Substrate work machine

Abstract

This substrate work machine for performing work on a substrate comprises: an imaging device; and an image processing device that processes an image captured by the imaging device. An imaging target of the imaging device includes a plurality of imaging target parts arranged so as to have a preset first positional relationship. The imaging device includes a plurality of cameras arranged in a second positional relationship corresponding to the first positional relationship. The plurality of cameras can capture images of the plurality of imaging target parts.

Description

PCB Work Machine

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a board processing machine that performs processing on a board.

[0002] Some board work machines perform work on boards using images captured by an imaging device. For example, a component mounter, which is one type of board work machine, uses an imaging device to capture images of components and boards, and then mounts components on the board based on the results of image processing of the captured images. The imaging devices used in this type of board work machine are required to have high resolution due to the miniaturization of components, as well as the ability to capture a wide range at once to increase productivity. Achieving high resolution and a wide imaging range (field of view) requires the use of expensive imaging devices. Therefore, an imaging device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-234254 includes multiple imaging elements arranged in a matrix, and combines images captured by the multiple imaging elements to create a single overall image. This achieves high resolution and a wide imaging range (field of view) while suppressing the cost of the imaging device.

[0003] The present specification provides a board processing machine equipped with an imaging device that is more efficient than conventional techniques.

[0004] The first circuit board working machine disclosed in this specification is a circuit board working machine that performs work on a circuit board and includes an imaging device and an image processing device that processes images captured by the imaging device. The imaging device's imaging targets include multiple imaging target portions arranged to have a predetermined first positional relationship. The imaging device includes multiple cameras arranged in a second positional relationship corresponding to the first positional relationship, and the multiple cameras can capture images of the multiple imaging target portions.

[0005] In the first circuit board processing machine described above, multiple imaging targets arranged in a first positional relationship are imaged by multiple cameras arranged in a second positional relationship corresponding to the first positional relationship. This prevents the cameras from capturing images of areas other than the imaging targets, thereby improving the imaging efficiency of the imaging device. In other words, in conventional technology, images captured by multiple image sensors are simply combined to create a single overall image. Therefore, when imaging multiple imaging targets arranged in the first positional relationship using conventional technology, even areas where the imaging targets do not exist are captured. In contrast, in the first circuit board processing machine, imaging is performed by multiple cameras arranged in a second positional relationship corresponding to the first positional relationship, preventing areas where the imaging targets do not exist from being captured. This improves the imaging efficiency of the imaging device.

[0006] A second circuit board working machine disclosed in this specification is a circuit board working machine that performs work on a circuit board and includes an imaging device and an image processing device that processes images captured by the imaging device. The imaging device includes multiple cameras arranged in a predetermined positional relationship and is configured to combine multiple camera image data captured by the multiple cameras and output one composite image data. The image processing device is configured to import the composite image data output from the imaging device, divide the imported composite image data into pre-combination image data, i.e., multiple camera image data, and perform image processing on the divided multiple camera image data.

[0007] In the second circuit board processing machine described above, the imaging device combines multiple camera image data captured by multiple cameras and outputs the combined image data to the image processing device. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which multiple camera image data are output individually to the image processing device, image data can be transferred from the imaging device to the image processing device at high speed, making the transfer of image data more efficient. Furthermore, the image processing device divides the combined image data into the image data before combination, i.e., multiple camera image data, so that image processing can be performed individually on the divided multiple camera image data.

[0008] A side view showing a schematic configuration of a component mounter of an embodiment. A diagram showing the positional relationship between a plurality of components (i.e., components sucked by a nozzle) that are image capture targets and a camera that captures images of the plurality of components in the component mounter of an embodiment. A control configuration diagram of the component mounter of an embodiment. A flowchart showing the procedure of image processing executed by a control device in the component mounter of an embodiment.

[0009] (Mode 1) In a first circuit board processing machine disclosed in this specification, the operation may be an operation of mounting components on a circuit board. In this case, the circuit board processing machine may include a plurality of nozzles for picking up components and a head that holds the plurality of nozzles so that the plurality of nozzles are arranged in a first positional relationship. The plurality of image capture targets may be components picked up by the plurality of nozzles, respectively. With this configuration, the components picked up by the plurality of nozzles can be efficiently captured by the plurality of cameras.

