Solder supply device and solder supply method

Abstract

This invention discloses a solder supply device and a solder supply method that can standardize the solder supply shape. [Solution] The solder supply device supplies solder by discharging it from a discharge port of a storage case that contains the solder. The solder supply device includes a control unit that intermittently dispenses solder by repeatedly performing discharge control to dispense solder from the discharge port and stop control to stop the discharging of solder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a technology related to a solder supply device and a solder supply method.

Background Art

[0002] The solder supply device described in Patent Document 1 includes a storage case that stores fluid solder therein, and a discharge nozzle for discharging the solder stored in the storage case. The solder supply device supplies solder from the discharge nozzle by pressurizing the interior of the storage case. In addition, the solder supply device stops the supply of solder from the discharge nozzle by stopping the pressurization inside the storage case. Further, in the solder supply device, by reducing the pressure inside the storage case, the solder hanging down from the nozzle hole of the discharge nozzle is drawn back toward the inside of the nozzle hole.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a possibility that the solder discharged from the discharge port of the storage case that stores the solder is discharged in a direction different from the normal direction, and temporarily adheres to a member of the solder supply unit. When the discharged solder adheres to the above member, the shape of the supplied solder becomes non-uniform. The non-uniformity of the supply shape of solder causes non-uniformity of the solder roll. The non-uniformity of the solder roll leads to non-uniform printing pressure, which may cause deterioration of printing quality. For example, the solder roll may be interrupted in the middle, resulting in printing with gaps where no solder is present.

[0005] In view of these circumstances, this specification discloses a solder supply device and a solder supply method capable of uniformizing the solder supply shape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This specification discloses a solder supply device that supplies solder by discharging it from a discharge port of a storage case containing solder. The solder supply device includes a control unit that intermittently dispenses solder by repeatedly performing discharge control to dispense the solder from the discharge port and stop control to stop the discharging of the solder.

[0007] Furthermore, this specification discloses a solder supply device that supplies solder by discharging it from an outlet of a storage case containing solder. The solder supply device includes a control unit that vibrates the storage case to shake off any solder that has been discharged from the outlet in a direction other than the normal direction.

[0008] Furthermore, this specification discloses a solder supply method for supplying solder by discharging the solder from an outlet of a storage case that contains the solder. The solder supply method includes a control step of intermittently discharging the solder by repeatedly performing a discharge control that causes the solder to be discharged from the outlet and a stop control that stops the discharge of the solder.

[0009] Furthermore, this specification discloses a solder supply method for supplying solder by discharging the solder from an outlet of a storage case that contains the solder. The solder supply method includes a control step of vibrating the storage case to shake off the solder that has been discharged from the outlet in a direction different from the normal direction.

[0010] Furthermore, this specification discloses a technical concept in which, in claim 5 of the claims initially attached to the application (hereinafter referred to as the initial claims), "the solder supply device described in claim 1" is changed to "the solder supply device described in any one of claims 1 to 4". Also, this specification discloses a technical concept in which, in claim 10 of the initial claims, "the solder supply device described in claim 8" is changed to "the solder supply device described in claim 8 or claim 9". Furthermore, this specification discloses a technical concept in which, in claim 11 of the initial claims, "the solder supply device described in claim 1 or claim 6" is changed to "the solder supply device described in any one of claims 1 to 10". [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the solder supply device described above, the solder dispensed from the discharge port can be supplied in the correct direction before it temporarily adheres to the components of the solder supply unit. Therefore, the solder supply device makes it possible to standardize the solder supply shape. The same can be said for the solder supply method as well as the solder supply device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an example of a circuit board work line configuration. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a printing press. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a solder supply unit. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how solder extruded in a direction different from the normal direction changes over time. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of an uneven solder roll. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the solder storage condition inside the storage case. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing an example of a control block for a solder supply device. [Figure 8]This is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure by the solder supply device. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the principle that solder is supplied in the normal direction. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the state of the discharged solder before it is returned to the storage case. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the state of the discharged solder after it is returned to the storage case. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0013] 1. Embodiment 1-1. Configuration Example of Substrate Work Line WML In the substrate work line WML, a substrate work machine WM0 performs predetermined substrate work on a substrate 90 to produce a product substrate 900. The substrate work line WML of the embodiment only needs to be provided with a printing machine WM1, and the type and number of the substrate work machines WM0 constituting the substrate work line WML are not limited. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate work line WML of the embodiment is provided with a plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 including a printing machine WM1, a printing inspection machine WM2, a component mounting machine WM3, a reflow furnace WM4, and an appearance inspection machine WM5, and the substrate 90 is transported in this order by a substrate transport device.

