Parts supply device and parts supply system

Abstract

In a production system where multiple supply magazines are used, divided into magazines for the current production and magazines for the next production run, the present invention provides a parts supply device that can automatically determine the source of tray replenishment. [Solution] A parts supply device equipped on a parts mounting machine that supplies parts using trays, comprising: a plurality of supply magazines that hold trays so as to be pullable to a parts supply position and allow trays to be transferred between each other; a warehouse magazine that holds trays so as to be transferable to the plurality of supply magazines; a setting unit that, when the parts mounting machine produces a second type of board following a first type of board, sets the plurality of supply magazines into a current production magazine used for producing the first type of board and a next production magazine used for producing the second type of board; and a determination unit that determines whether the source of supply when replenishing the current production magazine with a tray containing the same type of parts as a tray that has run out of parts in the current production magazine is the warehouse magazine or the next production magazine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to a component supply device that supplies components using a tray and a component supply system.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for mass-producing product substrates by performing substrate work on a substrate on which a circuit pattern is formed have become widespread. As a typical example of a substrate working machine, there is a component mounting machine that performs production of mounting components on a substrate. Some component mounting machines include a component supply device that supplies components using a tray. In this component supply device, when component shortage occurs in the tray in use, replenishment of another tray is required. Conventionally, tray replenishment has been performed by an operator. In recent years, component supply devices that automatically replenish trays to achieve labor saving have been developed. Technical examples related to this type of component supply device are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a component supply device including a magazine unit provided with a magazine that houses a plurality of pallets (trays), a pallet extraction mechanism that selectively extracts a pallet from the magazine and transfers it to the component supply position of a component mounting machine, a storage that can store a larger number of pallets than the magazine, and a replacement mechanism that replaces pallets between the magazine and the storage. Further, in mass production of a single variety in large quantities, when one of two magazines is being used for production, the other magazine in standby is made to house pallets, and when component shortage occurs in one magazine, switching the magazine used for production is described in the embodiment (see paragraphs 0055-0056). According to this, it is said that an operator can perform setup replacement work for replacing a larger number of pallets at one time less frequently than before, and the burden is reduced.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a component mounting work support device comprising: an acquisition unit for acquiring a first component type of component supplied from a component supply machine of a component mounting machine to be worked on; a similar component search unit for searching for components of the same type as the first component type supplied from a component supply machine of another component mounting machine; a candidate component search unit for searching for candidate components of the same type that are not planned for use; and a notification unit for notifying the operator of candidate components. Furthermore, an embodiment is described in which component E is notified to the operator as a candidate component, and the number and expiration date of component E linked by the component ID are also notified, allowing the operator to narrow down component E based on the number or expiration date (see paragraphs 0045, 0085, and 0098). According to this, it is possible to suppress the number of component storage members in use present in a production site using a component mounting machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-160449 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-168779 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, in the technical example of Patent Document 1, a production method is conceivable in which, when a parts run out in one magazine, instead of switching the magazine used for production, the tray is transferred to the other magazine to replenish the parts. In this production method, the source of the tray replenishment is not limited to the storage area, but the other magazine is also a candidate. Properly determining the source of the tray replenishment when replenishing parts is important from the standpoint of reducing production downtime of the parts mounting machine and reducing the amount of partially used trays. Regarding the determination of the replenishment source, Patent Document 2 describes considering the number of parts and their expiration date, but does not disclose a specific method for making that determination. In addition, the technical example of Patent Document 2 is a technology that assumes a tape feeder as the parts supply machine, and cannot be directly applied to a parts supply device that uses trays.

[0007] Therefore, the problem to be solved in this specification is to provide a parts supply device and a parts supply system that can automatically determine the source of tray replenishment in a production configuration in which multiple supply magazines that hold trays are used separately as magazines for the current production and magazines for the next production. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This specification discloses a component supply device equipped in a component mounting machine that performs the production of mounting components onto a substrate, and which supplies components using trays that contain a plurality of components, comprising: a plurality of supply magazines that hold the trays so as to be pullable out to the component supply position of the component mounting machine and which are capable of transferring the trays between each other; a warehouse magazine that holds the trays so as to be transferable to the plurality of supply magazines; a setting unit that, when the component mounting machine produces a second type substrate following a first type substrate, sets a portion of the plurality of supply magazines as current production magazines used for the production of the first type substrate, and sets at least a portion of the remaining portion of the plurality of supply magazines as next production magazines used for the production of the second type substrate; and a determination unit that, when a component runs out in the current production magazine, determines which of the warehouse magazine and the next production magazine is the source of supply when replenishing the current production magazine with trays containing the same type of component that has run out.

[0009] Furthermore, this specification discloses a component supply system comprising: a component supply device equipped to a component mounting machine that performs the production of mounting components onto a substrate, and which supplies components using trays that contain a plurality of components, the component supply device comprising a plurality of supply magazines that hold the trays so as to be pullable out to the component supply position of the component mounting machine and to which the trays can be transferred between each other, and a warehouse magazine that holds the trays so as to be transferable to the plurality of supply magazines; a setting unit that, when the component mounting machine produces a second type substrate following a first type substrate, sets a portion of the plurality of supply magazines to be used as current production magazines for the production of the first type substrate, and sets at least a portion of the remaining portion of the plurality of supply magazines to be used as next production magazines for the production of the second type substrate; and a control device that, when a component runs out in the current production magazine, determines which of the warehouse magazine and the next production magazine is the source of supply for replenishing the current production magazine with trays containing the same type of component that has run out.

