Soldering apparatus having an extraction device for extracting fumes during soldering, and soldering method for automated soldering

Abstract

The invention relates to a soldering apparatus (10) having an extraction device (30) for extracting fumes during soldering, the soldering apparatus comprising: a soldering head (20) having at least one soldering material feed (21); and at least one soldering piston (23) which interacts therewith; and a support surface (11), located therebelow, for the soldering points (14) to be soldered in the workpieces (15). The extraction device (30) is connected to an extraction pump via a pipe (13). Arranged in the soldering head (10) is at least one extraction opening (35), located close to the soldering points (14) to be soldered of the workpiece (15), which extraction opening is connected to a conducting member (31) for conducting away the fumes, which is integrated in the soldering head (10) and can be connected to the extraction pump. Forming the conducting member in this way results in a compact design and efficient extraction.

Description

[0001] Soldering device with an extraction device for extracting fumes during soldering, as well as a soldering process for automated soldering

[0002] The invention relates to a soldering device with an extraction device for extracting fumes during soldering, and to a soldering method for automated soldering according to the preamble of claim 1 and claim 11 respectively. In soldering devices it is customary to extract as much of the fumes produced during the soldering process by means of an extraction device, since these also contain evaporated residues which originate from the soldering material consisting of tin, zinc, silver, copper, lead, flux and / or other components and also possibly from the existing layers of paint, dirt or similar on the metal workpieces to be soldered. This is to prevent these fumes from being inhaled by the operating personnel or from being deposited in the soldering devices.

[0003] The soldering devices each comprise a soldering head with at least one solder wire or solder paste feed and at least one soldering iron interacting with the tip of the solder wire on a movable carriage and a support surface underneath for the workpieces to be soldered. The extraction device usually has a flexible hose connected by a line to an extraction pump or extraction means, which can be manually moved into the desired position close to the soldering point with its extraction opening. This has the disadvantage that these hoses must always be manually moved into the correct position by the operator and that they also limit the field of vision to the soldering point. Since such a hose is connected independently of the soldering head, it does not follow the adjustment of the soldering head.

[0004] The invention is based on the object of creating a soldering device with an extraction device which enables it to ensure sufficient extraction of the fume gas in every soldering position of the soldering head without manual operation of a hose or the like.

[0005] In addition, the soldering device, preferably with the suction device that cannot be adjusted manually, should be able to automatically position at least one workpiece with one or more soldering points or a number of workpieces, each with one or more soldering points, without manual intervention.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 and by the features of claim 11.

[0007] According to the invention, the soldering head is provided with at least one suction opening located at the soldering points of the workpieces to be soldered, with a connection to a guide element integrated in the soldering head and connectable to the suction pump or the like for removing the fumes.

[0008] Very advantageously, the guide element comprises a housing forming an annular channel with at least one connecting piece and a retaining ring tightly enclosing the housing, also with at least one connecting piece, wherein the connecting pieces are fluidically connected to the annular channel in the housing. This design of the guide element allows for a compact design without requiring a protruding hose. This guide element is mounted on the top of the soldering head in a removable or replaceable manner, so that it can be manufactured inexpensively as a consumer item and replaced with a new one.

[0009] Another significant advantage is that the cylindrical housing on the outside is mounted in the retaining ring for rotational adjustment. This enables its proper functioning, particularly in a rotatable soldering head. This soldering head is therefore expediently provided with a support arm with at least one solder wire feed and at least one cooperating soldering iron. This support arm is mounted in a base piece of the soldering head, preferably rotatable by 360°, about an axis running perpendicular to the support surface for the workpieces and concentric to the soldering point.

[0010] The holding ring of the guide element is attached with its connecting piece to the upper fixed base piece of the soldering head, while the housing of the guide element is fixed to the support arm which projects through the inside of the same and can be rotated by this in the holding ring.

