A method for mounting components onto a work machine and circuit board.

Abstract

This work machine executes a mounting step in which a component is mounted on a substrate, wherein the work machine confirms whether the substrate is present in a step prior to the mounting step and, if it is confirmed that the substrate is present in the prior step, the work machine begins work to pick up the component for mounting on the substrate of the prior step.　The present invention is a method for mounting, by a work head provided to a work machine, a component on a substrate retained at a prescribed position, wherein, to mount the component on the substrate retained at the prescribed position in the work machine, the following steps are executed: a confirmation step in which it is confirmed whether the substrate is present in a substrate conveyance device, upstream of the prescribed position, that conveys the substrate; a pickup step in which, if it has been confirmed that the substrate is present in the confirmation step, before the substrate is discharged by the substrate conveyance device, the work head begins picking up the component to be mounted on the substrate confirmed in the confirmation process; and a mounting step which is a step subsequent to the pickup step and in which the work head mounts the picked-up component on the substrate confirmed to be present in the confirmation step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine for mounting components on a substrate and a method for mounting components on a substrate.

Background Art

[0002] The following patent documents describe a working machine for mounting components on a substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This specification aims to suitably mount components on a substrate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, this specification provides a working machine that executes a mounting process for mounting components on a substrate, and checks whether there is a substrate in the previous process of the mounting process. Even before the aforementioned mounting process is completed, When it is confirmed that there is a substrate in the previous process, the working machine starts the operation of picking up the components to be mounted on the substrate in the previous process is disclosed.

[0006] Also, to solve the above problems, this specification provides a method for mounting components on a substrate in which a working head provided in a working machine is held at a predetermined position, The mounting step involves the work head mounting components onto a substrate held in the predetermined position, a confirmation step of checking whether there is a substrate in a substrate transfer device that transfers the substrate on the upstream side of the predetermined position, Even before the aforementioned mounting process is completed,The present invention discloses a method for attaching components to a substrate held in a predetermined position by a work machine, wherein, if the presence of a substrate is confirmed in the confirmation step, the work head starts picking up components to be attached to the substrate confirmed in the confirmation step before the substrate is unloaded by the substrate transport device, and the work head attaches the components picked up by the work head to the substrate confirmed in the confirmation step, in a step following the pickup step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In this disclosure, when it is confirmed that a substrate is present in the preceding process for mounting components onto a substrate, the process of picking up components to be mounted onto the substrate in the preceding process begins. Furthermore, when components are mounted onto a substrate held in a predetermined position by a work head, if it is confirmed that a substrate is present in a substrate transport device located upstream of the predetermined position and before the substrate is discharged by the substrate transport device, the work head begins picking up components to be mounted onto the confirmed substrate. This enables efficient production of substrates. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a circuit board work system. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the mounting device. [Figure 3] Control device branch. [Figure 4] This diagram shows a work machine that performs the preceding process on a circuit board, and another work machine that performs the mounting process on the circuit board after the preceding process has been completed. [Figure 5] This diagram shows a work machine that performs the preceding process on a circuit board, and another work machine that performs the mounting process on the circuit board after the preceding process has been completed. [Figure 6] This diagram shows a work machine that performs the preceding process on a circuit board, and another work machine that performs the mounting process on the circuit board after the preceding process has been completed. [Figure 7]This figure shows the mounting head of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram shows a work machine equipped with two connected conveyor systems. [Figure 9] This diagram shows two loading machines and a conveyor system connecting those two loading machines. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures, as embodiments for carrying out the present invention.

[0010] Figure 1 shows a circuit board mounting system 10. The system 10 shown in Figure 1 is a system for mounting electronic components onto a circuit board. The circuit board mounting system 10 consists of four electronic component mounting devices (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "mounting devices") 12. The four mounting devices 12 are arranged in a row adjacent to each other. In the following description, the direction in which the mounting devices 12 are arranged will be referred to as the X-axis direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to that direction will be referred to as the Y-axis direction.

[0011] The four mounting devices 12 have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, one of the four mounting devices 12 will be described as a representative example. As shown in Figure 2, the mounting device 12 has one system base 14 and two mounting machines 16 adjacent to each other on the system base 14. Each mounting machine 16 mainly comprises a mounting machine body 20, a transport device 22, a mounting head moving device (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "moving device") 24, a mounting head 26, and a supply device 28.

[0012] The mounting unit body 20 is composed of a frame 30 and a beam 32 mounted on the frame 30.

