Discharge tool, substrate work machine, and substrate work system

Abstract

This discharge tool includes: a syringe which is filled with a liquid material and has a discharge port having a diameter smaller than a shaft diameter of a container; a cartridge in which the syringe is stored; and a needle which is detachably attached to the discharge port of the syringe via the cartridge and discharges the liquid material filled in the syringe from a needle discharge port. Identification information of the needle is written on the needle.

Description

Liquid ejecting device, substrate processing machine, and substrate processing system

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting device having a needle for ejecting a liquid material, etc.

[0002] The following patent document describes a technique related to a liquid ejecting device having a needle for ejecting a liquid material.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-523903

[0004] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a fluid source such as a syringe is not housed in a cartridge. An object of the present invention is to appropriately manage a needle that is housed in a cartridge and is detachably attached to the cartridge.

[0005] To solve the above problems, this specification discloses a liquid ejecting device including a syringe filled with a liquid material and having a discharge port with a diameter smaller than the shaft diameter of the container, a cartridge in which the syringe is housed, and a needle that is detachably attached to the discharge port of the syringe via the cartridge and discharges the liquid material filled in the syringe from a needle discharge port, and the needle has identification information of the needle written thereon.

[0006] Further, to solve the above problems, this specification discloses a substrate processing machine including the liquid ejecting device and a head body to which the liquid ejecting device is detachably attached, and a first imaging device that images identification information of the needle of the liquid ejecting device attached to the head body, and acquires the identification information of the needle based on imaging data of the identification information of the needle imaged by the first imaging device.

[0007] Further, to solve the above problems, this specification discloses a substrate processing system including the substrate processing machine and a storage device that stores the identification information of the cartridge and the identification information of the needle in association with each other.

[0008] In this disclosure, the syringe is housed in a cartridge, and the needle, which is detachably attached to the cartridge, has its identification information inscribed on it. This allows for proper management of the needle detachably attached to the cartridge. Furthermore, by acquiring the needle's identification information based on the imaging data of the needle's identification information captured by the first imaging device, the needle detachably attached to the cartridge can be properly managed. In addition, by associating and storing the cartridge's identification information with the needle's identification information, the needle detachably attached to the cartridge can be properly managed.

[0009] This is a schematic diagram showing a substrate-to-substrate work system. This is a perspective view showing a substrate-to-substrate work unit. This is a plan view showing a substrate-to-substrate work device. This is a perspective view showing a discharge head with the discharge tool raised. This is a cross-sectional view showing the discharge tool. This is a perspective view showing the discharge tool. This is a perspective view showing the needle. This is a perspective view showing the needle. This is a perspective view showing a discharge head with the discharge tool lowered. This is a perspective view showing a syringe storage feeder. This is a schematic diagram showing a substrate-to-substrate work machine. This is a perspective view showing a storage rack. This is a block diagram of a control device. This is a schematic diagram showing a substrate-to-substrate work system and work area. This is a perspective view showing a syringe storage feeder. This is a diagram showing an automatic transport device on which a storage rack is placed. This is a diagram showing an automatic transport device and a feeder storage unit in the state of transferring a storage rack. This is a perspective view showing a syringe storage feeder with the storage pot raised. This is a perspective view showing a syringe storage feeder when the discharge tool is attached to the discharge head.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the figures, as embodiments for carrying out the present invention.

[0011] Figure 1 shows the substrate handling system 10. The substrate handling system 10 consists of a substrate handling unit 12, a feeder exchange device 13, and a feeder storage unit 14. The substrate handling unit 12 and the feeder storage unit 14 are arranged in a line adjacent to each other. The feeder exchange device 13 is located in front of the substrate handling unit 12 and the feeder storage unit 14 (lower side in Figure 1). In the following description, the direction in which the substrate handling unit 12 and the feeder storage unit 14 are aligned is referred to as the X direction, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction is referred to as the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the X and Y directions is referred to as the Z direction. Furthermore, in the X direction, the side on which the substrate handling unit 12 is located is referred to as the upstream side, and the side on which the feeder storage unit 14 is located is referred to as the downstream side.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the substrate processing unit 12 consists of one unit base 15 and one substrate processing device 16 mounted on the unit base 15. As shown in Figure 3, the substrate processing device 16 is equipped with two substrate processing machines 18. The two substrate processing machines 18 are arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the interior of the substrate processing device 16 from a top-down perspective.