[0010] Furthermore, this specification discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-8" to "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-9" in claim 10 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-8" to "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-10" in claim 11 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-8" to "the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-11" in claim 12 of the original application. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the configuration disclosed herein, the setting unit configures multiple supply magazines to be used separately as current production magazines and next production magazines, and the determination unit can automatically determine whether to use the warehouse magazine or the next production magazine as the source of supply when replenishing trays to the current production magazine in the event of a parts shortage in the current production magazine. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the parts supply device of the embodiment, with the outer casing omitted and the device mounted on the parts mounting machine. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the parts supply system, with the automated guided vehicle (AGV) in the state upon arrival. [Figure 3] This is a rear view of the magazine case and storage magazines. [Figure 4] This is a side cross-sectional view of the parts supply device, seen from the right, showing a cross-section of the warehouse magazine. [Figure 5] This is a partial side cross-sectional view illustrating the parts supply operation of a parts supply device. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the decision logic of the basic rules by which the decision unit determines the source of supplies. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the decision logic of the first deformation rule, which determines the supply source when a usage priority is set for a tray. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates examples of the second and third deformation rules used by the determination unit to determine the source of replacement parts when considering the remaining number of mounting points for components on a Type 1 circuit board. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates examples of the fourth and fifth deformation rules, in which the determination unit determines the source of replenishment based on the number of parts contained in the tray. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of the inside of a magazine case showing an example of the holding positions of multiple trays determined by the holding position determination unit. [Figure 11] This is a diagram illustrating the operation flow of the parts supply device. [Figure 12] This is a sub-operation flow diagram that explains the detailed operation of "determining the tray holding position" in Figure 11. [Figure 13] This is a sub-operation flow diagram illustrating the detailed operation of "Determining the Supply Source" in Figure 11. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] 1. Overall Structure of Component Feeding Device 1 in Embodiment First, the overall structure of the component feeding device 1 in the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 - 5. As shown by the arrows in the upper left of FIGS. 1 and 2, the front - rear, left - right directions of the component feeding device 1 and the component mounting machine 91 are defined. According to this definition, the left - right direction is the conveyance direction in which the component mounting machine 91 conveys the substrate. The component mounting machine 91 includes a substrate conveyance device that conveys the substrate in the conveyance direction, a component feeding device 1, and a component transfer device that picks up components from the component feeding device 1 and transfers them to the substrate. The component feeding device 1 is detachably equipped on the rear side of the component mounting machine 91. The component feeding device 1 uses a tray TY that houses a plurality of components to supply components to the component supply position 99 (see FIG. 5) of the component mounting machine 91. The component mounting machine 91 repeatedly performs a mounting operation of picking up components at the component supply position 99 using the component mounting tool of the component transfer device and mounting the components at the mounting positions on the substrate.

[0014] In this embodiment, the component feeding device 1 supplies and replenishes components using a pallet PT on which one or more trays TY are placed. However, it is not limited to this, and the component feeding device 1 may use only the tray TY without using the pallet PT. The component feeding device 1 is composed of a magazine case 2, a supply shuttle 3, a warehouse magazine 4, a transfer shuttle 5, a control unit 6, an exterior case 7, etc. The exterior case 7 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0015] The magazine case 2 is arranged at the front - right side of the internal space of the exterior case 7. The magazine case 2 has a vertically long generally rectangular parallelepiped housing shape with openings at the front and rear sides. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, an upper - side supply magazine 21 is provided inside the magazine case 2. Further, a lower - side supply magazine 22 is provided below the upper - side supply magazine 21 inside the magazine case 2. The upper - side supply magazine 21 and the lower - side supply magazine 22 are generally rectangular parallelepiped shapes and are generally of the same shape as each other. The upper - side supply magazine 21 and the lower - side supply magazine 22 are configured to be able to move up and down along a common guide rail (not shown) extending in the vertical direction.

[0016] Each of the upper and lower supply magazines 21 has a plurality of holding shelves 23 arranged vertically. The holding shelves 23 are formed from a pair of thin plates separated to the left and right and extending in the front-to-back direction, or from a single thin plate spanning horizontally. Each of the holding shelves 23 holds a pallet PT so that it can be inserted and removed from both the front and back directions. One or more trays TY are placed on the top surface of each pallet PT. Each tray TY contains parts in each of a plurality of storage compartments arranged in a grid. Therefore, each of the plurality of holding shelves 23 becomes a holding position for holding the trays TY. The pallet PT is provided with mounting fixtures for attaching the trays TY, gripping protrusions for operation, and identification tags to identify the pallet PT. An example of an identification tag is an RFID tag that transmits a wireless signal.

[0017] A lifting mechanism (not shown) is provided inside the magazine case 2. The lifting mechanism independently drives the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 up and down. Furthermore, the lifting mechanism is controlled to avoid collisions between the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. As a result, the lifting mechanism raises and lowers the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 relative to the supply shuttle 3, and selects the pallet PT (tray TY) and holding rack 23 that the supply shuttle 3 will transport. A ball screw feed mechanism or a linear motor mechanism can be used as the lifting mechanism.

[0018] The supply shuttle 3 is positioned in front of the magazine case 2. As shown in Figure 5, with the parts supply device 1 mounted on the parts mounting machine 91, the supply shuttle 3 enters the interior of the parts mounting machine 91. The supply shuttle 3 can pull a pallet PT forward from either the upper supply magazine 21 or the lower supply magazine 22 and transport it to the parts supply position 99 of the parts mounting machine 91. After the parts loader picks up the parts at the parts supply position 99, the supply shuttle 3 returns the pallet PT to the original holding rack 23 from which it was pulled.

[0019] The warehouse magazine 4 is located on the front left side of the internal space of the outer case 7, in other words, to the left of the magazine case 2. Therefore, the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4 are arranged side by side in the width direction at the rear of the parts loading machine 91. The warehouse magazine 4 has a vertically elongated, roughly rectangular prism-shaped housing with an opening at the rear. The warehouse magazine 4 has a plurality of holding shelves 41 arranged vertically from roughly the middle height to the top. Each of the holding shelves 41 holds a pallet PT so that it can be loaded and unloaded from the rear. The number of holding shelves 41 is greater than the number of holding shelves 23 in the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. Therefore, the warehouse magazine 4 can hold more pallets PT than the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22.

[0020] Furthermore, the warehouse magazine 4 has an upper magazine shelf 42 and a lower magazine shelf 43 arranged vertically from roughly the middle height to the bottom. Each of the upper magazine shelf 42 and the lower magazine shelf 43 holds tray replenishment magazines 45 so that they can be inserted and removed from the front. The upper magazine shelf 42 is used as an input shelf to hold tray replenishment magazines 45 that have been brought into the parts supply device 1. The lower magazine shelf 43 is used as an output shelf to hold tray replenishment magazines 45 that are being discharged from the parts supply device 1. Note that the warehouse magazine 4 may have one or more magazine shelves.

[0021] The tray supply magazine 45 is roughly rectangular in shape, similar to the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22, and holds pallets PT in each of the multiple shelves arranged vertically. By using the tray supply magazine 45, the supply of multiple pallets PT is made more efficient and easier. The tray supply magazine 45 is set up in a setup area (not shown in the figure) with the pallets PT to be used placed inside.

[0022] The transport operation of the tray replenishment magazine 45 between the setup area and the parts supply device 1 is performed by an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 94 or by an operator. The AGV 94 automatically travels with one or more tray replenishment magazines 45 loaded on it and arrives at a position directly behind the warehouse magazine 4 of the parts supply device 1. This enables automated replenishment of parts to the parts supply device 1 by the AGV 94. Alternatively, an operator can transport the tray replenishment magazine 45 using a trolley or the like. This enables manual replenishment of parts to the parts supply device 1 by an operator.