[0013] The conveying device 22 is equipped with two conveyor devices 40. These two conveyor devices 40 are arranged on the frame 30 parallel to each other and extending in the X-axis direction. Each of the two conveyor devices 40 conveys the circuit boards supported by each conveyor device 40 in the X-axis direction by an electromagnetic motor (see Figure 3) 44. The circuit boards conveyed by each conveyor device 40 are then held in a predetermined position by a board holding device (see Figure 3) 46. Each conveyor device 40 also has an input sensor (see Figures 3 and 4) 47 and an output sensor (see Figures 3 and 4) 48. As shown in Figure 4, the input sensor 47 is located at the upstream end of the conveyor device 40 in the X-axis direction and detects circuit boards being fed into the conveyor device 40. The output sensor 48 is located at the downstream end of the conveyor device 40 in the X-axis direction and detects circuit boards being output from the conveyor device 40. Furthermore, the length dimension of the conveyor device 40 in the X-axis direction is the same as the length dimension of the mounting machine 16 in the X-axis direction, and the entire conveyor device 40 is located inside the mounting machine 16. For this reason, the input sensor 47 and output sensor 48 located on the conveyor device 40 are also located inside the mounting machine 16.

[0014] The mobile device 24 is an XY robot type mobile device. The mobile device 24 is equipped with an electromagnetic motor (see Figure 3) 52 that slides the slider 50 in the X-axis direction and an electromagnetic motor (see Figure 3) 54 that slides it in the Y-axis direction. A mounting head 26 is attached to the slider 50, and the mounting head 26 moves to any position on the frame 30 by the operation of the two electromagnetic motors 52 and 54.

[0015] The mounting head 26 mounts electronic components onto a circuit board. The mounting head 26 has a suction nozzle 60 provided on its lower end surface. The suction nozzle 60 communicates with a positive / negative pressure supply device (see FIG. 3) 66 via a negative pressure air and a positive pressure air passage. The suction nozzle 60 sucks and holds an electronic component by negative pressure and releases the held electronic component by positive pressure. Further, the mounting head 26 has a nozzle lifting device (see FIG. 3) 68 that raises and lowers the suction nozzle 60. By means of the nozzle lifting device 68, the mounting head 26 changes the vertical position of the electronic component it holds. Note that the suction nozzle 60 is detachable from the mounting head 26 and can be exchanged according to the size of the electronic component etc.

[0016] The supply device 28 is a feeder-type supply device and is disposed at the end of the frame 30. The supply device 28 has a plurality of tape feeders 70. The tape feeder 70 accommodates a taped component in a wound state. The taped component is one in which an electronic component is taped onto a carrier tape. Then, the tape feeder 70 feeds out the taped component by a feeding device (see FIG. 3) 76. Thereby, the feeder-type supply device 28 supplies an electronic component at the supply position by feeding out the taped component. Note that the tape feeder 70 is detachable from the frame 30 and can accommodate the replacement of the electronic component etc.

[0017] Furthermore, the circuit board handling system 10 is equipped with a control device 80, as shown in Figure 3. The control device 80 comprises a controller 82 and a plurality of drive circuits 86. The plurality of drive circuits 86 are connected to the electromagnetic motors 44, 52, 54, the circuit board holding device 46, the positive and negative pressure supply device 66, the nozzle lifting device 68, and the delivery device 76. The controller 82 is a computer-based system equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is connected to the plurality of drive circuits 86. As a result, the operation of the transport device 22, the moving device 24, etc. is controlled by the controller 82. The controller 82 is also connected to the input sensor 47 and the output sensor 48. As a result, the controller 82 detects whether or not a circuit board has been input to each conveyor device 40 and whether or not a circuit board has been output from each conveyor device 40.

[0018] With the configuration described above, in the board-to-board work system 10, the circuit board is transported by a conveyor device 40 through the interior of eight connected mounting machines 16, and electronic components are mounted on the circuit board by each mounting machine 16. Specifically, first, the circuit board is brought into the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16 located at the uppermost position of the eight mounting machines 16 that make up the board-to-board work system 10. Then, in that mounting machine 16, the circuit board is transported to a predetermined work position according to a command from the controller 82, and at that work position, it is held by a board holding device 46 provided in the conveyor device 40. The tape feeder 70 also feeds out tape components according to a command from the controller 82 and supplies electronic components at the supply position. Then, the mounting head 26 moves above the supply position of the electronic components according to a command from the controller 82 and picks up and holds the electronic components with a suction nozzle 60. Subsequently, the mounting head 26 moves above the circuit board according to a command from the controller 82 and mounts the held electronic components onto the circuit board. Once the mounting of electronic components onto the circuit board is complete, the circuit board is transported downstream by the conveyor system 40 and discharged from the mounting machine 16. At this point, it is transported to the conveyor system 40 of the mounting machine 16 located downstream of the first mounting machine 16. The mounting process is then carried out sequentially at each mounting machine 16, producing circuit boards with the electronic components mounted.

