Production support device and production support method

Abstract

A production support device applied to a component mounter configured to perform a mounting process for mounting a component on a board, comprising: an imaging section configured to image the component mounted on the board through the mounting process to acquire image data; a causal event judging section configured to judge whether a causal event has occurred that may cause a change in the operating state of the component mounter; and a storage section configured, when the causal event judging section determines that the causal event has occurred, to store the image data acquired by the imaging section within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data before and after the occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present description relates to a production support device and a production support method. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, a component mounting machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is known. In conventional component mounting machines, an imaging monitoring device is configured to store image data obtained by imaging a state in which a suction nozzle has picked up a component when an event occurs that may cause a change in the operating state of a component feeding device or a component transfer device. List of cited documentsPatent literature

[0003] Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2012-169394 Summary of the inventionTechnical problem

[0004] As with the component assembly machine described above, it is extremely important to store image data related to the assembly process of a component on the board before and after the occurrence of the causal event in order to ensure stable quality or to enable traceability (tracking) during or after production.

[0005] When confirming whether the quality is good or poor during production, or for the traceability (tracking) of product boards transported to subsequent steps in the production process, such as tracing back to previous steps, it is effective to confirm the actual component mounted on the board through the assembly process. Accordingly, when the causal event occurs, it is preferable to automatically acquire image data obtained by imaging the component mounted on the board before and after the causal event occurs, and save the image data in a state that can be provided to enable easy and accurate determination of quality and the like.

[0006] An object of the present description is to provide a production support apparatus and a production support method that can support the determination of quality and the like. Solution to the task

[0007] The present specification discloses a production support apparatus applied to a component mounter configured to perform a mounting process for mounting a component on a board, comprising: an imaging section configured to image the component mounted on the board through the mounting process to acquire image data; a causal event judging section configured to judge whether a causal event that may cause a change in the operating state of the component mounter has occurred;and a storage section configured to, when the causal event judgment section determines that the causal event has occurred, store the image data acquired by the imaging section within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data before and after the occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data.;

[0008] Furthermore, the present description discloses a production support method applied to a component mounter configured to perform a mounting process for mounting a component on a board, comprising: an imaging step of imaging the component mounted on the board through the mounting process to acquire image data; a causal event judgment step of judging whether a causal event that may cause a change in the operating state of the component mounter has occurred; a storing step of storing, when it is determined in the causal event judgment step that the causal event has occurred, the image data acquired in the imaging step within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data before and after the occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data;and a determining step of determining a state of the assembling process executed after the occurrence of the causal event based on the storage target image data stored in the storing step;

[0009] The present specification also discloses a technical idea in which the "production support device according to claim 1 or 2" in the originally filed version is changed from claim 13 to the "production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 12." Furthermore, the present specification also discloses a technical idea in which the "production support device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 16 in the originally filed version is changed to the "production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 15." Advantageous effects of the invention

[0010] With the production support device, when the causal event occurs, it is possible to automatically acquire the image data obtained by imaging the component mounted on the board through the assembly process before and after the causal event occurs as storage target image data, and save the storage target image data in a state that can be deployed. The same applies to the production support method. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a component mounter. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a suction nozzle. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a control block of a production support device. Fig. Figure 4 is a diagram showing causal events and assessment information. Description of implementation examples

[0011] Hereinafter, a production support apparatus and a production support method will be described with reference to the drawings. The production support apparatus and the production support method are applied to a component mounter configured to perform a mounting process for mounting a component (e.g., an electronic component or the like) on a circuit board. In the production support apparatus and the production support method, when a causal event occurs that may cause a change in the operating state of the component mounter, image data obtained by imaging the component mounted on the circuit board is stored as stored image data.

[0012] Here, in the present embodiment, as in Fig. 1, an example is illustrated in which one production support device 40 is provided for one component mounter 10. However, a plurality of component mounters 10 may be provided, and in this case, for example, one production support device 40 judges the occurrence of the causal event for each of the plurality of component mounters 10 and stores the image data imaged in each component mounter 10 as stored image data, if necessary. Of course, if a plurality of component mounters 10 are provided, a plurality of production support devices 40 may also be provided. In this case, for example, it is preferable that the production support devices 40 can exchange information with each other. 1. Configuration of the component placement machine 10

[0013] A configuration of the component mounter 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The component mounter 10 mounts a circuit board K with a plurality of components P. Therefore, the component mounter 10 comprises a circuit board conveyor 11, a component feeder 12, a component transfer device 13, a part camera 14, a circuit board camera 15, and a control device 16.

[0014] The board conveying device 11 transports the board K in a conveying direction (X-axis direction) along a conveying path formed, for example, by a belt conveyor or the like. Here, the board K is a printed circuit board on which, for example, an electronic circuit, an electrical circuit, a magnetic circuit, and the like are formed. The board conveying device 11 transports the board K into the component mounter 10 and positions the board K at a component mounting position in the component mounter 10. After the mounting process of mounting a plurality of components P by the component mounter 10 is completed, the board conveying device 11 transports the board K out of the component mounter 10.

