Mounting assistance device

Abstract

This mounting assistance device comprises: a recognition unit that recognizes a component by using blob analysis on image data acquired by imaging a supply region, to which a plurality of components are supplied, of a bulk feeder; a setting unit that sets an inspection region in the image data on the basis of the blob generated in the blob analysis; and a determination unit that determines the quality of the blob or the quality of the recognized component on the basis of a luminance value of the inspection region.

Description

Wearing assistance device

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearing assistance device.

[0002] The mounting support device supports a mounting process by a component mounting machine using a bulk feeder. The bulk feeder is equipped to the component mounting machine that mounts components on a board and supplies the components in bulk (see Patent Document 1). During the mounting process, the component mounting machine performs image processing to recognize the state of components being supplied by the bulk feeder, and controls the component suction operation using a suction nozzle based on the results of the image processing.

[0003] International Publication No. 2021 / 095219

[0004] The image processing for recognizing the supply status includes determining whether or not parts are accommodated in the multiple cavities formed in the supply area of ​​the bulk feeder so that they can be picked up. If there is an incorrect determination in this image processing, it can lead to a mistake in the picking operation, and even if the parts are picked up successfully, it can affect the subsequent processing.

[0005] The present specification aims to provide a bulk feeder suitable for image processing to recognize the supply state, and to provide a mounting assistance device that supports the mounting process by improving the accuracy of the image processing.

[0006] This specification discloses a mounting assistance device that includes a recognition unit that recognizes a plurality of components using blob analysis on image data acquired by imaging the supply area of ​​a bulk feeder to which the components are supplied; a setting unit that sets an inspection area in the image data based on a blob generated in the blob analysis; and a judgment unit that judges the quality of the blob or the quality of the recognized component based on the brightness value of the inspection area.

[0007] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 7 originally filed to "a wearing assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 6."

[0008] This configuration improves the accuracy of image processing, thereby preventing errors in the picking operation of the component mounting machine and, as a result, maintaining high productivity in the component mounting machine.

[0009] 9A is a plan view schematically showing a component mounting machine. FIG. 9B is a side view schematically showing a part of a bulk feeder including a supply area. FIG. 9C is a plan view seen from direction III of FIG. 2. FIG. 10A is a block diagram showing a component mounting machine to which a mounting assistance device is applied. FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing a supply state recognition process. FIG. 10C is an enlarged view showing image data of an image of a supply area. FIG. 10D is an enlarged view showing image data on which a blob generation process has been executed. FIG. 10E is a flowchart showing a blob quality determination process. FIG. 10F is a diagram showing processed data in which image data including harvestable components has been image-processed. FIG. 10G is a diagram showing recognized components superimposed on the processed data. FIG. 10H is a diagram showing an inspection area superimposed on original image data corresponding to FIG. 9A. FIG. 10H is a diagram showing processed data in which image data including foreign matter has been image-processed. FIG. 10I is a diagram showing recognized components superimposed on the processed data. FIG. 10I is a diagram showing an inspection area superimposed on original image data corresponding to FIG. 10A.

[0010] 1. Overview of the Placement Support Device 50 The placement support device 50 supports the placement process by the component placement machine 10 using the bulk feeder 30. In this embodiment, the placement support device 50 is incorporated into the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10. The placement support device 50 improves the accuracy of image processing that recognizes the supply status of components supplied by the bulk feeder 30, thereby reducing the occurrence of errors in the picking operation during the placement process.

[0011] The component mounting machine 10 described above performs a mounting process for mounting components on a board 91 as a predetermined substrate-related operation. The component mounting machine 10 is installed along with other substrate-related operation machines in the transport direction of the board 91 to form a production line. Each of the multiple substrate-related operation machines is communicably connected to a host computer 60 (see FIG. 4) that controls the production line as a whole. The production line includes, for example, multiple substrate-related operation machines, such as a printing machine, the component mounting machine 10, a reflow oven, and an inspection machine.

[0012] 2. Configuration of the Component Mounting Machine 10 2-1. Board Transport Device 11, Component Supply Device 12 As shown in FIG. 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a board transport device 11. The board transport device 11 sequentially transports boards 91 in a transport direction and positions the boards 91 at predetermined positions within the machine. The component mounting machine 10 also includes a component supply device 12. The component supply device 12 supplies components to be mounted on the boards 91. The component supply device 12 has feeders 122 set in multiple slots 121. For example, a tape feeder that feeds and moves a carrier tape containing a large number of components to supply the components so that they can be picked is used as the feeder 122. Furthermore, a bulk feeder 30 that supplies components stored in bulk so that they can be picked is used as the feeder 122. Details of the bulk feeder 30 will be described later.

