Production device

Abstract

This production device is at least one production device in a production line that is provided with a plurality of production devices. The production device comprises a first fan group which includes a plurality of fans that operate in conjunction with the production operation of the production device.

Description

Production Equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to production equipment arranged on a production line.

[0002] Conventionally, devices equipped with cooling fans have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic device equipped with a heat generating element, a cooling fan, a temperature sensor, a timer, and a control unit. When the electronic device finishes executing a job and transitions to a standby state, if the time measured by the timer is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the control unit rotates the cooling fan for a first time period regardless of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0003] Incidentally, production lines may include production equipment such as surface mounters. This production equipment executes production runs to manufacture specific products. Because the cooling fan installed in this production equipment is directly connected to the power supply, the cooling fan starts operating simultaneously with the power supply being turned on. This can result in energy being wasted, as parts of the production equipment that have not yet generated heat are cooled before the production run begins. However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is an invention that is primarily applied to image forming devices, and does not address the above-mentioned issues at all.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-202898

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide production equipment that can reduce energy consumption.

[0006] A production device according to one aspect of the present invention is at least one production device in a production line including a plurality of production devices, and is equipped with a first fan group including a plurality of fans that operate in conjunction with the production operation of the production device.

[0007] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a production line. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a mounting machine. FIG. 6 is a top view showing the configuration of a base section and a mounting unit. FIG. 7 is a side view of the base section. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of a mounting machine. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control circuit provided in the mounting machine. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing another example of the electrical configuration of a mounting machine. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a control circuit provided in the mounting machine.

[0008] [Overall Configuration of a Substrate Processing System] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, a production machine according to the present invention is applied to a mounting machine that mounts various electronic components on a substrate. The electronic components include, for example, chip components such as resistors and chip capacitors, ball bump components, and packaged components such as ICs. Some drawings include X, Y, and Z direction indicators. The X direction is the direction in which the substrate is transported on the production line (described below), the Y direction is the direction perpendicular to the X direction, and the Z direction is the direction perpendicular to both the X and Y directions. In the following description, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the −X, +X, −Y, +Y, +Z, and −Z directions may be referred to as left, right, front, rear, up, and down. However, these direction indicators are used solely for convenience of explanation and do not limit the structure or operation of the components of the present invention.

[0009] [Configuration of Production Line] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a production line 100. The production line 100 is a line for producing a predetermined product. The production line 100 according to this embodiment produces mounted boards, which are substrates P (printed circuit boards) on which electronic components E (an example of a component) are mounted. As shown in FIG. 1, the production line 100 includes a transport path F and a plurality of production devices arranged along this transport path F. Each of the plurality of production devices performs a predetermined process on the substrate P passing through the transport path F, thereby producing a mounted board. Hereinafter, an operation performed by each of the plurality of production devices when performing a predetermined process on the substrate P will be referred to as a production operation.

[0010] The transport path F transports the substrate P on which the electronic components E are mounted from the right to the left in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, the transport path F is schematically indicated by an arrow.

[0011] 1 shows, as examples of multiple production machines, a printer 102, a print inspection machine 103, a mounting machine 1, a board inspection machine 105, a reflow oven 106, and an appearance inspection machine 107, which are arranged from the upstream (+X) side to the downstream (-X) side of the conveying path F. In addition to these production machines, the production line 100 also includes an intermediate conveyor 104 that relays and transports the board P between the production machines. At the upstream end of the production line 100 is arranged a loader 101 that carries the board P into the printer 102, and at the downstream end is arranged a loader 108 that removes the produced board P from the appearance inspection machine 107.

[0012] The configuration of the production line 100 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the production line 100 may further include various devices such as a component feeder that supplies components to the mounting machine.

[0013] The printer 102 applies solder to the pads of the substrate P. For example, the printer 102 places a mask with openings in the solder application areas on the substrate P, and applies cream solder from above the mask. The print inspection machine 103 takes an image of the substrate P with the solder applied to determine the two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes of the solder, and inspects whether the position, amount, and height of the solder applied to the substrate P are appropriate.

[0014] The mounting machine 1 performs production operation to mount electronic components E on a substrate P. The detailed configuration of the mounting machine 1 will be described later. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the production line 100 includes three mounting machines 1. However, this is merely an example, and the production line 100 may include more or fewer mounting machines 1.

[0015] The board inspection machine 105 takes an image of the board P that has passed through the mounting machine 1, and inspects the board P for misalignment, floating components, missing mounting, soldering defects, etc. of the electronic components E mounted thereon. The reflow furnace 106 heats the board P on which the electronic components E have been mounted to melt the solder and fix the electronic components E to the board P. The appearance inspection machine 107 takes an image of the board P after the heat treatment in the reflow furnace 106, and inspects the board P for misalignment, floating components, missing mounting, soldering defects, etc. of the electronic components E in the same way as the board inspection machine 105.

[0016] Intermediate conveyor 104 is a conveyor that transfers board P between working devices on production line 100. Intermediate conveyor 104 is inserted into production line 100 at locations where relay transport is required due to the layout of the working devices, or where board P needs to wait for transport.