[0015] The component feeder 12 supplies a plurality of components P to be mounted on the board K. The component feeder 12 includes a plurality of feeders 121 provided along the conveying direction of the board K (X-axis direction). Each of the feeders 121 is arranged in a corresponding slot 122. Each of the plurality of feeders 121 is equipped with a reel. A carrier tape that accommodates a plurality of components P is wound around the reel. The feeder 121 feeds the carrier tape step by step to supply components P so that the components P can be picked up at a supply position located at a distal end of the feeder 121. Furthermore, the component feeder 12 can also supply an electronic component (e.g., a lead component or the like) that is relatively large compared to a chip component or the like and is placed on a tray.

[0016] The component transfer device 13 includes a head drive device 131 and a movable table 132. The head drive device 131 is configured to move the movable table 132 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction (orthogonal to the X-axis direction on a horizontal plane) by a linear motion mechanism. The mounting head 20 is detachably (replaceably) provided on the movable table 132 by a clamp member. The mounting head 20 uses at least one holding member 21 to collect and hold the component P fed from the component feeder 12, and mounts the component P on the board K positioned by the board conveyer 11. As the holding member 21, for example, a suction nozzle 30, a chuck, or the like, which will be described later, can be used.

[0017] The parts camera 14 is mounted on a base of the component mounter 10 with an optical axis pointing upward in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X-axis and Y-axis directions). Therefore, the parts camera 14 can image the component P or the like held by the holding member 21 in the vertical direction from below. The board camera 15 is mounted on the movable table 132 of the component transfer device 13 with an optical axis pointing downward in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction). Therefore, the board camera 15 can image a part of the board K in the vertical direction from above.

[0018] The part camera 14 and the board camera 15 perform imaging based on a control signal transmitted from the control device 16. The image data G of the image captured by the part camera 14 and the board camera 15 is transmitted to the control device 16. Since the part camera 14 and the board camera 15 can use a known imaging device, a detailed description of their structures will be omitted.

[0019] The control device 16 includes a computer device including a CPU, ROM, RAM, various interfaces, and the like, as well as a storage device for storing various information. The control device 16 receives as input a detection value, information or image data G, and the like output from various types of sensors provided in the component mounter 10. The control device 16 executes a control program and inputs, for example, a control signal to each device according to a predetermined mounting condition set in advance.

[0020] For example, the control device 16 causes the board camera 15 to take an image of the board K positioned by the board conveying device 11 at the component mounting position. The control device 16 performs image processing on the image captured by the board camera 15 to recognize the positioning state of the board K. Furthermore, the control device 16 causes the holding member 21 to collect and hold the component P fed from the component feeding device 12 and the parts camera 14 to image the component P held by the holding member 21. The control device 16 performs image processing on the image captured by the parts camera 14 to thereby recognize a position of the component P.

[0021] The control device 16 executes the control program to move the holding member 21 toward a top of the intended mounting position. In addition, the control device 16 corrects and sets the mounting position where the component P is actually mounted based on the positioning state of the board K, the position of the component P, or the analysis result A, which will be described later and is provided by the production support device 40.

[0022] The controller 16 corrects a target position (X-axis coordinate and Y-axis coordinate) and the rotation angle of the holding member 21 according to the mounting position. The controller 16 lowers the holding member 21 at the corrected rotation angle to the corrected target position and mounts the component P on the board K. The controller 16 performs the assembly process of mounting multiple components P on the board K by repeating the pick-and-place cycle described above.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the control device 16 is connected to the production support device 40. Accordingly, the control device 16 can output, for example, image data G acquired by the board camera 15, judgment information I to be described later, and the like to the production support device 40. 2. Configuration of the suction nozzle 30

[0024] As in Fig. 2, the suction nozzle 30 comprises a housing shaft 31, a flange 32, a nozzle shaft 33, and an identification code 34. The housing shaft 31 is cylindrical in shape. The housing shaft 31 functions as a main body portion held by the placement head 20. The flange 32 is provided on one end face (bottom of the face in Fig. 2) of the housing shaft 31 in the axial direction (corresponding to the Z-axis direction when the suction nozzle 30 is held by the placement head 20) is disk-shaped.

[0025] The nozzle shaft 33 is tubular and extends axially from the housing shaft 31. The housing shaft 31 and the nozzle shaft 33 form a negative pressure flow path in the suction nozzle 30. The nozzle shaft 33 holds the component P in contact with the tip portion by the negative pressure supplied via the housing shaft 31.

[0026] Further, the nozzle shaft 33 is configured to extend and retract in the axial direction with respect to the housing shaft 31. Specifically, the nozzle shaft 33 is biased by an elastic member in a direction extending from the housing shaft 31. An extension / retraction portion of the suction nozzle 30 is configured with the housing shaft 31 and the nozzle shaft 33. When a load is applied to the housing shaft 31 side at the tip portion of the nozzle shaft 33, the nozzle shaft 33 slides with respect to the housing shaft 31, and the nozzle shaft 33 extends or retracts against the elastic force exerted by the elastic member.