[0013] 2-2. Component Transfer Device 13 The component mounting machine 10 is equipped with a component transfer device 13. The component transfer device 13 transfers components supplied by the component supply device 12 to predetermined mounting positions on the board 91. The component transfer device 13 is equipped with a head drive device 131, a movable table 132, a mounting head 133, and a suction nozzle 134. The head drive device 131 moves the movable table 132 in horizontal directions (X and Y directions) using a linear motion mechanism. The mounting head 133 is detachably fixed to the movable table 132 by a clamp member (not shown) and is provided so as to be movable horizontally within the machine.

[0014] The mounting head 133 supports a plurality of suction nozzles 134 that are rotatable and movable up and down. The suction nozzles 134 are holding members that pick up and hold components supplied by the feeder 122. The suction nozzles 134 use supplied negative pressure air to pick up the components supplied by the feeder 122. A chuck or the like that grips and holds components can be used as the holding member attached to the mounting head 133.

[0015] 2-3. Component Camera 14, Board Camera 15 The component mounting machine 10 is equipped with a component camera 14 and a board camera 15. The component camera 14 and the board camera 15 are digital imaging devices having imaging elements such as CMOS. The component camera 14 and the board camera 15 capture images based on control signals and send image data acquired by the images. The component camera 14 is configured to be able to capture images of components held by the suction nozzle 134 from below. The board camera 15 is mounted on a moving stage 132 so as to be movable horizontally integrally with the mounting head 133. The board camera 15 is configured to be able to capture images of the board 91 from above.

[0016] Furthermore, in addition to capturing an image of the surface of the circuit board 91, the board camera 15 can also capture an image of various devices within the movable range of the movable stage 132. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the board camera 15 can capture an image of the supply area As to which the bulk feeder 30 supplies components and the reference mark 49 provided on the upper part of the bulk feeder 30 within the camera's field of view. In this way, the board camera 15 can be used to capture images of different objects in order to obtain image data to be used for various image processing.

[0017] 2-4. Control Device 20 As shown in FIG. 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a control device 20. The control device 20 is primarily composed of a CPU, various memories, and control circuits. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 20 also includes a storage unit 21. The storage unit 21 is composed of a storage device such as a hard disk drive or flash memory. The storage unit 21 of the control device 20 stores various data such as a control program M1 used to control the mounting process, component data M2, and cavity information M3.

[0018] The control program M1 indicates the placement positions, placement angles, and component types of components to be placed on the board 91 in the planned placement order during the placement process. The placement process includes a process of repeating a PP cycle (pick-and-place cycle), which includes a pickup cycle and a placement cycle, multiple times. The "pick-up cycle" refers to a process of repeating a pickup operation, in which components supplied by the component supply device 12 are picked up by the suction nozzle 134, multiple times.

[0019] The above-mentioned "placement cycle" refers to a process of repeating a plurality of times a placement operation in which a picked component is placed at a predetermined placement angle in a predetermined placement position on the board 91. In this way, the control program M1 presets the execution order of a PP cycle, which is made up of a plurality of grouped picking and placement operations, taking into consideration the number of suction nozzles 134 supported by the placement head 133, the movement distance of the placement head 133, etc.

[0020] The part data M2 includes shape data for each type of part. The "shape data" includes at least one of the outer edge shape of the part, the shape of the feature part of the part, and the dimensions of the part. The "outer edge shape" of a part corresponds to the shape of the outer edge when the inside of the part and the background are separated using the outer edge as a boundary.

[0021] The "shape of a characteristic part" of a component corresponds to the boundary shape of a characteristic part on the exterior due to the shape, pattern, color, etc. of the component. The characteristic part of a component may be a corner, bump, terminal, lead, etc. of the component. In addition to shape data, component data M2 may also include, for example, the maximum allowable movement speed (acceleration) for each component, the pickup position (e.g., the position of contact with the suction nozzle 134), etc. Furthermore, component data M2 may also include information indicating whether the entire component will be a blob or whether only the electrode portions of the component will be a blob when image data acquired by capturing an image of the component is binarized using a predetermined threshold value in the blob analysis described below.

[0022] The cavity information M3 is information about the cavities 45 (see FIG. 3) formed in the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30 and which individually accommodate components, associated with the identification information (feeder ID) of the bulk feeder 30. The cavity information M3 may include the shape (including the length of each side and depth), position, orientation, and type of corresponding component of the cavity 45 in the supply area As.

[0023] The control device 20 executes a process for recognizing the holding state of the components held by each of the multiple holding members (suction nozzles 134). Specifically, the control device 20 processes image data acquired by imaging with the component camera 14, and recognizes the position and angle of each component relative to the reference position of the mounting head 133. Note that in addition to the component camera 14, the control device 20 may also process image data acquired by, for example, a head camera unit integrally provided on the mounting head 133 capturing an image of the component from the side, below, or above.

