Placement support device

Abstract

A placement support device is provided with a recognition element that performs image processing of image data obtained by capturing an image of a feed area to which several components are fed in a bulk state, and thus recognizes the components in the feed area, wherein the image processing comprises a formation step for forming several blobs, an extraction step for extracting candidate blobs, corresponding to at least a part of a closed area of ​​the component, from the several blobs, and a recognition step for recognizing a rectangular area containing one or more of the candidate blobs as the component in the image data; and an evaluation element that, based on the total area of ​​the one or more candidate blobs contained in the rectangular area, assesses whether the recognized component is suitable as an object for removal by a component placement machine or not.

Description

Wearing assistance device

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearing assistance device.

[0002] The mounting support device supports a mounting process by a component mounting machine using a bulk feeder. The bulk feeder is equipped to the component mounting machine that mounts components on a board and supplies the components in bulk (see Patent Document 1). During the mounting process, the component mounting machine performs image processing to recognize the state of components being supplied by the bulk feeder, and controls the component suction operation using a suction nozzle based on the results of the image processing.

[0003] JP 2011-114084 A

[0004] The image processing for recognizing the supply status includes determining whether the components supplied to the supply area of ​​the bulk feeder are suitable for the component placement machine to pick up. Any misjudgment in this image processing can lead to a mistake in the picking operation, and even if the components are picked up successfully, it can affect subsequent processing.

[0005] The present specification aims to provide a mounting assistance device that supports the mounting process by improving the accuracy of image processing that recognizes the state of component supply by a bulk feeder.

[0006] This specification discloses a mounting assistance device that includes a recognition unit that recognizes the components in the supply area by performing image processing on image data obtained by imaging a supply area where multiple components are supplied in bulk, including a generation step of generating multiple blobs, an extraction step of extracting candidate blobs from the multiple blobs that correspond to at least a portion of a closed area of ​​the component, and a recognition step of recognizing a rectangular area containing one or more of the candidate blobs as the component in the image data, and a determination unit that determines whether the recognized component is suitable for a picking operation by a component mounting machine based on the total area of ​​the one or more candidate blobs contained in the rectangular area.

[0007] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 5 as originally filed to "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4", and the technical idea of ​​changing "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 6 as originally filed to "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5".

[0008] This configuration improves the accuracy of image processing, thereby preventing errors in the picking operation of the component mounting machine and, as a result, maintaining high productivity in the component mounting machine.

[0009] 7A is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 8A showing an aspect in which an entire component including a body has become a blob through binarization processing; FIG. 8B is an enlarged view corresponding to FIG. 8A showing an aspect in which a foreign substance adhering to a supply area has become a blob through binarization processing; FIG. 8C is an explanatory diagram showing a virtual component recognized as a blob in image data; FIG. 8D is a flowchart showing a first aspect of a blob quality determination process; FIG. 8E is a flowchart showing a second aspect of a blob quality determination process;

[0010] 1. Overview of the Placement Support Device 50 The placement support device 50 supports the placement process by the component placement machine 10 using the bulk feeder 30. In this embodiment, the placement support device 50 is incorporated into the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10. The placement support device 50 improves the accuracy of image processing that recognizes the supply status of components supplied by the bulk feeder 30, thereby reducing the occurrence of errors in the picking operation during the placement process.

[0011] The component mounting machine 10 described above performs a mounting process for mounting components on a board 91 as a predetermined substrate-related operation. The component mounting machine 10 is installed along with other substrate-related operation machines in the transport direction of the board 91 to form a production line. Each of the multiple substrate-related operation machines is communicably connected to a host computer 60 (see FIG. 4) that controls the production line as a whole. The production line includes, for example, multiple substrate-related operation machines, such as a printing machine, the component mounting machine 10, a reflow oven, and an inspection machine.

[0012] 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a board transport device 11. The board transport device 11 sequentially transports the boards 91 in a transport direction and positions the boards 91 at predetermined positions within the machine.

[0013] 2-2. Component Supply Device 12 The component mounting machine 10 is equipped with a component supply device 12. The component supply device 12 supplies components to be mounted on the board 91. The component supply device 12 has feeders 122 set in multiple slots 121. For example, a tape feeder that feeds and moves a carrier tape containing a large number of components to supply the components so that they can be picked is used as the feeder 122. Furthermore, a bulk feeder 30 that supplies components stored in a bulk state so that they can be picked is used as the feeder 122. Details of the bulk feeder 30 will be described later.

[0014] 2-3. Component Transfer Device 13 The component mounting machine 10 is equipped with a component transfer device 13. The component transfer device 13 transfers components supplied by the component supply device 12 to predetermined mounting positions on the board 91. The component transfer device 13 is equipped with a head drive device 131, a movable table 132, a mounting head 133, and a suction nozzle 134. The head drive device 131 moves the movable table 132 in horizontal directions (X and Y directions) using a linear motion mechanism. The mounting head 133 is detachably fixed to the movable table 132 by a clamp member (not shown) and is provided so as to be movable horizontally within the machine.