[0014] The printing machine WM1 prints solder 80 at the mounting positions of a plurality of components on the substrate 90. The printing inspection machine WM2 inspects the printing state of the solder 80 printed by the printing machine WM1. The component mounting machine WM3 mounts a plurality of components on the substrate 90 on which the solder 80 has been printed by the printing machine WM1. The number of the component mounting machine WM3 may be one or a plurality. When a plurality of component mounting machines WM3 are provided, the plurality of component mounting machines WM3 can share the work to mount the plurality of components.

[0015] The reflow furnace WM4 heats the substrate 90 on which a plurality of components have been mounted by the component mounting machine WM3, melts the solder 80, and performs soldering. The appearance inspection machine WM5 inspects the mounting state and the like of the plurality of components mounted by the component mounting machine WM3. In this way, the substrate work line WML can use a plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 to sequentially convey the substrates 90 and execute production processing including inspection processing to produce product substrates 900. The substrate work line WML may also be provided with substrate work machines WM0 such as a function inspection machine, a buffer device, a substrate supply device, a substrate reversing device, a shield mounting device, an adhesive application device, and an ultraviolet irradiation device as needed.

[0016] The plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 constituting the substrate work line WML and the management device WMC are communicably connected by a communication unit LC0. The communication unit LC0 may perform communication by wire, or may perform communication by wireless. In addition, various communication methods can be adopted. In the embodiment, a local area network (LAN) is configured by the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 and the management device WMC. Thereby, the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 can communicate with each other via the communication unit LC0. In addition, the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 can communicate with the management device WMC via the communication unit LC0.

[0017] The management device WMC controls the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 constituting the substrate work line WML, and monitors the operating status of the substrate work line WML. The management device WMC stores various control data for controlling the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0. The management device WMC transmits the control data to each of the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0. In addition, each of the plurality (five) of substrate work machines WM0 transmits the operating status and the production status to the management device WMC.

[0018] The WMC management device can be equipped with a DSV data server. The DSV data server can store, for example, data acquired by the WM0 board handling machine regarding board handling operations. For example, various image data captured by the WM0 board handling machine is included in the acquired data. Records of operating status (log data) acquired by the WM0 board handling machine is also included in the acquired data.

[0019] Furthermore, the DSV data server can also store various production information related to the production of the circuit board 90. For example, component data such as information on the shape of each type of component, information on electrical characteristics, and information on how to handle components are included in the production information. In addition, inspection results from inspection machines such as the WM2 printing inspection machine and the WM5 visual inspection machine are included in both the acquired data and the production information.

[0020] 1-2. Example configuration of the WM1 printer The printing press WM1 of this embodiment prints solder 80 onto the substrate 90 through the opening 71 of the mask 70 by sliding a squeegee 34 over the mask 70. As shown in Figure 2, the printing press WM1 of this embodiment includes a substrate transport device 10, a mask support device 20, a squeegee moving device 30, a control device 40, a display device 41, and a solder supply unit 50. In this specification, the transport direction of the substrate 90 (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2) is defined as the X-axis direction. The direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction in the horizontal plane (XY plane) (the front-to-back direction of the printing press WM1, and the left-to-right direction of the plane of the paper in Figure 2) is defined as the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the vertical direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction (the up-and-down direction of the plane of the paper in Figure 2) is defined as the Z-axis direction.

[0021] The substrate transport device 10 transports the substrate 90 to be printed. The substrate 90 is a circuit board on which various circuits such as electronic circuits, electrical circuits, and magnetic circuits are formed. The substrate transport device 10 is installed on the base BS1 of the printing press WM1. The substrate transport device 10 transports the substrate 90 by means of a belt conveyor extending in the X-axis direction, for example.

[0022] The substrate transport device 10 includes a substrate holding section 11 for holding the substrate 90 that has been loaded into the printing press WM1. The substrate holding section 11 is located below the mask 70 and is configured to be able to move up and down in the Z-axis direction by a linear motion mechanism, such as a lead screw mechanism. Specifically, the substrate holding section 11 is lowered when the substrate 90 is being transported, and when the substrate 90 is transported to a predetermined position, it rises together with the substrate 90 and holds the substrate 90 in close contact with the lower surface of the mask 70.

[0023] The mask support device 20 is located above the substrate transport device 10. The mask support device 20 supports the mask 70 with a pair of support bases. The pair of support bases are located on the left side (the far side of the page in Figure 2, which is shown) and the right side (the near side of the page in Figure 2, which is not shown) of the printing press WM1 when viewed from the front, and are formed to extend along the Y-axis.