[0024] In the mounting process, the control device 20 controls the mounting operation by the mounting head 133 so that the component is mounted on the board 91 in a predetermined orientation. At this time, the control device 20 controls the mounting operation based on the recognized holding state of the component. In other words, the control device 20 corrects the position of the mounting head 133 and the angle of the suction nozzle 134 about the Q axis so as to correct any positional and angular deviations of the component held by the suction nozzle 134 relative to the Q axis (the axis of rotation of the suction nozzle 134). As a result, the component held by the suction nozzle 134 is mounted at a predetermined mounting position and angle instructed by the control program M1.

[0025] 3. Configuration of Bulk Feeder 30 Bulk feeder 30 is set in component mounting machine 10 and functions as part of component supply device 12. Bulk feeder 30 supplies components housed in component cases in a bulk state (loose, with each component in an irregular position) that is not packaged like a carrier tape. Therefore, unlike tape feeders, bulk feeder 30 does not use carrier tape, which has the advantage of eliminating the need to load carrier tape and collect used tape.

[0026] Some bulk feeders 30 supply components in irregular positions to a planar supply area, for example. However, if the components are so close together in the supply area that they touch each other, or if they are piled up (overlapping vertically), or if the components are positioned horizontally so that their widths are vertical, the component mounting machine 10 cannot pick these components. Therefore, to increase the percentage of components that can be picked, some bulk feeders 30 supply components in an aligned state in the supply area As. In this embodiment, a bulk feeder 30 of the aligned type will be described as an example.

[0027] The bulk feeder 30 has a track unit 40 attached to a flat, box-shaped feeder body 31 so that the track unit 40 can vibrate and be detachably attached to the feeder body 31. A connector 311 and two positioning pins 312 are provided at the front (right end in FIG. 2 ) of the feeder body 31. When the feeder body 31 is set in the slot 121 of the component supply device 12, it is supplied with power via the connector 311 and is capable of communicating with the control device 20 of the component mounting machine 10.

[0028] The track unit 40 is vibrated by the vibration device 35. The track unit 40 is formed with a transport path R along which a plurality of parts are transported, and a supply area As that is connected to the transport path R and opens upward so that a plurality of parts can be picked up. The track unit 40 is formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction (left-to-right direction in FIG. 3 ) of the feeder body 31. A pair of side walls 46 that protrude upward are formed on both edges of the track unit 40 in the width direction (up-down direction in FIG. 3 ). The pair of side walls 46, together with a tip end 47 of the track unit 40, surround the periphery of the transport path R and are wall members that prevent parts transported on the transport path R from leaking out.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3 , multiple cavities 45 are formed in the supply area As of the track unit 40. Each of the multiple cavities 45 opens upward and accommodates components with their thickness direction aligned vertically. In this embodiment, the multiple cavities 45 are arranged in a staggered pattern. Here, the "supply area As" of the track unit 40 refers to an area where components are supplied in bulk and where components can be picked up by suction nozzles 134 supported by the mounting head 133. The "transport path R" of the track unit 40 refers to a path along which components circulated from the component case to the track unit 40 are transported to the supply area As.

[0030] The vibration device 35 also applies vibration to the track unit 40 so that the multiple parts are transported along the transport path R. When the track unit 40 vibrates, a forward and upward external force or a backward and upward external force is applied to the parts. As a result, the multiple parts are transported to the front or rear of the track unit 40. The bulk feeder 30 controls the operation of the vibration device 35 using the feeder control device 36 to transport the parts and supply them to the supply area As. When the parts are stored in the multiple cavities 45 through the supply operation, the suction nozzle 134 is ready to pick up the parts.

[0031] A shutter 48 capable of closing the opening of the supply area As is provided on the top of the track unit 40. When the track unit 40 is attached to the feeder body 31, the shutter 48 is placed in a state where its opening and closing operation is controlled by a shutter drive device (not shown). By opening and closing the shutter 48, the bulk feeder 30 can prevent components from flying out and foreign matter from entering the supply area As. A pair of reference marks 49 indicating the reference position of the track unit 40 are provided on the top of the track unit 40 in the width direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 3 ).

[0032] 4 to 10C, the configuration of the placement support device 50 will be described. The placement support device 50 supports the component supply status recognition process executed by the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10 during the placement process. The supply status recognition process includes image processing, which includes determining whether the components supplied to the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30 are suitable for the component placement machine 10 to pick up.

[0033] Specifically, the control device 20 processes image data D1 (see FIG. 6) acquired by imaging with a camera (in this embodiment, the board camera 15), recognizes whether there are any components in the supply area As that are suitable for the picking operation, and if there are any components that are suitable for the picking operation, recognizes the position and angle of those components. Then, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 in the picking operation based on the results of the supply status recognition process.