[0017] [Configuration of Mounting Machine] The configuration of the mounting machine 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the mounting machine 1. FIG. 3 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of the mounting machine 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting machine 1 includes a base section 10, a mounting unit 40, an enclosure 1A, multiple fans, a controller 14, and a power supply unit 16 (an example of a fan power supply). The base section 10 houses the controller 14 and the power supply unit 16 therein. The mounting unit 40 is disposed on the base section 10, and the base section 10 and the mounting unit 40 are covered by the enclosure 1A, which is a housing that covers the base section 10 and the mounting unit 40. Multiple fans are provided in each section of the mounting machine 1. FIG. 2 shows a mounting area cooling fan 63 and an inside-base cooling fan 71, which are examples of multiple fans. These fans will be described later.

[0018] The base section 10 is made up of an assembly of rigid frame members. A board transport section 2 (FIG. 3) and a component supply section 3 (FIG. 3) are assembled on the upper surface of the base section 10. The mounting unit 40 includes a head unit 4 (FIG. 3) having a plurality of heads 4H.

[0019] The board transport unit 2, component supply unit 3, and head unit 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 . Note that the enclosure 1A is not shown in FIG. 3 . The board transport unit 2 transports a board P on which electronic components E are mounted. The board transport unit 2 has a pair of conveyors 21 and 22 that transport the board P along the X direction on the base unit 10. The conveyors 21 and 22 transport the board P into the enclosure 1A from the right side in FIG. 3 , transport the board P to a predetermined work position, and then stop. At this work position, the electronic components E are mounted on the board P. After the mounting process, the conveyors 21 and 22 transport the board P to the left side in FIG. 3 and transport the board P out of the enclosure 1A.

[0020] The component supply units 3 supply electronic components E. The component supply units 3 are respectively arranged in front (lower side in FIG. 3 ) and behind (upper side in FIG. 3 ) of the board transport unit 2. Each component supply unit 3 has a plurality of tape feeders 31 arranged in the left-right direction. Each tape feeder 31 holds a reel around which a tape is wound, which stores various electronic components E at predetermined intervals. The tape feeder 31 intermittently pays out tape from the reel and supplies electronic components E to a component supply position at the tip of the feeder.

[0021] The head unit 4 takes out the electronic component E from the component supply unit 3 and mounts it on the substrate P. Specifically, the head unit 4 is arranged to be movable along movement axes in the X and Y directions set on the base unit 10, takes out the electronic component E from the tape feeder 31 at the component supply position (tip of the feeder) of the tape feeder 31, and mounts the electronic component E at a predetermined position on the substrate P at the work position.

[0022] 3, two Y-axis fixed rails 25, each extending in the Y direction, are installed on the upper surface of the base portion 10. In the mounting machine 1, a support beam 23 extending in the X direction is supported by these two Y-axis fixed rails 25, and an X-axis fixed rail 24 is fixed to the support beam 23. The head unit 4 is supported by the X-axis fixed rail 24.

[0023] A Y-axis servomotor 28 and a ball screw shaft 29 are attached to the Y-axis fixed rail 25. The support beam 23 supported by the Y-axis fixed rail 25 moves in the Y direction by rotationally driving the ball screw shaft 29 due to driving force generated by the Y-axis servomotor 28. In addition, an X-axis servomotor 26 and a ball screw shaft 27 are attached to the X-axis fixed rail 24 fixed to the support beam 23. The head unit 4 supported by the X-axis fixed rail 24 moves in the X direction by rotationally driving the ball screw shaft 27 due to driving force generated by the X-axis servomotor 26. In other words, the head unit 4 is movable in the X and Y directions via the X-axis fixed rail 24 and the Y-axis fixed rail 25. Hereinafter, the X-axis servomotor 26 and the Y-axis servomotor 28 may be collectively referred to as "servo motors."

[0024] Although detailed illustration is omitted, a Y-axis motor cooling fan is attached to the Y-axis servo motor 28. The Y-axis motor cooling fan cools the Y-axis servo motor 28 by sending air to the Y-axis servo motor 28. In addition, an X-axis motor cooling fan is attached to the X-axis servo motor 26. The X-axis motor cooling fan cools the X-axis servo motor 26 by sending air to the X-axis servo motor 26. Hereinafter, the Y-axis motor cooling fan and the X-axis motor cooling fan will be collectively referred to as "motor cooling fan 61" ( FIG. 6 ).

[0025] The head unit 4 is equipped with multiple heads 4H for holding and transporting components. Each head 4H includes a shaft extending along the Z direction and a suction nozzle attached to the lower end of the shaft. The shaft can be raised and lowered relative to the head unit 4 and can rotate around the nozzle central axis (R axis).

[0026] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the head unit 4 is connected to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump generates a suction force for suctioning the electronic component E onto the head unit 4. Specifically, the vacuum pump generates negative pressure (vacuum pressure) and supplies this negative pressure to the suction nozzle of the head 4H. The suction nozzle uses the negative pressure supplied from the vacuum pump to suction and hold the electronic component E. A vacuum pump cooling fan 62 ( FIG. 6 ) is arranged near the vacuum pump to exhaust heat generated by the vacuum pump.

[0027] Next, a description will be given of the multiple fans provided in the mounting machine 1. As shown in Fig. 2, a base section area A1 in which the base section 10 is disposed, and a mounting area A2 in which the mounting units 40 are disposed are formed inside the enclosure 1A. The mounting area A2 is an area formed above the base section 10, and is an area where a process of mounting electronic components E on the board P is carried out. A mounting area cooling fan 63 is attached to the top of the enclosure 1A to generate an air current that dissipates heat from this mounting area A2 to the outside.