[0024] Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the printing press WM1 cut along the Y-axis, schematically showing the interior of the printing press WM1 in a side view, as well as cross-sections of the mask 70 and substrate 90. The mask 70 has openings 71 that penetrate at predetermined positions on the wiring pattern of the substrate 90. The mask 70 is supported by a mask support device 20, for example, via a frame member provided on its outer edge.

[0025] The squeegee moving device 30 raises and lowers the squeegee 34 in a direction perpendicular to the mask 70 (Z-axis direction), and also moves the squeegee 34 in the Y-axis direction on the upper surface of the mask 70. The squeegee moving device 30 comprises a head drive device 31, a squeegee head 32, a pair of lifting devices 33, 33, and a pair of squeegees 34, 34. The head drive device 31 is located on the upper side of the printing press WM1. The head drive device 31 can move the squeegee head 32 in the Y-axis direction by a linear motion mechanism, such as a feed screw mechanism.

[0026] The squeegee head 32 is clamped and fixed to the moving body that constitutes the linear motion mechanism of the head drive unit 31. The squeegee head 32 holds a pair of lifting devices 33, 33. Each of the pair of lifting devices 33, 33 holds a squeegee 34 and can be driven independently of each other. Each of the pair of lifting devices 33, 33 drives an actuator, such as an air cylinder, to raise or lower the squeegee 34 it holds.

[0027] The squeegee 34 slides along the upper surface of the mask 70, moving the solder 80 supplied to the upper surface of the mask 70 along the mask 70. Solder 80 can be solder paste. The solder 80 is pressed into the substrate 90 through the opening 71 of the mask 70, printing the solder 80 onto the substrate 90 positioned on the lower side of the mask 70. In this embodiment, each of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 is a plate-shaped member formed to extend along the width direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the printing direction (Y-axis direction) in the horizontal plane (XY plane).

[0028] The front squeegee 34 of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 (left side of the paper in Figure 2) is used in a printing process that moves solder 80 from front to back, with the direction of travel being from front to back of the printing press WM1. The rear squeegee 34 of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 (right side of the paper in Figure 2) is used in a printing process that moves solder 80 from back to front, with the direction of travel being from back to front of the printing press WM1. In addition, for both squeegees 34, the direction opposite to the direction of travel is the direction of reversal.

[0029] Each of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 is held in the lifting device 33 at an angle such that its front end, located in the direction of travel, faces downward. In other words, each of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 is held in the lifting device 33 at an angle such that its rear end, located in the direction of reversal, faces upward. The inclination angle of each of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 can also be adjusted, for example, by an adjustment mechanism provided at the bottom of the lifting device 33.

[0030] The control device 40 is equipped with a known arithmetic unit and memory device, and a control circuit is configured. The control device 40 is connected to the management device WMC via the communication unit LC0 shown in Figure 1, and can send and receive various data. Based on the production program, detection results from various sensors, etc., the control device 40 can drive and control the substrate transport device 10, the mask support device 20, the squeegee moving device 30, the display device 41, and the solder supply unit 50.

[0031] Furthermore, the control device 40 is equipped with a memory device. The memory device can be, for example, a magnetic memory device such as a hard disk drive, or a memory device using semiconductor elements such as flash memory. The memory device stores production programs for driving the printing press WM1. The control device 40 acquires various information stored in the memory device and detection results from various sensors provided on the printing press WM1.

[0032] The control device 40, for example, drives and controls the squeegee moving device 30. Based on the various information and detection results described above, the control device 40 sends control signals to the squeegee moving device 30. This controls the Y-axis position, Z-axis position (height), and moving speed of the pair of squeegees 34, 34 held by the squeegee head 32. As previously described, the pair of squeegees 34, 34 are driven and controlled to print solder 80 onto the substrate 90 located on the lower side of the mask 70.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the control device 40 is equipped with a display device 41. The display device 41 can display the operating status of the printing press WM1. The display device 41 is also configured as a touch panel and functions as an input device that accepts various operations from the operator. The operator can learn the operating status of the printing press WM1 via the display device 41. In addition, the operator can configure the printing press WM1 and give instructions to the printing press WM1 via the display device 41.

[0034] 1-3. Example configuration of solder supply unit 50 The solder supply unit 50 supplies solder 80 to the upper surface of the mask 70. The solder supply unit 50 can be moved in the X-axis direction by a linear motion mechanism such as a lead screw mechanism. As shown in Figure 3, the solder supply unit 50 comprises a housing case 51, an outer cylinder 52, a supply nozzle 53, an inner cylinder 54, a fixed lid 55, an air adapter 56, and a positive / negative pressure supply device 57. The housing case 51 is a bottomed cylindrical container with an opening at one end, and is filled with solder 80 (solder paste). A flange portion 51a is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the housing case 51 on the opening side, and a screw thread is formed between the flange portion 51a and the end on the opening side.