[0013] The two circuit board processing machines 18 have substantially the same structure, and each circuit board processing machine 18 mainly consists of a processing machine body 20, a transport device 22, a moving device 24, a feeder holding base 26, a parts camera 27, and a mark camera (see Figure 13) 28. The processing machine body 20 consists of a frame 32 and a beam 34 (see Figure 2) mounted on the frame 32.

[0014] The transport device 22 is equipped with two conveyor devices 40 and 42. The conveyor devices 40 and 42 are arranged on the frame 32 parallel to each other and extending in the X direction. The conveyor devices 40 and 42 transport the circuit boards 47 supported by each of them in the X direction using electromagnetic motors (see Figure 13) 46. The circuit boards are also fixedly held in place at predetermined positions by a board holding device (see Figure 13) 48.

[0015] The mobile device 24 is an XY robot type mobile device and includes an electromagnetic motor (see Figure 13) 52 that slides the slider 50 in the X direction and an electromagnetic motor (see Figure 13) 54 that slides it in the Y direction. The slider 50 can be selectively fitted with either a mounting head 60 or a discharge head 62. Either the mounting head 60 or the discharge head 62 attached to the slider moves to any position on the frame 32 by the operation of the two electromagnetic motors.

[0016] The mounting head 60 is used to mount electronic components onto the circuit board 47. A suction nozzle 66 is provided on the lower end surface of the mounting head 60. The suction nozzle 66 is connected to a positive / negative pressure supply device (see Figure 13) 67 via negative pressure air and positive pressure air passages. The suction nozzle 66 attracts and holds electronic components using negative pressure and releases the held electronic components using positive pressure. The mounting head 60 also has a nozzle lifting device (see Figure 13) 68 that raises and lowers the suction nozzle 66. The nozzle lifting device 68 allows the mounting head 60 to change the vertical position of the electronic components it holds. The mounting head 60 is attached to the slider 50b of the right-hand board-to-board work machine 18b of the two board-to-board work machines 18.

[0017] Furthermore, the discharge head 62 dispenses adhesive onto the circuit board 47. As shown in Figure 4, the discharge head 62 comprises a head body 70 and a discharge tool 71. The head body 70 is detachably mounted on the slider 50, and the lower end of the head body 70 is generally arch-shaped. The discharge tool 71 is generally cylindrical and is detachably mounted on the adapter 72 inside the arch shape of the lower end of the head body 70. The adapter 72 has a built-in locking mechanism (not shown), and the discharge tool 71 mounted on the adapter 72 is locked by the locking mechanism. When the lock by the locking mechanism is released, the discharge tool 71 is removed from the adapter 72.

[0018] As shown in Figure 5, the dispensing device 71 comprises a cartridge 73, a syringe 74, and a needle 75. The cartridge 73 is generally cylindrical in shape, and its upper end is attached to the adapter 72 of the dispensing head 62. As shown in Figure 6, the upper end surface of the cartridge 73 is also the upper end surface of the dispensing device 71, and a 2D code 76 is attached to the upper end surface of the cartridge 73. The 2D code 76 is a code indicating the identification information of the cartridge 73. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the syringe 74 is composed of an outer cylinder 77 and a plunger 78. The outer cylinder 77 is generally cylindrical in shape, with its inner diameter being reduced at the lower end. That is, the lower end of the outer cylinder 77 is tapered, while the rest of the outer cylinder 77 is cylindrical. The plunger 78 is slidably disposed inside the outer cylinder 77, and the inside of the outer cylinder 77 is divided into an upper chamber 83 and a lower chamber 84 by the plunger 78. The lower chamber 84 is filled with adhesive 85, and the opening at the tapered lower end of the outer cylinder 77 functions as a discharge port for the adhesive 85.