[0015] The mounting head 133 supports a plurality of suction nozzles 134 that are rotatable and movable up and down. The suction nozzles 134 are holding members that pick up and hold components supplied by the feeder 122. The suction nozzles 134 use supplied negative pressure air to pick up the components supplied by the feeder 122. A chuck or the like that grips and holds components can be used as the holding member attached to the mounting head 133.

[0016] 2-4. Component camera 14, board camera 15 The component mounting machine 10 is equipped with a component camera 14 and a board camera 15. The component camera 14 and the board camera 15 are digital imaging devices having imaging elements such as CMOS. The component camera 14 and the board camera 15 capture images based on control signals and send image data acquired by the images. The component camera 14 is configured to be able to capture images of the components held by the suction nozzle 134 from below. The board camera 15 is mounted on a moving stage 132 so as to be movable horizontally integrally with the mounting head 133. The board camera 15 is configured to be able to capture images of the board 91 from above.

[0017] Furthermore, in addition to capturing an image of the surface of the circuit board 91, the board camera 15 can also capture an image of various devices within the movable range of the movable stage 132. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the board camera 15 can capture an image of the supply area As to which the bulk feeder 30 supplies components and the reference mark 49 provided on the upper part of the bulk feeder 30 within the camera's field of view. In this way, the board camera 15 can be used to capture images of different objects in order to obtain image data to be used for various image processing.

[0018] 2-5. Control Device 20 As shown in FIG. 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a control device 20. The control device 20 is primarily composed of a CPU, various memories, and control circuits. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 20 also includes a storage unit 21. The storage unit 21 is composed of a storage device such as a hard disk drive or flash memory. The storage unit 21 of the control device 20 stores various data such as a control program M1 used to control the mounting process, component data M2, and cavity information M3.

[0019] The control program M1 indicates the placement positions, placement angles, and component types of components to be placed on the board 91 in the planned placement order during the placement process. The placement process includes a process of repeating a PP cycle (pick-and-place cycle), which includes a pickup cycle and a placement cycle, multiple times. The "pick-up cycle" refers to a process of repeating a pickup operation, in which components supplied by the component supply device 12 are picked up by the suction nozzle 134, multiple times.

[0020] The above-mentioned "placement cycle" refers to a process of repeating a plurality of times a placement operation in which a picked component is placed at a predetermined placement angle in a predetermined placement position on the board 91. In this way, the control program M1 presets the execution order of a PP cycle, which is made up of a plurality of grouped picking and placement operations, taking into consideration the number of suction nozzles 134 supported by the placement head 133, the movement distance of the placement head 133, etc.

[0021] The part data M2 includes shape data for each type of part. The "shape data" includes at least one of the outer edge shape of the part, the shape of the feature part of the part, and the dimensions of the part. The "outer edge shape" of a part corresponds to the shape of the outer edge when the inside of the part and the background are separated using the outer edge as a boundary.

[0022] The "shape of the characteristic part" of a part corresponds to the boundary shape of the characteristic part on the exterior due to the part's shape, pattern, color, etc. The characteristic part of a part may be a corner, bump, terminal, lead, etc. of the part. In addition to the shape data, the part data M2 may also include, for example, the maximum allowable movement speed (acceleration) for each part, the pick-up position (for example, the position where the part comes into contact with the suction nozzle 134), etc.

[0023] In this embodiment, the component data M2 includes information indicating whether the component is of a type in which the entire component becomes a blob (see FIG. 8B ) or a type in which the body 93 of the component becomes black and the electrode portion 94 (terminal, etc.) becomes a blob (see FIG. 8A ) when the image data obtained by photographing the component is binarized using a predetermined threshold value in the blob analysis described below.

[0024] The cavity information M3 is information about the cavities 45 formed in the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30 and which individually accommodate components, associated with the identification information (ID) of the bulk feeder 30. The cavity information M3 may include the shape (including the length of each side and depth), position, orientation, and type of corresponding component of the cavity 45 in the supply area As. Details of the process using the cavity information M3 will be described later.

[0025] The control device 20 executes a process for recognizing the holding state of the components held by each of the multiple holding members (suction nozzles 134). Specifically, the control device 20 processes image data acquired by imaging with the component camera 14, and recognizes the position and angle of each component relative to the reference position of the mounting head 133. Note that in addition to the component camera 14, the control device 20 may also process image data acquired by, for example, a head camera unit integrally provided on the mounting head 133 capturing an image of the component from the side, below, or above.

[0026] In the mounting process, the control device 20 controls the mounting operation by the mounting head 133 so that the component is mounted on the board 91 in a predetermined orientation. At this time, the control device 20 controls the mounting operation based on the recognized holding state of the component. In other words, the control device 20 corrects the position of the mounting head 133 and the angle of the suction nozzle 134 about the Q axis so as to correct any positional and angular deviations of the component held by the suction nozzle 134 relative to the Q axis (the axis of rotation of the suction nozzle 134). As a result, the component held by the suction nozzle 134 is mounted at a predetermined mounting position and angle instructed by the control program M1.