[0028] An accommodation section 18 is formed inside the base section 10 to accommodate the controller 14 and the power supply unit 16. The accommodation section 18 is a substantially sealed space to prevent the intrusion of dust and other particles. An internal base cooling fan 71 is attached to the accommodation section 18 to cool the accommodation section 18. The internal base cooling fan 71 generates an airflow that releases heat from the accommodation section 18 to the outside of the base section 10. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the internal base cooling fan 71 that releases heat to the outside of the enclosure 1A, further outside the base section 10.

[0029] Fig. 4 is a side view of the base portion 10. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Fig. 4, illustrating a schematic configuration of the storage portion 18. As shown in Fig. 5, the storage portion 18 includes a first space 181, a second space 182, an upstream space 183, and a downstream space 184, which are partitioned by a first wall WL1, a second wall WL2, and a third wall WL3.

[0030] The upstream space 183 is located upstream of the first space 181 and the second space 182 in the flow direction of the airflow generated by the base interior cooling fan 71. The upstream space 183 communicates with the first space 181 and the second space 182, respectively, via a third opening HL3 and a fourth opening HL4 formed in the second wall WL2 facing the first wall WL1.

[0031] The downstream space 184 is located downstream of both spaces 181, 182 in the flow direction of the airflow generated by the base interior cooling fan 71. The downstream space 184 communicates with the first space 181 via the first opening HL1 and with the second space 182 via the second opening HL2.

[0032] The first space 181 is a space that accommodates the power supply unit 16. The power supply unit 16 includes a power transformer (not shown) and a power supply. The power transformer is a device that transforms commercial voltage into the operating voltage of the mounting machine 1. The power supply supplies power to various devices equipped in the mounting machine 1, such as servo motors and fans. A first opening HL1 that connects the first space 181 to the downstream space 184 is provided in the first wall WL1 that forms the first space 181. A power supply cooling fan 73 is attached to this first opening HL1. The power supply cooling fan 73 cools the power supply unit 16 by generating an airflow that releases heat from within the first space 181 to the outside.

[0033] The second space 182 is adjacent to the first space 181 with a third wall WL3 in between, and is a space that houses the controller 14. The controller 14 will be described later. A second opening HL2 that connects the second space 182 to the downstream space 184 is provided in the first wall WL1 that defines the second space 182. A controller cooling fan 72 is attached to this second opening HL2. The controller cooling fan 72 cools the controller 14 by generating an airflow that releases heat from the second space 182 to the outside.

[0034] By operating the above-described base interior cooling fan 71, power supply cooling fan 73, and controller cooling fan 72, an airflow indicated by arrow AF in Fig. 5 is generated. Specifically, an airflow is generated that flows from the outside of the base unit 10 to the upstream space 183, passes from the upstream space 183 through the first space 181 and the second space 182, and flows from the downstream space 184 to the outside of the base unit 10. This airflow cools the controller 14 and power supply unit 16.

[0035] [First Embodiment] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a mounting machine 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, the mounting machine 1 is equipped with a controller 14. This controller 14 controls the operation of each unit of the mounting machine 1. The controller 14 is composed of a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and operates so as to functionally include a fan control unit 141, a motor control unit 142, and a storage unit 143 by executing a predetermined program.

[0036] The fan control unit 141 controls the operation of various fans included in the mounting machine 1. Specifically, the fan control unit 141 controls the operation of each of the fans included in the first fan group 6 and the fans included in the second fan group 7.

[0037] The first fan group 6 includes multiple fans for cooling parts that generate heat when the mounting machine 1 performs production operations. The "parts that generate heat when the mounting machine 1 performs production operations" refer to, for example, servo motors such as the X-axis servo motor 26 and the Y-axis servo motor 28, the vacuum pump, and the mounting area A2. Therefore, the fans that cool these parts—specifically, the motor cooling fan 61, the vacuum pump cooling fan 62, and the mounting area cooling fan 63—are included in the first fan group 6. However, this is merely an example, and the first fan group 6 does not necessarily need to include all of the motor cooling fan 61, the vacuum pump cooling fan 62, and the mounting area cooling fan 63. The first fan group 6 only needs to include at least one of the motor cooling fan 61, the vacuum pump cooling fan 62, and the mounting area cooling fan 63. In the first embodiment, the first fan group 6 operates in response to the output of a servo-on signal. Details will be described later.

[0038] The second fan group 7 includes fans that cool parts that generate heat when the mounting machine 1 is powered on. "Parts that generate heat when the mounting machine 1 is powered on" refer to, for example, the controller 14, the power supply unit 16, and the housing 18 that houses these. In other words, the second fan group 7 is made up of fans that cool parts that generate heat regardless of whether production operation is being performed. Specifically, the second fan group 7 includes the above-mentioned base interior cooling fan 71, controller cooling fan 72, and power supply cooling fan 73.