[0027] The identification code 34 is attached to the upper surface of the flange 32. The identification code 34 is, for example, a bar code, a two-dimensional code, or the like, and includes identification information for identifying the suction nozzle 30 (nozzle S / N information Ibn will be described later) and unique information such as the type of the suction nozzle 30 (nozzle type information Ik will be described later). 3. Configuration of the production support device 40

[0028] Each component P mounted on the board K by the component mounter 10 is mounted with a mounting position on the board K and a mounting angle on the board K. Alternatively, the mounting order of the component P can be specified to mount the component P based on the specified mounting position or the specified mounting angle. In the following description, the specified mounting position is referred to as "specified mounting position," the specified mounting angle is referred to as "specified mounting angle," and the specified mounting order is referred to as "specified mounting order."

[0029] Then, the control device 16 controls an operation of the component mounter 10 according to the specified mounting position and mounting angle or the specified mounting order, and executes the mounting process of mounting the supplied components P on the board K. For example, as described above, when the component mounter 10 mounts a plurality of components P on the board K, there is a case where the change in the operating environment accompanying the change of the worker who manages the operation of the component mounter 10, the change in the operating conditions, or the like affects the productivity of the product board and consequently the deterioration of the quality.Therefore, when the component mounter 10 mounts a plurality of components P on the board K, in order to determine the quality of the product board manufactured by the component mounter 10, it is necessary to manage the quality status of the state of the mounting process of the components P on the board K, in other words, the state of the components P mounted on the board K.

[0030] However, if a causal event occurs that may cause a change in the operating state in the component mounter 10, the assembly process of the component P may deteriorate, i.e., the feasibility of mounting the component P at the intended mounting position and angle may deteriorate. Therefore, after the occurrence of the causal event in the component mounter 10, it is particularly important to focus on managing the state of the component P mounted on the board K through the assembly process (assembly state), as this is crucial for stabilizing quality and, for example, implementing traceability (tracking) for the product boards transported to subsequent steps.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the production support device 40 adopts a configuration in which the occurrence of the causal event is automatically judged, and when the causal event has occurred, image data G obtained by imaging the mounting state in which the component P is mounted on the board K can be stored as storage target image data GH. Specifically, the production support device 40 includes, as shown in Fig. 3, an imaging section 41, a causal event judgment section 42, and a storage section 43. The production support device 40 includes a determination section 44. The production support device 40 includes an analysis section 45. The production support device 40 further includes a notification section 46. That is, in the present embodiment, the production support device 40 includes an imaging section 41, a causal event judgment section 42, a storage section 43, a determination section 44, an analysis section 45, and a notification section 46.

[0032] Therefore, the production support device 40 can automatically judge whether the causal event has occurred in the component mounter 10, and when the causal event has occurred, the image data G obtained from the imaging component P mounted on board K can be stored as storage target image data GH. Therefore, when the causal event has occurred, the production support device 40 can store storage target image data GH before and after the occurrence of the causal event. Accordingly, the worker can, for example, easily and accurately determine whether the quality is good or poor by confirming the storage target image data GH, or perform traceability of the produced boards.

[0033] The imaging section 41, the causal event judgment section 42, the storage section 43, the determination section 44, the analysis section 45, and the notification section 46 of the production support device 40 can be provided in various control devices, management devices, computing devices, image processing devices, and the like. For example, at least one of the imaging section 41, the causal event judgment section 42, the storage section 43, the determination section 44, the analysis section 45, and the notification section 46 can be provided in the control device 16 of the component mounter 10.At least one of the imaging section 41, the causal event judgment section 42, the storage section 43, the determination section 44, the analysis section 45, and the notification section 46 may be provided in a management device communicatively connected to the control device 16. Furthermore, at least one of the imaging section 41, the causal event judgment section 42, the storage section 43, the determination section 44, the analysis section 45, and the notification section 46 may be formed in a cloud. 3-1. Imaging Section 41

[0034] The imaging section 41 captures images of the component P mounted on the board K through the mounting process to acquire image data G. That is, immediately after the mounting process is performed on the component mounter 10, the imaging section 41 acquires image data G representing the image of the component P obtained by imaging the target component P among the components P mounted on the board K by the board camera 15 provided in the component mounter 10 via the controller 16. For the component P that is a target to be imaged, for example, all the components P mounted on the board K immediately after the occurrence of the causal event may be selected as the target, and thereafter, the target component P may be narrowed down (reduced) to a specific component P.