[0027] 3. Configuration of Bulk Feeder 30 Bulk feeder 30 is set in component mounting machine 10 and functions as part of component supply device 12. Bulk feeder 30 supplies components housed in component cases in a bulk state (loose, with each component in an irregular position) that is not packaged like a carrier tape. Therefore, unlike tape feeders, bulk feeder 30 does not use carrier tape, which has the advantage of eliminating the need to load carrier tape and collect used tape.

[0028] Some bulk feeders 30 supply components in irregular positions to the planar supply area As. However, if the components are so close together in the supply area As that they touch each other, or if they are piled up (overlapping vertically), or if the components are positioned horizontally so that their widths are vertical, the component mounting machine 10 cannot pick these components. Therefore, to increase the percentage of components that can be picked, some bulk feeders 30 supply components in an aligned state in the supply area As. In this embodiment, a bulk feeder 30 that aligns components will be described as an example.

[0029] The bulk feeder 30 has a track unit 40 attached to a flat, box-shaped feeder body 31 so that the track unit 40 can vibrate and be detachably attached to the feeder body 31. A connector 311 and two positioning pins 312 are provided at the front (right end in FIG. 2 ) of the feeder body 31. When the feeder body 31 is set in the slot 121 of the component supply device 12, it is supplied with power via the connector 311 and is capable of communicating with the control device 20 of the component mounting machine 10.

[0030] The track unit 40 is vibrated by the vibration device 35. The track unit 40 is formed with a transport path R along which a plurality of parts are transported, and a supply area As that is connected to the transport path R and opens upward so that a plurality of parts can be picked up. The track unit 40 is formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction (left-to-right direction in FIG. 3 ) of the feeder body 31. A pair of side walls 46 that protrude upward are formed on both edges of the track unit 40 in the width direction (up-down direction in FIG. 3 ). The pair of side walls 46, together with a tip end 47 of the track unit 40, surround the periphery of the transport path R and are wall members that prevent parts transported on the transport path R from leaking out.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , multiple cavities 45 are formed in the supply area As of the track unit 40. Each of the multiple cavities 45 opens upward and accommodates components with their thickness direction aligned vertically. In this embodiment, the multiple cavities 45 are arranged in a staggered pattern. Here, the "supply area As" of the track unit 40 refers to an area where components are supplied in bulk and where components can be picked up by suction nozzles 134 supported by the mounting head 133. The "transport path R" of the track unit 40 refers to a path along which components circulated from the component case to the track unit 40 are transported to the supply area As.

[0032] The vibration device 35 also applies vibration to the track unit 40 so that the multiple parts are transported along the transport path R. When the track unit 40 vibrates, a forward and upward external force or a backward and upward external force is applied to the parts. As a result, the multiple parts are transported to the front or rear of the track unit 40. The bulk feeder 30 controls the operation of the vibration device 35 using the feeder control device 36 to transport the parts and supply them to the supply area As. When the parts are stored in the multiple cavities 45 through the supply operation, the suction nozzle 134 is ready to pick up the parts.

[0033] A shutter 48 capable of closing the opening of the supply area As is provided on the upper part of the track unit 40. When the track unit 40 is attached to the feeder body 31, the shutter 48 is in a state where its opening and closing operation is controlled by a shutter drive device (not shown). By opening and closing the shutter 48, the bulk feeder 30 can prevent parts from flying out and foreign objects from entering the supply area As.

[0034] 4 to 11, the configuration of the placement support device 50 will be described. The placement support device 50 supports the component supply status recognition process executed by the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10 during the placement process. The supply status recognition process includes image processing, which includes determining whether the components supplied to the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30 are suitable for the component placement machine 10 to pick up.

[0035] Specifically, the control device 20 processes image data D1 (see FIG. 6) acquired by imaging with a camera (in this embodiment, the board camera 15), recognizes whether there are any components in the supply area As that are suitable for the picking operation, and if there are any components that are suitable for the picking operation, recognizes the position and angle of those components. Then, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 in the picking operation based on the results of the supply status recognition process.

[0036] In the above-mentioned suitability assessment, if there is an erroneous judgment in the image processing, such as misidentifying part of multiple parts as one part or misidentifying a foreign object as part of a part, the position and orientation of the recognized part (hereinafter also referred to as "recognized part") will differ from the actual one, which may cause an error in the picking operation. Furthermore, even if the part is successfully picked, there is a risk that this will affect subsequent processes, such as the part transfer operation and mounting operation.

[0037] Therefore, in this embodiment, the placement assist device 50 incorporated in the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10 employs a configuration that can improve the accuracy of image processing included in the component supply status recognition process (see FIG. 5 ). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the placement assist device 50 includes a recognition unit 51 and a determination unit 52. As shown in FIG. 5 , the placement assist device 50 acquires image data D1 captured by the board camera 15 (S11). The recognition unit 51 performs recognition processing (S20) using the image data D1. The determination unit 52 performs determination processing (S30) to determine whether the component is suitable for the picking operation.