[0011] The invention provides that the extraction opening is formed in this support arm of the soldering head, wherein the connection piece of the housing extends at the rear of the support arm up to the extraction opening and seals it, so that the flue gas is guided through the extraction opening and this connection piece into the annular channel in the housing and from there through the connection piece on the retaining ring to the extraction pump. The invention is further characterized in that the soldering device is assigned an automated control device with a measuring system with an integrated measuring instrument, by means of which the position of the soldering point on the workpiece to be soldered is determined. The control device automatically moves the soldering head with the solder wire feed and the soldering iron interacting with it into this position and solders in a controlled manner.This allows soldering and exhausting of the flue gas without any manual manipulation and results in a very high rate of reliably soldered joints that permanently produce these electrical solder connections as specified and no unsoldered or insufficiently soldered joints are created.

[0012] The invention provides that a camera arranged in the soldering head and / or a sensor unit of the measuring instrument protrudes through the cavity of the housing of the extraction device, and its front side provides direct access to the soldering point. This optimally ensures the compactness of the soldering head of the soldering device according to the invention.

[0013] The invention and further advantages thereof are explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Figure 1 shows a front view of a soldering device with a soldering head and an extraction device according to the invention integrated therein;

[0014] Fig. 2 is a perspective side view of the soldering device, showing the rear side;

[0015] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the suction device according to the invention according to Fig. 1 without the soldering head of the soldering device; and

[0016] Fig. 4 a longitudinal section through the extraction device according to Fig. 3 without the soldering head.

[0017] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a soldering device 10 with a soldering head 20, which is typically adjustably mounted on a machine frame (not shown in detail) in a closed cell for producing the solder joints, for example, surrounded by viewing windows. Below the soldering head 20, a support surface 11 for the workpiece(s) 15 is indicated, which can rest directly on a workpiece table or be held in a clamping device or the like.

[0018] Such a soldering device 10 is suitable for producing soldered connections on various workpieces 15 in which one or more electrical connection points must be created by soldering. These workpieces 15 can be, for example, circuit boards, chips, electronic components, wires, electrical connecting elements, or the like. The soldering device 10 has a soldering head 20 with a solder wire feed 21 and a soldering iron 23 interacting with the latter, as well as the support surface 11 located thereunder for the workpieces 15 to be soldered. The soldering iron 23 is mounted on a carriage 24 for reciprocating movement. The soldering head 20 is composed of a plate-shaped support arm 25, an extraction device 30 for extracting smoke gases, a holder 26 of the support arm 25 and a base piece 27 for fastening the soldering head 20 to an adjustment unit or the like.

[0019] The adjustment unit, not shown in detail, is preferably equipped with adjustment means movable in the x, y, and z directions and associated guide rails, which enable the soldering head 20 to be moved automatically in these three directions and positioned in predetermined soldering positions. The soldering head 20 is preferably attached by its holder 26 of the support arm 25 to the adjustment means movable in the vertical z direction on a guide rail. Furthermore, the support arm 25 of the soldering head 20 is mounted in the holder 26 so as to be rotatable, preferably by approximately 360°, about an axis A running perpendicular to the support surface 11 and concentric to the soldering point 14.

[0020] Also illustrated is an adjustment device 28 with an angle scale 29 for adjusting the angle of the carriage 24 and, with it, the front-mounted soldering iron 24. By means of this adjustment device, the angles of the soldering iron 24 and solder wire 22, which run parallel to the image plane, can be adjusted to achieve optimal soldering. This angle scale 29 is attached to the carriage 24 and, by loosening a screw 17 in guide elements 16, can be pivoted together with the carriage around an axis at the tip of the soldering iron.

[0021] The solder wire 22 is moved by this solder wire feed 21 with a specific stroke length in its axial direction against the soldering iron 24 before each soldering operation, while the carriage 24 advances the soldering iron 24 in its axial direction by a specific stroke when the soldering head 20 is brought into the soldering position. After soldering, the soldering iron 24 is moved back by the carriage 24 by the same stroke. The solder wire feed 21 comprises a hose 19' and a guide sleeve 19 pivotally mounted on the soldering head, through which the solder wire 22 is guided. The feeds of the soldering iron 24 and the solder wire 22 are controlled by a control device of the soldering device.