[0023] Returning to the explanation of warehouse magazine 4, the upper magazine shelf 42, which is used as a loading shelf, is equipped with an RFID reader 46 (see Figure 3). The RFID reader 46 receives wireless signals transmitted from the RFID tags of each pallet PT in the tray replenishment magazine 45 held in the upper magazine shelf 42 and recognizes the pallet number. This makes it possible to associate the pallet number with the shelf height position for each pallet PT in the tray replenishment magazine 45. On the other hand, the lower magazine shelf 43, which is used as an unloading shelf, does not require an RFID reader 46, which is advantageous in terms of cost. If the use distinction between loading shelves and unloading shelves is not defined, two RFID readers 46 will be required, increasing costs.

[0024] The transfer shuttle 5 is located at the rear of the internal space of the outer case 7, in other words, behind the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4. The transfer shuttle 5 transfers pallets PT from the warehouse magazine 4 to the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22. In this embodiment, the transfer shuttle 5 is configured to transfer pallets PT bidirectionally between the warehouse magazine 4, the upper supply magazine 21, and the lower supply magazine 22. The transfer of pallets PT between the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 may be performed by the supply shuttle 3 via the inside of the parts mounting machine 91.

[0025] Furthermore, the transfer shuttle 5 transfers the pallet PT held in the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the upper magazine rack 42 to the holding rack 41. In addition, the transfer shuttle 5 transfers the pallet PT held in the holding rack 41 to the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the lower magazine rack 43. Moreover, the transfer shuttle 5 may transfer the pallet PT between the tray replenishment magazine 45 and the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22.

[0026] The transport shuttle 5 consists of a lifting table 51, a lifting drive mechanism 52, a pallet operating section 53, and a magazine operating section 54. The lifting table 51 is a roughly rectangular plate-shaped member arranged horizontally. The width dimension of the lifting table 51 in the left-right direction is larger than the sum of the width dimension of the magazine case 2 and the width dimension of the warehouse magazine 4. The lifting table 51 is mounted so as to be able to move up and down on four lifting rails 511 that extend vertically along the left and right inner surfaces of the outer case 7. A pair of front and rear guide rails 512 that extend horizontally are provided on the upper surface of the lifting table 51.

[0027] The lifting drive mechanism 52 drives the lifting movement of the lifting table 51. In this embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism 52 is a pair of left and right ball screw feed mechanisms located on the inner surface of the outer casing 7. More specifically, ball nuts 521 are provided on the right and left edges of the lifting table 51, respectively, with their vertical centers. Meanwhile, a ball screw 522 is rotatably supported on the inner surface of the outer casing 7, extending vertically. The ball screw 522 is screw-coupled to the ball nuts 521 via friction-reducing balls. A drive motor 523 (see Figure 4) is provided at the lower end of the ball screw 522. When the pair of left and right drive motors 523 rotate the ball screw 522 in the forward and reverse directions, the ball nuts 521 move upward and downward due to the action of the screw coupling. As a result, the lifting table 51 moves up and down while maintaining a horizontal position.

[0028] The pallet operating unit 53 is positioned on the upper surface of the lifting table 51. The pallet operating unit 53 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with a width dimension in the left-right direction that is approximately the same as that of the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4. The pallet operating unit 53 is driven by a horizontal movement mechanism (not shown in the reference numerals) to move left-right along the guide rail 512 on the upper surface of the lifting table 51. This causes the pallet operating unit 53 to reciprocate between the rear of the magazine case 2 and the rear of the warehouse magazine 4. Furthermore, the pallet operating unit 53 has a linear drive unit that drives the pallet PT in the front-rear direction. The linear drive unit moves the pallet PT in and out of the holding shelves (23, 41) of the upper supply magazine 21, the lower supply magazine 22, and the warehouse magazine 4, which are directly opposite each other.

[0029] The magazine operation unit 54 is located on the left side of the underside of the lifting table 51. In other words, the magazine operation unit 54 is located behind the warehouse magazine 4 and in front of the automated guided vehicle 94 that arrives behind the parts supply device 1. The magazine operation unit 54 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with a width dimension in the left-right direction that is about the same as the magazine case 2 and the warehouse magazine 4, and a height dimension that is larger than the height dimension of the tray replenishment magazine 45. The magazine operation unit 54 unloads the tray replenishment magazine 45 from the arriving automated guided vehicle 94 and transports it, and holds it on the upper magazine shelf 42 of the warehouse magazine 4. The magazine operation unit 54 also transports the tray replenishment magazine 45 that was held on the lower magazine shelf 43 of the warehouse magazine 4 and loads it onto the automated guided vehicle 94.

[0030] The outer casing 7 is shown in Figure 2, but is omitted from Figures 1, 3, and 4. The outer casing 7 is formed from metal sheet material. The outer casing 7 covers the magazine case 2, the warehouse magazine 4, and the transport shuttle 5. An angle member 71 extends horizontally forward from the lower front of the outer casing 7, which fits under the component mounting machine 91. The outer casing 7 also has multiple wheels 72 on the underside of the case body and the angle member 71 to facilitate movement. The width of the outer casing 7 is equal to or smaller than the width of the component mounting machine 91. Therefore, the component supply device 1 is positioned within the width of the component mounting machine 91. As a result, even if the component mounting machine 91 is positioned alongside other board-to-board work machines, the component supply device 1 can be attached and detached without interfering with the other board-to-board work machines. An opening (not shown) is provided near the middle height of the front of the outer casing 7, allowing the pallet PT to be pulled out into the supply shuttle 3.

[0031] The outer case 7 has a lower insertion door 75 located at approximately the middle height of the rear surface, directly behind the warehouse magazine 4. The lower insertion door 75 slides downward to open and upward to close. The lower insertion door 75 is kept closed at all times to prevent dust from entering and ensure safety. After the automated guided vehicle 94 arrives, the lower insertion door 75 opens to move the tray replenishment magazine 45 between the automated guided vehicle 94 and the parts supply device 1. The opening and closing operation of the lower insertion door 75 is controlled by the control unit 6. In addition, the operator can manually load the tray replenishment magazine 45 into the parts supply device 1 through the lower insertion door 75 and unload it in the opposite direction. This allows for both automatic replenishment by the automated guided vehicle 94 and manual replenishment by the operator to the parts supply device 1.

