Handling device and handling method

Abstract

To provide a handling device and a handling method.SOLUTION: A handling device includes: a device carrying section which carries a test device and sorts the test device to a tray; and a vibration section which vibrates the tray while the device carrying section carries the test device and places the test device on the tray. The vibrating section may vibrate the tray before the placing operation is started. The vibrating section may vibrate the tray by a linear motor. The vibrating section may have a vibration generator for vibrating the tray in contact with the lower surface of the tray. The vibration section may further include a controller for controlling the vibration of the vibration generator according to the placing operation by the device carrying section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a handling device and a handling method. [Background technology]

[0002] The machine translation of the foreign patent document 1 states that "the vibration generated in each of the vibration motor assemblies 110 is transmitted to the vibration section and then transmitted to the customer tray, so that the semiconductor element partially separated while still in the pocket of the customer tray can be positioned or seated in the pocket by transmitting the vibration." (

[0066] ). The machine translation of the foreign patent document 2 states that "the exemplary test system may also include a feeder for moving the tray containing the untested device to a position close to the motor. The control system may be configured to control the operation of the motor to cause vibration after the feeder moves to a predetermined position." (

[0006] ). The machine translation of the foreign patent document 3 states that "a sensor for detecting the seating state of the electronic component seated in the seating space, and based on the detection result of the sensor, it is determined whether the seating state of the electronic component is in a poor seating state or a normal seating state, and if the seating state of the electronic component is determined to be in a poor seating state, vibration is generated in the board bracket." (

[0011] ). [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] KR 2014-0138380 A [Patent Document 2] US 2020 / 408634 A1 [Patent Document 3] WO 2023 / 068768 A1 Summary of the Invention

[0003] A first aspect of the present invention provides a handling apparatus comprising: a device transport section that transports devices under test and sorts them onto a tray, and a vibration section that vibrates the tray during a placement operation in which the device transport section places the devices under test on the tray.

[0004] In the handling device, the vibration section may vibrate the tray before the placing operation is started.

[0005] In any of the handling devices described above, the vibration section may vibrate the tray by a linear motor.

[0006] In any of the handling devices described above, the vibration section may have a vibration generator that vibrates the tray while in contact with a lower surface of the tray.

[0007] In any of the handling devices described above, the vibration section may further include a controller that controls vibration of the vibration generator in response to the placing operation by the device transport section.

[0008] In any of the handling devices described above, the controller may stop vibration of the vibration generator while the device transport unit is not performing the placing operation.

[0009] In any of the handling devices described above, the controller may be capable of adjusting at least any one of parameters of a vibration frequency, a vibration time, and an amplitude of the vibration generator.

[0010] Any of the above handling devices may further include an input unit for a user to set the parameters.

[0011] In any of the above handling apparatuses, the controller may adjust the parameters based on at least one of a size and a weight of the device under test.

[0012] In any of the handling devices described above, the controller may be capable of adjusting a relative position between the tray and the vibration generator to change a contact position between the tray and the vibration generator.

[0013] Any of the above handling apparatuses may further include an error detection unit that detects an occurrence of an error in placing the device under test and generates position information of a location where the error occurred. In any of the above handling apparatuses, the controller may adjust the relative position so that the contact position is the location in order to eliminate the placement error.

[0014] In any of the handling devices described above, the controller may adjust the relative positions in accordance with individual differences among the plurality of trays that are repeatedly reused for testing the devices under test.

[0015] In any of the handling devices described above, the controller may adjust the relative positions based on position information, recorded in advance for each of the plurality of trays, of a location at which the device under test is likely to be placed incorrectly.

[0016] In any of the above handling devices, the vibration unit may further include a placement detection unit that detects that the tray has been transported and placed on the vibration generator. In any of the above handling devices, the vibration generator may start vibrating the tray in response to detection that the tray has been placed on the vibration generator, and may stop vibrating the tray in response to the tray being transported from the vibration generator.

[0017] Any of the above handling devices may further include an error detection unit that detects an occurrence of an error in placing the device under test. In any of the above handling devices, the vibration unit may vibrate the tray when the occurrence of the error in placing is detected until the error is eliminated.

[0018] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handling method, comprising: a device transporting step of transporting devices under test to a tray for sorting the devices on the tray; and a vibration step of vibrating the tray during a placing operation of placing the devices under test on the tray.

[0019] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of a test handler apparatus 100 according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of a handling device 110 according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a handling method according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a handling method according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] 10 is a timing chart showing another example of a handling method according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a timing chart showing another example of a handling method according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a test handler device 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, which are orthogonal to each other, are indicated by arrows. The left-right direction on the paper is the X-axis direction, the up-down direction on the paper is the Y-axis direction, and the depth direction on the paper is the Z-axis direction. FIG. 1 also indicates the movement direction of each component of the test handler device 100 with arrows. This also applies to the following drawings, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. In the following explanation, the positive side in the Z-axis direction may be referred to as the top, and the negative side in the Z-axis direction may be referred to as the bottom.

[0023] The test handler apparatus 100 includes a handling device 110 that sorts a plurality of DUTs (Devices Under Test) 10 onto a tray 20. The test handler apparatus 100 tests the plurality of DUTs 10 sorted onto the tray 20 by the handling device 110.

[0024] More specifically, the handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 transfers and arranges the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the tray 20 for customers, which is carried in from outside the test handler apparatus 100, onto a tray 20 for testing that is separate from the tray 20 for customers, i.e., sorts the DUTs onto the tray 20 for testing. The test handler apparatus 100 tests the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the tray 20 for testing.

[0025] Furthermore, after testing the multiple DUTs 10, the handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 transfers and arranges the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the test tray 20 onto the customer-bound tray 20, i.e., sorts the DUTs 10 onto the customer-bound tray 20. The test handler apparatus 100 then takes out the customer-bound tray 20 onto which the multiple DUTs 10 have been sorted, to the outside of the test handler apparatus 100.