[0022] According to the invention, at least one suction opening 35 is arranged in the soldering head 20 at the soldering points of the workpieces 15 to be soldered, which is connected to a guide element 31 for removing the smoke gases, which is integrated in the soldering head 20 and can be connected to a suction pump.

[0023] This allows extraction without manually adjusting a flexible hose, enabling automated soldering. The extraction pump (not shown) is located in the machine frame below the soldering device or outside the machine frame via a line 13 leading from the guide element 31. However, it could also be mounted elsewhere.

[0024] As can also be seen from Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, this guide element 31 is provided with a connecting piece 33 sealingly connected to the suction opening 35 and a connecting piece 34 for the line 13 to the suction pump. This guide element 31 preferably consists of a housing 36 forming an annular channel 37 with the connecting piece 33 and a retaining ring 32 tightly enclosing the housing 36 with the connecting piece 34, wherein the connecting pieces 33, 34 are fluidically connected to the annular channel 37 in the housing 36. For this purpose, the housing 36 is open and cylindrical on its outer circumference and is provided with transverse webs 38 all around for reinforcement.The connecting piece 34 of the housing 36 projects at the rear of the support arm 25 up to the suction opening 35 and seals it so that the flue gas can be guided through the suction opening 35 and the opening 35' at the bottom of the connecting piece 33 into the annular channel 37 in the housing 36 and from there through the connecting piece 34 at the retaining ring 32 and through the line 13 to the suction pump.

[0025] The housing 36, which is provided with the annular channel 37 on the outside, is formed in the center with a cavity 39 through which the soldering head 20 protrudes with its plate-shaped support arm 25. The cavity 39 is sometimes formed by a recess 39', which is rectangular in cross-section and into which this support arm 25 can be inserted in a form-fitting manner.

[0026] The retaining ring 32, with its connecting piece 34, is fixed to the base piece 27 at the upper bracket 26 of the support arm 25 by a fastening element 41. Due to the rotatability of the support arm 25, as mentioned above, the housing 36 of the guide element 31 is driven along as it rotates, while the retaining ring 32, fixed to the bracket 26, remains non-rotatably stationary. Therefore, within the scope of the invention, it is provided that the housing 36 is mounted in the retaining ring 32 in a rotatably adjustable manner. The retaining ring 32 consists of two ring halves which are detachably fastened to one another on the outside of the cylindrical housing 36 by two tabs 42 which can be connected in pairs by a screw 42' or the like, wherein on one ring half one connecting piece 34 is provided with a transverse opening 43 which opens inwards into the ring channel 37 of the housing 36.These ring halves are attached to each other in such a way that the housing can rotate within them and does not jam.

[0027] This design of the retaining ring 32 allows it to be easily removed from the housing 36 for replacing the extraction device 30, and also allows the housing 36 to be easily pulled out of this support arm by removing the support arm 25 from the holder 26. Of course, this retaining ring could also be formed in one piece and slipped onto the housing. The plate-shaped support arm 25 extends with its underside 25' to approximately the height of the soldering wire 22 or the soldering iron 23 above the support surface 11 and is located a short distance behind the soldering wire. This ensures that the fume gas sucked in at the extraction opening 35 during soldering is guided at the front along this plate-shaped support arm 25, thus partially shielding and guiding the fume gas so that it is completely sucked away.Depending on requirements, the suction pump can be switched on and off during each soldering process or left running without switching off during consecutive soldering operations.

[0028] Furthermore, the invention is characterized in that the soldering device 10 is assigned a control device with a measuring system with an integrated measuring instrument, by which the position of the soldering point 14 is determined, preferably by a marking on the workpiece 15 to be soldered. The control device automatically moves the soldering head 10 with the solder wire feed 21 and the soldering iron 23 interacting with it into this position and solders in a controlled manner. This enables automated soldering without manual intervention, and inaccuracies in the position of the workpiece 15 to be soldered are automatically corrected.

[0029] The measuring instrument integrated into the soldering device 10 has at least one camera 40 arranged in the soldering head 20, which is aligned with the soldering point 14 and captures it by taking images. Image coordinates are thus created, and an evaluation unit determines and determines at least one soldering position of the workpiece surface in the x and y directions. Based on this measurement, the soldering head 20 and thus the solder wire feed 21 and the soldering iron 23 are automatically guided to this measured soldering position by the control device, and the soldering is carried out in a controlled manner.