[0010] (Mode 2) In the first circuit board operating machine disclosed in this specification, the number of the imaging targets may be the same as the number of the cameras. In this case, the first positional relationship may be the same as the second positional relationship. With this configuration, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the imaging targets and the cameras, which makes it possible to easily process image data captured by the cameras.

[0011] (Mode 3) In the first circuit board operating machine disclosed in this specification, the imaging device may be configured to combine at least a portion of the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras and output the combined image data. The image processing device may be configured to import the combined image data output from the imaging device. This configuration can speed up the transfer of camera image data from the imaging device to the image processing device.

[0012] (Mode 4) In the first circuit board processing machine disclosed in this specification, the multiple camera image data may be synthesized based on position information set for each camera image data, and the position information may specify, for each camera image data, the position of the camera image data relative to the synthesized image data. The imaging device may then be configured to divide the captured synthesized image data into multiple image processing areas based on the position information and perform image processing on the divided multiple image processing areas. With this configuration, the multiple camera image data are synthesized based on the position information, and the synthesized image data is divided based on the position information. This allows for appropriate image processing of the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras.

[0013] (Mode 5) The first circuit board processing machine disclosed in this specification may further include an imaging characteristics storage unit that stores the imaging characteristics of each of the multiple cameras. The image processing device may be configured to correct and process image data captured by the multiple cameras based on the imaging characteristics stored in the imaging characteristics storage unit. With this configuration, image data captured by each of the multiple cameras is processed taking into account differences in the imaging characteristics of the multiple cameras. Therefore, even when multiple cameras are used, image processing can be performed with high accuracy.

[0014] (Example) A component mounter 10 (an example of a board work machine) of the example will be described with reference to the drawings. The component mounter 10 is a device that mounts components 4 on a board surface 3 of a circuit board 2. The component mounter 10 is also called an electronic component mounting device or a chip mounter, and the components 4 are electronic components. Typically, the component mounter 10 is installed alongside other board work machines such as a solder printer and a board inspection machine, forming a continuous mounting line.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the component mounter 10 includes a component feeder unit 12, a feeder holder 14, a head unit 15 composed of a mounting head 16 and a head moving device 18, an imaging device 30, a board conveyor 20, and a control device 22. The component feeder unit 12 has multiple feeders arranged in the +X direction parallel to the horizontal plane (i.e., toward the depth of the paper in Fig. 1), and each feeder stores multiple components 4. Each feeder of the component feeder unit 12 is detachably attached to the feeder holder 14 and supplies the components 4 to the mounting head 16. The component mounter 10 of this embodiment holds the circuit board 2 parallel to the XY plane, which is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0016] The placement head 16 has multiple nozzles 6 that pick up components 4. That is, each of the multiple nozzles 6 can pick up and hold a component 4. Each nozzle 6 is detachably attached to the placement head 16. The placement head 16 can move the nozzles 6 along the Z axis, which is a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane (i.e., up and down on the paper surface of FIG. 1 ), to move the nozzles 6 toward and away from each feeder of the component feeder unit 12 or the board surface 3 of the circuit board 2. That is, the placement head 16 moves the nozzles 6 in a direction perpendicular to the board surface 3. The placement head 16 can pick up components 4 from the feeders using the nozzles 6 and place the components 4 picked up by the nozzles 6 onto the circuit board 2.

[0017] The multiple nozzles 6 are attached to the underside of the mounting head 16. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , the multiple nozzles 16 are arranged in a group of four with a gap between them in the X-axis direction, and in a group of two with a gap between them in the Y-axis direction. That is, eight nozzles 6 are arranged in a matrix of two rows and four columns on the underside of the mounting head 16. However, the multiple nozzles 6 are not limited to being arranged in a matrix. For example, if a rotary head is used as the mounting head, the multiple nozzles are arranged circumferentially on the underside of the mounting head, with the axis of the mounting head as the center.