[0019] Furthermore, the external dimensions of the syringe 74 are slightly smaller than the internal dimensions of the cartridge 73, and the syringe 74 is housed inside the cartridge 73. The syringe 74 is detachably housed inside the cartridge 73, and it is possible to replace the syringe 74 with a new one when the amount of adhesive 85 filled in the syringe 74 decreases. In addition, a through hole 87 is formed in the bottom surface of the cartridge 73, and the lower end of the outer cylinder 77 of the syringe 74 housed inside the cartridge 73 communicates with the through hole 87.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the needle 75 is composed of a disc-shaped flange 79, a stepped cylindrical mounting base 80, and a rod-shaped nozzle 81. The mounting base 80 is erected in the center of the flange 79, and the nozzle 81 is erected in the center of the surface of the mounting base 80 opposite to the mounting surface to the flange 79. As shown in Figure 6, the needle 75 is detachably attached to the lower end of the cartridge 73 by a screw-in mounting fixture 82. In this way, the needle 75 is attached to the lower end of the cartridge 73 by the mounting fixture 82, and as shown in Figure 5, the upper end of the needle 75 is inserted into the through hole 87 of the cartridge 73. As a result, the needle 75 is fitted into the opening at the lower end of the outer cylinder 77, which functions as the discharge port of the syringe 74, via the through hole 87 of the cartridge 73. With this structure, in the dispensing device 71, air is supplied to the upper chamber 83 of the syringe 74 from the air supply device (see Figure 13) 86, and the plunger 78 is pressed downward, causing the adhesive 85 to be dispensed from the opening at the lower end of the syringe 74 and then through the through hole 87 of the cartridge 73 and out from the tip of the nozzle 81 of the needle 75.

[0021] Furthermore, multiple types of needles 75 are available, and any type of needle 75 can be attached to the cartridge 73. Specifically, the needle 75b shown in Figure 8 is the same as the needle 75a shown in Figure 7, except for the contact pin 88. The contact pin 88 is erected on the end face of the mounting base 80b alongside the nozzle 81b, and the length of the contact pin 88 is slightly longer than the length of the nozzle 81b. In the needle 75b with this structure, the adhesive 85 is discharged from the tip of the nozzle 81b with the tip of the contact pin 88 in contact with the upper surface of the circuit board 47. This makes it possible to keep the discharge height of the adhesive 85 by the nozzle 81b constant. On the other hand, in the needle 75a shown in Figure 7, the adhesive 85 is discharged onto the circuit board 47 from the tip of the nozzle 81a by adjusting the height of the discharge tool 71. In the needle 75a shown in Figure 7, the contact pin 88 does not come into contact with the circuit board 47, making it suitable for dispensing adhesive onto circuit boards made of delicate materials. As described above, multiple types of needles 75 are available, and by removing the mounting fixture 82 from the cartridge 73, any needle 75 from the multiple types of needles 75 can be attached to the cartridge 73. This allows the adhesive to be dispensed using a needle 75 suitable for the material of the circuit board 47, etc.

[0022] Furthermore, a 2D code 90 is affixed to the flange 79 of the needle 75. The 2D code 90 is a code that indicates the identification information of the needle 75. Therefore, the 2D code 90a affixed to needle 75a indicates the identification information of needle 75a, and the 2D code 90b affixed to needle 75b indicates the identification information of needle 75b. In addition, the identification information indicated by the 2D code 90 of needle 75 includes performance information indicating the performance of needle 75. This performance information includes, for example, the nozzle diameter, which indicates the inner or outer diameter of the nozzle 81, and information indicating the presence or absence of a contact pin 88. Therefore, the identification information of needle 75a indicated by the 2D code 90a includes the nozzle diameter of nozzle 81a and performance information indicating the absence of a contact pin 88. On the other hand, the identification information of needle 75b indicated by the 2D code 90b includes the nozzle diameter of nozzle 81b and performance information indicating the presence of a contact pin 88.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the adapter 72 to which the cartridge 73 of the dispensing device 71 is attached is held so as to be able to move up and down inside the arch shape at the lower end of the head body 70, and moves up and down by the operation of the lifting device 92.Therefore, in the dispensing head 62, the cartridge 73 with the syringe 74 housed inside is attached to the adapter 72, and as shown in Figure 9, the cartridge 73 is lowered by the operation of the lifting device 92, causing the syringe 74 to dispense adhesive 85 onto the circuit board 47.Note that, as shown in Figure 3, the dispensing head 62 is attached to the slider 50a of the left-hand circuit board work machine 18a of the two circuit board work machines 18.