[0026] The handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 may once sort the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the tray 20 for customers onto a buffer tray 20 separate from the tray 20 for customers, and then re-sort the DUTs 10 from the buffer tray 20 onto the tray 20 for testing. After testing the multiple DUTs 10, the handling device 110 may once sort the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the tray 20 for testing onto the buffer tray 20, and then re-sort the DUTs 10 from the buffer tray 20 onto the tray 20 for customers.

[0027] The handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 sorts the multiple DUTs 10 into each tray 20 by storing the DUTs 10 in each of the multiple pockets 25 of each tray 20. The handling device 110 prevents the DUTs 10 from being stored correctly in the pockets 25 of the tray 20 and getting caught around the pockets 25, i.e., preventing placement errors. Furthermore, if a placement error occurs on the tray 20, the handling device 110 quickly and reliably corrects the placement error, thereby preventing a breakdown of the test handler apparatus 100, i.e., a jam.

[0028] In the following description, the process of transferring the DUT 10 from one tray 20 to another tray 20 may be referred to as pick and place, the process of picking up the DUT 10 from the tray 20 may be referred to as pick, and the process of placing the DUT 10 on the tray 20 may be referred to as place. The above-mentioned placement error may be referred to as a placement error. Correcting a placement error may be expressed as clearing the placement error.

[0029] The DUT 10 is a semiconductor device to be tested, and is an example of a device under test. The DUT 10 may be an electronic device, an optical device, or the like, for example, a memory device. The DUT 10 may be an individual device separated from a wafer-level package or a panel-level package. The multiple DUTs 10 handled by the test handler apparatus 100 may have different dimensions, weights, or materials. For example, the dimensions of the main surface of the DUT 10 may be within a range of 2 mm×2 mm to 40 mm×40 mm. For example, the DUT 10 may be a plastic molded product, and may have a member made of oxygen-free copper several millimeters thick. Note that when the test handler apparatus 100 switches the type of DUT 10 to be handled as a test target, for example, when switching to a DUT 10 with a different dimension, the test handler apparatus 100 may respond by replacing the test tray 20 or a replaceable member in the test handler apparatus 100.

[0030] The handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 includes a device transport section 30 that transports the DUTs 10 and sorts them onto the tray 20, and a vibration section 70 that vibrates the tray 20 during the placement operation in which the device transport section 30 places the DUTs 10 onto the tray 20.

[0031] 1, the test handler apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes a loader unit 200, two test units 300, a test tray transfer 400, an unloader unit 500, and a user interface 600. The test handler apparatus 100 transports a plurality of DUTs 10 sorted on a tray 20 in the order of the loader unit 200, the test unit 300, and the unloader unit 500. Note that the test handler apparatus 100 may include three or more test units 300.

[0032] The loader unit 200 receives the customer tray 21 from outside the test handler apparatus 100. The loader unit 200 loads the DUTs 10 sorted on the customer tray 21 onto the test tray 22. More specifically, the loader unit 200 sorts the DUTs 10 sorted on the customer tray 21 into the buffer stage 23, and then sorts them from the buffer stage 23 onto the test tray 22. The handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 stores the DUTs 10 in the pockets 25 of the buffer stage 23 and the test tray 22, thereby sorting the DUTs 10 onto the buffer stage 23 and the test tray 22. The loader unit 200 includes a stocker 210, a loader transfer arm 220, a first handling device 111, and a test tray turn 290.

[0033] The customer tray 21 is an example of the above-mentioned tray 20 for a customer, and is a portable tray 20. The customer tray 21 has a plurality of pockets 25 for storing a plurality of DUTs 10. The plurality of pockets 25 of the customer tray 21 may be formed in a matrix. The customer tray 21 may have a rectangular plate-like outer shape in a plan view. The outer shape of the customer tray 21 and the number of pockets 25 may differ depending on the customer who provides the customer tray 21. When the customer tray 21 is carried into the loader unit 200, a DUT 10 is stored in each of the plurality of pockets 25, i.e., the plurality of DUTs 10 are sorted.

[0034] The test tray 22 is an example of the above-mentioned test tray 20, and is a portable tray 20. The test tray 22 has a plurality of pockets 25 for storing a plurality of DUTs 10. The plurality of pockets 25 of the test tray 22 may be formed in a matrix. The pitch between the plurality of pockets 25 of the test tray 22 is different from the pitch between the plurality of pockets 25 of the customer tray 21, and may be larger than the pitch of the customer tray 21, for example. The test tray 22 may have a rectangular plate-like outer shape in a plan view, and may have a larger dimension than the customer tray 21. A plurality of test trays 22 are repeatedly used in the test handler device 100, and the outer shape of each test tray 22 and the number of pockets 25 may be unified within the test handler device 100. The test tray 22 may be capable of storing a maximum of 192 DUTs 10, for example.

[0035] The buffer stage 23 is an example of the buffer tray 20 described above, and is a fixed tray 20. The buffer stage 23 has a plurality of pockets 25 for storing a plurality of DUTs 10. The plurality of pockets 25 of the buffer stage 23 may be formed in a staggered manner, that is, arranged alternately. The pitch between the plurality of pockets 25 of the buffer stage 23 is different from the pitch between the plurality of pockets 25 of the customer tray 21 and the test tray 22, and is, for example, larger than the pitch of the customer tray 21 and smaller than the pitch of the test tray 22. The buffer stage 23 functions as a part of a mechanism for converting the pitch between the customer tray 21 and the test tray 22, which have different pitches. The buffer stage 23 may have a rectangular plate-like outer shape in a plan view, and may be larger than the dimensions of the customer tray 21 and smaller than the dimensions of the test tray 22.

[0036] The stocker 210 is a shelf that stores a plurality of customer trays 21, which are brought in from outside the test handler apparatus 100, lined up in the Z-axis direction. In the example shown in FIG. 1, four stockers 210 are included in the loader unit 200. The number of customer trays 21 that each stocker 210 can store may be determined according to the shape of the customer trays 21, and as an example, each stocker 210 stores 45 customer trays 21. Each of the four stockers 210 has a set plate at the top that holds one customer tray 21, and a plurality of DUTs 10 sorted into the customer trays 21 held by the set plate are picked up by the first handling apparatus 111.