[0018] The head moving device 18 moves the placement head 16 between each feeder of the component feeder unit 12 and the circuit board 2. As an example, the head moving device 18 in this embodiment is an XY robot that moves a moving base 18a along the XY plane and is equipped with an X-axis driving unit 18a and a Y-axis driving unit 18b (see FIG. 3). The placement head 16 is fixed to the moving base 18a, and as the moving base 18a moves in the XY directions, the placement head 16 also moves in the XY directions. Note that the placement head 16 does not have to be fixed to the moving base 18a, but may be detachably attached to the moving base 18a.

[0019] The board conveyor 20 is a board transport device that carries in, positions, and carries out the circuit board 2. As an example, the board conveyor 20 of this embodiment includes a pair of belt conveyors and a support device (not shown) that supports the circuit board 2 from below.

[0020] The imaging device 30 is a part camera unit that captures images of the components 4, and is disposed between the feeder holder 14 and the board conveyor 20, below the path of movement of the placement head 16. The imaging device 30 has an imaging direction set vertically upward, and captures images of the components 4 (more specifically, the undersides of the components 4) that have been picked up by the nozzles 6 on the underside of the placement head 16. Because multiple nozzles 6 are disposed on the underside of the placement head 16, the imaging targets of the imaging device 30 are the multiple components 4 that have been picked up by the multiple nozzles 6 (an example of an imaging target portion). As described above, the multiple nozzles 6 are disposed in a 2-row x 4-column matrix on the underside of the placement head 16 (see FIG. 2 ), and therefore the multiple components 4 that are the imaging target portions are also disposed in a 2-row x 4-column matrix (an example of a first positional relationship).

[0021] Because the components 4 mounted on the circuit board 2 are extremely small, the imaging device 30 that captures the components 4 is required to have high resolution. In a configuration in which multiple components 4 arranged in a matrix are imaged using a single camera, the camera and lenses (optical components) are expensive, increasing the manufacturing cost of the component mounter 10. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the imaging device 30 of this embodiment includes multiple cameras 32a-32h arranged in a 2-row x 4-column matrix (an example of a second positional relationship) to correspond to the nozzles 6 (i.e., components 4) arranged in a matrix. That is, multiple cameras 32a-32h are arranged in a 2-row x 4-column matrix on the top surface of the imaging device 30, and each camera 32a-32h captures an image of a corresponding component 4. Since each camera 32a-32h only needs to be capable of capturing an image of a single component 4, the imaging range (field of view) can be narrowed. Therefore, inexpensive cameras can be used for each of the cameras 32a-32h. The cameras 32a-32h can be, for example, CCD cameras. Note that variations in the position of the component 4 picked up by the nozzle 6 occur due to mounting errors of the nozzle 6 relative to the mounting head 16 and variations in the position at which the nozzle 6 picks up the component 4. Therefore, the field of view of each of the cameras 32a to 32h is set to a field of view that takes into account variations in the position of the component 4 and allows the component 4 to be imaged.

[0022] The imaging device 30 also includes a camera unit control board 34 that controls the multiple cameras 32a-32h (see FIG. 3). The camera unit control board 34 controls the operation of the multiple cameras 32a-32h and synthesizes the camera image data input from the multiple cameras 32a-32h to generate a single composite image data set and outputs the generated composite image data to the control device 22. That is, the camera unit control board 34 does not individually output the camera image data output from each camera 32a-32h to the control device 22, but instead outputs the camera image data output from each camera 32a-32h to the control device 22 as a single composite image data set. This allows multiple camera image data sets to be output to the control device 22 in a shorter time than when multiple camera image data sets are individually output. Furthermore, because the camera unit control board 34 is configured to output a single composite image data set to the control device 22, the number of wires connecting the camera unit control board 34 and the control device 22 can be reduced.

