Workpiece feeding device and workpiece feeding method

Abstract

The present invention provides a workpiece feeding device and workpiece feeding method that can shorten cycle time and suppress damage to workpieces. [Solution] The work supply device 21 comprises a magazine 22, a pusher 25, a turntable 24, a gripper 26, and an intermediate member 23 provided adjacent to the outlet 222 in the gap between the outlet 222 and a predetermined position P, and supporting the workpiece W taken out from the outlet 222. The pusher 25 is configured to take the workpiece W2 stored in the magazine 22 onto the intermediate member 23 while the switching operation of the first rail 241 and the second rail 242 is being performed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a work supply device and a work supply method.

Background Art

[0002] The work used for resin encapsulation is carried in from the previous process while being stored in a magazine or the like. When supplying the work to the resin encapsulation device, the pusher pushes the rear end of each work one by one to make the front end of the work protrude from the magazine, and the gripper grips the protruding front end one by one to pull the work out of the magazine.

[0003] When resin-encapsulating a plurality of works in one molding, the works are aligned so that the resin material spreads evenly in the mold. The turntable that aligns the works and delivers them to the loader is arranged adjacent to the magazine (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The turntable has two rows of rails. When the gripper moves the first work onto one rail, the turntable rotates 180 degrees so that the empty other rail is positioned in front of the magazine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In such a device, because there is no rail in front of the magazine while the turntable is rotating, the pusher cannot push the front end of the second workpiece onto the rail until the turntable has finished rotating. This waiting time increases the cycle time, which is the time required to resin-seal each workpiece. On the other hand, increasing the speed at which the pusher pushes the workpiece may damage the workpiece before it is protected by the sealing resin. It is preferable for the pusher to extrude at a low speed.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a workpiece supply device and a workpiece supply method that can shorten the cycle time and suppress damage to the workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A work supply device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a work supply unit that takes out workpieces one by one in the discharge direction from an opening of a magazine containing a plurality of workpieces; a movable table having a first rail and a second rail, which performs a rail switching operation that changes from a state in which the first rail is located at a predetermined position on the extension of the opening in the discharge direction to a state in which the second rail is located at a predetermined position; a work supply unit that pulls out the workpiece taken out from the opening and places it on the rail positioned at a predetermined position; and an intermediate member provided adjacent to the opening in the gap between the opening and the predetermined position, which supports the workpiece taken out from the opening, wherein the work supply unit is configured to place the workpieces contained in the magazine on the intermediate member while the rail switching operation is being performed.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a work supply method which includes: a work removal unit removing workpieces in the discharge direction from an opening of a magazine containing a plurality of workpieces; a movable table having a first rail and a second rail performing a rail switching operation which changes the state in which the first rail is located at a predetermined position on the extension of the opening in the discharge direction to the state in which the second rail is located at a predetermined position; a work extraction unit extracting workpieces and placing them on the first rail or the second rail positioned at a predetermined position; and the work removal unit, while performing the rail switching operation, placing workpieces contained in the magazine on an intermediate member provided in the gap between the opening and the predetermined position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a workpiece supply method and a workpiece supply device that can shorten the cycle time and suppress damage to the workpiece. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of a resin encapsulation apparatus equipped with a workpiece supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the workpiece feeding device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3A-3H] Figures 3A to 3H are plan views illustrating the series of operations of the workpiece supply device shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the workpiece feeding device in the state shown in Figure 3B. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the workpiece supply device in the state shown in Figure 3E. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the workpiece supply device in the state shown in Figure 3F. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the workpiece supply device in the state shown in Figure 3G. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the workpiece supply device in the state shown in Figure 3H. [Figure 9] Figures 3A through 3F show the operations of the workpiece supply device arranged in order of elapsed time. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a workpiece supply method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In each drawing, components with the same reference numerals have the same or similar configuration. Each drawing is conveniently accompanied by a Cartesian coordinate system consisting of the X, Y, and Z axes to clarify the relationships between the drawings and to help understand the positional relationships of each component. The XY plane, which includes the X and Y axes, is defined as the horizontal plane, the direction of the Z-axis arrow is defined as vertically upward, and the direction opposite to the Z-axis arrow is defined as vertically downward. The direction parallel to the X-axis is referred to as the X-axis direction, the direction parallel to the Y-axis is referred to as the Y-axis direction, and the direction parallel to the Z-axis is referred to as the Z-axis direction. When viewed from the front side of the resin encapsulation device 1, the X-axis direction is, for example, the left-right direction, and the Y-axis direction is, for example, the front-back direction.