[0032] Furthermore, an upper insertion door 76 is provided above the lower insertion door 75 on the rear surface of the outer case 7. The upper insertion door 76 is a single-hinged door whose left edge is rotatably supported by a hinge. The upper insertion door 76 is kept closed at all times to prevent dust from entering and ensure safety. The upper insertion door 76 has a locking mechanism (not shown) that restricts the operator from opening it. The locking mechanism releases its lock and allows the opening operation when the tray supply magazine 45 is driven upward by the transport shuttle 5 to directly behind the upper insertion door 76. This allows the operator to insert pallets PT into the tray supply magazine 45. In other words, the operator can replenish parts (trays TY) by bringing in pallets PT one by one.

[0033] The control unit 6 is configured using a computer device and its placement is not limited. The control unit 6 has an input unit, a display unit, a communication interface unit, etc. (not shown in the diagram). The control unit 6 is connected to the mounting control unit of the parts mounting machine 91. The control unit 6 controls the lifting mechanism inside the magazine case 2 and the supply shuttle 3 according to commands from the mounting control unit. This ensures that the parts supply of the parts supply device 1 and the mounting operation of the parts transfer device proceed smoothly. In addition, the control unit 6 transfers the pallet PT between the upper supply magazine 21, the lower supply magazine 22, and the warehouse magazine 4 by controlling the transfer shuttle 5.

[0034] When a tray TY (used pallet PT) runs out of parts in the upper supply magazine 21 or lower supply magazine 22, the control unit 6 uses the transfer shuttle 5 to transfer the tray TY that has run out of parts to the warehouse magazine 4. Furthermore, the control unit 6 uses the transfer shuttle 5 to transfer a replacement tray TY (pallet PT intended for use) containing the same type of parts as the tray TY that has run out of parts to the upper supply magazine 21 or lower supply magazine 22 to replenish the parts.

[0035] Furthermore, when the number of replenishment trays TY held in the warehouse magazine 4 decreases and the number of trays running out of parts increases, the control unit 6 requests the replenishment of multiple new trays TY. This request is transmitted to the worker via communication or other means. Upon receiving the request, the worker sets up the trays TY corresponding to the request in the tray replenishment magazine 45 in the setup area. The set up tray replenishment magazine 45 is then transported to the parts supply device 1 by the automated guided vehicle 94 or the worker. In addition, trays TY running out of parts in the warehouse magazine 4 exceeding a certain number are transported out of the device in bulk using the tray replenishment magazine 45.

[0036] 2. Parts supply configuration of the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 There are three main types of supply configurations in which two supply magazines (upper supply magazine 21 and lower supply magazine 22) supply components: combined supply configuration, single-component supply configuration, and single-component supply configuration. The combined supply configuration is applied when the number of component types to be mounted on the circuit board is large relative to the number of shelves in the holding racks 23 of a single supply magazine. In this case, the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 each hold trays TY containing different types of components. Furthermore, both the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 are used to produce a single circuit board. According to this configuration, the component mounting machine 91 can efficiently produce circuit boards with a large number of component types by using both the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 for a single circuit board.

[0037] The single-component identical component supply configuration is applicable when the number of types of components to be mounted on a circuit board is equal to or less than the number of shelves in the holding racks 23 of a single supply magazine, and when producing a large volume of a small number of circuit board products without changing the product type over a long period. In this case, the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 each hold trays TY containing the same type of components. Furthermore, during the first time period when the upper supply magazine 21 is supplying components alone, the lower supply magazine 22 is set up. When a tray TY runs out of components in the upper supply magazine 21 and component supply stops, the lower supply magazine 22 takes over and starts supplying components. Subsequently, during the second time period when the lower supply magazine 22 is supplying components alone, the upper supply magazine 21 is changed. This allows for the setup and change of the next supply magazine to be used to be performed while the component mounting machine 91 is in production operation. Therefore, the production downtime when the component mounting machine 91 is replenished with components can be reduced, and production efficiency can be increased.

[0038] The single-type heterogeneous component supply configuration is applicable in cases of high-mix, low-volume production where the number of types of components to be mounted on a circuit board is equal to or less than the number of shelves in the holding racks 23 of a single supply magazine, and where the type of circuit board product changes within a short period of time. In this case, generality is not lost even if it is assumed that the component mounting machine 91 produces in the order of first-type circuit board, second-type circuit board, and third-type circuit board. The upper supply magazine 21 holds tray TY containing components to be mounted on the first-type circuit board and supplies components in the third time zone. During the third time zone, the lower supply magazine 22 is set up to hold tray TY containing components to be mounted on the second-type circuit board. When production of the first-type circuit board is completed and production of the second-type circuit board begins, the lower supply magazine 22 supplies components in the fourth time zone. During the fourth time zone, the upper supply magazine 21 is set up to hold tray TY containing components to be mounted on the third-type circuit board. This allows for the supply magazine to be set up in advance when changing the type of circuit board product produced by the component mounting machine 91. Therefore, the downtime during setup changes for the parts mounting machine 91 can be reduced, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0039] In both the single-component same-component supply mode and the single-component different-component supply mode, the supply magazine that is not supplying components stops at a predetermined standby position. More specifically, in Figure 5, while the upper supply magazine 21 is supplying components by moving up and down within the range of arrow A1, the lower supply magazine 22 stops at the standby position at the lower end of the range of movement. Also, while the lower supply magazine 22 is supplying components by moving up and down within the range of arrow A2, the upper supply magazine 21 stops at the standby position at the upper end of the range of movement. A third supply magazine, not shown in the figure, may be provided inside the magazine case 2. Furthermore, the third supply magazine may be used for the production of any of the first-come, second-component, and third-component circuit boards for multi-product, small-batch production described above.

[0040] 3. Functions of the control unit 6 during high-mix, low-volume production. Next, the functions of the control unit 6 when the component mounting machine 91 performs multi-product, small-batch production will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the control unit 6 is connected to a production management device 8 that manages the production plan for product substrates. The production plan includes multiple types of product substrates, production schedules, and planned production quantities. Each of the multiple types of product substrates is associated with the type of substrate used as the raw material, the type of components to be mounted, and the number of components to be mounted. The control unit 6 is mainly configured using software and has five functional units to support multi-product, small-batch production. Specifically, the control unit 6 includes a setting unit 61, a determination unit 62, a replenishment operation control unit 63, a compensation operation control unit 64, and a holding position determination unit 65, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0041] The setting unit 61 acquires production information from the production management device 8 regarding the first type board, second type board, and third type board, etc., which the component mounting machine 91 will produce in small batches of multiple product types. When the component mounting machine 91 produces a second type board following a first type board, the setting unit 61 sets a portion of the multiple supply magazines to be used as current production magazines for producing the first type board, and sets at least a portion of the remaining multiple supply magazines to be used as next production magazines for producing the second type board. In this embodiment, the setting unit 61 sets one of the two supply magazines (upper supply magazine 21, lower supply magazine 22) to be used as current production magazines and the other to be used as next production magazines.