[0023] The composite image data is generated, for example, as follows. That is, the eight camera image data (e.g., m×n pixels) acquired by cameras 32a to 32h are combined in the x direction in order from camera 32a to camera 32h. Therefore, for example, the camera image data from camera 32a becomes (m×n pixel) data starting from coordinates (1,1), and the camera image data from camera 32b becomes (m×n pixel) data starting from coordinates (m+1,1). More specifically, position information (e.g., starting point and data size) is set for each of the eight camera image data (m×n pixels) acquired by cameras 32a to 32h. For example, the position information for the camera image data from camera 32a is the reference coordinates (1,1) that serve as the starting point and the data size (m×n pixels), and the position information for the camera image data from camera 32b is the reference coordinates (m+1,1) and the data size (m×n pixels). Thereafter, position information is set in a similar manner for the camera image data captured by each of cameras 32c to 32h. The camera unit control board 34 then generates composite image data based on the position information set for each of the cameras 32a to 32h. The generation of composite image data is not limited to the above-described format, and can be generated in various other formats. For example, the camera image data may be synthesized according to the arrangement of the cameras 32a to 32h in a 2-row by 4-column matrix. That is, the camera image data from the cameras 32a to 32d may be combined in the X direction, and the camera image data from the cameras 32e to 32h may be combined in the Y direction with the camera image data combined in the X direction. This may generate a single piece of composite image data (4m x 2n pixels).

[0024] As described above, the imaging device 30 of this embodiment includes a plurality of cameras 32a to 32h arranged in a matrix to capture images of a plurality of components 4 arranged in a matrix. Each of the cameras 32a to 32h can be a small camera with a narrow field of view, and these cameras are housed in a single housing. This reduces the cost and space required for the imaging device 30.

[0025] The configuration of the control device 22 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The control device 22 controls the operation of the component mounter 10. The control device 22 is a computer configured with a CPU 23, ROM 24, RAM 25, memory 26, an input / output interface 27, etc. The control device 22 is connected to the board conveyor 20, the head moving device 18, the imaging device 30, etc. The control device 22 controls the board conveyor 20 and the head moving device 18 based on a program stored in the memory 26 to mount components 4 on the circuit board 2. The control device 22 also controls the imaging device 30 to cause the imaging device 30 to capture an image of the component 4 sucked onto the nozzle 6. The camera image data captured by the imaging device 30 is transferred to the control device 22, where image processing is performed. The image processing performed by the control device 22 will be described in detail later. The memory 26 also stores position information that defines the position of the camera image data of each of the cameras 32a to 32h in the composite image data described above. The image pickup characteristics (resolution, camera center, camera angle, distortion correction, etc.) of each of the cameras 32a to 32h are also stored in the memory 26. Therefore, in this embodiment, the memory 26 corresponds to an example of an image pickup characteristics storage unit.

[0026] The image processing executed by the control device 22 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . The image processing shown in FIG. 4 begins with the imaging device 30 capturing an image of the component 4 adsorbed onto the nozzle 6 when mounting the component 4 on the circuit board 2. Specifically, when mounting the component 4 on the circuit board 2, the placement head 16 is first positioned relative to the feeder, and the component 4 is adsorbed onto the multiple nozzles 6 of the placement head 16. Next, the placement head 16 is positioned at a predetermined position above the imaging device 30 with the component 4 adsorbed onto the nozzle 6. The imaging device 30 then captures images of the multiple components 4 adsorbed onto the multiple nozzles 6. Specifically, each of the cameras 32a-32h of the imaging device 30 captures an image of the component 4 adsorbed onto the nozzle 6, and the camera image data captured by the cameras 32a-32h is combined to generate a single composite image data. The imaging device 30 then outputs the composite image data to the control device 22. The control device 22 initiates the image processing shown in FIG. 4 upon receiving the composite image data from the imaging device 30.

[0027] 4, first, the control device 22 acquires the composite image data output from the imaging device 30 (more specifically, the camera unit control board 34) (S10). The composite image data is a single image data that is a combination of multiple camera image data captured by the cameras 32a to 32h. This allows the control device 22 to acquire the composite image data output from the imaging device 30 in a short time.