[0019] In each mounting machine 16, when a circuit board is carried into the mounting machine 16, the operation of picking up components to be mounted on the circuit board starts. That is, in each mounting machine 16, when the carry-in sensor 47 detects that the circuit board has been carried into the conveyor device 40, the tape feeder 70 supplies electronic components, the mounting head 26 moves to the component supply position of the tape feeder, and the suction nozzle 60 holds the electronic components. Also, although no tray is arranged in each mounting machine 16, when the carry-in sensor 47 detects that the circuit board has been carried into the conveyor device 40, it is also possible for the mounting head 26 to move above the tray and the suction nozzle 60 to hold the electronic components placed on the tray. Therefore, in each mounting machine 16, between when the circuit board is carried into the mounting machine 16 and conveyed to the working position and held by the board holding device 46 at that working position, the components to be mounted on the circuit board are held by the suction nozzle 60. As a result, as soon as the circuit board is held by the board holding device 46 at the working position, the electronic components held by the suction nozzle 60 can be mounted on the circuit board, so that it is possible to shorten the cycle time.

[0020] However, if the time required for the operation of picking up the components to be mounted on the circuit board detected by the carry-in sensor 47 is longer than the time from when the carry-in of the circuit board is detected by the carry-in sensor 47 until the circuit board is held by the board holding device 46 at the working position, the cycle time cannot be efficiently shortened. That is, after the circuit board is held by the board holding device 46 at the working position, a waiting time occurs until the operation of picking up the components to be mounted on the circuit board is completed, and the cycle time becomes longer by that waiting time.

[0021] In light of this, each work machine constituting the board-to-board work system 10 starts picking up components to be mounted on a circuit board if there is a circuit board in the preceding process of the mounting machine 16 that performs the mounting work. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, when the mounting process of electronic components is performed on the circuit board 100 in one of the eight mounting machines 16a, and the mounting process in mounting machine 16a is completed, the circuit board 100 is transported to the mounting machine 16b downstream of mounting machine 16a. Then, as shown in Figure 5, when the circuit board 100 is brought into mounting machine 16b and the circuit board 100 is stopped and held in the work position, the mounting process of electronic components is performed on the circuit board 100. In this case, the mounting process in mounting machine 16b is performed on the circuit board 100 on which the mounting process in mounting machine 16a has been performed. For this reason, the mounting process performed in mounting machine 16a is a preceding process to the mounting process performed in mounting machine 16b. Therefore, in the following description, the electronic component mounting process performed by mounting machine 16b will be referred to as the main mounting process, and the electronic component mounting process performed by mounting machine 16a, which is located upstream of mounting machine 16b, will be referred to as the pre-mounting process.

[0022] Thus, when the mounting process to the circuit board 100 is performed in the mounting machine 16b, as shown in Figure 6, the circuit board 102 is first brought into the mounting machine 16a, and electronic components are mounted on the circuit board 102 as a pre-mounting process. This circuit board 102 is the board before it is brought into the mounting machine 16b. Once the pre-mounting process is completed on the circuit board 102 held in the working position by the mounting machine 16b, the circuit board 102 is brought into the mounting machine 16b. The mounting machine 16b then holds the brought-in circuit board 102 in the working position and performs the electronic component mounting process. Therefore, if the pickup of components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 in the previous process is started when the mounting machine 16b has completed the main mounting process on the circuit board 100, the cycle time can be efficiently shortened. In other words, by having the mounting machine 16b start picking up the components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 even before the circuit board 102 is discharged from the mounting machine 16a in the previous mounting process, the pickup of components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 can be completed before the circuit board 102 is held in the working position of the mounting machine 16b, thereby shortening the cycle time.

[0023] However, as shown in Figure 5, if the mounting process for electronic components on the circuit board 100 is completed in mounting machine 16b, there may be cases where the circuit board 102 is not present in the upstream mounting machine 16a. In such cases, even if mounting machine 16b picks up components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 in the upstream machine, the circuit board 102 will not be fed into mounting machine 16b, and the picked-up components may be wasted. Therefore, when the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in mounting machine 16b, it is checked whether or not the circuit board 102 is present in the upstream mounting machine 16a. If it is confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present, mounting machine 16b starts picking up components to be mounted on that circuit board 102. At the same time, mounting machine 16b discharges the circuit board 100 after the mounting process is completed, and the circuit board 102 is fed into mounting machine 16b from the upstream mounting machine 16a. Then, in the mounting machine 16b, once the delivered circuit board 102 is held in the working position, a mounting process is executed in which pre-picked components are mounted onto the circuit board 102. In this way, the cycle time can be shortened by mounting the components that were picked up before the circuit board 102 is held in the working position of the mounting machine 16b. On the other hand, if the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b and it is not confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present in the previous mounting machine 16a, then, as in the conventional method, when the circuit board 102 is delivered to the mounting machine 16b, it starts picking up components to be mounted onto the circuit board 102.