[0034] In the above-mentioned suitability assessment, if there is an erroneous judgment in the image processing, such as misidentifying part of multiple parts as one part or misidentifying a foreign object as part of a part, the position and orientation of the recognized part (hereinafter also referred to as "recognized part") will differ from the actual one, which may cause an error in the picking operation. Furthermore, even if the part is successfully picked, there is a risk that this will affect subsequent processes, such as the part transfer operation and mounting operation.

[0035] Therefore, in this embodiment, the placement assist device 50 incorporated in the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10 employs a configuration that can improve the accuracy of the image processing included in the component supply state recognition process (see FIG. 5 ). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the placement assist device 50 includes a recognition unit 51, a setting unit 52, and a determination unit 53. The placement assist device 50 may further include a guide unit 54.

[0036] In the supply state recognition process, the mounting support device 50 acquires image data D1 captured by the board camera 15 (S11), as shown in Fig. 5. The recognition unit 51 executes a recognition process (S20) using the image data D1. The determination unit 53 executes a determination process (S30) as to whether the component is suitable for the collection operation. The setting unit 52 executes an inspection area setting process (S41 in Fig. 8).

[0037] 4-1. Recognition Unit 51 The recognition unit 51 recognizes the components 92 by using blob analysis on image data D1 acquired by capturing an image of the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30, into which a plurality of components 92 are supplied (S20). In this embodiment, the recognition unit 51 performs image processing on the image data D1 to acquire information about the recognized components 80. The recognition unit 51 employs blob analysis as a method for recognizing the components 92 scattered in the supply area As as the recognized components 80.

[0038] Specifically, the recognition unit 51 first executes a generation step (S21) of generating multiple blobs 70 from the image data D1. Specifically, the recognition unit 51 binarizes the image data D1 using a predetermined threshold Th. For example, if the brightness value of each pixel is higher than the threshold Th, it is colored white, and if the brightness value is equal to or lower than the threshold Th, it is colored black. Hereinafter, the image-processed image data D1 will also be referred to as processed data D2. FIG. 7 shows an enlarged portion of the processed data D2, with the cavity 45 indicated by a dashed line. Note that when the image processing is performed as described above, the original image data D1 is stored in the memory unit 21 along with the processed data D2. The blob 70 corresponds to a closed white region in the processed data D2.

[0039] 7 and 9A , the blob 70 represents a pair of electrodes 94 formed on both ends of the component 92 in the longitudinal direction. It is also possible for the blob 70 to represent the entire component 92, including the body 93. These types differ depending on the type of component 92 (including the color and gloss of the body 93 and the electrodes 94) and the threshold value Th used for binarization. The mounting assistance device 50 can determine the type of blob 70 based on the component data M2. In this embodiment, the recognition unit 51 recognizes the component 92 using one or more blobs 70 in the recognition process (S20).

[0040] The blobs 70 in the binarized processing data D2 may include those that represent components 92 not housed in the cavity 45 or foreign objects 89 (see FIG. 6 ). If these defective blobs 72, 73 are mistakenly recognized as part of the component 92, the accuracy of the recognition process will decrease. Therefore, the recognition unit 51 extracts candidate blobs 71 that are suitable for the recognition process from the multiple blobs 70 (S22). In other words, this extraction step is a process of removing blobs 70 (72, 73) that are unsuitable for the recognition process.

[0041] Various methods can be applied to extract the candidate blobs 71. For example, the recognition unit 51 may extract the blob 70 located inside the cavity 45 as the candidate blob 71. The recognition unit 51 acquires the position and shape of the cavity 45 from the cavity information M3. This makes it possible to remove, for example, a defective blob 72 corresponding to a closed region of a component 92 not housed in the cavity 45 or a defective blob 73 corresponding to a foreign object 89 located outside the cavity 45, and to prevent such defective blobs from being used in subsequent processing.

[0042] In the extraction step (S22), depending on the relationship with subsequent processing, the extraction using the positional relationship between the blob 70 and the cavity 45 as described above may be omitted. In other words, the extraction step (S22) may simply extract candidate blobs 71 from the multiple blobs 70 that correspond to at least a partial closed region of the part 92 (allowing that some of the candidate blobs may include defective blobs).

[0043] Next, the recognition unit 51 executes a recognition step (S23) in which a rectangular area including one or more candidate blobs 71 is recognized as a component 92 in the processed data D2. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9B , the recognition unit 51 recognizes a rectangular area circumscribing one or more candidate blobs 71 as a component 92 in the processed data D2. As a result, for example, a recognized component 80 formed by a pair of candidate blobs 71 or a recognized component 80 formed by one candidate blob 71 is acquired.

[0044] The recognition unit 51 may also recognize information necessary for subsequent processing, such as the reference position, angle (supply angle), shape (including the lengths of the short and long sides), and area (corresponding to the number of pixels included in the rectangular area) in the supply area As for each of the multiple recognized components 80. Through such processing, the recognition unit 51 recognizes the supply state of the components 92 in the supply area As and stores the recognition results in the memory unit 21.