[0035] The outer cylinder 52 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening at one end, and the housing case 51 is housed inside the outer cylinder 52. Specifically, the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder 52 comprises a first inner circumferential surface 52a located on the opening side of the outer cylinder 52 and a second inner circumferential surface 52c located on the bottom side of the outer cylinder 52b. The inner diameter of the first inner circumferential surface 52a is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the flange portion 51a of the housing case 51, and the inner diameter of the second inner circumferential surface 52c is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the housing case 51.

[0036] The bottom end of the storage case 51 is then fitted into the opening of the outer cylinder 52, and the storage case 51 is housed inside the outer cylinder 52. As a result, the storage case 51 slides inside the outer cylinder 52. The depth dimension of the second inner circumferential surface 52c of the outer cylinder 52 is formed to be longer than the length dimension from the flange portion 51a of the storage case 51 to the bottom surface, and the flange portion 51a of the storage case 51 housed inside the outer cylinder 52 abuts against the stepped surface between the first inner circumferential surface 52a and the second inner circumferential surface 52c of the outer cylinder 52. Therefore, a space 52d is formed between the bottom surface of the storage case 51 and the bottom surface 52b of the outer cylinder 52.

[0037] The supply nozzle 53 comprises a nozzle portion 53a and a flange portion 53b. The nozzle portion 53a and the flange portion 53b are integrally formed from an elastically deformable material. The nozzle portion 53a is generally cylindrical in shape and has a nozzle hole 53c that penetrates through its interior. The flange portion 53b extends in a disc shape from the outer circumferential surface of one end of the nozzle portion 53a, and the outer diameter of the flange portion 53b is formed to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the housing case 51. The flange portion 53b is fitted into the housing case 51 such that the nozzle portion 53a faces the opening side of the housing case 51, and the supply nozzle 53 slides inside the housing case 51 with the outer circumferential portion of the flange portion 53b elastically deformed.

[0038] The inner cylinder 54 comprises a cylindrical section 54a and an annular section 54b that covers one end of the cylindrical section 54a, with the annular section 54b holding the supply nozzle 53. Specifically, the outer diameter of the nozzle section 53a of the supply nozzle 53 is formed to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the annular section 54b of the cylindrical section 54a, and the nozzle section 53a is press-fitted into the inner diameter of the annular section 54b. As a result, the inner cylinder 54 holds the supply nozzle 53 in the annular section 54b. The length dimension of the nozzle section 53a of the supply nozzle 53 is the same as the thickness dimension of the annular section 54b of the cylindrical section 54a, and the lower end surface of the nozzle section 53a, which is press-fitted into the inner diameter of the annular section 54b, and the lower end surface of the annular section 54b are at the same height.

[0039] The fixed lid 55 comprises an annular portion 55a and an upright portion 55b erected around the entire outer edge of the annular portion 55a. Threads are formed on the inner surface of the upright portion 55b, and these threads are screwed into the threads formed on the opening end of the outer cylinder 52. This allows the fixed lid 55 to be detachably attached to the opening of the outer cylinder 52. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the annular portion 55a is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 54a of the inner cylinder 54, and the end of the cylindrical portion 54a extending from the housing case 51 is fixed to the inner edge of the annular portion 55a.

[0040] A through hole 52e is formed in the bottom surface 52b of the outer cylinder 52, and an air adapter 56 is attached to the through hole 52e. The air adapter 56 is connected to one end of the air tube 56a, and the other end of the air tube 56a is connected to a positive / negative pressure supply device 57. The positive / negative pressure supply device 57 supplies or sucks air. When air is supplied from the positive / negative pressure supply device 57, the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52 is pressurized. When air is sucked out by the positive / negative pressure supply device 57, the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52 is depressurized.

[0041] The solder supply unit 50, in accordance with a command from the control device 40, supplies air from the positive / negative pressure supply device 57 to the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52, pressurizing the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52. This pressurizes the bottom surface of the housing case 51 toward the supply nozzle 53, causing the housing case 51 to move downward. At this time, the solder 80 filled inside the housing case 51 is compressed and discharged from the nozzle hole 53c of the supply nozzle 53. The nozzle hole 53c corresponds to the discharge port 50p of the solder 80. The solder 80 discharged from the nozzle hole 53c passes through the cylindrical portion 54a of the inner cylinder 54 and the annular portion 55a of the fixed lid 55, and is supplied to the upper surface of the mask 70.