[0012] A work supply device 21 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a magazine 22 having one end 221 and an outlet 222 on the opposite side of the one end 221, which accommodates a plurality of workpieces W; a pusher 25 that pushes the workpieces W one by one in the discharge direction D from the one end 221 toward the outlet 222, causing the end Wf of the workpieces W to protrude from the outlet 222; a movable table 24 that switches between a plurality of rails 241, 242 to position one of the rails at a predetermined position P on the extension of the outlet 222 in the discharge direction D; a gripper 26 that grasps and pulls the end Wf of the workpieces W that protrude from the outlet 222 and places it on the rail positioned at the predetermined position P; and an intermediate member 23 that is provided adjacent to the outlet 222 in the gap between the outlet 222 and the predetermined position P, which supports the end Wf of the workpieces W that protrude from the outlet 222. The pusher 25 is configured to cause the next workpiece W2, which is different from the moved workpiece W1, to protrude onto the intermediate member 23 during the time period T2 to T4, from the time T2 when the gripper 26 moves the workpiece W and the intermediate member 23 becomes empty until the time T4 when the movable table 24 completes the operation of switching between the multiple rails 241 and 242. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 is a plan view showing an example of a resin encapsulation apparatus 1 equipped with a workpiece supply device 21 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated example, the resin encapsulation apparatus 1, configured as a transfer molding machine, includes an in-module 2, a plurality of press modules 3, an out-module 4, a transport device 10, etc. The resin encapsulation apparatus 1 is not limited to a transfer molding machine, but may also be a compression molding machine.

[0014] The conveying device 10 includes an in-module 2, a plurality of press modules 3, a rail 11 extending across the out-module 4, and first and second loaders 12 and 13 that move along the rail 11. The in-module 2 includes a work supply device 21, a resin supply device 29, and the like. The work supply device 21 supplies workpieces W in an un-resin-sealed state to the first loader 12 of the conveying device 10, and the resin supply device 29 supplies resin material R such as resin tablets to the first loader 12.

[0015] Before being resin-sealed, the workpiece W is, for example, a lead frame with a semiconductor element mounted thereon, an interposer substrate with a semiconductor element mounted thereon, a carrier plate with an adhesive sheet to which a semiconductor element is temporarily bonded, etc., and is composed of a substrate and minute electronic components such as a semiconductor element, a MEMS chip, and an electronic device attached to the substrate.

[0016] The workpiece supply device 21 includes a magazine 22 that houses a plurality of workpieces, a turntable (alignment device) 24 that aligns the workpiece W supplied from the magazine 22, and the like. In the illustrated example, the workpiece supply device 21 further includes a preheater 28 that preheats the workpiece W, and a pick-and-place mechanism attached to the preheater 28 moves the workpiece W on the turntable 24 onto the preheater 28. The preheater 28 is not an essential component and may be changed or omitted. The workpiece supply device 21 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 2 to 10.

[0017] The first loader 12 and the second loader 13 include a carriage configured to be movable left and right along the rail 11, and a loader hand configured to move back and forth with respect to the carriage and be retractable into and out of the mold 32. The first loader 12 recovers the workpiece W from the preheater 28 and carries it into the mold 32. Then, when the workpiece W and the resin material R are carried into the mold 32, the mold 32 is closed (mold closing), and the resin material R is melted by heating to resin-seal the workpiece W. The second loader 13 unloads the resin-sealed workpiece W from the mold 32 and places it on the pallet 41 of the out-module 4.

