. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The Z-axis mechanism includes a Z-axis base, a servo motor, a ball screw, a Z-axis slide, a vertical guide rail, and a rotating assembly. The Z-axis base is fixed to the crossbeam, and the vertical guide rail is vertically arranged on the Z-axis base. The servo motor is fixed to the top of the Z-axis base, and the ball screw is connected to the output end of the servo motor and arranged parallel to the vertical guide rail. The Z-axis slide is driven by the ball screw and slidably fitted on the vertical guide rail. The servo motor drives the Z-axis slide to move up and down along the vertical guide rail via the ball screw. The rotating assembly is mounted on the Z-axis slide, and the block-attaching mechanism and the pin-inserting mechanism are respectively mounted on the rotating assembly, achieving workstation switching as the rotating assembly rotates.

5. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The rotating assembly includes a rotary motor, a coupling, a rotary block, a mechanism fixing component, a limiting optical coupler, an optical coupler fixing component, and an optical coupler baffle. The rotary motor drives the rotary block to rotate through the coupling. The block-attaching mechanism and the pin insertion mechanism are fixed to the rotary block through the mechanism fixing component. The limiting optical coupler is fixed to the optical coupler fixing component, and the optical coupler baffle is fixed to the rotary block and rotates synchronously with the rotary block. The limiting optical coupler and the optical coupler baffle cooperate with each other to achieve rotational positioning.

6. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism includes a first feeding guide rail, a first bearing slider, a bearing box, and a third linear motor; the first feeding guide rail is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform, and the first bearing slider is slidably fitted on the first feeding guide rail; the bearing box for carrying the pin block is installed on the first bearing slider, and the third linear motor drives the first bearing slider to slide along the first feeding guide rail.

7. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The attaching mechanism includes a first clamping cylinder and a needle block gripper. The first clamping cylinder is fixed to the rotation output end of the Z-axis mechanism, and the needle block gripper is assembled on the output end of the first clamping cylinder. The first clamping cylinder can drive the needle block gripper to open and close, thereby realizing the gripping and release of the needle block.

8. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The needle feeding mechanism includes a second feeding guide rail, a second bearing slider, a needle feeding disc, and a fourth linear motor; the second feeding guide rail is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the movable platform, and the second bearing slider is slidably fitted on the second feeding guide rail; the needle feeding disc for carrying the non-rebound needle is installed on the second bearing slider, and the fourth linear motor drives the second bearing slider to slide along the second feeding guide rail.

9. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The needle insertion mechanism includes a second clamping cylinder and a needle gripper. The second clamping cylinder is fixed to the rotation output end of the Z-axis mechanism, and the needle gripper is assembled on the output end of the second clamping cylinder. The second clamping cylinder can drive the needle gripper to open and close, thereby realizing the gripping and release of the non-rebound needle.

10. The automatic pin insertion device for probe card AOT testing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The visual inspection mechanism includes a camera and a fixing block. The camera is fixed to the Z-axis mechanism by the fixing block. The camera's field of vision covers the pin positioning mechanism and is used to check the quality of the pin insertion operation.

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