[0042] For example, when a predetermined amount of solder 80 has been supplied, the solder supply unit 50 stops supplying air from the positive / negative pressure supply device 57. When the air supply from the positive / negative pressure supply device 57 stops, the solder 80 inside the housing case 51 is no longer compressed, and the supply of solder 80 from the nozzle hole 53c stops. Since the solder 80 is viscous, it will drip down from the tip of the nozzle hole 53c. Therefore, the positive / negative pressure supply device 57, in response to a command from the control device 40, sucks air from the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52. As a result, the housing case 51 is pulled back slightly towards the space 52d, and the pressure inside the housing case 51 is reduced. At this time, the solder 80 that has been dripping from the nozzle hole 53c is pulled back towards the inside of the nozzle hole 53c.

[0043] 1-4. Example of the configuration of the solder supply device 60 As shown in Figure 4, the solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p of the housing case 51 containing the solder 80 may be dispensed in a direction different from the normal direction and may temporarily adhere to the components of the solder supply unit 50. Figure 4 shows an example of the change over time of solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p in a direction different from the normal direction (downward in the vertical direction) (for example, in the figure, the lower left direction of the paper) as the solder supply unit 50 moves horizontally along the X-axis direction.

[0044] Figure 4 schematically shows how solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p of the housing case 51 adheres to the cylindrical portion 54a of the inner cylinder 54 of the solder supply unit 50, and how the solder 80 adhering to the cylindrical portion 54a falls off. As shown in the figure, when the solder 80 adhering to the cylindrical portion 54a falls off in a lump, the solder 80 forms a pile. In contrast, if the solder 80 does not adhere to the cylindrical portion 54a, the solder 80 falls continuously downward in the vertical direction and is supplied in a constant amount in a straight line along the X-axis direction. In other words, the shape of the solder 80 when it falls off after adhering to the cylindrical portion 54a is different from the shape of the solder 80 when it does not adhere to the cylindrical portion 54a.

[0045] As described above, when the solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p adheres to the components of the solder supply unit 50, the shape of the supplied solder 80 becomes uneven. Figure 5 schematically shows how a solder roll is formed by the squeegee 34. As shown in the upper part of Figure 5, the uneven shape of the supplied solder 80 causes unevenness in the solder roll. Unevenness in the solder roll results in uneven printing pressure, which can lead to a decrease in print quality. As shown in the lower part of Figure 5, for example, the solder roll may be interrupted midway, resulting in prints with gaps where there is no solder 80.

[0046] Furthermore, possible causes of solder 80 being dispensed in a direction different from the normal direction include, for example, the storage conditions of the storage case 51 containing the solder 80 and the method of stirring the solder 80. Figure 6 shows an example of the storage conditions of the solder 80 in the storage case 51. The upper part of Figure 6 shows the storage conditions of the solder 80 when the storage case 51 is stored in the correct orientation. In this case, the upper side of the solder 80 is horizontal and it is not tilted inside the storage case 51.

[0047] The lower diagram in Figure 6 shows the state of the solder 80 when the storage case 51 is stored in an inclined position. In this case, the upper side of the solder 80 is inclined. When the solder 80 is inclined inside the storage case 51, it is more likely to be dispensed in a direction different from the normal direction, influenced by the state of the solder 80 inside the storage case 51. Similarly, if the storage case 51 containing the solder 80 is agitated using a revolving agitator that moves around the circumference, the solder 80 may become inclined inside the storage case 51 after agitation.

[0048] Therefore, the substrate work line WML of this embodiment is provided with a solder supply device 60. The solder supply device 60 allows the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p to be supplied in the correct direction before it temporarily adheres to the components of the solder supply unit 50. Thus, the solder supply device 60 makes it possible to standardize the supply shape of the solder 80.

[0049] Specifically, the solder supply device 60 supplies solder 80 by discharging it from the discharge port 50p of the housing case 51 that houses the solder 80. When considered as a control block, the solder supply device 60 includes a control unit 61. The solder supply device 60 may also include a determination unit 62. As shown in Figure 7, the solder supply device 60 of this embodiment includes a control unit 61 and a determination unit 62. The control unit 61 and the determination unit 62 can be installed in various control devices such as the control device for the board work machine WM0, and various management devices such as the management device WMC.

[0050] For example, at least one of the control unit 61 and the decision unit 62 can be provided in the control device 40 of the printing press WM1. At least one of the control unit 61 and the decision unit 62 can also be provided in the management device WMC. At least one of the control unit 61 and the decision unit 62 can also be formed on the cloud. The control unit 61 and the decision unit 62 can also be distributed across various control devices, various management devices, the cloud, etc. As shown in Figure 7, in the solder supply device 60 of this embodiment, the control unit 61 and the decision unit 62 are provided in the control device 40 of the printing press WM1.