[0038] The recognition unit 51 acquires information about the recognized components 80 by performing image processing on image data D1 acquired by capturing an image of the supply area As, in which a plurality of cavities 45 are formed, each of which accommodates a plurality of components 92. In this embodiment, blob analysis is used as a method for recognizing the components 92 scattered in the supply area As as the recognized components 80.

[0039] Specifically, the recognition unit 51 first executes a generation step (S21) of generating a plurality of blobs 70 from the image data D1. Specifically, the recognition unit 51 binarizes the image data D1 using a predetermined threshold value, coloring each pixel white if its brightness value is higher than the threshold value and black if its brightness value is equal to or lower than the threshold value. Figure 7 shows an enlarged portion of the binarized image data D1, with the pre-processing cavity 45 indicated by a dashed line. The blobs 70 correspond to closed white regions in the binarized image data D1.

[0040] Here, the blob 70 may represent, for example, a pair of electrode portions 94 formed at both ends of the component 92 in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 8A , or may represent the entire component 92 including the body 93, as shown in FIG. 8B . These may differ depending on the type of component 92 (including the color and gloss of the body 93 and electrode portions 94) and the threshold used for binarization. In this embodiment, the recognition process (S20) recognizes the component 92 using one or two blobs 70. The mounting assistance device 50 can determine which way the blob 70 is formed based on the component data M2.

[0041] However, as shown in FIG. 9, the blobs 70 in the binarized image data D1 may include, for example, a component 92 that is not housed in the cavity 45 or a foreign object 89 (see FIG. 6). If these defective blobs 72 and 73 are mistakenly recognized as part of the component 92, the accuracy of the recognition process will decrease. Therefore, the recognition unit 51 extracts candidate blobs 71 that are suitable for the recognition process from the multiple blobs 70 (S22). In other words, this extraction step is a process of removing blobs 70 (72 and 73) that are unsuitable for the recognition process.

[0042] Specifically, the recognition unit 51 extracts candidate blobs 71 from the plurality of blobs 70, each of whose center positions 75 is included in the appropriate region Rh defined based on the positions of the plurality of cavities 45 (S22). In more detail, the recognition unit 51 first obtains the center position 75 of each of the plurality of blobs 70. The center position 75 may be the center of the circumscribing rectangle of the blob 70, or the center of gravity of the circumscribing rectangle.

[0043] Furthermore, the "appropriate region Rh" defined based on the position of the cavity 45 is a region that takes into account a tolerance in the region in which the center of the blob 70 corresponding to the part 92 can be located relative to the cavity 45 when the part 92 is housed in the cavity 45, and is set to, for example, a region having the same shape as the cavity 45. The recognition unit 51 extracts, as candidate blobs 71, blobs 70 whose centers fall within the appropriate region Rh that is set based on the cavity information M3 (shown in the lower part of FIG. 9).

[0044] This makes it possible to remove, for example, a defective blob 72 corresponding to a closed region of a part 92 that is not housed in the cavity 45, or a defective blob 73 corresponding to a foreign object 89 located outside the cavity 45, and to prevent them from being used in subsequent processing. Note that in the extraction step (S22), depending on the relationship with subsequent processing, it is also possible to omit the extraction using the center position 75 of the blob 70 and the appropriate region Rh as described above, and simply extract candidate blobs 71 from the multiple blobs 70 that correspond to at least a portion of the closed region of the part 92 (allowing that some of them may include defective blobs).

[0045] Next, the recognition unit 51 executes a recognition step (S23) in which a rectangular area including one or more candidate blobs 71 is recognized as a component 92 in the image data D1. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C , the recognition unit 51 recognizes a rectangular area circumscribing one or more candidate blobs 71 as a component 92 in the image data D1. As a result, for example, a recognized component 80 formed by a pair of candidate blobs 71 or a recognized component 80 formed by one candidate blob 71 is obtained.

[0046] The recognition unit 51 also recognizes information necessary for subsequent processing, such as the reference position, angle (supply angle), shape (including the lengths of the short and long sides), and area (corresponding to the number of pixels contained in the rectangular area) in the supply area As for each of the multiple recognized components 80. Through this processing, the recognition unit 51 recognizes the supply state of the components 92 in the supply area As and stores the recognition results in the memory unit 21.

[0047] The above-described recognition process (S20) is premised on the assumption that the component mounting machine 10 targets only components 92 that are properly accommodated in the cavities 45. Therefore, if the bulk feeder 30 is a type that does not have a cavity 45 in the supply area As, the recognition unit 51 may extract candidate blobs 71 from the multiple blobs 70 based on conditions such as having an area within a certain range and a blob shape that is close to a rectangle, and obtain the position and shape of the recognized component 80 in the supply area As.