[0035] Here, the imaging section 41 of the present embodiment cooperates with the control device 16 to continue imaging the component P using the board camera 15 in a situation where the component mounter 10 continues the mounting process on the board K conveyed to the component mounting position in the machine. That is, as long as the component mounter 10 performs the mounting process, the imaging section 41 images the component P each time the component P is mounted on the board K and continues to acquire image data G. The imaging section 41 then continuously outputs acquired image data G to the storage section 43.

[0036] For example, when the causal event judging section 42, which judges the occurrence of the causal event as described later, does not judge the occurrence of the causal event for image data G continuously (sequentially) output from the imaging section 41, the storage section 43 deletes the image data G in the order of the oldest stored image data G, that is, it stores image data G imaged only from a predetermined time in the past. As a result, as described later, when the causal event judging section 42 judges the occurrence of the causal event, the image data G stored in the storage section 43 from only a predetermined time in the past are continuously stored as storage target image data GH when the judgment is made. 3-2. Assessment section 42 for the causal event

[0037] The causal event judging section 42 judges whether a causal event has occurred that may cause a change in the operating state of the component mounter 10. Specifically, the causal event judging section 42 acquires the judgment information I from the control device 16 that comprehensively controls the operation of the component mounter 10. Subsequently, based on the acquired judgment information I, the causal event judging section 42 judges whether the causal event has occurred in the component mounter 10.

[0038] Here, examples of factors that cause the occurrence of the causal event may include a factor that occurs mechanically (automatically) in the operation of the component mounter 10, such as a factor that the automatic conveying machine transports the feeder 121 to the component feeder 12 and automatically sets the feeder 121 in the slot 122, and a factor that the component transfer device 13 automatically exchanges with the suction nozzle 30 obtained from the nozzle cleaner. Further, examples of factors that cause the occurrence of the causal event may include a worker manually inserting or removing the feeder 121 from the slot 122 from the component feeder 12, or manually attaching or detaching or exchanging the mounting head 20 or the suction nozzle 30 of the component transfer device 13. In other words, factors caused by the worker's work or the like.Further, examples of factors causing the occurrence of the causal event include, for example, a factor such as the control device 16 or the worker who adjusts the rotational speed of the board K by the board conveying device 11, that is, a factor generated by a change in the setting with respect to the component mounter 10.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the causal event that can be caused by the factors described above may include an event capable of affecting an operation related to the mounting process of the component mounter 10, thereby causing a change in the operating state. Specifically, the causal event includes an event capable of causing changes in the operating states of the board conveying device 11, the component feeding device 12, and the component transfer device 13 of the component mounter 10.In this case, examples of events that can cause a change in the operating state may include an event that changes an operating state of the feeder 121 of the component feeding device 12, an event that changes an operating state of the suction nozzle 30 in the component transfer device 13, an event that changes an operating state of the mounting head 20 in the component transfer device 13, and an event that changes the setting related to the operation of the board conveying device 11, the component feeding device 12, and the component transfer device 13.

[0040] Specifically, the judgment of causal events by the causal event judgment section 42 will be described. First, the judgment of causal events that change the operating state of the component feeder 12 will be described.

[0041] Examples of events (causal events) that change the operating status of the component feeder 12 may include events related to the feeder 121, as shown in Fig. 4. In this case, examples of causal events may include inserting or removing the feeder 121, performing a splicing operation to join carrier tapes, changing the feeder 121 between slots 122, replacing the feeder 121, changing the position of the feeder 121, or the like.

[0042] The causal event judging section 42 continuously acquires judgment information I from the control device 16 to judge the occurrence of each of the causal events described above. Here, as in Fig. 4, the judgment information I may include the insertion / removal signal information Irf outputted when insertion or removal is performed, the splice detection information Id outputted when splicing is performed, the component S / N information Ibp representing the serial number attached to the component P, the feeder S / N information Ibf representing the serial number attached to the feeder 121, and the slot number information Is representing the slot 122 into which the feeder 121 is inserted.

[0043] Then, when the insertion / removal signal information Irf changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the insertion or removal of the feeder 121 has occurred as the causal event. When at least the splice detection information Id in the splice detection information Id and the component S / N information Ibp change, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the implementation of a splice has occurred as the causal event. Furthermore, when the feeder S / N information Ibf and the component S / N information Ibp change in a predetermined slot, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the switching of the feeder 121 between slots 122 has occurred as the causal event.When the S / N information Ibf of the feeder changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the replacement of the feeder 121 has occurred as the causal event. Furthermore, when the slot number information Is changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that a change in slot 122 in which the feeder 121 is set has occurred as the causal event.

[0044] Next, the judgment of causal events that change the operating status of the component transfer device 13 will be described. Examples of events (causal events) that change the operating status of the component transfer device 13 may include events related to the mounting head 20 and the suction nozzle 30, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the replacement frequency of the suction nozzle 30 is higher than the replacement frequency of the placement head 20 in the component mounter 10, priority is given to the judgment of an event related to the suction nozzle 30 when judging causal events. Therefore, in this case, examples of causal events may include the replacement of the suction nozzle 30, the change of the type of the suction nozzle 30, or the like. Furthermore, examples of causal events may include the attachment and detachment of the placement head 20, the replacement of the placement head 20, or the like.