[0051] Furthermore, the solder supply device 60 can perform control according to the flowchart shown in Figure 8. The control unit 61 performs the processing shown in steps S12 to S14. The determination unit 62 makes the determinations shown in steps S11 and S15. The determinations shown in steps S11 and S15 can also be made by the control unit 61. The matters described herein can be selected and applied as appropriate. The matters described herein can also be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the matters described herein can be modified as appropriate. The above also applies to the relationship between the solder supply unit 50 and the solder supply device 60, and to the relationship between the various forms of the solder supply device 60.

[0052] 1-4-1. Control Unit 61 As previously described, before the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p temporarily adheres to the components of the solder supply unit 50, the solder 80 needs to be supplied in the correct direction (downward in the vertical direction). For example, the control unit 61 intermittently discharges the solder 80 by repeatedly performing discharge control to discharge the solder 80 from the discharge port 50p and stop control to stop the discharge of the solder 80 (steps S12 and S13 shown in Figure 8). By intermittently discharging the solder 80, the control unit 61 can generate minute cracks 80c in the intermittently discharged portion, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 9.

[0053] When cracks 80c occur, the solder 80 ejected from the discharge port 50p in a direction different from the normal direction (downward vertically) (for example, in the figure, the lower left direction of the paper) becomes prone to localized fracture. As a result, the solder 80 is supplied by falling in the normal direction (downward vertically) before adhering to the components of the solder supply unit 50. Note that because the solder 80 is viscous, it does not fall completely separated in each intermittently ejected portion, but rather, as shown in Figure 10, it is supplied by falling in a continuous state in the normal direction (downward vertically) overall.

[0054] The control unit 61 only needs to be able to intermittently discharge the solder 80 by repeatedly performing discharge control and stop control, and can take various forms. For example, as previously described, the solder supply unit 50 supplies air from the positive / negative pressure supply device 57 to the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52, pressurizing the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52. As a result, the bottom surface of the housing case 51 is pressed toward the supply nozzle 53, and the housing case 51 moves downward. At this time, the solder 80 filled inside the housing case 51 is compressed and discharged from the nozzle hole 53c corresponding to the discharge port 50p.

[0055] When the air supply by the positive / negative pressure supply device 57 is stopped, the solder 80 inside the housing case 51 is no longer compressed, and the supply of solder 80 from the nozzle hole 53c stops. Therefore, the control unit 61 can intermittently discharge the solder 80 by repeatedly performing discharge control, which involves pressurizing the housing case 51 to discharge the solder 80, and stop control, which involves stopping the pressurization inside the housing case 51 to stop the discharge of solder 80. In this configuration, the control unit 61 can easily intermittently discharge the solder 80 by repeatedly pressurizing and stopping the pressurization (supplying and stopping the supply of air) inside the housing case 51.

[0056] Figure 10 shows an example of the state of the solder 80 before it is returned to the storage case 51 after being discharged from the discharge port 50p. Figure 11 shows an example of the state of the solder 80 after it has been returned to the storage case 51. By returning the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p to the storage case 51, the cracks 80c shown by the dashed line in Figure 9 tend to increase compared to the case where only intermittent discharge is performed. Therefore, the stop control can also include a return control that returns the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p to the storage case 51.

[0057] For example, as previously described, the positive and negative pressure supply device 57 draws air from the space 52d inside the outer cylinder 52, causing the housing case 51 to be slightly pulled back towards the space 52d, and the pressure inside the housing case 51 is reduced. At this time, the solder 80 that is hanging down from the nozzle hole 53c corresponding to the discharge port 50p is pulled back towards the inside of the nozzle hole 53c. Therefore, the control unit 61 can repeatedly perform discharge control, which pressurizes the inside of the housing case 51 to discharge the solder 80, and stop control, which stops pressurizing the inside of the housing case 51 to stop the discharge of solder 80 and reduces the pressure inside the housing case 51 to return the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p back into the housing case 51.

[0058] In addition, there is a configuration in which a discharge port 50p is provided on the bottom surface of the housing case 51 and an inner lid is provided inside the housing case 51. In this configuration, the control unit 61 can intermittently discharge the solder 80 by repeatedly performing discharge control, which involves pushing out the inner lid using a linear motion mechanism such as a cylinder to discharge the solder 80, and stopping the pushing out of the inner lid to stop the discharge of the solder 80. The control unit 61 can also repeatedly perform discharge control, which involves pushing out the inner lid using a linear motion mechanism to discharge the solder 80, and stopping the pushing out of the inner lid to stop the discharge of the solder 80, while simultaneously sucking the inner lid towards the linear motion mechanism to return the solder 80 discharged from the discharge port 50p to the housing case 51.