[0037] The loader transfer arm 220 is a transport device that carries in the customer trays 21 individually or in a group from outside the test handler device 100 and stores them in the stocker 210. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the loader transfer arm 220 may move in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction while holding the customer tray 21 to the front of a predetermined storage location of the stocker 210 and extend to the negative side of the Y-axis direction to insert the customer tray 21 into the storage location. The loader transfer arm 220 may transport the customer tray 21 stored in the stocker 210 to above a set plate located at the top of the stocker 210. After the multiple DUTs 10 sorted into the customer tray 21 are picked up by the first handling device 111, the loader transfer arm 220 may transport the empty customer tray 21 from above the set plate to the unloader unit 500.

[0038] The first handling device 111 is an example of the handling device 110 described above. The first handling device 111 includes a loader pick-and-place front 231 and a loader pick-and-place rear 232 as an example of the device transport section 30 described above. The first handling device 111 includes two vibration sections 270 as an example of the vibration section 70 described above. The first handling device 111 additionally includes two error detection sections 280. In FIG. 1, the vibration section 270 and the error detection section 280 are indicated by dashed rectangular frames.

[0039] The loader pick-and-place front 231 picks up the DUTs 10 sorted onto the customer tray 21 on a set plate located at the top of any of the four stockers 210, and places the DUTs 10 into a pocket 25 of the buffer stage 23 located near the Y-axis direction positive side of the stocker 210, thereby sorting the multiple DUTs 10 onto the buffer stage 23. The loader pick-and-place front 231 may collectively pick and place all the DUTs 10 on the customer tray 21 from the customer tray 21 onto the buffer stage 23, or may repeatedly pick and place one or some of the multiple DUTs 10 on the customer tray 21. The loader pick-and-place front 231 functions as a part of a mechanism for converting the pitch between the customer tray 21 and the test tray 22, which have different pitches from each other.

[0040] The loader pick-and-place rear 232 picks up the DUTs 10 sorted to the buffer stage 23 and places them in the pockets 25 of the test tray 22 located in a loading area 250 near the positive side of the buffer stage 23 in the Y-axis direction, thereby sorting the multiple DUTs 10 to the test tray 22. In FIG. 1, the loading area 250 is indicated by a dashed rectangular frame. The loader pick-and-place rear 232 may pick and place all the DUTs 10 on the buffer stage 23 at once from the buffer stage 23 to the test tray 22, or may repeatedly pick and place one or some of the multiple DUTs 10 on the buffer stage 23. The loader pick-and-place rear 232 functions as a part of a mechanism for converting the pitch between the customer tray 21 and the test tray 22, which have different pitches.

[0041] One of the two vibration sections 270 vibrates the buffer stage 23 during a placement operation in which the loader pick-and-place front 231 places the DUT 10 on the buffer stage 23. The other of the two vibration sections 270 vibrates the test tray 22 in the loading area 250 during a placement operation in which the loader pick-and-place rear 232 places the DUT 10 on the test tray 22.

[0042] The vibration unit 270 vibrates the buffer stage 23 etc. during such a placement operation, so that even if the DUT 10 is not properly stored in the pocket 25 of the buffer stage 23 etc. and gets caught on the periphery of the pocket 25, the vibration changes the friction between the DUT 10 and the periphery, making it easier for the DUT 10 to be seated in the pocket 25. In this way, the vibration unit 270 can prevent the above-mentioned placement errors from occurring, and can prevent jamming of the test handler device 100. Note that such a function of preventing jamming from occurring is sometimes called a jam release function, and it can also be said that the handling device 110 has a jam release function.

[0043] The error detection unit 280 detects the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10. One of the two error detection units 280 detects the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 on the buffer stage 23, and the other detects the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 on the test tray 22. Each error detection unit 280 detects the DUT 10 that is not properly stored in the pocket 25 of the buffer stage 23 or the like and is caught around the pocket 25, for example, by a camera or an infrared sensor. The error detection unit 280 may detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 and generate position information of the location where the placement error occurred. The error detection unit 280 may, for example, identify the X coordinate and Y coordinate of the location where the placement error occurred and output information of the identified coordinates as the position information.

[0044] The test tray turn 290 receives an empty test tray 22 from the unloader unit 500, and positions the empty test tray 22 in the above-mentioned loading area 250. The test tray turn 290 transports the test tray 22, on which sorting of the DUTs 10 has been completed by the loader pick-and-place rear 232 in the loading area 250, from the loading area 250 to the positive side in the Y axis direction, rotates it 90 degrees around the X axis, and hands it over to a test tray transfer 400 outside the loader unit 200.

[0045] Each of the two test units 300 tests the DUTs 10 loaded on the test tray 22. More specifically, each test unit 300 performs a temperature test on the multiple DUTs 10 sorted on the test tray 22. The two test units 300 perform temperature tests on the multiple DUTs 10 under, for example, different test temperature conditions. The two test units 300 may perform temperature tests on the multiple DUTs 10 in parallel with each other. For example, each test unit 300 tests up to 384 DUTs 10 in a batch, and the two test units 300 test up to 768 DUTs 10 in a batch in parallel with each other. The two test units 300 may have the same configuration, and in the following description, only one test unit 300 will be described as a representative, and the description of the other test unit 300 will be omitted.

[0046] 1, the test unit 300 has a soak area 310, a test area 320, and an exit area 330. The test unit 300 is hierarchically organized in the following order: the floor of the soak area 310, the floor of the test area 320, and the floor of the exit area 330.

[0047] The test trays 22 are sequentially carried into the soak area 310 by the test tray transfer 400. The test unit 300 moves the multiple test trays 22 in the soak area 310 from the negative side to the positive side in the Y-axis direction in the order in which they were carried in, and gradually heats or cools them to a predetermined preliminary test temperature.

[0048] The test tray 22 in the front row on the positive side of the Y axis direction in the soak area 310, i.e., the test tray 22 whose temperature has been adjusted to the preliminary test temperature, is carried in alone into the test area 320. In the test area 320, the test unit 300 heats or cools the test tray 22 to a predetermined test temperature, and tests the multiple DUTs 10 on the test tray 22 at the test temperature.