[0028] Next, the control device 22 divides the composite image data captured in S10 into multiple camera image data sets for each of the cameras 32a-32h (S12). Specifically, the memory 26 of the control device 22 stores position information defining the position of the camera image data for each of the cameras 32a-32h. Therefore, the control device 22 acquires the pre-combined image data, i.e., the camera image data captured by each of the cameras 32a-32h, from the composite image data based on the position information stored in the memory 26. For example, if the reference coordinates (1,1) and data size (m×n pixels) are stored as position information for the camera image data of the camera 32a, the control device 22 acquires the rectangular data from coordinates (1,1) to coordinates (m,n) as the camera image data captured by the camera 32a. Similarly, camera image data can be acquired for each of the cameras 32b-32h.

[0029] Next, the control device 22 corrects each of the camera image data from the cameras 32a to 32h divided in S12 using the imaging characteristics (resolution, camera center, camera angle, distortion correction, etc.) of the cameras 32a to 32h stored in the memory 26 (S14). That is, the imaging device 30 of this embodiment includes multiple cameras 32a to 32h. It is difficult to mechanically adjust the imaging characteristics of the multiple cameras 32a to 32h to be identical, and the imaging characteristics of the multiple cameras 32a to 32h are different from one another. For this reason, in this embodiment, the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras 32a to 32h is corrected using the imaging characteristics (resolution, camera center, camera angle, distortion correction, etc.) of the multiple cameras 32a to 32h. This improves the image processing accuracy of the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras 32a to 32h.

[0030] Next, the control device 22 performs image processing on the camera image data of each of the cameras 32a-32h corrected in S14 (S16). That is, by image processing the camera image data captured by the camera 32a, the position, shape, etc. of the electrodes of the component 4 captured by the camera 32a are obtained. Subsequently, by image processing each of the camera image data captured by the cameras 32b-32h, the position, shape, etc. of the electrodes of each of the components 4 picked up by the multiple nozzles 6 are obtained. Note that the control device 22 corrects the mounting position of the component 4 based on the image processing results acquired in S16, thereby allowing the component 4 to be mounted on the circuit board 2 with high precision.

[0031] In the component mounter 10 of this embodiment, the imaging device 30 is equipped with multiple cameras 32a-32h, which are arranged according to the arrangement of the components 4 to be imaged. This makes it possible to inexpensively realize an imaging device 30 with high resolution and a wide field of view. In particular, by arranging the cameras 32a-32h according to the arrangement of the multiple components 4 to be imaged, it is sufficient for each of the multiple cameras 32a-32h to image a single corresponding component 4. This effectively narrows the field of view required of the multiple cameras 32a-32h, allowing the use of inexpensive cameras 32a-32h.

[0032] Furthermore, the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras 32a to 32h are combined into one composite image data by the camera unit control board 34, and this composite image data is transferred from the camera unit control board 34 to the control device 22. This increases the speed of camera image data transfer. It also reduces the amount of wiring connecting the camera unit control board 34 and the control device 22, thereby achieving space savings.

[0033] Furthermore, in the component mounter of this embodiment, the mounting head 16 is equipped with multiple nozzles 6, and multiple cameras 32a to 32h can simultaneously capture images of multiple components 4 picked up by the multiple nozzles 6. Furthermore, even when multiple cameras 32a to 32h capture images of components 4, the transfer of camera image data from the camera unit control board 34 to the control device 22 is accelerated. This allows for faster mounting of components 4 onto the circuit board 2, achieving high productivity.

[0034] Although one embodiment of the technology disclosed in this specification has been described above, the specific aspects are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the cameras 32a to 32h are used to capture images of the same type of component 4, and the cameras 32a to 32h have the same performance and specifications. However, the performance and specifications of the multiple cameras equipped in the imaging device may be different. For example, multiple components of different sizes may be imaged, and cameras with different performance and specifications may be used depending on the size of the components to be imaged.