[0045] The above-described recognition process (S20) is premised on the assumption that the component mounting machine 10 targets only components 92 that are properly accommodated in the cavities 45. Therefore, if the bulk feeder 30 is a type that does not have a cavity 45 in the supply area As, the recognition unit 51 may extract candidate blobs 71 from the multiple blobs 70 based on conditions such as having an area within a certain range and a blob shape that is close to a rectangle, and obtain the position and shape of the recognized component 80 in the supply area As.

[0046] 4-2. Setting Unit 52 The setting unit 52 sets an inspection area Rn (see FIGS. 9B and 10A) in the image data D1 based on the blob 70 generated in the blob analysis (S41 in FIG. 8). The setting unit 52 appropriately sets the inspection area Rn in accordance with the judgment method of the judgment unit 53. In this embodiment, the setting unit 52 sets the inspection area Rn to an area in the image data D1 occupied by at least a portion of the recognized component 80 recognized by the recognition unit 51, so that the inspection area Rn can be used in the judgment of the quality of the recognized component 80 by the judgment unit 53. The setting of the inspection area Rn by the setting unit 52 will be described in detail below.

[0047] The determination unit 53 determines whether the component 92 (recognized component 80) recognized in the recognition process (S20) is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 based on the quality of the candidate blobs 71 that make up the recognized component 80 and the state of the recognized component 80 (i.e., the supply state of the component 92) (S30). Here, even if the recognized component 80 is recognized in the recognition process (S20) using the candidate blobs 71 that correspond to at least a portion of the closed region of the component 92, the recognized component 80 may not be suitable for the picking operation.

[0048] One possible cause of this is that, for example, when two components 92 are housed in cavity 45 with their longitudinal directions aligned vertically, the electrode portions of each component 92 may be mistakenly recognized as the electrode portions of one component 92, resulting in recognition of the recognized component 80. Also, when a component 92 housed in cavity 45 overlaps at least a portion of another component 92, it is possible that the same mistaken recognition may occur as described above.

[0049] Furthermore, if the process of removing blobs 70 outside cavity 45 is omitted in the recognition process (S20), it is expected that defective blobs 73 corresponding to foreign matter 89 will be mistakenly recognized as part of component 92, and recognized component 80 will be recognized. Furthermore, even if the above-described removal process is performed, if, for example, each of electrode portions 94 of two components 92 is located inside cavity 45 when viewed from above, it is expected that components 92 having these electrode portions 94 will be mistakenly recognized as existing, and recognized component 80 will be recognized.

[0050] Furthermore, even if the blob 70 outside the cavity 45 is removed in the recognition process (S20), it is possible that a defective blob 73 corresponding to a foreign object 89 attached inside the cavity 45 may be mistakenly recognized as part of the component 92, resulting in the recognition of the recognized component 80. Here, during the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10, the suction nozzle 134 is pressed against and brought into contact with the component 92 accommodated in the cavity 45 to pick it up. At this time, the component 92 is pressed against the bottom surface of the cavity 45, and metal pieces that have fallen off the electrode portions 94 of the component 92 may adhere to the bottom surface of the cavity 45 as foreign objects 89 (see FIG. 10C ).

[0051] It is expected that as the above-described collection operation is repeated, tiny foreign particles 89 will gradually accumulate. As a result, in the blob 70 generation step (S21), a plurality of foreign particles 89 will be generated as blobs 70 (defective blobs 73), as shown in FIG. 10A . In particular, since the foreign particles 89 that have adhered as described above adhere to the area where the electrode portion 94 of the component 92 accommodated in the cavity 45 is located, if the recognition component 80 is constructed using this defective blob 73 as the candidate blob 71, there is a risk that the component 80 will be mistakenly recognized as being a collectable component.

[0052] In this embodiment, various modes of suitability determination are adopted, taking into consideration the above-mentioned possible causes of misidentification. Note that the modes of suitability determination (S31, S32) described below can be appropriately combined or partially omitted, taking into consideration the type of component 92, the imaging environment, the configuration of the supply area As of the bulk feeder 30, and the like.

[0053] The determination unit 53 first determines whether the blob 70 is good or bad (S31). In this embodiment, the determination unit 53 performs the determination based on the brightness value of the inspection region Rn in the image data D1 before image processing is performed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 , in the blob good or bad determination process, the setting unit 52 first performs a process of setting the inspection region Rn (S41). In this embodiment, the setting unit 52 sets the inspection region Rn to an area in the image data D1 that is occupied by at least a portion of the recognized component 80 recognized by the recognition unit 51.