[0030] The measuring instrument's camera 40, located in the soldering head 20, is mounted in the holder 26 and extends through the cavity 39 in the center of the housing 36 of the extraction device 30. The front side 40' of the camera 40 provides a direct view of the soldering point 14 between the solder wire feed 21 and the soldering iron 23, without any object in between. This camera 40 is advantageously equipped with a flashlight to precisely capture the soldering point 14.

[0031] As a further additional function, the measuring instrument can record an identification indicated on the upper visible surface of the workpiece 15 as a barcode or similar, along with the soldering captured by the camera 40, and store it in a database. This allows for traceability of the soldering produced on identified workpieces to meet known manufacturing standards.

[0032] As a further step in the automation of the invention, the soldering captured by the camera 40 of the measuring instrument can be recorded as the actual state using an image or image sequence, and image coordinates can be created for it. These actual states can then be compared with a target value for the soldering and evaluated to determine at least whether the soldering was carried out within specified tolerance values. The images from the camera 40 are stored as an imaging unit and evaluated through calculations using a software program and the resulting analyses. These evaluations can then be used to modify and thus improve subsequent soldering processes.

[0033] The invention is sufficiently illustrated by the above embodiments. It could be further explained by further variants.

[0034] Instead of a solder wire as the soldering material, known solder pastes could be used, which would be fed to the soldering point in portions using a dosing device, whereby these could also be arranged above the soldering point by at least one feed line.

[0035] The extraction opening could, of course, also be located at a different location on the soldering head than shown, such as on the lower side directly behind the soldering iron, or two or more such extraction openings could be provided above and / or next to each other in or next to this support arm. This also depends on the height or width of the workpiece.

[0036] In principle, an angled attachment made of a rigid or flexible hose or a square piece of pipe could be tightly connected to this extraction opening on the front of the support arm so that the extraction opening could be positioned even closer to a soldering point depending on the dimensions of the workpiece.

[0037] Furthermore, the guide element could also be designed differently than described. For example, the connecting pieces could also be manufactured as separate parts that would be attached to the housing, the support ring, or the soldering head.

[0038] The support arm 25 could also be designed in a different shape instead of a plate-shaped one, such as a tubular one with a rectangular cross-section, in which case no connection piece would be required at the suction opening, but this would be carried out by the support arm itself.

[0039] In principle, the extraction device could be arranged in a soldering device that would not be provided with a support arm with the soldering wire and soldering iron that could be rotated around the axis, but would only be provided with these connection pieces without the housing with the ring channel.

[0040] The camera 40 could also be a thermal imaging camera, which, for example, works with infrared radiation and uses the images to create visualizations of the temperature ranges.

[0041] As mentioned, at least one sensor unit, for example, operating with laser beams, or a combination of these measuring systems could also be used. This would allow the solder joints to be imaged during and / or immediately after soldering, visualizing the temperature ranges. This would allow determining the extent to which the solder joints have been exposed to the heated and liquefied solder material.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Soldering device with a suction device for sucking away fumes during soldering, wherein the soldering device (10) has a soldering head (20) with at least one soldering material feed (21) and at least one soldering iron (23) cooperating with it and a support surface (11) located underneath for the soldering points (14) to be soldered on the workpieces (15), wherein the suction device (30) is connected to a suction pump or the like by a line (13), characterized in that at least one suction opening (35) is arranged on the soldering head (10) near the soldering points (14) to be killed on the workpieces (15), which suction opening is connected to a guide element (31) integrated in the soldering head (10) and connectable to the suction pump for carrying away the fumes.

2. Soldering device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide member (31) which is removably or replaceably fastened to the top of the soldering head (10) for removing the smoke gases is provided with at least one connecting piece (33) sealingly connected to the at least one suction opening (35) and at least one connecting piece (34) for the line (13) to the suction pump.