[0049] The test trays 22 that have completed the temperature test are sequentially carried into the exit area 330 from the test area 320. In the exit area 330, the test unit 300 moves the multiple test trays 22 from the positive side to the negative side in the Y-axis direction in the order in which they were carried in, gradually returning them to room temperature. In the exit area 330, the test trays 22 in the front row on the negative side of the Y-axis direction, i.e., the test trays 22 that have completed returning to room temperature, are sequentially carried out by the test tray transfer 400.

[0050] While adjusting the temperature of each area in this manner, the test unit 300 may perform tests to individually check the operation of the multiple DUTs 10, such as a function test of the DUTs 10 or a BIST test using a BIST circuit of the semiconductor chip of the DUTs 10. The test unit 300 may identify each of the multiple DUTs 10 and determine whether each DUT 10 is good or bad. The test unit 300 may perform a temperature test of the DUTs 10 using a terminal exposed from the surface of the DUT 10 and connected to an internal circuit of the semiconductor chip of the DUT 10.

[0051] The test tray transfer 400 transports the test trays 22 rotated 90 degrees around the X-axis one by one between the loader unit 200 and the unloader unit 500 and each test unit 300. More specifically, when the test tray transfer 400 receives the test tray 22 rotated 90 degrees around the X-axis from the loader unit 200, it passes it to one of the two test units 300. When the test tray transfer 400 receives the test tray 22 rotated 90 degrees around the X-axis from one of the two test units 300, it passes it to the unloader unit 500.

[0052] The unloader unit 500 receives the test tray 22 from one of the two test units 300, unloads the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the test tray 22, and sorts them onto the customer tray 21. The unloader unit 500 ejects the customer tray 21 to the outside of the test handler apparatus 100.

[0053] More specifically, the unloader unit 500 sorts the multiple DUTs 10 sorted onto the test tray 22 into the buffer stage 23, and then sorts them again from the buffer stage 23 onto the customer tray 21. The handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 sorts the multiple DUTs 10 into the buffer stage 23 and the customer tray 21 by storing the multiple DUTs 10 into multiple pockets 25 that the buffer stage 23 and the customer tray 21 each have.

[0054] The unloader unit 500 includes a stocker 510, an unloader transfer arm 520, a second handling device 112, and a test tray turn 590. Since the unloader unit 500 includes configurations similar to those included in the loader unit 200, the same reference numbers are used for configurations corresponding to those included in the loader unit 200, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0055] The test tray turn 590 receives the test tray 22 rotated 90 degrees around the X axis from the test tray transfer 400 outside the unloader unit 500, and rotates it -90 degrees around the X axis, i.e., so that the multiple pockets 25 face upward. The test tray turn 590 transports the test tray 22 in this state to the negative side in the Y axis direction and positions it in the unloading area 550. The test tray turn 590 passes the empty test tray 22 from which the DUTs 10 have been picked up by the second handling device 112 in the unloading area 550 to the loader unit 200. In this way, the unloader unit 500 circulates the test tray 22 between the loader unit 200 and the unloader unit 500.

[0056] The second handling device 112 is an example of the handling device 110 described above. The second handling device 112 includes an unloader pick-and-place front 531 and an unloader pick-and-place rear 532 as an example of the device transport section 30 described above. The second handling device 112 includes five vibration sections 570 as an example of the vibration section 70 described above. The second handling device 112 additionally includes five error detection sections 580. In FIG. 1, the vibration sections 570 and the error detection sections 580 are indicated by dashed rectangular frames.

[0057] The unloader pick-and-place rear 532 picks up the DUTs 10 sorted onto the test tray 22 located in the unloading area 550 and places the DUTs 10 into the pockets 25 of the buffer stage 23 located near the negative side of the unloading area 550 in the Y-axis direction, thereby sorting the multiple DUTs 10 onto the buffer stage 23. The unloader pick-and-place rear 532 may repeatedly pick and place one or some of the multiple DUTs 10 on the test tray 22 from the test tray 22 to the buffer stage 23. The unloader pick-and-place rear 532 functions as a part of a mechanism for converting the pitch between the test tray 22 and the customer tray 21, which have different pitches.

[0058] The unloader pick-and-place front 531 picks up the DUTs 10 sorted to the buffer stage 23 and places them in the pockets 25 of the empty customer tray 21 on the set plate located at the top of any one of the four stockers 510 located near the negative side of the Y-axis direction of the buffer stage 23, thereby sorting the multiple DUTs 10 to the customer tray 21. The unloader pick-and-place front 531 may repeatedly pick and place one or some of the multiple DUTs 10 on the buffer stage 23. The unloader pick-and-place front 531 functions as a part of a mechanism for converting the pitch between the test tray 22 and the customer tray 21, which have different pitches. The unloader pick-and-place front 531, together with the unloader pick-and-place rear 532, may pick up the DUTs 10 sorted to the test tray 22 located in the unloading area 550 and place them in the pockets 25 of the buffer stage 23, thereby sorting the multiple DUTs 10 to the buffer stage 23.

[0059] One of the five vibration sections 570 vibrates the buffer stage 23 during a placement operation in which the unloader pick-and-place rear 532 places the DUT 10 on the buffer stage 23. The remaining four of the five vibration sections 570 vibrate the customer tray 21 during a placement operation in which the unloader pick-and-place front 531 places the DUT 10 on the customer tray 21 on a set plate located at the top of any one of the four stockers 510.

[0060] The vibration section 570, like the vibration section 270 of the loader unit 200, vibrates the buffer stage 23 etc. during such a placement operation, so that even if the DUT 10 is not properly stored in the pocket 25 of the buffer stage 23 etc. and gets caught on the periphery of the pocket 25, the vibration changes the friction between the DUT 10 and the periphery, making it easier for the DUT 10 to be seated in the pocket 25. Thus, like the vibration section 270 of the loader unit 200, the vibration section 570 can prevent the above-mentioned placement errors from occurring and can prevent the test handler apparatus 100 from jamming.

[0061] The error detection units 580 detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10. One of the five error detection units 580 detects the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 on the buffer stage 23, and the remaining four detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 on the customer tray 21 on the set plate located at the top of the four stockers 510.