[0018] Each of the first loader 12 and the second loader 13 may further include a cleaning device for removing dust. The workpiece W in the resin-sealed state may be referred to as a resin-sealed product. The first loader 12 may be referred to as a loader, and the second loader 13 may be referred to as an unloader. The second loader 13 may be omitted, and the first loader 12 may be configured to also function as the unloader of the second loader 13.

[0019] Outmodule 4 recovers the resin-sealed workpiece W from the second loader 13 or the first loader 12. Outmodule 4 is equipped with a pallet 41, a degator 42, a storage magazine 43, etc. These are not essential components and may be changed or omitted. The pallet 41 moves back and forth to transport the resin-sealed workpiece W received from the second loader 13, etc., to the storage magazine 43, passing directly beneath the degator 42. The degator 42 separates the unwanted resin from the workpiece W.

[0020] The workpiece supply device 21 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 10. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the workpiece supply device 21 shown in Figure 1. In addition to the magazine 22, turntable 24, etc., the workpiece supply device 21 further includes a pusher 25, gripper 26, lifting device 27, intermediate member 23, etc.

[0021] In the illustrated example, the magazine 22 has an inlet 221 at one end and an outlet 222 at the other end opposite to the inlet, and the workpiece W can be loaded and unloaded from either the inlet 221 or the outlet 222. It may also be configured so that the workpiece W is loaded and unloaded only from the outlet 222. In the following description, the direction from one end of the magazine 22 (the inlet 221 in the illustrated example) to the outlet 222 at the other end will be referred to as the unloading direction D. In the illustrated example, the unloading direction D is the direction from the front to the back of the resin sealing device 1 in the Y-axis direction (front-to-back direction).

[0022] Figures 3A to 3H are plan views illustrating a series of operations of the workpiece feeding device shown in Figure 2. Figures 4 to 8 are perspective views showing the workpiece feeding device in the state shown in Figures 3B to 3H. As shown in Figures 3B and 34, the pusher 25 pushes the rear end of each workpiece W one by one in the discharge direction, causing the front end Wf, including the front end and its vicinity, to protrude from the outlet 222 of the magazine 22.

[0023] The method for removing the workpiece W from the outlet 222 of the magazine 22 is not limited to this. It is also conceivable to use a different component than the pusher 25 to grip or suction the workpiece W and remove it from the outlet 222 of the magazine 22, or to provide a function for feeding the workpiece W, such as a conveyor, into the magazine 22 to remove the workpiece W from the outlet 222 and remove it. In this case, the component that grips or suctions the workpiece W as described above, or the conveyor, would be an example of a workpiece removal section.

[0024] The intermediate member 23 is provided in the gap between the outlet 222 and a predetermined position P, facing the outlet 222, and supports the front end Wf of the workpiece W that protrudes from the outlet 222. The intermediate member 23 has a pair of left and right rails 23L, 23R that extend in the Y-axis direction, similar to the first rail 241 and second rail 242 of the turntable 24, and supports both the left and right ends of the workpiece W. The intermediate member 23 does not restrict the movement of the workpiece W in the Y-axis direction, including the discharge direction D, but restricts the movement of the workpiece W in the X-axis direction.

[0025] In a plan view, the intermediate member 23 is formed such that its dimension L (shown in Figure 3A) in the discharge direction D increases from one side (left side in the X-axis direction in the illustrated example) to the other side (right side in the X-axis direction in the illustrated example) in the width direction perpendicular to the discharge direction D, and the right rail 23R that supports the right end of the workpiece W is larger than the left rail 23L that supports the left end of the workpiece W.

[0026] In the illustrated example, the intermediate member 23 further includes a connecting portion 231 that connects a pair of left and right rails 23L and 23R, and an extension portion 232 that extends to the left from the connecting portion 231. The front end of the connecting portion 231 is formed in an inverted arc shape that follows the circular table of the turntable 24 and is located outside the range of the movement trajectory of the first rail 241 and the second rail 242 that revolve around the center of rotation. The rear end of the connecting portion 231 is formed in a straight line parallel to the X-axis and is adjacent to the outlet 222 of the magazine 22 with a small gap between them.