[0039] The motor control unit 142 outputs control signals for operating various motors provided in the mounting machine 1, thereby controlling the operation of the various motors. The control signals include a servo-on signal. The servo-on signal will be described later. As shown in FIG. 6 , the motors whose operation is controlled by the motor control unit 142 include the X-axis servo motor 26 and the Y-axis servo motor 28. The motor control unit 142 may also control the operation of the Z-axis motor and the R-axis motor. The Z-axis motor functions as a drive source for raising and lowering the shaft of the head unit 4 along the Z direction when the suction nozzle of the head unit 4 picks up or mounts an electronic component E. The R-axis motor functions as a drive source for rotating the shaft around the R axis.

[0040] The storage unit 143 stores various information related to the substrate P and electronic components E, various setting values ​​and parameters related to the mounting machine 1, control data, operation programs, etc.

[0041] 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control circuit 8 provided in the mounting machine 1. The control circuit 8 is a circuit that enables the operation of the fan group in conjunction with production operation. As shown in FIG. 7, the control circuit 8 includes a first connection circuit 81 (an example of a connection circuit) and a second connection circuit 82.

[0042] The first connection circuit 81 is wiring that electrically connects the power supply unit 16 and the first fan group 6. As shown in Fig. 7 , the first connection circuit 81 includes a relay circuit 83. The power supply unit 16 and the first fan group 6 are connected via this relay circuit 83.

[0043] The relay circuit 83 according to the first embodiment includes a relay switch 84 that switches between on and off depending on whether a servo-on signal (an example of a control signal) is output. Specifically, the relay switch 84 switches on when a servo-on signal is output, and switches off when the servo-on signal is not output. When the relay switch 84 is on, the relay circuit 83 connects the first fan group 6 and the power supply unit 16. On the other hand, when the relay switch 84 is off, the relay circuit 83 cuts off the connection between the first fan group 6 and the power supply unit 16. Note that FIG. 7 illustrates the relay circuit 83 when the relay switch 84 is off.

[0044] The servo-on signal is a signal output from the motor control unit 142 to operate servo motors such as the X-axis servo motor 26 and the Y-axis servo motor 28. Specifically, it is a signal output when the servo motors are energized and position controlled during production operation, etc.

[0045] The second connection circuit 82 is wiring that electrically connects the power supply unit 16 and the second fan group 7. As shown in Fig. 7 , the second connection circuit 82 directly connects the power supply unit 16 and the second fan group 7. Therefore, when the power supply of the mounting machine 1 is started up, each fan belonging to the second fan group 7 can receive power from the power supply unit 16 and operate.

[0046] According to the mounting machine 1 having the above configuration, the production operation of the mounting machine 1 can be linked to the operation of the first fan group 6. Specifically, when production operation is being performed, a servo-on signal is output, and the relay circuit 83 connects the first fan group 6 to the power supply unit 16, causing the first fan group 6 to operate. On the other hand, when production operation is not being performed and the servo-on signal is not output, the relay circuit 83 disconnects the first fan group 6 from the power supply unit 16, causing the operation of the first fan group 6 to stop. In this way, by operating the first fan group 6 depending on whether or not the servo-on signal is output, the production operation of the mounting machine 1 can be linked to the operation of the first fan group 6. As a result, energy consumption can be reduced compared to when the production operation of the mounting machine 1 and the operation of the first fan group 6 are not linked.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the mounting machine 1 of the first embodiment, the operation of the first fan group 6 is stopped during periods when production operation is not being performed, thereby reducing the level of noise generated by the mounting machine 1.

[0048] Furthermore, the mounting machine 1 according to the first embodiment controls the operation of the first fan group 6 without using a circuit that utilizes a thermostat or the like, which allows for lower costs compared to when the above-described circuit is used.

[0049] Furthermore, the above-mentioned control circuit 8 can be realized simply by connecting a circuit for energizing the fan to a circuit for energizing the motor (for example, a circuit used to send a servo-on signal), so there is no need to provide an additional circuit in the mounting machine 1.

[0050] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the second fan group 7 is directly connected to the power supply unit 16 via the second connection circuit 82. In other words, the second connection circuit 82 is not provided with a circuit equivalent to the above-mentioned relay circuit 83, and therefore the second fan group 7 can operate from the moment the power to the mounting machine 1 is turned on. In other words, the first fan group 6 operates only while production operation is being performed, while the second fan group 7 can operate from the moment the power to the mounting machine 1 is turned on. In this way, the parts that generate heat when the power to the mounting machine 1 is turned on can be cooled by the second fan group 7, and the parts that generate heat after the mounting machine 1 starts production operation can be cooled by the first fan group 6, which operates in conjunction with production operation.

[0051] As described above, in the first embodiment, the multiple fan groups provided in the mounting machine 1 are divided into a first fan group 6 for cooling parts that generate heat only when production operation is being performed, and a second fan group 7 for cooling parts that generate heat regardless of production operation. The former fan group operates in conjunction with production operation, while the latter fan group operates independently of production operation. As a result, energy waste is suppressed.

[0052] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the relay switch 84 is switched on and off depending on the presence or absence of a servo-on signal, thereby interlocking the production operation with the operation of the first fan group 6. In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the controller 14A interlocks the operation of the first fan group 6 with the production operation. In the following description and drawings, components having the same configuration as components already described will be assigned the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0053] 8 is a block diagram showing another example of the electrical configuration of the mounting machine 1. The controller 14A according to the second embodiment operates so as to further include a switching unit 144 as a function by executing a predetermined program.