[0024] Furthermore, the feeder holder 26 of the substrate processing machine 18 is located at one end of the frame 32 in the Y direction. Multiple rails (not shown) extending in the Y direction are formed on the feeder holder 26 and are arranged in the X direction, and a tape feeder 96 is detachably attached to each rail. The tape feeder 96 houses tape-formed components, which are constructed by taping electronic components, in a wound state. The tape feeder 96 then feeds out the tape-formed components by a feeding device (see Figure 13) 98. In this way, the tape feeder 96 attached to the feeder holder 26 supplies electronic components at the supply position by feeding out the tape-formed components. The tape feeder 96 is detachable from the feeder holder 26, allowing for replacement of electronic components, etc.

[0025] Furthermore, not only the tape feeder 96 but also the syringe storage feeder (see Figure 10) 100 can be attached to the feeder holder 26. In other words, either the tape feeder 96 or the syringe storage feeder 100 can be attached to and detached from the feeder holder 26. The syringe storage feeder 100 houses syringes 74 and has a shape that is compatible with the tape feeder 96 for attachment to the feeder holder 26. As shown in Figure 10, two storage pots 102 are arranged inside the syringe storage feeder 100. The two storage pots 102 are arranged side by side in the direction in which the syringe storage feeder 100 extends, and the top of the two storage pots 102 is open at the top surface of the syringe storage feeder 100. The storage pots 102 are bottomed cylindrical in shape, and the inner diameter of the storage pots 102 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the dispensing device 71. For this reason, the dispensing device 71 is housed inside the storage pots 102.

[0026] Furthermore, the syringe storage feeder 100 is equipped with a lifting device 104 that raises and lowers each of the two storage pots 102. When the storage pots 102 are raised, the dispensing device 71 is exchanged between the syringe storage feeder 100 and the dispensing head 62. For this reason, as shown in Figure 3, the syringe storage feeder 100 is attached to the feeder holder 26 of the left-hand board processing machine 18a, one of the two board processing machines 18, to which the dispensing head 62 is attached. Also, as shown in Figure 10, a detection sensor 106 is installed inside each storage pot 102, and the detection sensor 106 detects whether or not a dispensing device 71 is stored in each storage pot 102. In addition, a heater 108 is installed in each storage pot 102, and the syringe 74 of the dispensing device 71 stored in each storage pot 102 can be maintained at a predetermined temperature by the heater 108. Furthermore, each storage pot 102 is equipped with a remaining amount detection sensor 110 that detects the remaining amount of adhesive in the syringe, allowing for management of the remaining amount of adhesive in the syringe 74 of the dispensing device 71 that is stored inside. A 2D code 112 is affixed to the top surface of the syringe storage feeder 100. The 2D code 112 is a code that indicates the identification information of the syringe storage feeder 100.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, a storage case 120 is provided below the feeder holder 26. Similar to the feeder holder 26, the storage case 120 also has multiple rails (not shown) extending in the Y direction and arranged in the X direction, and a tape feeder 96 or a syringe storage feeder 100 is detachably attached to each rail.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the parts camera 27 is positioned facing upwards between the transport device 22 and the feeder holder 26 on the frame 32. This allows the parts camera 27 to image the mounting head 60 or the discharge head 62 from a downward viewpoint. The mark camera 28 is mounted on the slider 50 facing downwards and moves in the X and Y directions together with the mounting head 60 or the discharge head 62. This allows the mark camera 28 to image any position on the frame 32.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a storage space 130 is formed in the feeder storage compartment 14 at the same height as the feeder holder 26 of the substrate work machine 18. The storage space 130 is a space for storing storage racks 140, and two storage racks 140 can be stored side by side in the X direction. As shown in Figure 12, the storage rack 140 is box-shaped with an opening on the front side. The internal height dimension of the box-shaped storage rack 140 is slightly larger than the height dimension of the tape feeder 96 and syringe storage feeder 100, and the internal depth dimension of the storage rack 140 is slightly larger than the depth dimension of the tape feeder 96 and syringe storage feeder 100. In addition, multiple rails 144 are formed on the underside of the top plate 142 of the storage rack 140 so as to extend in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, by fitting the upper end of the tape feeder 96 or syringe storage feeder 100 into the rail 144 and pushing the tape feeder 96 or syringe storage feeder 100 into the storage rack 140, the tape feeder 96 or syringe storage feeder 100 is stored in a positioned state inside the storage rack 140.