[0027] The extension portion 232 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and extends to the left of the left-right center of the rail (the second rail 242 in the example shown in Figure 3A) which is located 180 degrees from the predetermined position P. A support member (not shown) is positioned below the extension portion 232. The extension portion 232 is fixed to the support member. The fixing method may be bolts, screws, threaded fastening, welding, etc., or the support member and the extension portion 232 may be constructed as an integrated structure. By providing the extension portion 232 on the intermediate member 23, the intermediate member 23 can be supported even if there is no space to place a support member directly below the connection portion 231, thus improving the degree of freedom in the arrangement of each component.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3C and 3D, the gripper 26 grasps and pulls the front end Wf of the workpiece W that is protruding from the exit 222, and places it on a rail (first rail 241 in the illustrated example) located at a predetermined position P. More specifically, the gripper 26 moves to the position of the front end Wf of the workpiece W that is protruding from the exit 222, grasps and pulls the front end Wf of the workpiece W, and moves the workpiece W to the predetermined position P. The lifting device 27 adjusts the height of the magazine 22 so that the rear end of the second workpiece W2 is positioned in front of the pusher 25.

[0029] However, the method for pulling the workpiece W that has protruded from the exit 222 out of the magazine 22 and moving it to the predetermined position P is not limited to this. For example, the workpiece W may be pulled out of the magazine 22 and moved to the predetermined position P by a component other than the gripper 26, or the workpiece W may be pulled out of the magazine 22 and transported to the predetermined position P using an arm or the like. In this case, the component that picks up the workpiece W and the arm that transports the workpiece W are examples of workpiece pulling parts.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3E and 36, the turntable 24 switches between multiple rails 241 and 242 to position one of them at a predetermined position P on the extension of the exit 222 in the discharge direction D. In the illustrated example, the turntable 24 is a turntable, and is configured to switch between the first rail 241 and the second rail 242 fixed on the table by the rotational movement of the table. The number of rails is not limited to the illustrated example and may be two or more. The means for switching between multiple rails is not limited to the rotation of the table, but may be the reciprocating movement of the table or other means.

[0031] In the examples shown in Figures 3A to 3H, the pusher 25 is configured to cause the front end Wf of the next workpiece, the second workpiece W2, to protrude onto the intermediate member 23 during the switching operation of the turntable 24 shown in Figures 3F and 36. As will be explained later with reference to Figure 9, the pusher 25 may also be configured to cause the front end Wf of the next workpiece W2 to protrude onto the intermediate member 23 during the pulling operation of the gripper 26 shown in Figures 3C and 3D.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3G and 7, when the turntable 24 has finished switching, the front end Wf of the next workpiece, the second workpiece W2, is protruding onto the intermediate member 23. As shown in Figures 3G and 8, the gripper 26 grasps the front end of the second workpiece W2 and pulls it, placing the second workpiece W2 into a predetermined position P. Subsequently, a pick-and-place mechanism (not shown) lifts the workpieces W1 and W2 and places them on the preheater 28.

[0033] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the operations of the workpiece supply device 21 shown in Figures 3A to 3H, arranged in order of elapsed time. The horizontal axis represents elapsed time, with time T0 corresponding to the state shown in Figure 3A, time T1 to the state shown in Figure 3C, time T2 to the state after Figure 3B and before Figure 3C, time T3 to the state shown in Figure 3E, time T3 to T4 to the state shown in Figure 3F, and time T4 to the state shown in Figure 3G.

[0034] One of the features of the work supply device 21 according to one embodiment of the present invention is that, within the time period T2 to T4 from the time T2 when the gripper 26 moves the first work W1 and the intermediate member 23 becomes empty until the time T4 when the turntable 24 completes the operation of switching between the multiple rails 241 and 242, the pusher 25 is configured to push a work different from the moved work (for example, the first work W1) onto the intermediate member 23.

[0035] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a work supply method according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 10, the work supply method involves a pusher 25 pushing the first work W1 in the discharge direction D from one end 221 of a magazine 22 containing a plurality of work W including a first work W1 and a second work W2 toward an exit 222 on the opposite side of the magazine 22, causing the front end Wf of the first work W1 to protrude from the exit 222 of the magazine 22 (step S1).