[0042] In the following explanation, we will use the example where the upper supply magazine 21 is set as the current production magazine used for producing Type 1 circuit boards, and the lower supply magazine 22 is set as the next production magazine used for producing Type 2 circuit boards. In this case, when production of Type 1 circuit boards is completed, the lower supply magazine 22 is changed to the current production magazine, and the upper supply magazine 21 is changed to the next production magazine used for producing Type 3 circuit boards. After this, the roles of the upper supply magazine 21 and the lower supply magazine 22 are changed alternately.

[0043] When a part runs out in the current production magazine (upper supply magazine 21), the decision unit 62 determines which magazine to supply with a tray TY containing the same type of part as the tray TY that has run out, selecting either the warehouse magazine 4 or the next production magazine (lower supply magazine 22). In the following explanation, the tray TY containing the same type of part as the tray TY that has run out will be referred to as the "resupply tray TY".

[0044] Except in specific cases, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source based on the decision logic of the basic rule shown in Figure 6. That is, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source to be the warehouse magazine 4 when the tray TY to be supplied is present in the warehouse magazine 4. According to the basic rule, by prioritizing the warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source, the tray configuration of the next production magazine set up for producing the second type of substrate is maintained as much as possible, thereby reducing the burden of subsequent setups.

[0045] To elaborate, as shown in the first row of Figure 6, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source to be the warehouse magazine 4 when the tray TY to be replenished is present in both the warehouse magazine 4 and the next production magazine. Also, as shown in the second and third rows, the decision unit 62 determines the magazine in which the tray TY is present as the supply source when it is present in only one of the warehouse magazine 4 or the next production magazine. Furthermore, as shown in the fourth row, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source to be outside the device when the tray TY to be replenished is not present in either the warehouse magazine 4 or the next production magazine. In this case, the decision unit 62 will request replenishment from outside the device by the automated guided vehicle 94 or an operator.

[0046] The decision unit 62 applies a modified rule in place of the first row of Figure 6 in certain cases. In other words, the decision unit 62 applies the modified rule in certain cases where there are candidates for trays TY to be replenished in both the warehouse magazine 4 and the next production magazine. In the first specific case, a usage priority is set for the trays TY to be replenished, which are designated to be used preferentially. The usage priority is, for example, the expiration date set for trays TY containing humidity control components. More specifically, the expiration date (e.g., within XX days) of trays TY containing humidity control components is determined by their removal from the humidity control container. Humidity control components that have exceeded their expiration date may absorb moisture and their quality may deteriorate. Therefore, trays TY with an approaching expiration date should be used preferentially.

[0047] The decision logic for the first deformation rule in the first specific case is shown in Figure 7. In Figure 7, the usage priority is indicated as high, low, and the same, with an example of the expiration date in parentheses. As shown in rows 1A and 1B of Figure 7, the decision unit 62 determines the magazine holding the tray TY with the higher usage priority as the supply source when candidates for the tray TY to be replenished are available in both the warehouse magazine 4 and the next production magazine. Also, as shown in row 1C of Figure 7, the decision unit 62 uses the decision logic of the basic rule to determine the warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source when the usage priority of the tray TY to be replenished is the same in both the warehouse magazine 4 and the next production magazine. According to the first deformation rule, tray TY with an approaching expiration date will be used preferentially, which has the effect of suppressing the deterioration of the quality of humidity-controlled parts. The effect of the first deformation rule takes precedence over the effect of reducing the setup burden by the basic rule.

[0048] Next, in the second specific case, the application of the second to fifth modification rules is determined by the worker. The worker can decide whether or not to apply the second to fifth modification rules, taking into account the circumstances at the time. Furthermore, the worker can change the decision on whether or not to apply the second to fifth modification rules in accordance with changes in circumstances. Alternatively, the decision on whether or not to apply the second to fifth modification rules may be fixed.

[0049] When applying the second modification rule, the determination unit 62 checks the remaining number of components to be mounted on the Type 1 circuit board in production at the time a component shortage occurs. Furthermore, if the number of components that can be stored in tray TY held in warehouse magazine 4 is insufficient for the remaining number of components to be mounted, and the number of components that can be stored in tray TY held in the next production magazine is sufficient, the determination unit 62 determines the next production magazine as the source of replenishment. The second modification rule is applied when the planned production number of Type 1 circuit boards has not been set.

[0050] Furthermore, when applying the third modification rule, the determination unit 62 checks the remaining number of components to be mounted, including the Type 1 circuit boards currently in production and the remaining Type 1 circuit boards that have not yet been produced out of the planned production quantity, at the time a component shortage occurs. In addition, if the number of components that can be stored in the tray TY held in the warehouse magazine 4 is insufficient for the remaining number of components to be mounted, but the number of components that can be stored in the tray TY held in the next production magazine is sufficient, the determination unit 62 determines the next production magazine as the source of replenishment. The third modification rule is applied when a planned production quantity of Type 1 circuit boards has been set.

[0051] In the second and third deformation rules, a Type 1 circuit board in the process of production refers to a state in which some of the predetermined mounting points for each type of component to be mounted on the Type 1 circuit board have been mounted, and some components remain unmounted. The number of unmounted components becomes the remaining mounting points. Furthermore, in the third deformation rule, the remaining mounting points for components are obtained by adding the remaining mounting points of the Type 1 circuit board in the process of production to the product of the predetermined mounting points multiplied by the number of remaining Type 1 circuit boards.

[0052] Figure 8 shows a specific example of the case where the determination unit 62 applies the second and third deformation rules. In the specific example in Figure 8, the candidates for the tray TY to be supplied are the first tray TY1 and the second tray TY2. The first tray TY1 is held in the warehouse magazine 4 and has a capacity of 20 parts. The second tray TY2 is held in the next production magazine and has a capacity of 100 parts.