[0062] The unloader transfer arm 520 is a transport device that stores the customer tray 21, on which the sorting of the multiple DUTs 10 has been completed by the second handling device 112, in a predetermined stocker 510, and transports the customer trays 21 stored in the stocker 510 individually or collectively to the outside of the test handler device 100. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the unloader transfer arm 520 may move in the X-axis direction and Z-axis direction to the front of a predetermined storage location of the stocker 510 while holding the customer tray 21, on which the sorting of the multiple DUTs 10 has been completed, on a set plate located at the top of the stocker 510, and may insert the customer tray 21 into the storage location by extending in the negative Y-axis direction.

[0063] The stocker 510 is a shelf that stores a plurality of empty customer trays 21 carried in from the loader unit 200 and a plurality of customer trays 21 on which a plurality of DUTs 10 are sorted, lined up in the Z-axis direction. In the example shown in Fig. 1, four stockers 510 are included in the unloader unit 500. Each of the four stockers 510 has a set plate at the top that holds one customer tray 21, and a plurality of DUTs 10 are placed by the first handling device 111 into a plurality of pockets 25 of the customer tray 21 held by the set plate.

[0064] The user interface 600 may be, for example, a control panel, and accepts input from a user. The user interface 600 may accept, for example, setting values ​​of vibration parameters, such as vibration frequency, vibration time, and amplitude, of the vibration unit 70 of the handling device 110 by the user. The user interface 600 is an example of an input unit for the user to set at least any of the parameters of the vibration frequency, vibration time, and amplitude of the vibration unit 70.

[0065] The user interface 600 may be part of the configuration of the test handler apparatus 100, for example, one user interface 600 may be provided for the test handler apparatus 100. Alternatively, the user interface 600 may be part of the configuration of the handling apparatus 110, for example, one user interface 600 may be provided for the first handling apparatus 111 of the loader unit 200, and for example, one user interface 600 may be provided for the second handling apparatus 112 of the unloader unit 500.

[0066] The test handler apparatus 100 described above may be divided into several transport units according to the objects to be transported. For example, as shown in a dashed rectangular frame in Fig. 1, the test handler apparatus 100 may be broadly divided into a customer tray transport unit 101 that transports the customer tray 21, a device transport unit 102 that transports the DUT 10, and a test tray transport unit 103 that transports the test tray 22.

[0067] The above test handler device 100 has been described as being configured to perform a temperature test on a plurality of DUTs 10 sorted on the test tray 22 in a state in which the test tray 22 is rotated 90 degrees around the X-axis. The test tray 22 may have any fixing means for fixing the DUTs 10 in the pockets 25 so that the DUTs 10 stored in the pockets 25 do not fall out when the test tray 22 is rotated 90 degrees in this manner and is in a vertical position with the pockets 25 not facing upward. The customer tray 21, which is another portable tray 20, may also have a similar fixing means. These fixing means may be switched by the test handler device 100, for example, between a state in which the DUTs 10 are fixed in the pockets 25 and a state in which the DUTs 10 are removable from the pockets 25.

[0068] 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of a handling device 110 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the handling device 110 may further include a tray holder 40 for holding the tray 20.

[0069] The device transport unit 30 of the handling device 110 may transport a plurality of DUTs 10 together as shown in FIG. 2. The device transport unit 30 may move in the XY plane as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 2, with the DUTs 10 held by a vacuum chuck, for example. When each DUT 10 arrives at a position directly above the corresponding pocket 25 of the tray 20 as shown in FIG. 2, the device transport unit 30 may stop moving in the XY plane and sort the DUTs 10 into the tray 20. The device transport unit 30 may sort the DUTs 10 by dropping the DUTs 10 and seating them in the pocket 25 as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. 2. After dropping all the DUTs 10 held by the device transport unit 30, the device transport unit 30 may move to a standby position of another tray 20 where the next set of DUTs 10 is sorted.

[0070] The vibration unit 70 of the handling device 110 vibrates the tray 20 at least during the placement operation in which the device transport unit 30 places the DUT 10 on the tray 20. The vibration unit 70 may vibrate the tray 20 before the placement operation is started. For example, the vibration unit 70 may vibrate the tray 20 before the device transport unit 30 arrives at the position shown in FIG. 2, that is, before the device transport unit 30 arrives at the position where the DUT 10 can be dropped. Alternatively, the vibration unit 70 may vibrate the tray 20 from the time when the device transport unit 30 arrives at the position where the DUT 10 can be dropped and starts the placement operation. The vibration unit 70 may vibrate the tray 20 from the time when the device transport unit 30 releases the hold of the DUT 10, that is, the time when the DUT 10 starts to fall from the device transport unit 30. Note that in FIG. 2, the vibration waves transmitted to the tray 20 by the vibration unit 70 are shown as three thick curved lines.

[0071] The vibration section 70 may use, for example, a linear motor to vibrate the tray 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the vibration section 70 has a vibration generator 71 that vibrates the tray 20 while being in contact with the lower surface of the tray 20.

[0072] The vibration generator 71 may be an electrodynamic vibration device or a piezoelectric vibration device, such as a piezo element. The vibration generator 71 may be a vibration device using resonance. The vibration generator 71 may vibrate in, for example, the Z-axis direction.

[0073] The vibration generator 71 is, for example, a high-frequency device with a frequency of 60 Hz or more. The high-frequency device has a faster vibration rise time than a vibration generator that repeatedly impacts an air cylinder that performs piston motion against a tray by opening and closing a valve that supplies air. The high-frequency device generates finer vibrations than such a vibration generator, making it easier to match the moment the DUT 10 is placed with the timing of the vibrations, and even if the DUT 10 gets caught on the periphery of the pocket 25, the DUT 10 can be seated in the pocket 25 in a shorter time. Furthermore, the high-frequency device generates smaller vibration energy than such a vibration generator, making it possible to finely control the vibrations, and for example, it is possible to finely adjust the location on the tray 20 to be vibrated and the magnitude of the vibration. The vibration generator 71 may be a vibration generator that vibrates a membrane that receives air from a valve whose frequency is variable by opening and closing a gate and expands and contracts.