[0054] The switching unit 144 outputs a signal for operating the relay switch 84A included in the relay circuit 83A (FIG. 9) according to the second embodiment, and controls the relay switch 84A to be on or off. For example, the switching unit 144 controls the relay switch 84A to be on when production operation is being performed. The switching unit 144 also controls the relay switch 84A to be off when production operation is not being performed.

[0055] 9 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the control circuit 8 provided in the mounting machine 1. As shown in FIG. 9, the control circuit 8 includes a first connection circuit 81 (an example of a connection circuit) and a second connection circuit 82. The first connection circuit 81 includes a relay circuit 83A. The relay circuit 83A has a relay switch 84A that switches between on and off in response to a signal output from the switching unit 144. When the relay switch 84A is turned on, the relay circuit 83A switches to a connected state in which the first fan group 6 and the power supply unit 16 are connected. When the relay switch 84A is turned off, the relay circuit 83A switches to a disconnected state in which the connection between the first fan group 6 and the power supply unit 16 is disconnected.

[0056] According to the mounting machine 1 of the second embodiment, the state of the relay circuit 83A is switched by the switching unit, so that the production operation and the operation of the first fan group 6 can be linked together, as in the first embodiment.

[0057] Furthermore, with the mounting machine 1 according to the second embodiment, the state of the relay circuit 83A is controlled by the switching unit 144, allowing for flexible setting of the timing for operating the first fan group 6. For this reason, for example, it is possible to set the relay circuit 83A to the connected state and operate the first fan group 6 only during periods of time when heat generation is particularly high during production operation. In this way, energy consumption can be reduced compared to when the first fan group 6 is operated during periods when heat generation is relatively low.

[0058] Third Embodiment In the second embodiment, an example was described in which the switching unit 144 of the controller 14A operates the relay circuit 83A. In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the switching unit 144 operates the relay circuit 83A in response to the loading and unloading of the substrate P.

[0059] The controller 14A according to the third embodiment operates so as to further include functionally an incoming detection unit 145 and an outgoing detection unit 146 (FIG. 8) by executing a predetermined program.

[0060] The carry-in detection unit 145 detects that the board P has been carried into the mounting machine 1. The carry-in detection unit 145 is attached, for example, to the above-mentioned mounting area A2, and detects the carrying-in of the board P by communicating with a sensor (for example, an optical sensor or a camera) not shown that detects the carrying-in of the board P.

[0061] The removal detection unit 146 detects that the board P has been removed from the production equipment. The removal detection unit 146 is attached to the mounting area A2 described above, for example, and detects the removal of the board P by communicating with a sensor (for example, an optical sensor or a camera) (not shown) that detects that the board P has been removed.

[0062] The switching unit 144 according to the third embodiment turns on the relay switch 84A in response to the carry-in detection unit 145 detecting the carry-in of the substrate P, thereby operating the first fan group 6. Furthermore, the switching unit 144 turns off the relay switch 84A in response to the carry-out detection unit 146 detecting the carry-out of the substrate P, thereby stopping the first fan group 6.

[0063] According to the mounting machine 1 of the third embodiment, the first fan group 6 can be operated during the period from when the substrate P is carried in until when it is carried out. During this period, the servo motor is driven to move the head unit, and the vacuum pump is operated to adsorb the electronic component E onto the nozzle, so the amount of heat generated is relatively large.

[0064] On the other hand, with the mounting machine 1 according to the third embodiment, the first fan group 6 can be stopped during the period from when the substrate P is carried out until a new substrate P is carried in. During this period, the substrate P is not present inside the mounting machine 1, and the servo motor and vacuum pump do not operate at high output, so the amount of heat generated is relatively small.

[0065] As described above, the mounting machine 1 according to the third embodiment can operate the first fan group 6 only during periods when the amount of heat generated is relatively high during production operation. This reduces energy consumption compared to when the first fan group 6 is operated all the time during production operation, i.e., when the first fan group 6 is operated even during periods when the amount of heat generated is relatively low.

[0066] [Fourth embodiment] In the fourth embodiment, an example will be described in which the controller 14A stops the first fan group 6 in response to the production number of substrates P (hereinafter referred to as processed substrates) processed by the mounting machine 1 reaching the planned production number.

[0067] The controller 14A according to the fourth embodiment operates so as to further include a measuring unit 147 as a function by executing a predetermined program.

[0068] The measurement unit 147 measures the number of processed boards produced. The measurement unit 147 measures the number of processed boards produced, for example, by measuring the number of boards P carried out from the mounting machine 1.

[0069] The storage unit 143A according to the fourth embodiment stores a planned production quantity. The planned production quantity is a numerical value that is set in advance by a manager who manages the production line 100 or the like.

[0070] The switching unit 144 according to the fourth embodiment sets the relay circuit 83A to the connected state until the production number of processed substrates reaches the planned production number, and operates the first fan group 6. On the other hand, when the switching unit 144 receives a signal from the measurement unit 147 indicating that the production number of processed substrates has reached the planned production number, it sets the relay circuit 83A to the disconnected state and stops the operation of the first fan group 6.

[0071] According to the mounting machine 1 of the fourth embodiment, the first fan group 6 stops when the production number of processed substrates (an example of a workpiece) reaches the planned production number. This allows the operation of the first fan group 6 to be controlled without closely monitoring the production operation status. Controlling the operation of the first fan group 6 by closely monitoring the production operation status is likely to result in frequent switching of the relay circuit 83A between the connected and disconnected states, which could result in wear and tear on the relay circuit 83A. On the other hand, the above configuration prevents frequent switching of the state of the relay circuit 83A, thereby preventing wear and tear on the relay circuit 83A.