[0036] Next, the gripper 26 grasps the front end Wf of the first workpiece W1 that is protruding from the outlet 222 and pulls it, placing the first workpiece W1 onto the first rail 241 of the turntable 24, which is located at a predetermined position P on the extension of the outlet 222 in the discharge direction D (step S2).

[0037] The turntable 24 moves, by rotational motion, to remove the first rail 241 from a predetermined position P and move the second rail 242 to the predetermined position P (step S3). Between the time T2 to T4, from the time T2 after the gripper 26 moves the first workpiece W1 and the intermediate member 23 in the space adjacent to the exit 222 becomes empty, until the time T4 before the turntable 24 completes the movement of the second rail 242, the pusher 25 pushes the second workpiece W2, which is a different workpiece from the first workpiece W1, onto the space adjacent to the exit 222, i.e., onto the intermediate member 23 (step S4).

[0038] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The elements, arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, and sizes of the embodiments are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, it is possible to partially substitute or combine the configurations shown in different embodiments.

[0039] [Note 1] The work supply device (21) includes a work supply unit (25) that takes out workpieces (W) one by one in the discharge direction (D) from the opening (222) of a magazine (22) that contains multiple workpieces (W), and a movable table (24) that has a first rail (241) and a second rail (242) and performs a rail switching operation which is an operation to change from a state in which the first rail (241) is located at a predetermined position (P) on the extension of the opening (222) in the discharge direction (D) to a state in which the second rail (242) is located at a predetermined position (P), and the opening (2 The device comprises a workpiece extraction unit (25) that pulls out the workpiece (W) removed from 22) and places it on a rail positioned at a predetermined position (P), and an intermediate member (23) provided adjacent to the opening (222) in the gap between the opening (222) and the predetermined position (P), which supports the workpiece (W) removed from the opening (222), wherein the workpiece extraction unit (25) is configured to place the workpiece (W) stored in the magazine (22) onto the intermediate member (23) while the rail switching operation (T3~T4) is being performed.

[0040] [Note 5] The work supply method involves a work removal unit (25) removing workpieces (W) in the discharge direction (D) from an opening (222) of a magazine (22) containing multiple workpieces (W), and an operation in which a movable table (24) having a first rail (241) and a second rail (242) changes from a state in which the first rail (241) is located at a predetermined position (P) on the extension of the opening (222) in the discharge direction (D) to a state in which the second rail (242) is located at a predetermined position (P). The process includes performing rail switching operations (T3-T4), the workpiece extraction unit (26) extracting the workpiece (W) and placing it on the first rail (241) or second rail (242) positioned at a predetermined position (P), and the workpiece removal unit (25) placing the workpiece (W) stored in the magazine 22 on an intermediate member (23) provided in the gap between the opening (222) and the predetermined position (P) while the rail switching operations (T3-T4) are being performed.

[0041] According to appendices 1 and 5, since there is a gap adjacent to the opening (222) of the magazine (22) that does not interfere with the movable table (24), the workpiece removal unit (25) can push the next workpiece (W2) out of the opening (222) of the magazine (22) without waiting for the movable table (24) to complete its operation of switching between multiple rails (241, 242). By reducing the waiting time of the workpiece removal unit (25), the cycle time can be shortened. Since the workpiece extraction unit (25) can extract the workpiece (W) during the time (T2-T4) from after the workpiece extraction unit (26) moves the workpiece (W1) and the space adjacent to the opening (222) becomes empty (T2) until before the movement of the second rail (242) by the movable table (24) is completed (T4), sufficient time is secured compared to the operation of the workpiece extraction unit (25), and the extraction by the workpiece extraction unit (25) can be made slower to suppress damage to the workpiece (W).

[0042] [Note 2] In Note 1, the rail switching operation (T3~T4) may be a rotational operation.

[0043] According to Appendix 2, a movable table (24) that switches between multiple rails (241, 242) can be configured compactly.