[0074] The vibration section 70 may further include a controller 73 that controls the vibration of the vibration generator 71 in response to the placement operation by the device transport section 30. The controller 73 may recognize the placement operation of the device transport section 30 based on a time schedule indicating the operation timing of each component of the handling apparatus 110, or may recognize the placement operation of the device transport section 30 by receiving a feedback signal indicating the operation state of the device transport section 30. In other words, the controller 73 may recognize the placement operation of the device transport section 30 that is open-controlled, or may recognize the placement operation of the device transport section 30 that is feedback-controlled. Note that the controller 73 itself may control the operation of the device transport section 30, i.e., the controller 73 may control the placement operation by the device transport section 30 and the vibration of the tray 20 by the vibration section 70.

[0075] The controller 73 may be capable of adjusting the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 to change the contact position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71. The controller 73 may adjust the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 in the XY plane by driving a movable stage 75 that the vibration unit 70 may additionally have, for example, as shown by a filled arrow in FIG. 2, to move the vibration generator 71 fixed on the movable stage 75 in the XY plane. Alternatively or in addition to this, when the tray holder 40 that holds the tray 20 is movable, the controller 73 may adjust the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 in the XY plane by driving the tray holder 40 to move the tray 20 fixed on the tray holder 40 in the XY plane.

[0076] The error detection unit 80 of the handling device 110 may detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 by using a camera that takes an overhead image of the upper surface of the tray 20 from above the tray 20, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. The camera may be installed on a ceiling above the buffer stage 23, the loading area 250, etc., in the loader unit 200 shown in FIG. 1, for example. The error detection unit 80 may detect the occurrence of a placement error by analyzing an image of a plurality of DUTs 10 sorted on the tray 20 and detecting the presence of a DUT 10 that is caught on the periphery of the pocket 25 and protrudes from the outline of the pocket 25. When the error detection unit 80 detects the occurrence of a placement error, the error detection unit 80 may further identify the location where the placement error occurred based on the analyzed image and generate position information of the location.

[0077] Alternatively or in addition, the error detection unit 80 may detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 by using a plurality of cameras that photograph the upper surface of the tray 20 from at least two directions on the side of the tray 20. The camera may be mounted on the tray 20, for example, or may be installed on a side wall of the buffer stage 23, the loading area 250, or the like in the loader unit 200 shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the error detection unit 80 may detect the occurrence of a placement error by analyzing images of a plurality of DUTs 10 sorted on the tray 20 and detecting the presence of a DUT 10 that is caught around the periphery of the pocket 25 and protruding from the surface of the tray 20. When the error detection unit 80 detects the occurrence of a placement error, it may further identify the location where the placement error occurred based on the analyzed image and generate position information of the location. Note that the error detection unit 80 may detect the occurrence of a placement error of the DUT 10 by using an infrared sensor including at least a pair of a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, instead of or in addition to the camera that photographs the upper surface of the tray 20 from various directions as described above.

[0078] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a handling method according to an embodiment. As an example, the flow shown in FIG. 3 starts with the device transport unit 30 of the handling apparatus 110 picking up a DUT 10 from one tray 20 on which a plurality of DUTs 10 are sorted.

[0079] The device transport unit 30 of the handling device 110 transports the DUT 10 above the other tray 20 in order to sort the DUT 10 onto the other tray 20 (step S101).

[0080] The vibration unit 70 of the handling device 110 vibrates the other tray 20 during the placement operation of placing the DUT 10 on the other tray 20 (step S103). In step S103, the vibration unit 70 may vibrate the tray 20 before the placement operation is started.

[0081] In step S103, when the handling device 110 is operating under open control, the controller 73 of the vibration unit 70 may determine a placement operation period during which the device transport unit 30 is performing a placement operation, for example, according to a time schedule indicating the operation timing of each component of the handling device 110. When the handling device 110 is operating under feedback control, the controller 73 may determine the placement operation period to be, for example, a period from when it is detected that the device transport unit 30 has arrived at a position where the DUT 10 can be dropped to when it is detected that the device transport unit 30 has retreated from the position where the DUT 10 can be dropped.

[0082] In step S103, when the handling apparatus 110 is operating under open control, the controller 73 may determine a non-placing operation period during which the device transport unit 30 is not performing a placing operation, for example, according to the above-mentioned time schedule. When the handling apparatus 110 is operating under feedback control, the controller 73 may determine a non-placing operation period from the time when it is detected that the device transport unit 30 has retreated from the position where the DUT 10 can be dropped to the time when it is detected that the device transport unit 30 has arrived at the position where the DUT 10 can be dropped. Alternatively, the controller 73 may determine a time period other than the placing operation period defined above as a non-placing operation period, regardless of whether the handling apparatus 110 is operating under open control or feedback control. In addition, the controller 73 may recognize that the device transport unit 30 has arrived at a position where the DUT 10 can be dropped and that it has retreated from the drop position from control information of another controller that controls the movement of the device transport unit 30, or may recognize the same based on a signal output from a sensor for detecting the device transport unit 30 that is provided at the drop position.

[0083] As described above, the multiple DUTs 10 handled by the test handler apparatus 100 may differ from one another in size, weight, or material. To accommodate this, in step S103, the controller 73 may be capable of adjusting at least one of the parameters of the vibration generator 71, including the vibration frequency, vibration time, and amplitude. The controller 73 may adjust the parameters according to information set by the user via the user interface 600, for example. In other words, the parameters may be set manually by the user via the user interface 600. Alternatively or in addition to this, the controller 73 may adjust the parameters based on at least one of the dimensions and weight of the DUT 10. In other words, the controller 73 may adjust the parameters based on a correlation between at least one of the dimensions and weight of the DUT 10 and at least one of the vibration frequency, vibration time, and amplitude of the vibration generator 71. In this case, the controller 73 may estimate the dimensions and weight of the DUT 10 by analyzing an image of the DUT 10 taken by a camera of the error detection unit 80, for example.