[0059] In any of the configurations described above, the control unit 61 only needs to be able to intermittently dispense the solder 80, and the time for which dispensing control is performed and the time for which stop control (which may include return control) is performed can be set arbitrarily. These execution times can be obtained in advance through verification with actual equipment, simulation, etc. For example, these execution times can be set to a few milliseconds. The control unit 61 can also perform stop control for the same amount of time as the dispensing control is performed. In other words, the control unit 61 can repeat dispensing control and stop control (which may include return control) every few milliseconds.

[0060] Furthermore, as the housing case 51 vibrates, the cracks 80c shown by the dashed line in Figure 9 increase, similar to the case where the solder 80 is dispensed intermittently, making the solder 80 more prone to localized fracture. Therefore, the control unit 61 can also control the vibration of the housing case 51 to shake off the solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p in a direction different from the normal direction (downward in the vertical direction) (for example, in the figure, the lower left direction of the paper) (step S14 shown in Figure 8). As described above, the control unit 61 only needs to be able to vibrate the housing case 51, and the vibration control can take various forms.

[0061] For example, the control unit 61 can vibrate the housing case 51 along at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions. The control unit 61 can vibrate the housing case 51 along the horizontal direction by vibrating the second inner surface 52c of the outer cylinder 52 shown in Figure 3. The control unit 61 can also vibrate the housing case 51 along the vertical direction by vibrating a vibrator provided on the bottom surface of the housing case 51. Furthermore, parameter values ​​such as the vibration period (frequency) and amplitude can be obtained in advance through verification with actual equipment, simulations, etc. For example, the vibration period (frequency) can be set to be approximately the same as the period (frequency) when solder 80 is intermittently discharged. The vibration amplitude can also be set to less than 1 mm.

[0062] As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 61 can vibrate the housing case 51 along with the intermittent discharge of solder 80. Alternatively, the control unit 61 can vibrate the housing case 51 instead of intermittently discharging the solder 80. Furthermore, the control unit 61 can intermittently discharge the solder 80 instead of vibrating the housing case 51. In this way, the control unit 61 can control the intermittent discharge of solder 80 and control the vibration of the housing case 51.

[0063] In any of the configurations described above, the control period during which the control unit 61 performs control can be arbitrarily set as needed. The control unit 61 determines whether or not it is a predetermined control period (step S11 shown in Figure 8). If it is a control period (Yes in step S11), the control unit 61 repeatedly performs the control described above until the control period ends (until it becomes Yes in step S15) (steps S12 to S14). If the control period ends (Yes in step S15), the control terminates. Also, if it is not a control period (No in step S11), the control terminates. The control shown in Figure 8 is repeatedly performed at a predetermined cycle.

[0064] As previously described, possible causes of solder 80 being dispensed in a direction different from the normal direction include, for example, the storage conditions of the storage case 51 containing the solder 80 and the method of stirring the solder 80. However, the storage conditions of the storage case 51 and the method of stirring the solder 80 are often unknown. In this case, the control unit 61 should perform control during the preparation process. The preparation process is performed before starting the supply process, which involves moving the storage case 51 horizontally (in the X-axis direction in this embodiment) while supplying the solder 80.

[0065] The control unit 61 can also perform control during both the preparation process and the supply process. For example, the operator of the printing press WM1 can use the display device 41 shown in Figure 2 to set parameter values ​​such as the distance to move the solder supply unit 50 horizontally (in the X-axis direction in this embodiment), the number of times to move the solder supply unit 50 back and forth, and the movement speed of the solder supply unit 50. In this case, the control unit 61 can perform the control described above during the preparation process and the supply process, in which the solder supply unit 50 is moving at the set parameter values.

[0066] The operator of the WM1 printer can also set the amount of solder to be supplied using the display device 41 shown in Figure 2. In this case, the solder supply unit 50 moves horizontally (in the X-axis direction in this embodiment) until the set amount of solder is supplied. In this case, the control unit 61 can perform the aforementioned control during the preparation process and the supply process while the solder supply unit 50 is moving until the set amount of solder is supplied. When the solder 80 supplied by the solder supply unit 50 is consumed, it is necessary to supply solder 80 again. In this case as well, the control unit 61 can perform the control in the same manner. In other words, the control unit 61 can also perform control during the preparation process that is performed after the supply process is completed and before the supply process is started again. Furthermore, the control unit 61 can perform control during both the preparation process that is performed after the supply process is completed and before the supply process is started again, and during the supply process that is performed after the preparation process.