[0054] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9B , the setting unit 52 sets the inspection region Rn so as to include the candidate blob 71 used to generate the recognition component 80. Here, a pair of inspection regions Rn (Rn1, Rn2) is set because the electrode portion 94 of the component 92 becomes the blob 70. Note that the inspection region Rn may have a predetermined rectangular shape, or may have the outer periphery shape of the multiple pixels that make up the blob 70. The setting unit 52 may also set the outer periphery shape of the recognition component 80 as the inspection region Rn.

[0055] Then, the setting unit 52 sets an inspection region Rn (Rn1, Rn2) having the same shape as the inspection region Rn set in the processing data D2 in the image data D1 before image processing is performed, as shown in FIG. 9C . The determination unit 53 calculates the luminance value of the inspection region Rn (S42). In this case, a pair of inspection regions Rn (Rn1, Rn2) is set, so the luminance values ​​of these regions are calculated. The determination unit 53 then compares the luminance value of the inspection region Rn with a preset reference value Vr (S43).

[0056] If the luminance value of the inspection region Rn in the image data D1 is equal to or greater than the reference value Vr (S43: Yes), the determination unit 53 determines that the blob 70 (candidate blob 71) containing the recognized component 80 is "good" (S44). For example, as shown in FIG. 9C , if the inspection region Rn is set to include the electrode portion 94 of the component 92 in the original image data D1, the luminance value (e.g., average value Ba1) of the inspection region Rn will be equal to or greater than the reference value Vr. As a result, the blob 70 in the processed data D2 is determined to be "good."

[0057] On the other hand, if the brightness value of the inspection area Rn in the image data D1 is lower than the reference value Vr (S43: No), the determination unit 53 determines that the blob 70 (candidate blob 71) containing the recognized component 80 is defective (S45). For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, the recognized component 80 may be generated based on a blob 70 corresponding to multiple foreign objects 89 (metal pieces that have fallen off the electrode portion 94 of the component 92). In this case, as shown in FIG. 10C, if the inspection area Rn is set to include multiple foreign objects 89 in the original image data D1, the brightness value (e.g., average value Ba2) of the inspection area Rn will be lower than the reference value Vr. As a result, the blob 70 in the processed data D2 is determined to be "defective."

[0058] Here, the determination unit 53 may acquire the luminance values ​​of the entire inspection region Rn in the original image data D1 and use at least one of the average (Ba1, Ba2), median (Bc1, Bc2), and maximum (Bmax1, Bmax2) of these values ​​as the luminance value of the inspection region Rn. Alternatively, a portion of the inspection region Rn (e.g., a portion corresponding to the center position or the electrode portion 94) may be extracted and used as the luminance value of the inspection region Rn. The reference value Vr is set to a value that can distinguish between the component 92 and the foreign substance 89, depending on how the various luminance values ​​are acquired.

[0059] The blob quality determination process of this embodiment employs a mode that utilizes the brightness values ​​of the inspection region Rn set in the original image data D1 as described above, but various other determination modes can be employed instead of or in addition to this mode. For example, the determination unit 53 can determine the quality of the blob 70 based on the total area of ​​one or more blobs 70 (candidate blobs 71) included in the recognized component 80. Alternatively, the determination unit 53 may determine the quality of the blob 70 based on the shape of the blob 70 (candidate blob 71) or, if there are multiple blobs, their relative positions. These determination criteria are determined by information about the component 92 recorded in the component data M2.

[0060] Next, the determination unit 53 determines whether the recognized component (recognized component 80) is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 (S32). Specifically, the determination unit 53 determines whether the recognized component 80 is suitable for the picking operation based on, for example, whether the blob 70 included in the recognized component 80 is "good" and whether at least one of the shape, dimensions, position relative to the cavity 45, and angle of the recognized component 80 is within an appropriate range.

[0061] The judgment process (S30), which includes the pass / fail judgment of the blob (S31) and the pass / fail judgment of the recognized component 80 (S32), is executed sequentially for all recognized components 80 recognized by the recognition unit 51. As a result, the mounting assistance device 50 obtains a judgment result as to whether each of the multiple recognized components 80 is suitable for the picking operation. This judgment result is stored as information indicating whether each of the multiple cavities 45 contains a pickable component 92. In addition, each pickable component 92 is associated with information such as its reference position (center position) and supply angle.

[0062] The guidance unit 54 determines whether maintenance of the bulk feeder 30 is necessary based on progress information of the quality determination process of the blob 70, and provides guidance for maintenance as necessary. Specifically, the guidance unit 54 provides guidance for maintenance of the bulk feeder 30 when the brightness value of the inspection region Rn in the image data D1 is higher than a second reference value Vr2 set to a value smaller than the reference value Vr, and lower than the reference value Vr.