[0084] When the error detection unit 80 detects the occurrence of a placement error (step S105: YES), the controller 73 of the handling device 110 continues vibrating the tray 20 until the placement error is resolved (step S109), and when the occurrence of a placement error is no longer detected or is not detected (step S105: NO), the controller 73 stops vibrating the tray 20 and transports the tray 20 (step S107), and the flow ends. Note that in step S107, when the tray 20 that was being vibrated is the buffer stage 23, instead of transporting the tray 20, multiple DUTs 10 are picked up from the tray 20.

[0085] The device transport unit 30 may pick and place all the DUTs 10 on one tray 20 at once from the one tray 20 to another tray 20 different from the one tray 20, or may repeatedly pick and place one or some of the DUTs 10 on the one tray 20. In the latter case, steps S101, S103, S105, and S109 in the operation flow of FIG. 3 are repeated until picking of all the DUTs 10 on the one tray 20 is completed. In this case, in step S105, the error detection unit 80 may detect a placement error every time the device transport unit 30 places one or some DUTs 10 on the one tray 20 and then goes to pick the next one or some DUTs 10, and output the result to the controller 73 as appropriate.

[0086] In step S109, the controller 73 may adjust the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71, or may vibrate the entire tray 20 without adjusting the relative position. For example, when the controller 73 receives position information of the location where the placement error occurred from the error detection unit 80 in step S105, in order to eliminate the placement error of the DUT 10, in step S109, the controller 73 may adjust the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 so that the contact position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 becomes the location where the placement error occurred. For example, the controller 73 may move the movable stage 75 that holds the vibration generator 71 to bring the vibration generator 71 into contact with the tray 20 directly below the location where the placement error occurred. The farther the position of the vibration generator 71 is from the DUT 10 to be vibrated, the more the energy of the vibration is attenuated. However, the controller 73 can suppress the attenuation of the energy of the vibration by bringing the contact position between the vibration generator 71 and the tray 20 closer to the location where the placement error occurred. This also enables the controller 73 to more reliably cancel placement errors even if the DUT 10 is difficult to move due to at least one of the dimensions and weight, thereby reducing the occurrence of placement errors.

[0087] Fig. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of a handling method according to an embodiment. The horizontal axis of Fig. 4 indicates time. Fig. 4 shows a graph showing the operation timing of the device transport unit 30 and a graph showing the vibration timing of the vibration generator 71.

[0088] 3, the controller 73 may stop the vibration of the vibration generator 71 while the device transport unit 30 is not performing the placement operation. In other words, the controller 73 may perform intermittent vibration control such that the controller 73 vibrates the vibration generator 71 during the placement operation period by the device transport unit 30, but does not vibrate the vibration generator 71 during the non-placement operation period by the device transport unit 30.

[0089] For example, as shown in the timing chart of Fig. 4, the controller 73 may start vibrating the vibration generator 71 at time T1 when the device transport unit 30 arrives at a position where the DUT 10 can be dropped. The controller 73 continues vibrating the vibration generator 71 from time T2 when the device transport unit 30 starts to time T3 when the device transport unit 30 drops the DUT 10 into the pocket 25 of the tray 20. The controller 73 may stop the vibration of the vibration generator 71 from time T3 when all the DUTs 10 held by the device transport unit 30 are dropped into the pocket 25, that is, the time T3 when the placement operation ends, to time T4 when the error detection unit 80 detects the occurrence of a placement error and determines to continue vibrating the vibration generator 71. In addition, instead of the timing chart of Figure 4, the controller 73 may stop the vibration of the vibration generator 71 from time T3 until the time when the error detection unit 80 does not detect the occurrence of a placement error, the tray 20 is removed by a conveying means such as the test tray turn 290 and another tray 20 is brought in, and the placement operation by the device conveying unit 30 is started for the other tray 20.

[0090] Fig. 5 is a timing chart showing another example of a handling method according to an embodiment. The horizontal axis of Fig. 5 indicates time. Fig. 5 shows a graph showing the operation timing of the device transport unit 30 and a graph showing the vibration timing of the vibration generator 71.

[0091] As another specific example of intermittent vibration control, for example, as shown in the timing chart of Figure 5, the controller 73 may stop the vibration of the vibration generator 71 from the time when the device transport unit 30 places one or more DUTs 10 on one tray 20 and then leaves the one tray 20 to pick up the next one or more DUTs 10 sorted on another tray 20, to the time when the device transport unit 30 arrives on the one tray 20 while holding the next one or more DUTs 10, i.e., during the period when the DUTs 10 are being picked.

[0092] Instead of the above-mentioned intermittent vibration control, the controller 73 may perform continuous vibration control in which the vibration generator 71 continues to vibrate during both the placement operation period and the non-placement operation period. For example, unlike the timing chart of Fig. 5, the controller 73 may continue to vibrate the vibration generator 71 from the start of an operation of dropping the DUTs 10 held by the device transport unit 30 one by one into the multiple pockets 25 of one tray 20, or an operation of dropping several DUTs 10 collectively, until the DUTs 10 are dropped into all of the multiple pockets 25, that is, during the period in which pick-and-place is repeated from another tray 20 to the one tray 20.

[0093] As described above, the handling device 110 of the test handler apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes the device transport section 30 that transports the DUTs 10 and sorts them onto the tray 20, and the vibration section 70 that vibrates the tray 20 during the placement operation in which the device transport section 30 places the DUTs 10 onto the tray 20. The handling device 110 having such a configuration can prevent the DUTs 10 from being stored properly in the pocket 25 of the tray 20 and getting caught around the pocket 25, i.e., the occurrence of placement errors. This allows the handling device 110 to prevent the test handler apparatus 100 from breaking down, i.e., from jamming.

[0094] In the embodiment described above, the handling device 110 may feed back the vibration pattern when a placement error is detected and whether or not the placement error has been resolved. This allows the handling device 110 to more reliably resolve the placement error and reduce the occurrence rate of placement errors.