[0067] 1-4-2. Judgment section 62 The control period during which the control unit 61 performs control can also be determined by the determination unit 62. Specifically, the determination unit 62 determines whether or not an abnormal direction supply has occurred, or is likely to occur, in which solder 80 is discharged from the discharge port 50p in a direction different from the normal direction (steps S11 and S15 shown in Figure 8). The determination unit 62 only needs to be able to make the above determination and can take various forms. For example, the determination unit 62 can use a known imaging device (such as an X-ray inspection device) to image the cylindrical portion 54a of the inner cylinder 54 and process the image to determine if an excess amount of solder 80 is attached, thereby determining the occurrence of an abnormal direction supply.

[0068] Furthermore, for example, if the solder 80 is stirred using a revolving agitator in which the housing case 51 containing the solder 80 revolves around the circumference, the data server DSV shown in Figure 1 can store the fact that stirring has been performed by the revolving agitator. In this case, as shown in the lower part of Figure 6, the solder 80 tilts inside the housing case 51, and the solder 80 is more likely to be discharged in a direction different from the normal direction. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 62 determines that there is a possibility of supplying solder in the wrong direction. The control unit 61 can execute the control described above if the determination unit 62 determines that supplying solder in the wrong direction has occurred or that there is a possibility of supplying solder in the wrong direction.

[0069] 2. Solder supply method The same applies to the solder supply method as to the solder supply device 60. Specifically, the solder supply method includes a control step. The control step corresponds to the control performed by the control unit 61. The control step intermittently dispenses solder 80 by repeatedly performing dispensing control to dispense solder 80 from the discharge port 50p and stopping control to stop the dispensing of solder 80. The control step may also vibrate the housing case 51 to shake off solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p in a direction different from the normal direction. The control step may also include the two steps described above. Furthermore, the solder supply method may also include a determination step. The determination step corresponds to the control performed by the determination unit 62. Note that redundant explanations have been omitted in this specification.

[0070] 3. An example of the effects of the embodiment The solder supply device 60 allows the solder 80 dispensed from the discharge port 50p to be supplied in the correct direction before it temporarily adheres to the components of the solder supply unit 50. Therefore, the solder supply device 60 makes it possible to standardize the supply shape of the solder 80. The same can be said for the solder supply method as well as for the solder supply device 60. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 51: Storage case, 50p: Discharge port, 60: Solder supply device, 61: Control unit, 62: Judgment unit, 80: Solder.

Claims

1. A solder supply device that supplies solder by discharging it from an outlet of a storage case containing solder, A solder supply device comprising a control unit that intermittently dispenses solder by repeatedly performing dispensing control to dispense solder from the dispensing port and stopping control to stop the dispensing of solder.

2. The solder supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit repeatedly performs the discharge control, which involves pressurizing the inside of the housing case to discharge the solder, and the stop control, which involves stopping the pressurization inside the housing case to stop the discharge of the solder.

3. The solder supply device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stop control includes a return control that returns the solder discharged from the discharge port to the storage case.

4. The solder supply device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit repeatedly performs the discharge control, which involves pressurizing the inside of the housing case to discharge the solder, and the stop control, which involves stopping the pressurization inside the housing case to stop the discharge of the solder and simultaneously reducing the pressure inside the housing case to return the solder discharged from the discharge port back to the housing case.

5. The solder supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the stop control for the same amount of time as the discharge control is executed.

6. A solder supply device that supplies solder by discharging it from an outlet of a storage case containing solder, A solder supply device comprising a control unit that vibrates the housing case to shake off the solder that has been discharged from the discharge port in a direction different from the normal direction.

7. The solder supply device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit vibrates the housing case along at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions.

8. The solder supply device according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the control unit performs control in a preparation process that is performed before starting the supply process of supplying the solder while moving the housing case horizontally.

9. The solder supply device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit performs control in both the preparation process and the supply process.

10. The solder supply device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit performs control in the preparation process which is performed after the supply process has finished and before the supply process is started again.

11. The solder supply device includes a determination unit that determines whether or not an abnormal direction supply occurs, in which the solder is discharged from the discharge port in a direction different from the normal direction, or whether or not there is a possibility of such abnormal direction supply occurring. The solder supply device according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the control unit executes control when the determination unit determines that the occurrence of the non-directional supply or the possibility of the occurrence of the non-directional supply has occurred.

12. A solder supply method comprising supplying solder by discharging it from an outlet of a storage case that contains solder, A solder supply method comprising a control step of intermittently discharging solder by repeatedly performing a discharging control that causes solder to be discharged from the discharge port and a stopping control that stops the discharging of solder.

13. A solder supply method comprising supplying solder by discharging it from an outlet of a storage case that contains solder, A solder supply method comprising a control step of controlling the vibration of the housing case to shake off the solder that has been discharged from the discharge port in a direction different from the normal direction.

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