[0030] Furthermore, the feeder replacement device 13 performs replacement work of tape feeders 96 or syringe-containing feeders 100 for both the substrate work machine 18 and the feeder storage unit 14. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, guide rails 170 are arranged on the front of the substrate work machine 18 and the feeder storage unit 14 so as to extend in the X direction. The feeder replacement device 13 is held by the guide rails 170 so as to be slidable in the X direction and moves to any position in the X direction by the drive of an electromagnetic motor (not shown).

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the feeder exchange device 13 includes a lifting device 180, a horizontal moving device 182, and a clamping mechanism 184. The lifting device 180 has a pair of Z-direction guide rails 186, which are arranged to extend in the Z direction. The horizontal moving device 182 has an X-direction guide rail 188, which extends in the X direction and is held by the pair of Z-direction guide rails 186. The X-direction guide rail 188 moves to any position in the Z direction by being driven by a Z-direction motor (not shown). The X-direction guide rail 188 also holds the clamping mechanism 184 so that it can move along its axis. The clamping mechanism 184 moves to any position in the X direction by being driven by an X-direction motor (not shown). Furthermore, the clamping mechanism 184 is extendable and retractable in the Y direction by being driven by an extension / retraction motor (not shown). Furthermore, a clamper 190 for clamping the tape feeder 96 or syringe-containing feeder 100 is provided at the tip of the clamping mechanism 184. With this structure, the feeder exchange device 13 automatically exchanges the tape feeder 96 or syringe-containing feeder 100 between the feeder holding base 26, the storage case 120, and the storage rack 140.

[0032] Furthermore, the substrate handling device 16 is equipped with a control device 150 as shown in Figure 13. The control device 150 has a controller 152, a plurality of drive circuits 154, an image processing device 156, and a memory 158. The controller 152 is a computer-based device equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The controller 152 is connected to the plurality of drive circuits 154, which in turn are connected to electromagnetic motors 46, 52, 54, a substrate holding device 48, a positive / negative pressure supply device 67, a nozzle lifting device 68, an air supply device 86, a lifting device 92, and a delivery device 98. As a result, the operation of the transport device 22, the moving device 24, etc. is controlled by the controller 152. The controller 152 is also connected to the image processing device 156. The image processing device 156 is a device for processing image data captured by the parts camera 27 and the mark camera 28. As a result, the controller 152 acquires various information from the image data. Furthermore, the controller 152 is also connected to the memory 158. This allows the controller 152 to store various information in the memory 158 and to retrieve various information from the memory 158. In addition, the controller 152 is programmed with a program 160, and the controller 152 performs operations on the circuit board 47 according to the processing of the program 160. In the circuit board work apparatus 16, the circuit board work machine 18a performs an extrusion operation in which adhesive 85 is dispensed onto the circuit board 47, and the circuit board work machine 18b performs an attachment operation in which electronic components are attached to the circuit board 47.

[0033] Specifically, in the circuit board handling apparatus 16, when a circuit board 47 is loaded into the circuit board handling machine 18a, the transport device 22a of the circuit board handling machine 18a transports the circuit board 47 to the work position and holds the circuit board 47 in place. Then, when the moving device 24a is activated, the discharge head 62 moves above the circuit board 47 and discharges adhesive 85 onto the upper surface of the circuit board 47 using a syringe 74. At this time, the discharge head 62 discharges the adhesive 85 to the position on the circuit board 47 where the electronic components are to be mounted. When the discharge of adhesive 85 by the discharge head 62 is complete, the circuit board 47 is removed from the circuit board handling machine 18a and loaded into the circuit board handling apparatus 18b.

[0034] When the circuit board 47 is loaded into the circuit board processing machine 18b, the transport device 22b of the circuit board processing machine 18b transports the circuit board 47 to the work position and holds it fixedly in that position. In addition, the tape feeder 96 of the circuit board processing machine 18b feeds out tape-formed components and supplies electronic components to the supply position. Then, when the moving device 24b is activated, the mounting head 60 moves above the supply position of the electronic components and holds the electronic components by suction nozzle 66. Furthermore, when the moving device 24b is activated again, the mounting head 60 moves above the planned mounting position of the electronic components on the circuit board, that is, above the position where the adhesive 85 is dispensed, and mounts the held electronic components onto the circuit board. As a result, the electronic components are mounted in their predetermined positions on the circuit board, bonded with adhesive 85.