[0095] In the embodiment described above, the controller 73 of the handling device 110 may further adjust the relative position between the tray 20 and the vibration generator 71 according to individual differences of the multiple trays 20 repeatedly reused for testing the DUT 10, for example, individual differences of the test tray 22. For example, the controller 73 may adjust the relative position based on position information of a place where the DUT 10 is likely to be placed incorrectly, which is recorded in advance for each of the multiple trays 20. By repeatedly reusing the tray 20, for example, in the test handler device 100, it may become easy for the DUT 10 to be placed incorrectly at a specific place on the tray 20, and the specific place may differ for each tray 20. Therefore, the controller 73 may move the movable stage 75 so as to bring the vibration generator 71 into contact with the vicinity of the specific place, for example, directly below the specific place, based on the position information of the specific place recorded in advance as the individual difference of the tray 20. The position information of the specific place may be generated and recorded by the error detection unit 80. The criterion for determining whether a location is prone to placement errors may be whether the number of placement errors that occurred at that location, or the ratio of the number of placement errors that occurred at that location to the number of placement errors on the entire tray 20, exceeds a predetermined threshold, or the controller 73 may make the determination based on a record of placement errors on tray 20.

[0096] Fig. 6 is a timing chart showing another example of a handling method according to an embodiment. The horizontal axis of Fig. 6 indicates time. Fig. 6 shows a graph showing the operation timing of a tray transport means such as the test tray turn 290, a graph showing the operation timing of the device transport unit 30, and a graph showing the vibration timing of the vibration generator 71.

[0097] In the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, the vibration section 70 of the handling device 110 has been described as having the controller 73. The vibration section 70 of the handling device 110 may have a placement detection section, instead of the controller 73, that detects that the tray 20 has been transported and placed on the vibration generator 71. In this case, the vibration generator 71 of the vibration section 70 may start vibrating the tray 20 in response to detection that the tray 20 has been placed on the vibration generator 71, and may stop vibrating the tray 20 in response to detection that the tray 20 has been transported from above the vibration generator 71. The placement detection section may be, for example, a switch that is provided on the vibration generator 71 and is pressed by the tray 20.

[0098] In this embodiment, as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 6, for example, the vibration generator 71 starts vibrating at time T1 when the tray transport unit carries in the tray 20 and places it on the vibration generator 71. The vibration generator 71 continues vibrating the tray 20 during a placement operation period when the device transport unit 30 drops the DUT 10 into the pocket 25 of the tray 20 and a non-placement operation period when the device transport unit 30 picks up another DUT 10, that is, during a period when a plurality of DUTs 10 are sorted onto the tray 20. After the sorting period, the vibration generator 71 stops vibrating at time T2 when the tray transport unit carries out the tray 20 from the vibration generator 71. This embodiment also has the same effects as the embodiments described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5.

[0099] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0100] It should be noted that the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and may be realized in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the process in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10 DUT 20 Tray 21 Customer Tray 22 Test Tray 23 Buffer Stage 30 Device transport section 40 Tray holder 70 Vibration section 71 Vibration Generator 73 Controller 75 Movable Stage 80 Mistake detection section 100 Test Handler Device 101 Customer tray transport section 102 Device transport section 103 Test tray transport section 110 Handling Equipment 111 First handling device 112 Second handling device 200 Loader Unit 210 Stocker 220 Loader Transfer Arm 231 Loader Pick and Place Front 232 Loader Pick and Place Rear 250 Loading Area 270 Vibration section 280 Mistake Detection Unit 290 Test Tray Turn 300 test units 310 Soak Area 320 Test Area 330 Exit Area 400 Test Tray Transfer 500 Unloader Unit 510 Stocker 520 Unloader Transfer Arm 531 Unloader Pick and Place Front 532 Unloader Pick and Place Rear 550 Unloading Area 570 Vibration part 580 Mistake Detection Unit 590 Test Tray Turn 600 User Interface

Claims

1. a device transport unit that transports the devices under test and sorts them into trays; a vibration unit that vibrates the tray during a placement operation in which the device transport unit places the device under test on the tray; A handling device comprising:

2. The vibration unit vibrates the tray before the placing operation is started. Handling device according to claim 1.

3. The vibration unit vibrates the tray by a linear motor. Handling device according to claim 1.

4. The vibration unit has a vibration generator that vibrates the tray while in contact with the lower surface of the tray. Handling device according to claim 1.

5. The vibration unit further includes a controller that controls vibration of the vibration generator in response to the placement operation by the device transport unit. Handling device according to claim 4.

6. The controller stops vibration of the vibration generator while the device transport unit is not performing the placing operation.

6. A handling device according to claim 5.

7. The controller is capable of adjusting at least one parameter of the vibration generator, including a vibration frequency, a vibration time, and an amplitude.

6. A handling device according to claim 5.

8. further comprising an input unit for a user to set the parameters; 8. A handling device according to claim 7.

9. the controller adjusts the parameters based on at least one of a size and a weight of the device under test.

8. A handling device according to claim 7.

10. The controller is capable of adjusting a relative position between the tray and the vibration generator to change a contact position between the tray and the vibration generator.

6. A handling device according to claim 5.

11. an error detection unit that detects an occurrence of an error in placement of the device under test and generates position information of a location where the error occurred, the controller adjusts the relative position so that the contact position is at the location in order to eliminate the placement error. Handling device according to claim 10.

12. the controller adjusts the relative positions according to individual differences among the plurality of trays that are repeatedly reused for testing the devices under test. Handling device according to claim 10.

13. the controller adjusts the relative positions based on position information of a portion where a placement error of the device under test is likely to occur, the position information being recorded in advance for each of the plurality of trays. Handling device according to claim 12.

14. The vibration unit further includes a placement detection unit that detects that the tray is transported and placed on the vibration generator, the vibration generator starts vibrating the tray in response to detection that the tray has been placed on the vibration generator, and stops vibrating the tray in response to detection that the tray has been transported from above the vibration generator. Handling device according to claim 4.

15. an error detection unit for detecting an occurrence of an error in placement of the device under test, When the occurrence of the placement error is detected, the vibration unit vibrates the tray until the placement error is resolved. Handling device according to claim 1.

16. a device transport step of transporting the devices under test to sort the devices into a tray; a vibration step of vibrating the tray during a placing operation of placing the device under test on the tray; A handling method comprising:

Images