[0044] [Note 3] In Appendix 2, the intermediate member (23) may be formed such that the dimension (L) in the discharge direction (D) increases from one side to the other in the width direction (X) perpendicular to the discharge direction (D).

[0045] According to Appendix 3, the intermediate member (23) can be provided along the rotating movable table (24), so that the gap in which the workpiece (W) cannot be supported is small. When the workpiece (W) is pulled out into the workpiece pull-out section (26) and moves from the intermediate member (23) onto the rail (241 or rail 242) of the movable table (24), bending deformation of the workpiece (W) in the gap between the intermediate member (23) and the movable table (24) can be suppressed.

[0046] [Note 4] The resin sealing device (1) is equipped with one of the work supply devices (21) described in Appendix 1 to 3, and further comprises a resin supply device (29) for supplying resin material (R), a mold (32) for resin sealing a workpiece (W) with resin material (R), and a loader (12) for transporting the workpiece (W) supplied from the work supply device (21) and the resin material (R) supplied from the resin supply device (29) into the mold (32).

[0047] According to Appendix 4, since the system is equipped with one of the work supply devices (21) described in Appendix 1 to 3, the waiting time of the work removal unit (25) can be reduced to shorten the cycle time, and the extrusion speed of the work removal unit (25) can be reduced to suppress damage to the workpiece (W). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1... Resin sealing device, 2... In-module, 3... Press module, 4... Out-module, 10... Conveying device, 11... Rail, 12... First loader (loader), 13... Second loader (unloader), 21... Work supply device, 22... Magazine (supply magazine), 23... Intermediate member, 23L, 23R... Rail, 24... Turntable (example of movable table), 25... Pusher (example of work removal section), 26... Gripper (example of work extraction section), 27... Lifting mechanism, 28... Preheater, 29 ...resin supply device, 31...press device, 32...mold, 41...pallet, 42...degator, 43...storage magazine, 221...inlet, 222...outlet (example of opening), 231...connection part, 232...extension part, 241...first rail, 242...second rail, D...conveying direction (forward direction), L...dimensions of intermediate member, P...determined position, R...resin material, T1~T4...point in time, W...workpiece, W1...first workpiece, W2...second workpiece, Wf...front end of workpiece, X...left-right direction, Y...front-back direction, Z...vertical direction (up and down direction).

Claims

1. A workpiece removal unit that removes workpieces one by one in the discharge direction from the opening of a magazine containing multiple workpieces, A movable table having a first rail and a second rail, which performs a rail switching operation that changes the position of the first rail from a predetermined position on the extension of the opening in the discharge direction to a predetermined position of the second rail, A workpiece extraction unit that pulls out the workpiece removed from the opening and places it on the rail positioned at the predetermined location, The system comprises an intermediate member provided adjacent to the opening in the gap between the opening and the predetermined position, which supports the workpiece removed from the opening, The workpiece removal unit is configured to place the workpieces stored in the magazine onto the intermediate member while the rail switching operation is being performed. Workpiece feeding device.

2. The aforementioned rail switching operation is a rotational operation. The workpiece supply device according to claim 1.

3. The intermediate member is formed such that its dimensions in the discharge direction increase from one side to the other in the width direction perpendicular to the discharge direction. The workpiece supply device according to claim 1.

4. A workpiece supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A resin supply device that supplies resin material, A mold for resin-encapsulating a workpiece with a resin material, The system further comprises a loader that transports the workpiece supplied from the workpiece supply device and the resin material supplied from the resin supply device into the mold, Resin encapsulation device.

5. The workpiece removal unit removes workpieces in the discharge direction from the opening of the magazine containing multiple workpieces. A movable table having a first rail and a second rail performs a rail switching operation, which is an operation to change the state in which the first rail is located at a predetermined position on the extension of the opening in the discharge direction, to a state in which the second rail is located at the predetermined position. The workpiece extraction unit extracts the workpiece and places it on the first rail or the second rail positioned at the predetermined location, and The workpiece removal unit includes, while performing the rail switching operation, placing the workpiece stored in the magazine onto an intermediate member provided in the gap between the opening and the predetermined position, Work supply method.

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