[0048] The determination unit 52 determines (S30) whether the component 92 (recognized component 80) recognized in the recognition process (S20) is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 based on the supply state of the component 92. Here, even if the recognized component 80 is recognized in the recognition process (S20) using a candidate blob 71 corresponding to at least a portion of the closed region of the component 92, the recognized component 80 may not be suitable for the picking operation.

[0049] One possible cause of this is that, for example, when two components 92 are housed in cavity 45 with their longitudinal directions aligned vertically, the electrode portions of each component 92 may be mistakenly recognized as the electrode portions of one component 92, resulting in recognition of the recognized component 80. Also, when a component 92 housed in cavity 45 overlaps at least a portion of another component 92, it is possible that the same mistaken recognition may occur as described above.

[0050] Furthermore, if the process of removing blobs 70 outside cavity 45 is omitted in the recognition process (S20), it is expected that defective blobs 73 corresponding to foreign matter 89 will be mistakenly recognized as part of component 92, and recognized component 80 will be recognized. Furthermore, even if the above-described removal process is performed, if, for example, each of electrode portions 94 of two components 92 is located inside cavity 45 when viewed from above, it is expected that components 92 having these electrode portions 94 will be mistakenly recognized as existing, and recognized component 80 will be recognized.

[0051] Furthermore, even if the blob 70 outside the cavity 45 is removed in the recognition process (S20), it is possible that the defective blob 73 corresponding to the foreign matter 89 adhering inside the cavity 45 may be mistakenly recognized as part of the component 92, resulting in the recognition of the recognized component 80. Here, in the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10, the suction nozzle 134 is pressed against and brought into contact with the component 92 accommodated in the cavity 45 to pick it up. At this time, the component 92 is pressed against the bottom surface of the cavity 45, and metal pieces that have fallen off the electrode portions 94 of the component 92 may adhere to the bottom surface of the cavity 45 as foreign matter 89.

[0052] It is expected that as the above-described collection operation is repeated, tiny foreign particles 89 will gradually accumulate. As a result, the blob 70 generation step (S21) generates multiple foreign particles 89 as blobs 70 (defective blobs 73), as shown in FIG. 8C . In particular, since the foreign particles 89 attached as described above adhere to the area where the electrode portion 94 of the component 92 accommodated in the cavity 45 is located, if the recognition component 80 is configured using this defective blob 73 as the candidate blob 71, there is a risk that the component 80 will be mistakenly recognized as being a collectable component.

[0053] In this embodiment, various modes of suitability determination are adopted, taking into consideration the above-mentioned possible causes of misidentification. Note that the modes of suitability determination (S31, S32) described below can be appropriately combined or partially omitted, taking into consideration the type of component 92, the imaging environment, the configuration of the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30, and the like.

[0054] The determination unit 52 first determines whether the blob 70 is acceptable (S31). Various methods can be used to determine whether the blob 70 is acceptable. In a first method of determining whether the recognized component 80 is suitable for the component mounting machine 10 to pick up, based on the total area Sb of one or more candidate blobs 71 included in the rectangular region. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 , the determination unit 52 first calculates the area Sr of the recognized component 80 (S41). As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C , the areas Sr1-Sr3 of the recognized components 80 correspond to the areas of the respective rectangular regions.

[0055] Next, the determination unit 52 calculates the total area Sb (Sb1-Sb3) of the candidate blobs 71 contained in the rectangular region (S42). The candidate blobs 71 contained in the rectangular region are the sum of the individual areas of all the candidate blobs 71 used in forming the recognition component 80. Next, the determination unit 52 calculates the ratio of the total area Sb of the candidate blobs 71 to the area Sr of the recognition component 80 (S43). As a result, the area ratios (R1, R2, R3) are calculated, as shown in FIGS. 8A-8C. The determination unit 52 compares the calculated area ratios (R1, R2, R3) with a preset threshold value Th (S45).

[0056] Here, the threshold value Th is set to different values ​​(Th1, Th2) for a type of part 92 in which the entire part becomes the candidate blob 71 in the generation step (S21) (see FIG. 8B ) and a type of part 92 in which the electrode portion 94 becomes the candidate blob 71 (see FIG. 8A ). This threshold value Th differs depending on the type of part supplied by the bulk feeder, and the determination unit 52 switches between the threshold values ​​Th1 and Th2 depending on the type of supplied part 92 to determine whether the part is suitable for the picking operation. Specifically, the threshold values ​​Th1 and Th2 may be switched based on the type of part specified in the part data M2. Alternatively, if the part data M2 records the proportion of the electrode portion (the portion that becomes white in the binarization process) to the overall dimensions of the part, the threshold value may be set based on this proportion.

[0057] Here, when the recognition component 80 is configured with a defective blob 73 corresponding to the foreign object 89 as described above, the area ratio is smaller than when the recognition component 80 is configured with a candidate blob 71 corresponding to the electrode portion 94 of a normal component 92. In this embodiment, focusing on this phenomenon, if the area ratio is greater than the threshold value Th (S45: Yes), the determination unit 52 determines that the candidate blob 71 is normal and that the recognition component 80 is suitable for the collection operation (S46). On the other hand, if the area ratio is equal to or less than the threshold value Th (S45: No), the determination unit 52 determines that the candidate blob 71 is a defective blob 73 and that the recognition component 80 is not suitable for the collection operation (S47).