[0035] Thus, in the circuit board assembly apparatus 16, adhesive 85 is dispensed onto the circuit board in the circuit board assembly machine 18a, and electronic components are mounted onto the circuit board in the circuit board assembly machine 18b. For this reason, when the amount of adhesive 85 in the syringe 74 decreases due to the dispensing of adhesive 85 by the dispensing head 62 in the circuit board assembly machine 18a, it is necessary to replace the syringe 74 with a new one. Therefore, in the circuit board assembly machine 18a, the dispensing device 71, including the syringe 74, is automatically replaced using the syringe storage feeder 100. In addition, the loading of the syringe 74 into the dispensing device 71 is performed by an operator, but the attachment of the syringe storage feeder 100 containing the dispensing device 71 to the circuit board assembly machine 18a and its retrieval from the circuit board assembly machine 18a are performed automatically by the feeder exchange device 13 and the automatic transport device (see Figure 16) 200.

[0036] Specifically, as shown in Figure 14, a work area 206 is provided on the floor 202 where the substrate work system 10 is installed. Syringes 74 are stored in the work area 206, and the worker loads the syringes 74 into the cartridge 73. The syringes 74 loaded into the cartridge 73 have a sufficient amount of adhesive remaining. In addition, several types of needles 75, namely needles 75a and needles 75b, are stored in the work area 206, and the worker attaches any of the needles 75a and needles 75b to the cartridge 73 using the attachment device 82.

[0037] An information processing device 208 is installed in the work area 206. A code reader (not shown) is connected to the information processing device 208, and when loading the syringe 74 into the cartridge 73 and attaching the needle 75 to the cartridge 73, the worker reads the 2D code 76 of the cartridge 73, the 2D code 90 of the needle 75, and the 2D code (not shown) of the syringe 74 using the code reader. The 2D code of the syringe 74 is a code that indicates the identification information of the syringe 74 and is affixed to the syringe 74, its packaging, etc. As a result, the identification information of the cartridge 73, the identification information of the syringe 74 loaded into the cartridge 73, and the identification information of the needle 75 attached to the cartridge 73 are stored in the information processing device 208 as related information.

[0038] Then, the operator places the cartridge 73 (hereinafter referred to as "loaded dispensing device 71a"), which has the syringe 74 loaded and the needle 75 attached, into the storage pot 102 of the syringe storage feeder 100. The syringe storage feeder 100 is equipped with two storage pots 102, but as shown in Figure 15, the loaded dispensing device 71a is placed in only one of the two storage pots 102a, and not in the other storage pot 102b. When the operator places the loaded dispensing device 71a into the syringe storage feeder 100, the operator reads the 2D code 112 of the syringe storage feeder 100 using a code reader. As a result, in addition to the identification information already stored in the information processing device 208, namely the identification information of the cartridge 73, the syringe 74, and the needle 75, the identification information of the syringe storage feeder 100 is also stored in the information processing device 208 in association with it. The information processing device 208 is capable of communicating with the control device 150 of the substrate processing device 16, and the information stored in the information processing device 208 is transmitted to the control device 150 of the substrate processing device 16. As a result, the identification information of the cartridge 73, the syringe 74, the needle 75, and the syringe storage feeder 100 are stored in association with each other in the memory 158 of the control device 150.

[0039] Then, once the loaded dispensing device 71a is placed in the storage pot 102a of the syringe storage feeder 100, the worker places the syringe storage feeder 100 into the storage rack 140 and places the storage rack 140 on the automatic transport device 200.