[0063] Here, if the foreign matter 89 adhering to the bottom surface of the cavity 45 is a metal piece that has fallen off the electrode portion 94 of the component 92, it is assumed that the blob 70 of this foreign matter 89 will be extracted as a candidate blob 71. However, if the foreign matter 89 is determined to be a defective blob 73 by the quality determination process of the blob 70, and even if a recognized component 80 is generated based on the defective blob 73, it will be determined to be unsuitable for the collection operation, thereby preventing collection errors.

[0064] However, as the number of metal pieces (foreign matter 89) adhering to the bottom surface of the cavity 45 increases, the area occupied by the defective blob 73 also increases, and the brightness value of the inspection region Rn also increases. This can cause an erroneous determination in relation to the reference value Vr. Therefore, as described above, a second reference value Vr2 smaller than the reference value Vr (Vr>Vr2) is set as a criterion for determining whether the number of foreign matter 89 in the cavity 45 has increased to a predetermined level or more.

[0065] If the determination unit 53 determines that the brightness value of the inspection area Rn is smaller than the reference value Vr (S43: No), the notification unit 54 compares the brightness value with the second reference value Vr2 (S46). If the brightness value of the inspection area Rn is higher than the second reference value Vr2 (S46: Yes), the notification unit 54 executes a notification process (S47). Specifically, the notification unit 54 notifies the operator that maintenance is imminent, along with the identification information (feeder ID) of the bulk feeder 30 and information specifying the slot 121 in which the bulk feeder 30 is set.

[0066] This prompts maintenance of the bulk feeder 30, and cleaning of the supply area As including the cavity 45 is performed at appropriate times. As a result, the accuracy of the supply state recognition process is maintained, and the occurrence of collection errors is prevented.

[0067] 5. Mounting Process by Component Mounting Machine 10 The mounting process by the component mounting machine 10 will now be described. Here, it is assumed that the component supply device 12 is equipped with a bulk feeder 30. After the bulk feeder 30 is set in the slot 121, the control device 20 executes a calibration process to recognize the positions of the multiple cavities 45 within the machine. In the calibration process, the control device 20 first moves the board camera 15 to above the reference mark 49 of the bulk feeder 30 and acquires image data by capturing an image with the board camera 15.

[0068] Then, the control device 20 recognizes the position of the bulk feeder 30 within the machine based on the positions of the pair of reference marks 49 included in the image data through image processing and the position of the board camera 15 when the image was taken. The control device 20 can obtain the coordinate values ​​of each of the cavities 45 based on the result of the calibration process and the cavity information M3 indicating the arrangement of the cavities 45.

[0069] In the mounting process, first, the board transport device 11 of the component mounting machine 10 executes a loading process for the board 91. As a result, the board 91 is loaded into the machine and positioned at a predetermined position within the machine. After or in parallel with the loading process for the board 91, the control device 20 causes the bulk feeder 30 to execute a supply operation. As a result of the execution of the supply operation, a state is created in which a plurality of components 92 are accommodated in at least some of the plurality of cavities 45 of the bulk feeder 30. After the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is completed, the mounting assistance device 50 executes a process to recognize the supply status of the components 92.

[0070] This acquires specific information (such as the address of the cavity 45) about the cavity 45 that currently contains the pickable component 92 in a pickable state, as well as the reference position and supply angle of the pickable component 92 (the component 92 suitable for the picking operation). Next, the control device 20 executes a PP cycle. In the PP cycle, the control device 20 executes a picking cycle in which the control device 20 repeatedly picks up components 92 using multiple suction nozzles 134. At this time, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 in the picking operation so that the mounting head 133 is sequentially positioned according to the reference positions of the pickable components 92. At this time, the control device 20 determines the angle of the suction nozzle 134 according to the supply angle of the pickable component 92.

[0071] Next, the control device 20 executes a process for recognizing the holding state of the components 92 held by each of the plurality of suction nozzles 134. Specifically, the control device 20 moves the mounting head 133 above the component camera 14 and sends an image capture command to the component camera 14. The control device 20 processes the image data acquired by the component camera 14, and recognizes the orientation (position and angle) of the components 92 held by each of the plurality of suction nozzles 134. The result of the holding state recognition process is recorded in the memory unit 21 as an operation result indicating whether or not a picking error occurred in the picking operation.

[0072] Thereafter, the control device 20 executes a mounting cycle in which the mounting operation of mounting components using the multiple suction nozzles 134 is repeated. In the mounting operation of this mounting cycle, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 so that the components 92 are mounted at the mounting positions specified by the control program M1. Furthermore, the control device 20 controls the operation of the mounting head 133 so that the suction nozzles 134 are positioned and angled relative to the mounting positions based on the results of the recognition process.

[0073] The control device 20 also executes a supply management process for the components 92 in parallel with the above-described PP cycle. The supply management process includes setting the execution timing of the supply operation of the components 92 by the bulk feeder 30, issuing a command for the supply operation, and recognizing the supply status. For example, when a supply operation of the components 92 is executed, the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is executed during the period from the end of the collection cycle of the current PP cycle to the start of the collection cycle of the next PP cycle. When the supply operation by the bulk feeder 30 is executed, the mounting assistance device 50 executes the above-described supply status recognition process again.