[0058] Here, the determination unit 52 uses the area ratio in the pass / fail determination (S31), but a simpler determination method can be adopted. In a second mode of pass / fail determination, the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 80 is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 based on the total area Sb of the candidate blobs 71 and a preset threshold Th. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 11 , the determination unit 52 first calculates the total area Sb of the candidate blobs 71 included in the rectangular region (S51).

[0059] Next, the determination unit 52 sets a specified range according to the type of component 92 (S52). This "specified range" corresponds to a normal range that takes into account the allowable error in the ratio of the electrode portion (the portion that becomes white due to the binarization process) to the overall dimensions of the component. If the total area Sb falls within the specified range (S53: Yes), the determination unit 52 determines that the candidate blob 71 is normal and that the recognition component 80 is suitable for the collection operation (S54). On the other hand, if the total area Sb is outside the specified range (S53: No), the determination unit 52 determines that the candidate blob 71 is a defective blob 73 and that the recognition component 80 is not suitable for the collection operation (S55).

[0060] In the second aspect of the pass / fail determination described above, a specified range is used to evaluate the total area Sb, but the lower limit of the specified range may be set as a preset threshold, and the pass / fail determination may be performed by comparing the total area Sb with the threshold. In the first aspect of the pass / fail determination, an area ratio is used, so even if the size of the recognized component 80 varies depending on its angle or the imaging environment, the determination can be made based on its relationship with the total area Sb of the candidate blobs 71, thereby improving the accuracy of the determination.

[0061] On the other hand, in the second mode of pass / fail determination, calculation of the area of ​​the recognized component 80 is not required, and therefore, for example, the pass / fail of the candidate blob 71 can be determined based on the total area Sb of the candidate blob 71 located inside the cavity 45. Therefore, for example, this pass / fail determination can be performed between the extraction step (S22) of the candidate blob 71 and the recognition step (S23). According to this mode, defective blobs 73 can be recognized early, thereby suppressing the generation of unnecessary recognized components 80. Note that, for example, if there is sufficient time for image processing, the first and second modes of pass / fail determination may be performed at different times.

[0062] In addition to the above-described determination of acceptability based on the area, the determination unit 52 may also determine the acceptability of the blob 70 based on whether the shape of the blob 70 (candidate blob 71 after execution of the extraction step) constituting the recognized component 80 resembles the shape corresponding to the closed region of the component 92. That is, if there is one blob 70, the determination of the acceptability of the blob 70 is based on whether it resembles the overall shape of the component 92, and if there are two blobs 70, the determination of the acceptability of the blob 70 is based on whether it resembles the shape of each of the pair of electrode portions 94 of the component 92. Furthermore, if there are three or more blobs 70, the determination of the acceptability of the blob 70 is based on whether the partial rectangular shape formed by these blobs resembles the overall shape or the electrode portions 94 of the component 92.

[0063] Next, the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 80 is a component 92 that has been supplied in a pickable manner in the supply area As (S32). Specifically, the determination unit 52 selectively performs the following determinations (A) to (E). In determination (A), the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 80 can be picked based on whether the reference position of the recognized component 92 (recognized component 80) is present in a specified area. In this embodiment, the reference position of the component 92 (recognized component 80) is set to the center position of the component 92.

[0064] Furthermore, the above-mentioned "predetermined area" is an area that is determined based on the shape of the cavity 45 that accommodates the component 92, and in this embodiment, is set to an area where the center of the component 92 can be located when the component 92 is properly accommodated in the cavity 45. If the reference position of the recognition component 80 is not within the predetermined area, the determination unit 52 determines that the component 92 is not properly accommodated in the cavity 45 and is therefore not suitable for the collection operation.

[0065] In the determination (B), the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 80 can be collected based on a histogram of the pixels of the recognized component 80 in the image data D1. Specifically, a histogram of the brightness values ​​of each of the pixels located inside the rectangular shape of the recognized component 80 is generated, and if the shape of the histogram is not similar to that generated for a normal component 92, the determination unit 52 determines that the recognized component 80 is unsuitable for collection.

[0066] In the determination (C), the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 80 can be picked based on the specified angle in the supply area As and the supply angle of the recognized component 92 (recognized component 80). The specified angle is an angle specified based on the shape of the cavity 45 that accommodates the component 92, and is, for example, an angle in which the longitudinal direction of the cavity 45 is 0 degrees. The supply angle is an angle obtained in the recognition process (S20), and is the angle that the longitudinal direction of the rectangular area circumscribing the candidate blob 71 makes with respect to the reference direction of the supply area As (the Y direction in this embodiment).