[0072] Fifth Embodiment In a fifth embodiment, the controller 14A operates the first fan group 6 after the start of production operation, or stops the first fan group 6 before the end of production operation, or performs both of these controls.

[0073] The storage unit 143A according to the fifth embodiment stores exceedance time information. The exceedance time information is information indicating the timing at which the temperature of the mounting machine 1 will exceed the allowable temperature if the mounting machine 1 continues production operation without operating the first fan group 6. The allowable temperature refers to the temperature range of the mounting machine 1 at which the mounting machine 1 can be operated safely.

[0074] When a predetermined program is executed, the controller 14A according to the fifth embodiment operates so as to further include the function of a determination unit 148. The determination unit 148 determines the start timing and the stop timing.

[0075] The start timing is the timing at which the first fan group 6 starts operating. The determination unit 148 determines the start timing so that the first fan group 6 starts operating after the start of production operation. Specifically, the determination unit 148 determines the start timing so that the first fan group 6 starts operating after the start of production operation and at a timing that does not exceed the allowable temperature. For example, assume that the mounting machine 1 starts production operation and stores as tolerance information that the temperature of the mounting machine 1 will exceed the allowable temperature when 30 processed substrates have been produced. In this case, the determination unit 148 determines the start timing to be the time when the mounting machine 1 starts production operation and has produced, for example, 20 processed substrates.

[0076] The stop timing is the timing to stop the first fan group 6. For example, assume that the planned production quantity of the mounting machine 1 is set to 100. In this case, the determination unit 148 determines the stop timing to be the point in time when the mounting machine 1 has produced, for example, 80 processed substrates.

[0077] The switching unit 144 switches the state of the relay circuit 83A in accordance with the start timing and stop timing determined by the determination unit 148. For example, when the production number of processed substrates reaches 20, the relay circuit 83A is switched to the connected state to operate the first fan group 6, and when the production number reaches 80, the relay circuit 83A is switched to the disconnected state to stop the first fan group 6.

[0078] In this way, by operating the first fan group 6 after the start of production operation and stopping the first fan group 6 before the end of production operation, the operating time of the first fan group 6 can be made shorter than the operating time of the production operation. This reduces energy consumption compared to when the first fan group 6 is operated for a time approximately the same as the operating time of the production operation. Furthermore, as described above, the determination unit 148 determines the start timing and stop timing so that the temperature of the mounting machine 1 remains within the allowable temperature range, thereby ensuring the reliability of the mounting machine 1.

[0079] Note that, although an example has been described here in which the determination unit 148 determines both the start timing and the stop timing, the determination unit 148 may determine either the start timing or the stop timing. If the determination unit 148 determines only the start timing, the switching unit 144 may stop the first fan group 6, for example, when the number of processed substrates produced reaches the planned production number. Also, if the determination unit 148 determines only the stop timing, the switching unit 144 may start the operation of the first fan group 6, for example, when the first substrate P is carried into the mounting machine 1.

[0080] Furthermore, the determination unit 148 may determine the start timing and stop timing for the period from when the substrate P is carried into the mounting machine 1 until when it is carried out. For example, the start timing may be determined to be n seconds after the substrate P is carried into the mounting machine 1, and the stop timing may be determined to be m seconds before the substrate P is carried out of the mounting machine 1. Appropriate numbers may be set for n and m as long as they do not exceed the allowable temperature. In this way, the first fan group 6 can be switched between operating and stopping between when the substrate P is carried in and when it is carried out. This makes it possible to further reduce energy consumption.

[0081] [Sixth Embodiment] In the sixth embodiment, an example will be described in which, when the servo motor is in a standby state, the controller 14A sets the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 to a first speed, and, when the servo motor is in an operating state, the controller 14A sets the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 to a second speed.

[0082] The controller 14A according to the sixth embodiment operates so as to further include functionally a determination unit 149 and a speed setting unit 150 by executing a predetermined program.

[0083] The determination unit 149 determines whether the servo motor is in a standby state or an operating state. The standby state refers to a state in which the servo motor is energized but the head unit is stationary (standby) at a predetermined position and the servo motor is not driven. The operating stage refers to a state in which the servo motor is driven to realize the pickup, transport, and mounting process of electronic components E by the head unit. The determination unit 149 makes the above determination by, for example, monitoring the rotation speed of the servo motor. Generally, a servo motor in an operating state generates more heat than a servo motor in a standby state.

[0084] The speed setting unit 150 sets the rotation speed of the first fan group 6. Specifically, when the servo motor is in a standby state, the speed setting unit 150 sets the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 to a first speed. Furthermore, when the servo motor is in an operating state, the speed setting unit 150 sets the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 to a second speed that is faster than the first speed. In other words, the speed setting unit 150 determines to operate the first fan group 6 at the first speed when the amount of heat generated by the servo motor is small (when the servo motor is in a standby state), and to operate the first fan group 6 at the second speed when the amount of heat generated by the servo motor is large (when the servo motor is in an operating state).