[0024] The timing for checking whether or not the circuit board 102 is present in the mounting machine 16a of the preceding process is when the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b, or after the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b, or when the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b and the circuit board 100 is being transported.

[0025] Furthermore, whether or not the circuit board 102 is present in the mounting machine 16a of the preceding process is determined based on the detection of the input sensor 47 and output sensor 48 installed on the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a. Specifically, the mounting machine 16a is determined to have the circuit board 102 only if the input sensor 47 detects the input of the circuit board and the output sensor 48 does not detect the output of the circuit board; otherwise, it is determined that the mounting machine 16a does not have the circuit board 102. For this reason, if it is confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present in the mounting machine 16a of the preceding process, the mounting machine 16b starts picking up the components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 before the circuit board 102 is output from the mounting machine 16a. Furthermore, before the circuit board 102 is discharged from the mounting machine 16a, it is before the circuit board 102 is discharged from the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a and before the circuit board 102 is loaded into the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b. Alternatively, it is before the circuit board 102 moves from the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a to the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b.

[0026] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, if the mounting machine 16b has completed the mounting process of mounting electronic components onto the circuit board 100 and has confirmed that the circuit board 102 is in the mounting machine 16a of the previous process, it will start picking up electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 102. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, even before the mounting process of mounting electronic components onto the circuit board 100 is completed, if the mounting machine 16b has confirmed that the circuit board 102 to which electronic components will be mounted next is in the mounting machine 16a of the previous process, it will start picking up electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 102.

[0027] For example, the mounting machine 16b of the second embodiment is equipped with a mounting head 110 as shown in Figure 7. The mounting head 110 is a so-called rotary head and is equipped with a plurality of rod-shaped mounting units 112. A suction nozzle 114 is attached to the tip of each mounting unit 112. These plurality of mounting units 112 are held at equal angles on the outer circumference of a unit holder 116. The mounting units 112 are held by the unit holder 116 with their axial direction perpendicular, and the suction nozzles 114 held at the tip of each mounting unit 112 extend downward from the lower surface of the unit holder 116. The unit holder 116 rotates intermittently according to the arrangement angle of the mounting units 112 by the operation of the rotating device 118. As a result, the mounting units 112 sequentially stop at the lifting station, which is one of the stopping positions of the plurality of mounting units 112. The mounting unit 112 located at the lifting station is raised and lowered by the operation of the lifting device 120. In a mounting head 110 with this structure, the suction nozzle 114 of the mounting unit 112 located at the lifting station holds the part. Then, the unit holder 116 rotates sequentially, and the suction nozzle 114 of the mounting unit 112 located at the lifting station holds the part, so that the suction nozzle 114 of each of the multiple mounting units 112 holds the part.

[0028] In a mounting machine 16b with this structure, while the mounting head 110 is performing the mounting process of mounting electronic components onto the circuit board 100, the mounting head 110 checks whether the circuit board 102 is present in the preceding mounting machine 16a before or during the process of picking up the last component to be mounted onto the circuit board 100. If it is confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present in the preceding mounting machine 16a, the mounting head 110 picks up the electronic component to be mounted onto the circuit board 102 after picking up the last electronic component to be mounted onto the circuit board 100. In other words, if the presence of the circuit board 102 is confirmed in the preceding mounting machine 16a before the mounting process of mounting electronic components onto the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b, the mounting head 110 of the mounting machine 16b holds the electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 102 along with the components to be mounted on the circuit board 100. Then, when the electronic components intended for mounting on the circuit board 100, which is held by the mounting head 110, are mounted on the circuit board 100, the mounting process for the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b, and the mounting machine 16b discharges the circuit board 100. Subsequently, the circuit board 102 is loaded into the mounting machine 16b from the mounting machine 16a, and when the circuit board 102 is held in the working position of the mounting machine 16b, the mounting head 110 mounts the electronic components intended for mounting on the circuit board 102 from the remaining electronic components it is holding. In other words, once the mounting machine 16b holds the circuit board 102 in the working position, it executes a mounting process in which the mounting head 110 mounts the electronic components that it has picked up in advance onto the circuit board 102. In this way, by mounting the components that the mounting head 110 has already picked up onto the circuit board 102 before the mounting machine 16b holds the circuit board 102 in the working position, the cycle time can be shortened. In other words, even before the mounting process in which the mounting machine 16b mounts electronic components onto the circuit board 100 is completed, if the mounting machine 16a in the preceding process confirms that the circuit board 102 is present, the mounting head can start picking up components to be mounted onto that circuit board 102, thereby shortening the cycle time.