[0067] The determination unit 52 determines whether the component 92 is suitable for the collection operation based on whether the feed angle of the component 92 is within a range of possible angles relative to a specified angle when the component 92 is properly accommodated in the cavity 45. The possible range is set in advance based on the shape of the cavity 45 and the shape of the component 92.

[0068] In the determination (D), the determination unit 52 determines whether the recognized component 92 (recognized component 80) is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 based on the shape or area of ​​the recognized component 92. In determining suitability based on area, the determination unit 52 determines that the component 92 is unsuitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 if the area of ​​the component 92 (recognized component 80) determined based on the number of pixels contained in a rectangular area in the image data D1 is outside a specified range. The "specified range" is set to a range that takes into account the apparent area of ​​the component 92 in the image data D1 when a normal component 92 is imaged, plus individual manufacturing variations and tolerances based on the imaging conditions and image processing. If the area based on the number of pixels of the recognized component 80 falls within the specified range, the component 92 is determined to be suitable in the determination (D).

[0069] Furthermore, as a form of shape-based suitability determination, if the ratio of the short side to the long side (aspect ratio) of the recognized component 92 (recognized component 80) is outside a specified range, the determination unit 52 determines that the component 92 (recognized component 80) is not suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10. The above-mentioned "specified range" is set to a range that takes into account the ratio of the short side to the long side of a normal component 92, individual differences in manufacturing, and tolerances based on imaging conditions and image processing. If the aspect ratio of the recognized component 80 falls within the specified range, it is determined to be appropriate in this determination (D).

[0070] In determination (E), the determination unit 52 determines whether the cavity 45 is suitable for the collection operation based on the recognition component 80 in the image data D1 and the degree of accommodation of the cavity 45. The determination unit 52 first recognizes the cavity 45 closest to the component 92 (recognition component 80) in the image data D1. At this time, the determination unit 52 can recognize the cavity 45 that is estimated to accommodate the recognition component 80 based on the image data D1 and cavity information M3.

[0071] Next, the determination unit 52 determines whether the entire recognized component 80 is accommodated in the cavity 45. If a portion of the recognized component 80 is not accommodated in the cavity 45, the determination unit 52 determines that the component 92 (recognized component 80) is not suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10. On the other hand, if the entire recognized component 80 is accommodated in the cavity 45, the determination (E) is determined to be appropriate. Note that the determination of whether the entire recognized component 80 is accommodated may take into account allowable error due to image processing, etc.

[0072] The judgment process (S30), which includes the pass / fail judgment of the blob (S31) and the pass / fail judgment of the recognized component 80 (S32), is executed sequentially for all recognized components 80 recognized by the recognition unit 51. As a result, the mounting assistance device 50 obtains a judgment result as to whether each of the multiple recognized components 80 is suitable for the picking operation. This judgment result is stored as information indicating whether each of the multiple cavities 45 contains a pickable component 92. In addition, each pickable component 92 is associated with information such as its reference position (center position) and supply angle.

[0073] 5. Mounting Process by Component Mounting Machine 10 The mounting process by the component mounting machine 10 will now be described. Here, it is assumed that the component supply device 12 is equipped with a bulk feeder 30. After the bulk feeder 30 is set in the slot 121, the control device 20 executes a calibration process to recognize the positions of the multiple cavities 45 within the machine. In the calibration process, the control device 20 first moves the board camera 15 to above the reference mark 49 of the bulk feeder 30 and acquires image data by capturing an image with the board camera 15.

[0074] Then, the control device 20 recognizes the position of the bulk feeder 30 within the machine based on the positions of the pair of reference marks 49 included in the image data through image processing and the position of the board camera 15 when the image was taken. The control device 20 can obtain the coordinate values ​​of each of the cavities 45 based on the result of the calibration process and the cavity information M3 indicating the arrangement of the cavities 45.

[0075] In the mounting process, first, the board transport device 11 of the component mounting machine 10 executes a loading process for the board 91. As a result, the board 91 is loaded into the machine and positioned at a predetermined position within the machine. After or in parallel with the loading process for the board 91, the control device 20 causes the bulk feeder 30 to execute a supply operation. As a result of the execution of the supply operation, a state is created in which a plurality of components 92 are accommodated in at least some of the plurality of cavities 45 of the bulk feeder 30. After the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is completed, the mounting assistance device 50 executes a process to recognize the supply status of the components 92.

[0076] This acquires specific information (such as the address of the cavity 45) about the cavity 45 that currently contains the pickable component 92 in a pickable state, as well as the reference position and supply angle of the pickable component 92 (the component 92 suitable for the picking operation). Next, the control device 20 executes a PP cycle. In the PP cycle, the control device 20 executes a picking cycle in which the control device 20 repeatedly picks up components 92 using multiple suction nozzles 134. At this time, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 in the picking operation so that the mounting head 133 is sequentially positioned according to the reference positions of the pickable components 92. At this time, the control device 20 determines the angle of the suction nozzle 134 according to the supply angle of the pickable component 92.