[0074] When all PP cycles based on the control program M1 have been completed, the control device 20 executes the unloading process of the board 91. In the unloading process of the board 91, the board transport device 11 unclamps the positioned board 91 and unloads the board 91 from the component mounting machine 10.

[0075] 6. Effects of the Configuration of the Embodiment The configuration of the mounting assistance device 50 as described above can improve the accuracy of image processing in the process of recognizing the supply state of the components 92 supplied by the bulk feeder 30. This can prevent errors from occurring in the picking operation of the component mounting machine 10, and as a result, the component mounting machine 10 can maintain high productivity.

[0076] In the embodiment, the determination unit 53 determines whether the recognized component (recognized component 80) is suitable for the picking operation by the component mounting machine 10 (S30) based on the brightness value of the inspection area Rn. Alternatively, the determination unit 53 may determine whether the candidate blob 71 is suitable for the recognition step (S23) based on the brightness value of the inspection area Rn.

[0077] Specifically, after the extraction step (S22) of the candidate blob 71, the setting unit 52 sets the area occupied by the candidate blob 71 in the image data D1 as the inspection area Rn. Then, the determination unit 53 calculates the brightness value of the inspection area Rn and compares the brightness value with a reference value Vr to determine whether the candidate blob 71 is good or bad. Note that the reference value Vr is set to a value smaller than the threshold value Th used when binarizing the image data D1.

[0078] By this pass / fail determination, for example, even if a candidate blob 71 is located inside the cavity 45, if its brightness value is smaller than the reference value Vr, it is determined to be a defective blob 73 caused by a foreign substance 89. Blobs 70 determined to be defective blobs 73 are excluded from application to the recognition step (S23). This configuration also achieves the same effects as the embodiment.

[0079] In the embodiment, the placement assist device 50 is configured to be incorporated into the control device 20 of the component placement machine 10. However, part or all of the placement assist device 50 may be incorporated into the host computer 60 or other external device. For example, the placement assist device 50 may be incorporated into the host computer 60 or may be a dedicated device installed on the production line.

[0080] 10: Component mounting machine, 20: Control device, 30: Bulk feeder, 40: Track unit, 45: Cavity, 50: Mounting support device, 51: Recognition unit, 52: Setting unit, 53: Determination unit, 54: Guide unit, 70: Blob, 71: Candidate blob, 72, 73: Defective blob, 80: Recognized component, 89: Foreign matter, 91: Substrate, 92: Component, 93: Body, 94: Electrode unit, As: Supply area, R: Conveyance path, M1: Control program, M2: Component data, M3: Cavity information, D1: Image data, D2: Processing data (image processed image data), Rn: Inspection area, Vr: Reference value, Vr2: Second reference value, Th: Threshold value (for binarization)

Claims

1. A mounting assistance device comprising: a recognition unit that recognizes a plurality of components using blob analysis on image data acquired by imaging a supply area of a bulk feeder into which the components are supplied; a setting unit that sets an inspection area in the image data based on blobs generated in the blob analysis; and a judgment unit that judges the quality of the blob or the quality of the recognized components based on the brightness value of the inspection area.

2. The mounting assistance device described in claim 1, wherein the recognition unit, in the blob analysis, executes a generation step of generating a plurality of the blobs, an extraction step of extracting candidate blobs from the plurality of blobs that correspond to at least a portion of a closed area of the component, and a recognition step of recognizing an area including one or more of the candidate blobs as the component in the image data, and the setting unit sets the area occupied by the candidate blob in the image data as the inspection area.

3. The wearing assistance device of claim 2, wherein in the generation step, the recognition unit binarizes the image data using a predetermined threshold value to generate the blob, and the judgment unit judges whether the candidate blob is suitable for application to the recognition step based on a reference value set to a value smaller than the threshold value and the brightness value of the inspection area.

4. The mounting assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets the inspection area to an area in the image data that is occupied by at least a portion of the component recognized by the recognition unit.

5. The mounting assistance device described in claim 4, wherein the judgment unit judges whether the recognized component is good or bad and whether it is suitable for being picked up by a component mounting machine based on a preset reference value and the brightness value of the inspection area.

6. A mounting assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination unit determines pass / fail based on at least one of the average, median, and maximum brightness values of at least a portion of the inspection area.

7. The mounting assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the determination unit determines that the inspection area in the image data is defective if the brightness value of the inspection area is lower than a reference value, and further comprises a guidance unit that guides maintenance of the bulk feeder if the brightness value of the inspection area in the image data is higher than a second reference value set to a value smaller than the reference value and lower than the reference value.

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