[0045] Even in this case, the causal event judging section 42 continuously acquires judgment information I from the control device 16 to judge the occurrence of each of the above-described causal events. Here, the judgment information I may be Fig. 4, include the nozzle S / N information Ibn representing the serial number of the suction nozzle 30, the nozzle type information Ik representing the type of the suction nozzle 30, the attachment / detachment signal information Irh outputted when the mounting head 20 is attached and detached, and the head S / N information Ibh representing the serial number of the mounting head 20.

[0046] When the S / N information of the nozzle Ibn changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the replacement of the suction nozzle 30 has occurred as the causal event. When at least the nozzle type information Ik changes in both the nozzle type information Ik and the S / N information of the nozzle Ibn, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change of the type of the suction nozzle 30 has occurred as the causal event. When the attachment / detachment signal information Irh changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the attachment and detachment of the mounting head 20 has occurred as the causal event. Further, when the head S / N information Ibh changes, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the replacement of the mounting head 20 has occurred as the causal event.

[0047] Next, the judgment of causal events that change the operating states of the board conveyor 11, the component feeder 12, and the component transfer device 13 will be described. Examples of events (causal events) that change the operating states of the board conveyor 11, the component feeder 12, and the component transfer device 13 may be events related to a setting for controlling the operation of each device, as shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0048] Even in this case, the causal event judging section 42 continuously acquires judgment information I from the control device 16 to judge the occurrence of each of the above-described causal events. Here, as in Fig. 4, the judgment information I may include the change history information Ichv representing a change in the shooting conditions by the suction nozzle 30, the change history information Ichp representing a change in the imaging conditions by the board camera 15, the change history information Ichm representing a change in the conveying conditions of the board K by the board conveying device 11, the change history information Ichs representing a change in the mounting conditions of the component P by the component transfer device 13, and the change history information Ichb representing a change in the position of a locking pin that supports the board K.

[0049] Examples of pickup conditions may include the pickup position, the rotational speed of the suction nozzle 30 and the component P, the vertical movement amount of the suction nozzle 30 and the component P, the applied negative pressure and positive pressure, or the like. Further, examples of mounting conditions may include the intended mounting position and angle of the component P, the vertical movement amount of the suction nozzle 30 and the component P, the applied negative pressure and positive pressure, or the like.

[0050] When the change history information Ichv is updated and changed, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change in the shooting conditions has occurred as the causal event. When the change history information Ichp is updated and changed, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change in the imaging conditions has occurred as the causal event. When the change history information Ichm is updated and changed, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change in the carrying conditions has occurred as the causal event. When the change history information Ichs is updated and changed, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change in the mounting conditions has occurred as the causal event.When the change history information Ichb is updated and changed, the causal event judging section 42 judges that the change in the position of the locking pin has occurred as a causal event.

[0051] If it is determined that the causal event has occurred as described above, the causal event judging section 42 generates event information S representing the occurrence of the causal event. Examples of event information S may include a time at which the causal event occurred (or a judgment was made), a device in which the causal event occurred (which is one of the board conveying device 11, component feeding device 12, and component transferring device 13), or the like. Then, the causal event judging section 42 outputs, as shown in Fig. 3, the generated event information S is output to the storage section 43. 3-3. Storage section 43

[0052] When the causal event judging section 42 determines that the causal event has occurred, the storage section 43 stores the image data G acquired by the imaging section 41 within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data G before and after the occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data GH. Here, for example, for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of pieces (the number of pieces or the size of the image data G), the option with a larger amount of image data G can be selected. The predetermined time is, for example, a value that can be freely set by a worker or an administrator. In this case, for example, for each causal event or each main category included in Fig.4, different values can be set.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the storage section 43 can store storage target image data GH in which the event information S generated by the causal event judging section 42 is linked with image data G within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data G before and after the occurrence of the causal event. As a result, for example, when a worker determines whether the quality of the board is good or bad or when performing traceability (tracking) based on the state of the assembly process, it is possible to confirm image data G and event information S constituting storage target image data GH, which are linked and stored in the storage section 43. Therefore, the worker can determine when and in which device (e.g.,board conveying device 11, component feeding device 12 and component transferring device 13) constituting the component mounter 10, or in which step the causal event occurred, and easily determine whether the occurrence of the causal event has affected the quality.

[0054] In addition, the storage section 43 may store storage target image data GH in which inspection data T representing the state of the assembly process determined by the determination section 44, which will be described later, are associated, in addition to image data G within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data G before and after the occurrence of the causal event and the event information S. As a result, for example, when a worker determines whether the quality of the board is good or bad based on the state of the assembly process, confirming image data G, event information S, and inspection data T constitute the storage target image data GH linked to and stored in the storage section 43. Therefore, the worker can determine when and in which device (e.g.,board conveying device 11, component feeding device 12 and component transferring device 13) constituting the component mounter 10, or in which step the causal event occurred, and by confirming the inspection data T after the occurrence of the causal event, the worker can more easily determine whether the quality is good or bad.