[0053] Here, if the remaining number of parts to be installed is 40, the first tray TY1 does not have enough capacity for the parts, while the second tray TY2 has enough capacity. Therefore, the decision unit 62 decides to use the next production magazine holding the second tray TY2 as the supply source. Also, if the remaining number of parts to be installed is 10, both the first tray TY1 and the second tray TY2 have enough capacity for the parts. Therefore, the decision unit 62 uses the decision logic of the basic rule to decide to use the warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source. Furthermore, if the remaining number of parts to be installed is 200, both the first tray TY1 and the second tray TY2 do not have enough capacity for the parts. Therefore, the decision unit 62 uses the decision logic of the basic rule to decide to use the warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source.

[0054] Unlike Figure 8, there may be cases where the number of parts held in tray TY held in warehouse magazine 4 is greater than or equal to the number of parts held in tray TY held in the next production magazine. In this case, the determination unit 62 will determine warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source, regardless of the remaining number of parts to be mounted. According to the second and third modification rules, by determining the supply source according to the relationship between the remaining number of parts to be mounted and the number of parts held in multiple trays TY, the next supply operation can be delayed, which in turn contributes to reducing the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91.

[0055] Next, when applying the fourth modification rule, the determination unit 62 determines the magazine holding the tray TY with the largest number of parts to be the supply source. Also, when applying the fifth modification rule, the determination unit 62 determines the magazine holding the tray TY with one or fewer parts to be the supply source. The fourth and fifth modification rules are contradictory and cannot be applied simultaneously. Therefore, the worker must choose one of three options: applying the fourth modification rule, applying the fifth modification rule, or not applying either the fourth or fifth modification rule.

[0056] Figure 9 shows a specific example of the case where the determination unit 62 applies the fourth and fifth deformation rules. In the specific example in Figure 9, the candidates for the tray TY to be replenished are the third tray TY3, the fourth tray TY4, the fifth tray TY5, and the sixth tray TY6. The third tray TY3 is held in the warehouse magazine 4 and has a capacity of 300 parts. The fourth tray TY4 is a new, unused tray held in the warehouse magazine 4 and has a capacity of 400 parts. The fifth tray TY5 is held in the warehouse magazine 4 but is excluded from the candidates because it is a used tray with zero parts. The sixth tray TY6 is held in the next production magazine and has a capacity of 100 parts.

[0057] Here, if the fourth modification rule is applied, the decision unit 62 determines the warehouse magazine 4, which holds the fourth tray TY4 with the largest number of parts (400), as the supply source. If the fifth modification rule is applied, the decision unit 62 determines the next production magazine, which holds the sixth tray TY6 with the smallest number of parts (100) and one or more parts, as the supply source. Furthermore, under the conditions under which the fourth or fifth modification rule is applied, if there are multiple candidates for the tray TY to be supplied in both the warehouse magazine 4 and the next production magazine, and the number of parts they hold is the same (for example, both are new), the decision unit 62 uses the decision logic of the basic rule to determine the warehouse magazine 4 as the supply source. According to the fourth modification rule, the next supply operation can be delayed, which in turn can contribute to reducing the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91. According to the fifth modification rule, the number of partially used trays TY can be reduced.

[0058] The decision unit 62 preferably predicts when a parts shortage will occur in the current production magazine and determines the supply source before the shortage occurs. To elaborate, the decision unit 62 can predict when a parts shortage will occur based on the number of mounting points for each type of part to be mounted on the first type circuit board, the number of parts that can be stored in tray TY held in the current production magazine, and the operating speed of the parts mounting machine 91. Furthermore, the decision unit 62 can set an operation start time that has sufficient margin in relation to the occurrence time and start the operation to determine the supply source.

[0059] Furthermore, if the number of parts stored in tray TY is small, the determination unit 62 promptly starts the operation to determine the supply source after the parts supply device 1 starts up. When a parts shortage occurs, the control unit 6 performs a supply operation to transfer tray TY from the supply source determined by the determination unit 62 to the current production magazine. Compared to a configuration in which the determination unit 62 starts the operation to determine the supply source after a parts shortage occurs, this allows the start of the supply operation to be earlier, thus shortening the production downtime of the parts mounting machine 91.

[0060] The replenishment operation control unit 63 suspends the replenishment operation to replenish tray TY in the current production magazine if a component shortage occurs when the component mounting machine 91 has finished producing one Type 1 circuit board. The replenishment operation control unit 63 then controls the component mounting machine 91 to perform the replenishment operation when the next Type 1 circuit board is loaded into it. This has the effect of eliminating unnecessary replenishment operations if a component shortage occurs just as the component mounting machine 91 is about to switch to producing Type 2 circuit boards without any Type 1 circuit boards being loaded into it. This effect occurs both when a planned production number for Type 1 circuit boards is set and when it is not.

[0061] The compensation operation control unit 64 operates when the determination unit 62 determines the supply source to be the next production magazine. More specifically, when tray TY from the next production magazine is transferred to the current production magazine and supplied, the component mounting machine 91 can resume production of the first type board. On the other hand, the next production magazine from which tray TY was removed will have a gap in its tray configuration, which was set up for producing the second type board. Therefore, a compensation operation is required to restore the tray configuration of the next production magazine by transferring a tray TY containing the same type of component as the supplied tray TY from the warehouse magazine 4 to the next production magazine. The compensation operation control unit 64 performs this compensation operation in parallel with the production of the first type board. As a result, even if a gap occurs in the tray configuration of the next production magazine set up for producing the second type board, the tray configuration will be automatically restored before the start of production of the second type board.

[0062] The holding position determination unit 65 operates after the setting unit 61 has performed the setting operation. The holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding position of each of the multiple trays TY that contain common types of components mounted on the first type substrate and the second type substrate, on the holding racks 23 that are close to each other in the current production magazine and the next production magazine. To further explain, when considering the first type substrate and the second type substrate, the multiple types of components are divided into the following three types: common types mounted on the first type substrate and the second type substrate, first type mounted on the first type substrate but not on the second type substrate, and second type not mounted on the first type substrate but mounted on the second type substrate.

[0063] The holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding positions of multiple trays TY containing common types of parts to be on adjacent holding shelves (21N, 22N) of the current production magazine (upper supply magazine 21) and the next production magazine (lower supply magazine 22) as shown in Figure 10. The holding position determination unit 65 also determines the holding position of tray TY containing a first type of part to be on a holding shelf 21F of the current production magazine, which is separated from the next production magazine. Furthermore, the holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding position of tray TY containing a second type of part to be on a holding shelf 22F of the next production magazine, which is separated from the current production magazine. As a result, when transferring trays TY to be replenished from the next production magazine to the current production magazine, the transfer distance is shortened, and the replenishment operation becomes more efficient.