3. Soldering device according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide member (31) has a housing (36) forming an annular channel (37) with the at least one connecting piece (33) and a retaining ring (32) tightly enclosing the housing (36) with at least one connecting piece (34), wherein the connecting pieces (33, 34) are fluidly connected to the annular channel (31) in the housing (36).

4. Soldering device according to claim 3, characterized in that the externally cylindrical housing (36) is rotatably mounted in the retaining ring (32).

5. Soldering device according to claim 4, characterized in that the retaining ring (32) consists of two ring halves which are detachably fastened to one another on the outside of the cylindrically shaped housing (36), wherein on one ring half, one connecting piece (34) is provided with a transverse opening (43) which opens inwards into the ring channel (31) of the housing (36).

6. Soldering device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing (36) of the guide member (31) is provided internally with a cavity (39) through which the soldering head (10) projects with a preferably plate-shaped support arm (25) with the suction opening (35) provided therein, wherein the connecting piece (33) of the housing (36) projects at the rear of the support arm (25) up to the suction opening (35) and seals it around, so that the flue gas is guided through the suction opening (35) and this connecting piece (33) into the annular channel (37) in the housing (36) and from there through the connecting piece (34) at the retaining ring (32) via a line (13) to the suction pump.

7. Soldering device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the retaining ring (32) with its connecting piece (34) is fixed to the upper fixed holder (26) of the soldering head (10), while the housing (36) of the guide element (31) is fixed by the support arm (25) projecting through it on the inside, wherein this support arm (25) is mounted in the holder (26) and thus the housing (36) is mounted so as to be rotatable by approximately 360° about an axis (A) running perpendicular to the support surface (11) and concentric to the soldering point (14).

8. Soldering device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support arm (25) extends with its underside (25') to approximately the height of the soldering wire (22) above the support surface (11) and, moreover, it is located at a short distance behind the soldering wire (22), so that partial shielding and guidance of the smoke gas produced at the soldering point (14) is effected.

9. Suction device for a soldering device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the suction device (30) is provided with a guide member (31) having at least one connecting piece (33) with at least one suction opening (35) for the removal of smoke gases and at least one connecting piece (34) for the connection to a line (13) to a suction pump.

10. Suction device according to claim 9, characterized in that the guide member (31) has a housing (36) forming an annular channel (37) with the at least one connecting piece (33) and a retaining ring (32) tightly enclosing the housing with the at least one connecting piece (34), wherein the connecting pieces (33, 34) are fluidically connected to the annular channel (37) in the housing (36) and the housing (36) is rotatably mounted in the retaining ring (32).

11. Soldering method preferably with a soldering device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the soldering device (20) is assigned a control device with a measuring system with a measuring instrument integrated therein, by means of which the position of the soldering point (14) is determined preferably by a marking on the workpiece (15) to be soldered and by means of the control device the soldering head (20) with the solder wire feed (21) and the soldering iron (23) cooperating with it is moved into this position in an automated manner and soldered in a controlled manner.

12. Soldering method according to claim 11, characterized in that the measuring instrument integrated in the soldering device (10) has at least one camera (40) arranged in the soldering head (20) and / or a sensor unit which is aligned with the soldering point (14) and records it by means of images, by means of which image coordinates are created and by means of an evaluation unit the at least one soldering point (14) on the workpiece surface is determined and identified in the x and y directions, and from this the solder wire feed (21) and the soldering iron (23) of the soldering head (20) are automatically guided to this soldering position by the control device and the soldering is carried out in a controlled manner.

13. Soldering method according to claim 12, characterized in that the camera (40) of the measuring instrument arranged in the soldering head (20) is fastened in the holder (26) and through the cavity (39) of the housing (36) of the suction device (30) and with its front side (40') there is a direct view of the soldering point without any object in between.

14. Soldering method according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the identification indicated on the upper visible surface of the workpiece (15) is determined by the measuring instrument together with the soldering detected by the camera (40) and is stored in a database in order to enable tracing of the solderings produced.

15. Soldering method according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the soldering recorded by the camera (40) of the measuring instrument is compared by means of a recorded image or image sequences as an actual state with a target value of the soldering and is evaluated in order to determine at least whether the soldering has been carried out within the specified tolerance values.

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