[0055] Furthermore, after analyzing the cause of a change in the state of the mounting process by the analysis section 45 described later, the storage of the storage target image data GH by the storage section 43 is stopped when, for example, the determination section 44 determines that no change in the mounting state has occurred due to the operation of the component mounter 10 by the control device 16 according to the causal event. Furthermore, after stopping the storage of the storage target image data GH, the storage section 43 can delete the stored storage target image data GH. As a result, the storage section 43 only needs to have a sufficient storage capacity to store the required storage target image data GH, and there is no need for an unnecessarily large storage capacity. 3-4. Provision Section 44

[0056] The determination section 44 determines, based on the storage destination image data GH stored in the storage section 43, the change in the state of the mounting process executed on the component mounter 10 after the occurrence of the causal event. Then, the determination section 44 outputs the determination result J obtained by determining the change in the state of the mounting process to, for example, the notification section 46.

[0057] Here, examples of the state of the assembly process may include the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle of the component P mounted on the board K. In addition, the state of the assembly process may include the state of the component P mounted on the board K. Examples of the state of the component P may include the correctness or incorrectness of the component P to be mounted and the quality status of the shape of the component P.

[0058] The determination section 44, when determining a change in the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle at which the component P is mounted, for example, as a change in the state of the mounting process, uses the storage target image data GH before the occurrence of the causal event as a reference and compares the storage target image data GH before the occurrence of the causal event with the storage target image data GH after the occurrence of the causal event for the same component P. Then, the determination section 44 determines whether the change in the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle has occurred based on the comparison of the storage target image data GH before and after the occurrence of the causal event, and outputs the determination result J to the notification section 46 when it is determined that the change has occurred.

[0059] For example, when the determination section 44 determines a change in the state of the component P mounted on the board K as a change in the state of the mounting process, the determination section 44 uses the storage target image data GH before the occurrence of the causal event as a reference and compares the storage target image data GH before the occurrence of the causal event with the storage target image data GH after the occurrence of the causal event for the same specified mounting position on the board K. Then, the determination section 44 determines whether changes have occurred in the type of the mounted component P and the shape of the component P based on the comparison of the storage target image data GH before and after the occurrence of the causal event, and outputs the determination result J to the notification section 46 when it is determined that the changes have occurred.

[0060] Here, when the change in the state of the assembly process is determined, the determination section 44 generates inspection data T representing the state of the assembly process executed after the occurrence of the causal event. In the present embodiment, the inspection data T includes position information representing the actual mounting position as the state of the assembly process executed after the occurrence of the causal event. The determination section 44 can output generated inspection data T, including generated inspection data T in the determination result J, to the notification section 46.

[0061] For example, as described above, when determining the change in the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle as a change in the state of the assembly process, the determining section 44 includes position information representing the actual mounting position and angle information representing the actual mounting angle in the inspection data T. As a result, for example, with reference to the inspection data T, the worker can obtain the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle of the component P actually mounted by the assembly process after the occurrence of the causal event. In other words, by confirming the inspection data T linked to the image data G representing the storage destination image data GH, the worker can easily and accurately determine whether the quality of the board is good or poor, for example.

[0062] For example, as described above, when the change of the component P is determined as a change in the state of the assembly process, the determination section 44 includes position information representing the actual mounting position, type information representing the type of the component P, and shape information representing the shape of the component P in the inspection data T. As a result, for example, with reference to the inspection data T, the worker can obtain the type and shape of the actual component P mounted at the intended mounting position on the board K by the assembly process executed after the occurrence of the causal event. In other words, by confirming the inspection data T linked to the image data G representing the storage destination image data GH, the worker can easily and accurately perform traceability (tracking) for the product boards transported to subsequent steps.

[0063] When the determination section 44 determines that a change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, it is important that the confirmation of whether the quality is good or poor and the implementation of traceability (tracking) can be reliably performed as described above. Therefore, when the determination section 44 determines that the change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, the storage section 43 stores the image data G continuously acquired by the imaging section 41 that exceeds a predetermined time or a predetermined number of pieces as storage target image data GH if no change in the state of the assembly process has occurred after the occurrence of the causal event.As a result, when determining whether the quality is good or bad or performing traceability (tracking), it is particularly possible to increase the amount of referenceable storage target image data GH after the occurrence of the causal event and after the occurrence of the change in the state of the assembly process. 3-5. Analysis Section 45

[0064] When the determination section 44 determines that the change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, the analysis section 45 analyzes the cause of the change in the state of the assembly process based on the storage target image data GH stored in the storage section 43. Then, the analysis section 45 outputs the analyzed analysis result A to the control device 16.