[0029] Note that the mounting machine 16b is an example of a work machine. The mounting head 26 is an example of a work head. The suction nozzle is an example of a component holder. The conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a is an example of a substrate transport device. The mounting head 110 is an example of a work head. The pre-mounting process is an example of a preceding process. The main mounting process is an example of the main process.

[0030] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Specifically, for example, in the above embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a and the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b are connected, with mounting machine 16a performing the pre-mounting process and mounting machine 16b performing the main mounting process. On the other hand, the mounting machine 150 shown in Figure 8 is equipped with two connected conveyor devices 40. In the mounting machine 150, the pre-mounting process is performed in conveyor device 40a, and the main mounting process is performed in conveyor device 40b. Thus, one mounting machine 150 may perform both the pre-mounting process and the main mounting process. In addition, each of the conveyor devices 40a and 40b is equipped with an input sensor 47 and an output sensor 48, similar to the conveyor device 40 in the above embodiments.

[0031] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a and the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b are directly connected. However, as shown in Figure 9, the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a and the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b may be indirectly connected via the conveyor device 160. In such cases, the pre-mounting process is performed by the conveyor device 160, and the main mounting process is performed by the mounting machine 16b. Alternatively, even when the mounting machines 16a and 16b are connected by the conveyor device 160, the mounting machine 16a may perform the pre-mounting process and the mounting machine 16b may perform the main mounting process. Note that the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16a, the conveyor device 160, and the conveyor device 40 of the mounting machine 16b are each equipped with an input sensor 47 and an output sensor 48, similar to the conveyor device 40 in the above embodiment.

[0032] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, even before the mounting process in which the mounting machine 16b mounts electronic components onto the circuit board 100 is completed, if it is confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present in the mounting machine 16a of the preceding process, the mounting head 110 equipped with a plurality of suction nozzles 114 will hold the electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 100 and the electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 102. On the other hand, for example, if the mounting machine 16b is equipped with two work heads, even before the mounting process on the circuit board 100 is completed in the mounting machine 16b, if it is confirmed that the circuit board 102 is present in the mounting machine 16a of the preceding process, one of the two work heads may hold the electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 100 and the other of the two work heads may hold the electronic components to be mounted on the circuit board 102.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an input sensor and an output sensor are used to detect the circuit board, but by using a timer or the like, one of the sensors may be omitted and the circuit board may be detected by a single sensor. Alternatively, both sensors may be omitted by using several commands in the board production program as triggers, and the circuit board may be detected virtually using a timer or the like.

[0034] In the above embodiment, the input and output sensors for detecting the circuit board are located within the mounting machine's area. However, they may also be located upstream or downstream of the mounting machine. Even when located in such positions, the input and output sensors can achieve the same effect as in the above embodiment by using a timer or the like.

[0035] Furthermore, although the pre-mounting process in the above embodiment was a process in which the mounting machine 16a mounted electronic components, it is not limited to a mounting process in which electronic components are mounted, and various processes such as solder printing, inspection, transport, and waiting processes can be adopted as the pre-mounting process in this embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 16b: Mounting machine (working machine) 26: Mounting head (working head) 40: Conveyor device (substrate transport device) 110: Mounting head (working head)

Claims

1. In a work machine that performs the mounting process of attaching components to a circuit board, A work machine that checks whether a substrate is present in the step preceding the mounting process, and, even before the mounting process is completed, if it is confirmed that a substrate is present in the step preceding the mounting process, starts the work of picking up components to be mounted on the substrate in the step preceding the mounting process.

2. A method for mounting components onto a circuit board held in a predetermined position by a work head equipped with a work machine, The mounting step involves the work head mounting components onto a substrate held in the predetermined position, A confirmation step to check whether or not there is a substrate in the substrate transport device that transports substrates, located upstream of the predetermined position, Even before the mounting process is completed, if the presence of a substrate is confirmed in the confirmation process, and before the substrate is unloaded by the substrate transport device, the work head begins picking up components to be mounted on the substrate confirmed in the confirmation process; A subsequent step after the pickup step, in which the component picked up by the work head is mounted onto the substrate that has been confirmed to be a substrate in the confirmation step. A method of mounting components onto a circuit board held in a predetermined position in a work machine by performing the following operation.

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