[0085] According to the mounting machine 1 of the sixth embodiment, the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 can be set based on the state of the servo motor. This allows the mounting machine 1 to be cooled efficiently during production operation. As a result, energy consumption can be reduced compared to when the rotation speed of the first fan group 6 is not set based on the heat generation amount of the servo motor, for example, when the first fan group 6 is operated at the second speed while the servo motor is in a standby state.

[0086] (Modified Embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these, and the following modified embodiments are possible.

[0087] (1) In the previous embodiment, an example was described in which the production line 100 is a line for producing mounting boards, but this is merely an example, and the configuration of the production line 100 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the production line 100 may be a line for assembling and producing electronic devices.

[0088] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the mounting machine 1 is a production device equipped with a first fan group, but the configuration of the production device can be changed as appropriate. For example, the production device may be the printing machine 102, the print inspection machine 103, the mounting machine 1, the board inspection machine 105, the reflow oven 106, or the appearance inspection machine 107, etc., which are all equipped with a first fan group. In addition, the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of production devices.

[0089] (2) In the previous embodiment, an example in which the controller cooling fan 72 is attached to the second opening HL2 has been described with reference to Fig. 5. However, the controller cooling fan 72 may also be attached to the controller 14.

[0090] [Inventions Included in the Above-Described Embodiments] The above-described embodiments include the following inventions.

[0091] A production device according to one aspect of the present invention is at least one production device in a production line including a plurality of production devices, and is equipped with a first fan group including a plurality of fans that operate in conjunction with the production operation of the production device.

[0092] This production equipment includes a first fan group that operates in conjunction with production operation, so that the first fan group can be operated when production operation is in progress and stopped when production operation is not in progress, thereby reducing energy consumption compared to when the operation of the first fan group is not in conjunction with production operation.

[0093] The above production equipment preferably further includes a motor and a motor control unit that outputs a control signal for operating the motor when the production operation is performed, and the first fan group is linked in response to the output of the control signal.

[0094] In this configuration, the first fan group operates in conjunction with a control signal output when production operation is performed. This allows the operation of the first fan group to be linked to production operation with a simple configuration. For example, the configuration of the production equipment can be simplified compared to when a temperature sensor such as a thermostat is installed in the production equipment and the presence or absence of production operation is determined based on the detected value of the temperature sensor and the first fan group is operated accordingly.

[0095] The above-mentioned production equipment further includes a fan power supply that supplies power to the first fan group, and a connection circuit that connects the fan power supply and the first fan group, and it is preferable that the connection circuit includes a relay circuit that connects the first fan group and the fan power supply when the motor control unit is outputting the control signal, and cuts off the connection between the first fan group and the fan power supply when the motor control unit is not outputting the control signal.

[0096] According to this aspect, the relay circuit switches the connection or disconnection between the first fan group and the fan power supply depending on whether or not a control signal is output, making it possible to link production operation and the operation of the first fan group with a simple configuration.

[0097] The production equipment preferably further includes a controller that controls the operation of the first fan group and links the operation of the first fan group with the production operation.

[0098] According to this aspect, the first fan group is controlled by the controller, so that the operation of the first fan group can be more flexibly linked with production operation.

[0099] The above-mentioned production equipment preferably further includes a fan power supply that supplies power to the first fan group, and a connection circuit that connects the fan power supply and the first fan group, the connection circuit including a relay circuit that can be switched between a connected state in which the first fan group and the fan power supply are connected, and a disconnected state in which the connection between the first fan group and the fan power supply is disconnected, and the controller links the operation of the first fan group with the production operation by switching the relay circuit between the connected state and the disconnected state.

[0100] According to this aspect, the operation of the first fan group and the production operation are linked by the controller controlling the state of the relay circuit between the connected state and the disconnected state, which makes it possible to link the production operation and the operation of the first fan group with a simple configuration.

[0101] In the above-mentioned production equipment, the controller preferably includes an in-feed detection unit that detects that the workpiece has been brought into the production equipment, and an out-feed detection unit that detects that the workpiece has been taken out of the production equipment, and the controller preferably operates the first group of fans in response to the in-feed detection unit detecting the in-feed of the workpiece, and stops the first group of fans in response to the out-feed detection unit detecting the out-feed of the workpiece.

[0102] According to this aspect, it is possible to operate the first fan group only during the period from when the workpieces are carried in until when they are carried out, thereby reducing energy consumption compared to when the first fan group is always operated during production operation.

[0103] In the above-mentioned production equipment, it is preferable that the controller includes a measurement unit that measures the number of processed objects that have been processed by the production equipment and a memory unit that stores the planned production number of the processed objects, and that the controller stops the first group of fans when the number of the processed objects reaches the planned production number.

[0104] According to this aspect, the first fan group stops when the production number of workpieces reaches the planned production number, which allows the operation of the first fan group to be linked to the production operation without the need to closely monitor the state of the production operation.

[0105] In the above-mentioned production equipment, it is preferable that the control of the operation of the first fan group by the controller includes at least one of operating the first fan group after the production operation starts and stopping the first fan group before the production operation ends.

[0106] According to this aspect, the operating time of the first fan group can be made shorter than the operating time of the production operation, which reduces energy consumption compared to when the first fan group is operated for a time period similar to the operating time of the production operation.