[0064] 4. Operation of parts supply device 1 Next, the operation of the component supply device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 11-13. The operation flow shown in Figure 11 is mainly controlled by the control unit 6. Furthermore, whether or not to apply the second or fifth deformation rule is predetermined before the operation flow starts. In step S1 of Figure 11, the setting unit 61 of the control unit 6 acquires production information from the production management device 8. As mentioned above, the production information includes information on the first type board, second type board, and third type board, etc., which the component mounting machine 91 continuously produces in small quantities of multiple types.

[0065] In the next step S2, the setting unit 61 sets the current production magazine and the next production magazine. For example, the setting unit 61 sets the upper supply magazine 21 as the current production magazine used for producing the first type of substrate, and sets the lower supply magazine 22 as the next production magazine used for producing the second type of substrate. In the next step S3, the holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding shelves (21N, 22N) for tray TY that contain common type parts, the holding shelf 21F for tray TY that contains first type parts, and the holding shelf 22F for tray TY that contains second type parts, as shown in Figure 10. Details of step S3 are shown in the suboperation flow in Figure 12.

[0066] In step S21 of Figure 12, the holding position determination unit 65 focuses on one type of component to be mounted on the first type substrate. In the next step S22, the holding position determination unit 65 branches the sub-operation flow based on whether the type it focused on is a common type or not. In step S23, if it is a common type, the holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding positions of the two trays TY that house the component of the common type to be on the holding rack 21N of the current production magazine and the holding rack 22N of the next production magazine, which are close to each other. In step S24, if it is not a common type but a first type, the holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding position of the tray TY that houses the component of the first type to be on the holding rack 21F of the current production magazine, which is spaced apart.

[0067] After step S23 or step S24 is executed, the sub-operation flow merges in step S25. In step S25, the holding position determination unit 65 determines whether the determination of the holding positions for all types of components to be mounted on the first type substrate has been completed, and if not, proceeds to step S26. In step S26, the holding position determination unit 65 focuses on the next type of component to be mounted on the first type substrate and returns the sub-operation flow to step S22. Steps S22 to S26 are repeated until the determination of the holding positions for all types of components to be mounted on the first type substrate is completed. Then, the sub-operation flow proceeds from step S25 to step S27.

[0068] In step S27, the holding position determination unit 65 focuses on the second type of component to be mounted on the second type substrate. In the next step S28, the holding position determination unit 65 determines the holding position of the tray TY that houses the second type of component to be placed on the detached holding shelf 22F of the next production magazine. This completes the sub-operation flow, and the operation flow proceeds to step S4 in Figure 11.

[0069] In step S4, according to the determination of the holding position determination unit 65, the trays TY to be held in the current production magazine (upper supply magazine 21) and the next production magazine (lower supply magazine 22) are set up, and the component supply device 1 is ready to operate. As a result, the component mounting machine 91 starts production of the first type of circuit board. The subsequent operation flow for the component supply device 1 proceeds in parallel with the operation of the component mounting machine 91.

[0070] In the next step S5, the decision unit 62 predicts when a parts shortage will occur in the current production magazine and sets a start time for the decision operation earlier than the expected occurrence time. In step S6, when the start time arrives, the decision unit 62 predetermines the source of the tray TY (replenishment tray TY) that contains the same type of parts as the parts that are expected to run out. Details of step S6 are shown in the sub-operation flow in Figure 13.

[0071] In step S31 of Figure 13, the decision unit 62 branches the operation flow based on whether or not a usage priority is set for the tray TY to be replenished. In step S32, if a usage priority is set, the decision unit 62 determines the replenishment source according to the decision logic of the second to fourth lines of the basic rule shown in Figure 6 and the decision logic based on the level of usage priority (first modification rule) shown in Figure 7. In step S33, if no usage priority is set, the decision unit 62 branches the operation flow based on whether or not the application of the second to fifth modification rule is set. In step S34, if the application of any of the modification rules is set, the decision unit 62 determines the replenishment source according to the set modification rule.

[0072] If no modification rule is set to apply, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source according to the basic rule in steps S35 to S39. More specifically, in step S35, the decision unit 62 branches the operation flow based on whether or not the tray TY to be supplied exists in the warehouse magazine 4. If it exists, in step S36, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source to be the warehouse magazine 4. If it does not exist, in step S37, the decision unit 62 branches the operation flow based on whether or not the tray TY to be supplied exists in the next production magazine. If it exists, in step S36, the decision unit 62 determines the supply source to be the next production magazine.

[0073] In step S39, if none exist, the decision unit 62 recognizes that neither the warehouse magazine 4 nor the next production magazine can be the source of replenishment. At this time, the decision unit 62 determines that the source of replenishment is outside the parts supply device 1 and requests replenishment from outside the device by the automated guided vehicle 94 or an operator. The sub-operation flow ends when any of steps S32, S34, S36, S38, and S39 is executed, and the operation flow proceeds to step S7 in Figure 11.

[0074] In step S7, the control unit 6 determines whether the production of the first type board by the component mounting machine 91 has finished. Unless the control unit 6 can clearly determine that production has finished, it proceeds to step S8. Examples of cases where production has finished clearly include when the actual number of first type boards produced reaches the planned production number, or when the control unit 6 receives a command from the operator to change the setup because production of the first type boards has finished. In step S8, the control unit 6 determines whether a component shortage has occurred. If no component shortage has occurred, the operation flow returns to step S7, and production of the first type board by the component mounting machine 91 continues.

[0075] In step S9, if a parts shortage occurs, the parts mounting machine 91 temporarily stops production of the first type of circuit board. Meanwhile, the control unit 6 branches the operation flow based on the supply source determined in step S6. In step S10, if the supply source is determined to be the next production magazine, the control unit 6 performs a supply operation to transfer the tray to be supplied from the next production magazine to the current production magazine. In the next step S11, the compensation operation control unit 64 performs a compensation operation to transfer a tray TY containing the same type of parts as the supplied tray TY from the warehouse magazine 4 to the next production magazine. Also, in step S12, if the supply source is determined to be the warehouse magazine 4, the control unit 6 performs a supply operation to transfer the tray to be supplied from the warehouse magazine 4 to the current production magazine.

[0076] After step S11 or step S12 is performed, the operation flow returns to step S5, and the component mounting machine 91 resumes production of the first type board. In addition, in steps S10 and S12, the replenishment operation control unit 63 operates as necessary to omit unnecessary replenishment operations. Step S11 may be performed after production has resumed.