[0077] Next, the control device 20 executes a process for recognizing the holding state of the components 92 held by each of the plurality of suction nozzles 134. Specifically, the control device 20 moves the mounting head 133 above the component camera 14 and sends an image capture command to the component camera 14. The control device 20 processes the image data acquired by the component camera 14, and recognizes the orientation (position and angle) of the components 92 held by each of the plurality of suction nozzles 134. The result of the holding state recognition process is recorded in the memory unit 21 as an operation result indicating whether or not a picking error occurred in the picking operation.

[0078] Thereafter, the control device 20 executes a mounting cycle in which the mounting operation of mounting components using the multiple suction nozzles 134 is repeated. In the mounting operation of this mounting cycle, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 so that the components 92 are mounted at the mounting positions specified by the control program M1. Furthermore, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 so that the suction nozzles 134 are positioned and angled relative to the mounting positions based on the results of the recognition process.

[0079] The control device 20 also executes a supply management process for the components 92 in parallel with the above-described PP cycle. The supply management process includes setting the execution timing of the supply operation of the components 92 by the bulk feeder 30, issuing a command for the supply operation, and recognizing the supply status. For example, when a supply operation of the components 92 is executed, the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is executed during the period from the end of the collection cycle of the current PP cycle to the start of the collection cycle of the next PP cycle. When the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is executed, the mounting assistance device 50 executes the above-described supply status recognition process again.

[0080] When all PP cycles based on the control program M1 have been completed, the control device 20 executes the unloading process of the board 91. In the unloading process of the board 91, the board transport device 11 unclamps the positioned board 91 and unloads the board 91 from the component mounting machine 10.

[0081] 6. Effects of the Configuration of the Embodiment The configuration of the mounting assistance device 50 as described above can improve the accuracy of image processing in the process of recognizing the supply state of the components 92 supplied by the bulk feeder 30. This can prevent errors from occurring in the picking operation of the component mounting machine 10, and as a result, the component mounting machine 10 can maintain high productivity.

[0082] 7. Modifications of the Embodiment In the embodiment, the placement assist device 50 is configured to be incorporated into the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10. However, part or all of the placement assist device 50 may be incorporated into the host computer 60 or other external device. For example, the placement assist device 50 may be incorporated into the host computer 60 or may be a dedicated device installed on the production line Ln.

[0083] 10: Component mounting machine, 12: Component supply device, 13: Component transfer device, 131: Head drive device, 132: Moving table, 133: Mounting head, 134: Suction nozzle, 14: Component camera, 15: Board camera, 20: Control device, 21: Memory unit, 30: Bulk feeder, 31: Feeder body, 40: Track unit, 45: Cavity, 46: Side wall, 47: Tip portion, 48: Shutter, 49: Reference mark, 50: Mounting support device, 51: Recognition unit, 52: Judgment unit, 60: Host computer, 70: Blob, 71: Candidate blob, 72, 73: Defective blob, 75: Center position (of blob), 80: Recognized component, 89: Foreign object, 91: Board, 92: Component, As: Supply area, R: conveying path, M1: control program, M2: component data, M3: cavity information, D1: image data, Sr, Sr1, Sr2: area (of recognized component), Sb, Sb1, Sb2: total area (of candidate blobs), Th, Th1, Th2: thresholds

Claims

1. A mounting assistance device comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes the components in the supply area by performing image processing on image data acquired by imaging a supply area where a plurality of components are supplied in bulk, the image data including a generation step of generating a plurality of blobs, an extraction step of extracting candidate blobs from the plurality of blobs that correspond to at least a portion of a closed area of ​​the components, and a recognition step of recognizing a rectangular area containing one or more of the candidate blobs as the components in the image data; and a determination unit that determines whether the recognized components are suitable for a picking operation by a component mounting machine based on the total area of ​​the one or more candidate blobs contained in the rectangular area.

2. The mounting assistance device of claim 1, wherein the judgment unit judges whether the recognized component is suitable for a picking operation by a component mounting machine based on the ratio of the total area of ​​the candidate blobs to the area of ​​the recognized component and a preset threshold value.

3. The mounting assistance device of claim 1, wherein the judgment unit judges whether the recognized component is suitable for a picking operation by a component mounting machine based on the total area of ​​the candidate blobs and a preset threshold value.

4. The wearing assistance device of claim 2 or 3, wherein the threshold value is set to a different value for a type in which the entire part becomes the blob in the generation step and a type in which the electrode portion of the part becomes the blob, and the judgment unit switches the threshold value depending on the type of part supplied to judge whether or not it is suitable as a target for the collection operation.

5. A mounting assistance device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recognition unit recognizes the rectangular area circumscribing one or more of the candidate blobs as the part in the image data in the recognition step.

6. A mounting assistance device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the supply area has a plurality of cavities formed therein for individually accommodating a plurality of the components, the recognition unit performs the image processing on the image data to recognize the position and shape of the components in the supply area, and in the extraction step, the recognition unit extracts candidate blobs from the plurality of blobs whose respective center positions are included in an appropriate area defined based on the positions of the plurality of cavities.

Images