[0107] In the above-mentioned production equipment, the first fan group is a fan group including a plurality of fans for cooling parts that generate heat when the production operation is performed, and further includes a second fan group including a plurality of fans for cooling parts that generate heat when the power of the production equipment is turned on, and it is preferable that the first fan group operates only while the production operation is performed.

[0108] According to this aspect, the second group of fans can cool the parts of the production equipment that generate heat when the power is turned on, while the first group of fans, which operate only while the production equipment is in production operation, can cool the parts that generate heat only when the production equipment begins production operation. This prevents energy from being wasted cooling parts that do not generate heat.

[0109] The above production equipment further includes a head unit that picks up components supplied to a component supply position during the production operation and mounts them on a board, a motor that generates a driving force to move the head unit during the production operation, and a vacuum pump that generates a suction force to pick up the components onto the head unit during the production operation, and it is preferable that the first fan group includes at least one of a motor cooling fan that cools the motor, a vacuum pump cooling fan that cools the vacuum pump, and a mounting area cooling fan that cools an area where the components are mounted by the head unit.

[0110] According to this aspect, at least one of the motor, vacuum pump, and mounting area cooling fan, which are parts that generate heat during production operation, can be operated in conjunction with production operation.

[0111] The above-mentioned production equipment preferably further includes a motor and a controller that controls the operation of the first fan group, and the controller preferably includes a determination unit that determines whether the motor is in a standby state or an operating state during the production operation, and a speed setting unit that sets the rotation speed of the first fan group to a first speed in the standby state and sets the rotation speed of the first fan group to a second speed that is faster than the first speed in the operating state.

[0112] According to this aspect, when the motor is in a standby state during production operation, the rotational speed of the motor is set to a first speed, and when the motor is in an operating state, the rotational speed is set to a second speed that is faster than the first speed. That is, the rotational speed of the first fan group is set based on the state of the servo motor. This allows the mounting machine 1 to be cooled efficiently during production operation. As a result, energy consumption can be reduced compared to when the rotational speed of the first fan group is not set based on the state of the servo motor, for example, when the first fan group is operated at the second speed when the servo motor is in a standby state.

[0113] According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to provide production equipment that can reduce energy consumption.

Claims

1. At least one production device in a production line including a plurality of production devices, the production device comprising a first fan group including a plurality of fans that operate in conjunction with the production operation of the production device.

2. The production equipment according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor; and a motor control unit that outputs a control signal for operating the motor when the production operation is performed, wherein the first fan group operates in response to the output of the control signal.

3. The production equipment according to claim 2, further comprising: a fan power supply that supplies power to the first group of fans; and a connection circuit that connects the fan power supply and the first group of fans, wherein the connection circuit includes a relay circuit that connects the first group of fans and the fan power supply when the motor control unit is outputting the control signal, and cuts off the connection between the first group of fans and the fan power supply when the motor control unit is not outputting the control signal.

4. The production equipment according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that controls the operation of the first group of fans and links the operation of the first group of fans with the production operation.

5. The production equipment according to claim 4, further comprising: a fan power supply that supplies power to the first fan group; and a connection circuit that connects the fan power supply and the first fan group, wherein the connection circuit includes a relay circuit that can be switched between a connected state in which the first fan group and the fan power supply are connected and a disconnected state in which the connection between the first fan group and the fan power supply is disconnected, and wherein the controller links the operation of the first fan group with the production operation by switching the relay circuit between the connected state and the disconnected state.

6. The production equipment according to claim 4, wherein the controller includes an in-feed detection unit that detects that an object to be processed has been brought into the production equipment, and an out-feed detection unit that detects that the object to be processed has been taken out of the production equipment, and the controller operates the first group of fans in response to the in-feed detection unit detecting that the object to be processed has been brought into the production equipment, and stops the first group of fans in response to the out-feed detection unit detecting that the object to be processed has been taken out.

7. The production equipment according to claim 4, wherein the controller includes a measurement unit that measures the number of workpieces processed by the production equipment, and a memory unit that stores the planned production number of the workpieces, and the controller stops the first group of fans when the number of the workpieces reaches the planned production number.

8. The production equipment according to claim 4, wherein the control of the operation of the first group of fans by the controller includes at least one of operating the first group of fans after the start of the production operation and stopping the first group of fans before the end of the production operation.

9. The production equipment according to claim 1, wherein the first fan group is a fan group including a plurality of fans for cooling parts that generate heat when the production operation is performed, and further includes a second fan group including a plurality of fans for cooling parts that generate heat when the power of the production equipment is turned on, and the first fan group operates only while the production operation is performed.

10. The production equipment according to claim 9, further comprising: a head unit that picks up components supplied to a component supply position during said production operation and mounts them on a board; a motor that generates a driving force to move said head unit during said production operation; and a vacuum pump that generates a suction force to pick up said components onto said head unit during said production operation, wherein said first fan group includes at least one of: a motor cooling fan that cools said motor; a vacuum pump cooling fan that cools said vacuum pump; and a mounting area cooling fan that cools an area where said components are mounted by said head unit.

11. The production equipment according to claim 9, further comprising: a motor; and a controller that controls the operation of the first group of fans, wherein the controller includes: a determination unit that determines whether the state of the motor during the production operation is in a standby state or an operating state; and a speed setting unit that sets the rotation speed of the first group of fans to a first speed in the standby state, and sets the rotation speed of the first group of fans to a second speed that is faster than the first speed in the operating state.

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