[0077] Furthermore, if production of the first type board is completed in step S7, the operation flow returns to step S1. In step S1 again, the setting unit 61 reads the second type board as the first type board and the third type board as the second type board and acquires the production information again. In step S2 again, the setting unit 61 sets the lower supply magazine 22 as the current production magazine and the upper supply magazine 21 as the next production magazine. After this, the control unit 6 repeats the operation flow from step S3 onwards.

[0078] According to the parts supply device 1 of this embodiment, the setting unit 61 sets the multiple supply magazines (upper supply magazine 21, lower supply magazine 22) to be used separately as the current production magazine and the next production magazine. The determination unit 62 can then automatically determine which of the warehouse magazine 4 or the next production magazine will be the source of supply when replenishing tray TY to the current production magazine if a parts run out in the current production magazine.

[0079] 5. Applications and Variations of Embodiments Furthermore, the functions of the setting unit 61, determination unit 62, replenishment operation control unit 63, compensation operation control unit 64, and holding position determination unit 65 of the control unit 6 described in the embodiment can be configured using a separate control device from the parts supply device 1. Moreover, it is possible to configure a parts supply system comprising a separate control device and the parts supply device 1 of the embodiment. Additionally, the replenishment operation control unit 63, compensation operation control unit 64, and holding position determination unit 65 can be omitted. The embodiment can be further applied and modified in various ways. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1: Parts supply device 2: Magazine case 21: Upper supply magazine 22: Lower supply magazine 21N, 21F, 22N, 22F, 23: Holding racks 3: Supply shuttle 4: Warehouse magazine 41: Holding rack 42: Upper magazine rack 43: Lower magazine rack 45: Tray replenishment magazine 5: Transfer shuttle 6: Control unit 61: Setting unit 62: Determination unit 63: Replenishment operation control unit 64: Compensation operation control unit 65: Holding position determination unit 7: Outer case 75: Lower insertion door 76: Upper insertion door 8: Production management device 91: Parts mounting machine 94: Automated guided vehicle

Claims

1. A component supply device equipped to a component mounting machine that performs the production of mounting components onto a circuit board, which supplies components using a tray that accommodates a plurality of such components, The tray is held in a pull-out position at the parts supply position of the parts mounting machine, and a plurality of supply magazines are provided that allow the tray to be transferred between them. A warehouse magazine that holds the trays in a transferable manner to a plurality of supply magazines, When the component mounting machine produces a second type board following a first type board, a setting unit sets a portion of the multiple supply magazines to be used as current production magazines for producing the first type board, and sets at least a portion of the remaining portion of the multiple supply magazines to be used as next production magazines for producing the second type board. When a part runs out in the current production magazine, a determination unit determines which of the warehouse magazine and the next production magazine will be the source of the supply when replenishing the current production magazine with a tray containing the same type of part as the tray that ran out. A parts supply device equipped with the following features.

2. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the warehouse magazine as the source of supply when a tray containing the same type of parts as the tray that has run out of parts is available in the warehouse magazine.

3. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the magazine holding the tray with the higher usage priority as the supply source when a usage priority is set for the tray which should be used preferentially.

4. The parts supply device according to claim 3, wherein the usage priority is an expiration date set for the tray containing the humidity control parts when removed from the humidity control container.

5. The component supply device according to claim 1, wherein, at the time a component shortage occurs, the determination unit determines the next production magazine as the source of replenishment if, with respect to the remaining number of components to be mounted on the first type circuit board in production, the number of components that can be stored in the tray held in the warehouse magazine is insufficient, and the number of components that can be stored in the tray held in the next production magazine is sufficient.

6. The component supply device according to claim 1, wherein, at the time a component shortage occurs, the determination unit determines the supply source to be the next production magazine if, with respect to the remaining number of component mounting points including the first type boards that are in the process of being produced and the remaining number of first type boards that have not yet been produced out of the planned production quantity, the trays held in the warehouse magazine do not have enough capacity to hold the component, but the trays held in the next production magazine have enough capacity to hold the component.

7. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the magazine holding the tray with the largest number of parts to be the supply source.

8. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the magazine holding the tray with the fewest number of parts (one or more) as the supply source.

9. A component supply device according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising a supply operation control unit that, when a component shortage occurs when the component mounting machine has finished producing one of the first type circuit boards, suspends the supply operation to replenish the tray to the current production magazine, and controls the machine to perform the supply operation when the next first type circuit board is loaded into the component mounting machine.

10. The parts supply device according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the determination unit predicts when a parts shortage will occur in the current production magazine and determines the supply source before the said occurrence time.

11. The parts supply device according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising a compensation operation control unit that, when the determination unit determines the supply source to be the next production magazine, causes the control unit to perform a compensation operation in parallel with the production of the first type circuit board, which involves transferring a tray containing the same type of parts as the tray that has run out of parts from the warehouse magazine to the next production magazine.

12. Multiple holding positions arranged vertically are capable of holding the tray, and two supply magazines are arranged vertically. The setting unit sets one of the two supply magazines to be the current production magazine and the other of the two supply magazines to be the next production magazine, A supply shuttle for transporting the tray between the holding position and the parts supply position, A lifting mechanism that selects the tray and the holding position to be transported by the supply shuttle by raising and lowering the supply magazine relative to the supply shuttle, The system includes a transfer shuttle for transferring the trays from the warehouse magazine to two of the supply magazines. A parts supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

13. The component supply device according to claim 12, further comprising a holding position determination unit that determines the holding position of each of the plurality of trays for accommodating common types of components mounted on the first type substrate and the second type substrate to a holding position close to the current production magazine and the next production magazine.

14. A component supply device equipped to a component mounting machine that performs the production of mounting components onto a circuit board, which supplies components using a tray that accommodates a plurality of such components, Multiple supply magazines are provided, which hold the tray in a retractable position at the parts supply position of the parts mounting machine and allow the tray to be transferred between them, The parts supply device includes a warehouse magazine that holds the trays in a transferable manner into a plurality of supply magazines, When the component mounting machine produces a Type 2 circuit board following a Type 1 circuit board, a setting unit sets a portion of the multiple supply magazines to be used as current production magazines for producing the Type 1 circuit board, and sets at least a portion of the remaining portion of the multiple supply magazines to be used as next production magazines for producing the Type 2 circuit board, and A control device comprising a determination unit that, when a parts shortage occurs in the current production magazine, determines which magazine—either the warehouse magazine or the next production magazine—will be the source of supply for replenishing the current production magazine with a tray containing the same type of parts as the tray that has run out of parts, and A parts supply system equipped with the following features.

Images