[0035] In addition, in the above embodiment, the number of components 4 to be imaged is the same as the number of cameras 32a to 32h that image them, but this is not limited to this. That is, the number of imaged components may differ from the number of cameras that image them, and for example, one camera may image multiple imaged components, and the positional relationship (arrangement pattern) of the multiple imaged components may differ from the positional relationship (arrangement pattern) of the multiple cameras.

[0036] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the camera unit control board 34 outputs multiple pieces of camera image data captured by the multiple cameras 32a to 32h as one piece of composite image data to the control device 22, but this is not limited to this example. For example, two or more pieces of composite image data may be generated from multiple pieces of camera image data captured by the multiple cameras, and these two or more pieces of composite image data may be output from the camera unit control board. Furthermore, when two or more pieces of composite image data are output, they may be output to one image processing unit or to multiple image processing units. When outputting to multiple image processing units, the image processing load on each image processing unit can be reduced, and the image processing speed can be improved.

[0037] Furthermore, while the board work machine in the above-described embodiment is a component mounter that mounts components 4 on a circuit board 2, the technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to such an example. For example, the board work machine may be a board inspection machine that inspects (performs work on) a circuit board 2 on which components 4 are mounted. In this case, for example, the inspection surface of the circuit board 2 may be imaged using multiple cameras, a single piece of composite image data may be generated from the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras, and the generated composite image data may be output to an image processing unit. In this configuration, since there is only one inspection surface to be imaged, the positional relationship between the imaged object and the camera may not be the same. However, by imaging a single inspection surface with multiple cameras, the imaging device (multiple cameras) can be made inexpensive, and by generating composite image data, the image data captured by the multiple cameras can be transferred at high speed.

[0038] The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings simultaneously achieve multiple objectives, and achieving one of those objectives is itself technically useful.

[0039] For example, this specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the board working machine according to claim 1" to "the board working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4. Similarly, it also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the board working machine according to claim 1" to "the board working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 6.

Claims

1. A circuit board working machine for working on circuit boards, comprising: an imaging device; and an image processing device for processing images captured by the imaging device, wherein the imaging target of the imaging device includes a plurality of imaging target portions arranged to have a predetermined first positional relationship, and the imaging device includes a plurality of cameras arranged in a second positional relationship corresponding to the first positional relationship, and wherein the plurality of cameras are capable of capturing images of the plurality of imaging target portions.

2. The board work machine of claim 1, wherein the work is the work of mounting components on the board, the board work machine comprises a plurality of nozzles that pick up the components, and a head that holds the plurality of nozzles so that the plurality of nozzles are arranged in the first positional relationship, and the plurality of imaged objects are the components picked up by each of the plurality of nozzles.

3. A circuit board working machine as described in claim 2, wherein the number of the plurality of image capturing targets is the same as the number of the plurality of cameras, and the first positional relationship is the same as the second positional relationship.

4. The circuit board working machine of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is configured to synthesize at least a portion of the camera image data captured by the multiple cameras and output it as a single composite image data, and the image processing device is configured to import the composite image data output from the imaging device.

5. The circuit board working machine of claim 4, wherein the plurality of camera image data are synthesized based on position information set for each of the camera image data, the position information specifies the position of each of the camera image data relative to the synthesized image data, and the imaging device is configured to divide the captured synthesized image data into a plurality of image processing areas based on the position information and perform image processing on the divided plurality of image processing areas.

6. A circuit board working machine as described in claim 1, further comprising an imaging characteristics storage unit for storing the imaging characteristics of each of the plurality of cameras, and the image processing device is configured to correct and process image data captured by the plurality of cameras based on the imaging characteristics stored in the imaging characteristics storage unit.

7. A circuit board working machine for working on circuit boards, comprising: an imaging device; and an image processing device for processing images captured by the imaging device, wherein the imaging device includes a plurality of cameras arranged in a predetermined positional relationship, and is configured to synthesize multiple camera image data captured by the multiple cameras and output the synthesized image data, and the image processing device is configured to take in the synthesized image data output from the imaging device, divide the taken-in synthesized image data into the multiple camera image data before synthesis, and perform image processing on the divided multiple camera image data.

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