[0065] Here, the cause of the change in the state of the mounting process is influenced by the causal event described above. For example, it is assumed that the change in the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle is influenced by factors such as the removal of the pick-and-place head 20, the replacement of the suction nozzle 30, the adjustment of the rotation speed of the board conveyor 11, or changes in the pickup conditions or mounting conditions. Furthermore, it is assumed that the change in the type of the component P is influenced by factors such as incorrect replacement or change in the position of the feeder 121, incorrect splicing, or unsuitable imaging conditions for the imaging component P.

[0066] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the analysis section 45 analyzes the cause of the change in the state of the mounting process based on storage target image data GH stored in the storage section 43 and preferably on inspection data T generated by the determination section 44. Specifically, for example, when the change in the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle has occurred, the analysis section 45 analyzes, with reference to the inspection data T, the direction of deviation of the actual mounting position of the component P mounted on the board K with respect to the intended mounting position and the rotational direction of deviation of the actual mounting angle with respect to the intended mounting angle, that is, the deviation of the mounted component P with respect to the intended mounting position and the intended mounting angle.

[0067] Then, the analysis section 45 analyzes the deviation of the components P mounted on a plurality of boards K to derive the tendency of the deviation (the tendency of the deviation direction, the tendency of the deviation rotation direction, or the like). As a result, for example, if the deviation of the components P mounted with the same tendency continues to occur after the replacement of the suction nozzle 30 and the change of the shooting conditions as causative events, the analysis section 45 outputs the analysis result A that the deviation of the components P occurred due to the replacement of the suction nozzle 30 with the control device 16.

[0068] Here, especially when analyzing the deviation of the component P, the analysis section 45 can output the analysis result A to the control device 16 and indicate the direction (rotation direction) and extent to which the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle of the component P deviate from the intended mounting position and the intended mounting angle. For this reason, based on the acquired analysis result A, for example, when the actual mounting position and the actual mounting angle of the component P deviate with the same tendency after the replacement of the suction nozzle 30, the control device 16 performs the replacement of the suction nozzle 30 as needed, or corrects and adjusts the movement amount (drive amount) of the head drive device 131 and the movement table 132 of the component transfer device 13 to eliminate the deviation.

[0069] That is, the component mounter 10 can self-correct the actual mounting position and angle of the component P based on the analysis result A (self-alignment). Accordingly, in the component mounter 10, based on the analysis result A, for example, the component P can be mounted on the board K, with the actual mounting position and angle adjusted to match the design mounting position and angle, thereby maintaining the quality of the product board without deterioration. 3-6. Notification Section 46

[0070] If the determination section 44 determines that the change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, the notification section 46 notifies the worker of the determination result J. For example, if the determination section 44 determines that a change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, the notification section 46 notifies the worker, based on the determination result J, that there is a concern about the change in the state of the assembly process, that is, a deterioration in the quality of the board. In this case, the notification section 46 only needs to be able to provide the worker with a notification of the change in the state of the assembly process, and this can be done in various forms. For example, the notification section 46 can provide the worker with a notification of the change in the state of the assembly process (e.g.,Display, voice notification, or the like) via an output device (including a display device and a voice output device, not shown). The notification section 46 can also send a notification of the change in the status of the assembly process (e.g., display, voice notification, vibration, or the like) to the worker via a mobile terminal of the worker. 4. Production support procedures

[0071] The above description of the production support device 40 can be similarly applied to the production support method. Specifically, the production support method includes an imaging step, a causal event judgment step, a storage step, and a determination step. The imaging step corresponds to the control performed by the imaging section 41. The causal event judgment step corresponds to the control performed by the causal event judgment section 42. The storage section corresponds to the control performed by the storage section 43. The determination section corresponds to the control performed by the determination section 44. Furthermore, the production support method may include an analysis step.The analysis step corresponds to the control performed by the analysis section 45. The production support method may further include a notification step. The notification step corresponds to the control performed by the notification section 46.

[0072] As apparent from the above description, according to the production support device 40, when the causal event judging section 42 determines that a causal event has occurred, the storage section 43 can automatically acquire image data G obtained from the imaging component P mounted on the board K through the mounting process before and after the occurrence of the causal event using the imaging section 41 as storage target image data GH, and store the storage target image data GH in a state that can be provided. The same applies to the production support method. 5. Example of a change

[0073] In the component mounter 10 of the above-described embodiment, the board conveying device 11 is configured to convey one board K along a conveying path formed by a conveyor belt or the like. Alternatively, the component mounter may be a component mounter comprising a board conveying device capable of conveying two boards K independently of each other along two conveying paths, each of which is formed, for example, by each of two conveyor belts or the like.

[0074] Furthermore, in the component mounter 10 of the above-described embodiment, only one set of the head drive device 131 and the movable table 132 of the component transfer device 13 is provided, and a mounting head 20 is provided on the movable table 132. Alternatively, the component transfer device may be a so-called "facing (double)" type component mounter, which includes two sets of head drive devices and movable tables arranged facing each other, each movable table including a mounting head.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, the production support device 40 includes the analysis section 45. However, if, for example, the causal event that occurs depending on the type or shape of the component P to be mounted on the board K is specified and the cause of the change in the state of the mounting process can be specified in advance, the analysis section 45 may be omitted. In the above-described embodiment, the production support device 40 includes the notification section 46. However, if, for example, notification of the worker is not required, the notification section 46 may also be omitted.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the imaging section 41 acquires image data G from the board camera 15 provided in the component mounter 10 was described as an example. However, the imaging section 41 is not limited to acquiring image data G from the board camera 15, but may acquire image data G from an imaging device (a camera or the like) provided separately. List of reference symbols

[0077] 10: Component mounter, 11: Board conveyor, 12: Component feeder, 13: Component transfer device, 15: Board camera, 40: Production support device, 41: Imaging section, 42: Causal event judgment section, 43: Storage section, 44: Determination section, 45: Analysis section, 46: Notification section, K: Board, P: Component, G: Image data, GH: Storage target image data, I: Judgment information, S: Event information, T: Inspection data, J: Determination result, A: Analysis result QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP-A-2012-169394

[0003]

Claims

[1] A production support apparatus applied to a component mounter configured to perform a mounting process for mounting a component on a board, comprising: an imaging section configured to image the component mounted on the board by the mounting process to acquire image data; a causal event judging section configured to judge whether a causal event that may cause a change in an operating state of the component mounter has occurred; and a storage section configured to store the image data acquired by the imaging section within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data before and after the occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data when the causal event judging section determines that the causal event has occurred. [2] Production support device according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the causal event has occurred, the causal event judgment section generates event information representing that the causal event has occurred, and the storage section stores the storage destination image data in which the image data is linked with the event information. [3] The production support apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a determination section configured to determine a change in a state of the assembling process executed after an occurrence of the causal event based on the storage target image data stored in the storage section. [4] The production support device according to claim 3, wherein the memory stores, in addition to the image data and the event information, the storage destination image data in which the inspection data representing the state of the assembly process determined by the determining section is assigned. [5] The production support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the inspection data includes position information representing a mounting position at which the component is mounted on the board by the mounting process. [6] The production support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the determination section determines that the change in the state of the assembling process has occurred, the storage section stores the image data continuously acquired by the imaging section, which exceeds the predetermined time or the predetermined number of pieces, as storage target image data. [7] The production support apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an analysis section configured to, when the determination section determines that the change in the state of the assembling process has occurred, analyze a cause of the change in the state of the assembling process based on at least the storage target image data stored in the storage section. [8] Production support device according to claim 7, Wherein, if the analysis section outputs as an analysis result a deviation of a component mounting position on the board as the cause of the change in the state of the assembly process, the component assembler corrects the mounting position based on the analysis result. [9] The production support device according to claim 8, wherein, after the analysis of the cause of the change in the state of the assembly process by the analysis section, when the determination section determines that no change in the state of the assembly process has occurred, the storage section stops storing the storage target image data. [10] The production support apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, after the storing of the storage target image data is stopped, the storage section is capable of deleting the stored storage target image data. [11] The production support apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a notification section configured to send a notification to a worker when the determination section determines that a change in the state of the assembly process has occurred. [12] The production support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the state of the mounting process includes a state of the component mounted on the board. [13] The production support apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the causal event comprises an event capable of influencing an operation of the component mounter related to the assembly process, thereby causing the change in the operating state. [14] Production support device according to claim 13, wherein the component mounter comprises a board conveying device configured to convey the board to a component mounting position, position the board, and convey the board out, a component feeding device having a feeder configured to feed a plurality of types of components, and a component transfer device having a suction nozzle configured to receive the component fed from the feeder to the component feeding device and mount the component on the positioned board, and a mounting head supporting the suction nozzle, and the causal event includes an event that may cause changes in the operating status of the board, the component feeder, and the component transfer device. [15] The production support device according to claim 14, wherein the causal event includes an event that changes an operating state of the feeder, an event that changes an operating state of the suction nozzle, an event that changes an operating state of the mounting head, and an event that changes a setting related to the operation of the board conveying device, the component feeding device, and the component transferring device. [16] The production support apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the imaging section acquires the image data by imaging by means of a board camera provided in the component mounter and capable of imaging a part of the board. [17] A production support method applied to a component mounter configured to perform an assembly process for mounting a component on a circuit board, comprising: an imaging step for imaging the component mounted on the board by the assembly process to acquire image data; a causal event assessment step for assessing whether a causal event that may cause a change in an operating state of the component placer has occurred; a storage step for storing the image data acquired in the imaging step within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of image data before and after an occurrence of the causal event as storage target image data when it is determined in the causal event judgment step that the causal event has occurred, and a determining step of determining a state of the assembling process executed after the occurrence of the causal event based on the storage target image data stored in the storing step.

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