[0040] As shown in Figure 16, the automatic transport device 200 includes a pair of drive wheels (only one of the pair of drive wheels is shown in the figure) 212 and a pair of steering wheels (only one of the pair of steering wheels is shown in the figure) 214, which are arranged on the lower surface of the housing 210. The operation of the drive wheels 212 and steering wheels 214 is controlled by a control device (not shown). As a result, the automatic transport device 200 can automatically move to any position on the floor 202 where the substrate handling system 10 is installed, under the control of the control device. A top plate 216 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 210, and a plurality of transport rollers 218 are arranged in a front-to-back direction on the upper surface of the top plate 216, with their orientation extending in the left-to-right direction. Each of the plurality of transport rollers 218 rotates on an axis extending in the left-to-right direction, driven by an electromagnetic motor (not shown). The storage rack 140 is placed on top of the plurality of transport rollers 218.

[0041] As shown in Figure 14, when the storage rack 140 is placed on the automatic transport device 200 in the work area, the automatic transport device 200 moves from the work area 206 to a position facing the storage space 130 of the feeder storage unit 14 by the operation of the drive wheels 212 and steering wheels 214. Note that there is an empty space in the storage space 130 of the feeder storage unit 14 where the storage rack 140 is not stored, and the automatic transport device 200 moves to a position facing this empty space.

[0042] As shown in Figure 17, a plurality of transport rollers 220 are arranged in a line in the Y direction with their orientation extending in the X direction on the upper surface of the storage space 130 of the feeder storage unit 14. Each of these transport rollers 220 rotates on an axis extending in the X direction, driven by an electromagnetic motor (not shown). The upper end position of the transport rollers 220 of the feeder storage unit 14 is approximately the same height as the upper end position of the transport rollers 218 of the automatic transport device 200.

[0043] With such a structure, the storage rack 140 placed on the automatic transfer device 200 is automatically transferred to the empty space of the storage space 130 of the feeder storage 14. Specifically, in the automatic transfer device 200 that has moved to a position facing the empty space of the storage space 130, the plurality of transfer rollers 218 rotate in the direction of unloading the storage rack 140. At this time, in the feeder storage 14, the plurality of transfer rollers 220 rotate in the direction of loading the storage rack 140. Thereby, the storage rack 140 placed on the automatic transfer device 200 is automatically transferred to the empty space of the storage space 130 of the feeder storage 14.

[0044] Thus, when the storage rack 140 is transferred to the storage space 130 of the feeder storage 14, the syringe storage feeder 100 stored in the storage rack 140 is automatically attached by the feeder exchange device 13 to the feeder holding table 26a of the substrate working machine 18a. Specifically, the feeder exchange device 13 moves to a position facing the storage rack 140 stored in the feeder storage 14. Then, the syringe storage feeder 100 stored in the storage rack 140 is gripped by the clamper 190 of the feeder exchange device 13, and the syringe storage feeder 100 is taken out from the storage rack 140 as the clamp mechanism 184 contracts. Next, the feeder exchange device 13 moves to a position facing the feeder holding table 26a of the substrate working machine 18a. Then, as the clamp mechanism 184 extends, the syringe storage feeder 100 gripped by the clamper 190 is attached to the feeder holding table 26a of the substrate working machine 18a.

[0045] In this manner, in a substrate processing machine 18a with a syringe storage feeder 100 mounted on a feeder holder 26a, when the amount of adhesive remaining in the syringe 74 attached to the discharge head 62 becomes low, the discharge tool 71 is automatically replaced between the discharge head 62 and the syringe storage feeder 100. Specifically, the syringe storage feeder 100 is equipped with a detection sensor 106 in the storage pot 102, and the detection sensor 106 detects whether or not a discharge tool 71 is stored in each storage pot 102. Furthermore, when the syringe storage feeder 100 is mounted on the feeder holder 26a, the syringe storage feeder 100 and the substrate processing machine 18a are electrically connected, and the detection value of the detection sensor 106 of the syringe storage feeder 100 is input to the substrate processing machine 18a. Therefore, the substrate work machine 18a recognizes that, in the syringe storage feeder 100 mounted on the feeder holding base 26a, the dispensing device 71a loaded in the storage pot 102a is stored, and the storage pot 102b is empty.

[0046] Thus, when the substrate processing machine 18a recognizes that a loaded dispensing tool 71a is stored in the storage pot 102a, the mark camera 28a moves above the storage pot 102a of the syringe storage feeder 100 by the operation of the moving device 24a and images the loaded dispensing tool 71a from above. The upper end surface of the dispensing tool 71 is also the upper end surface of the cartridge 73, and a 2D code 76 is attached to the upper end surface of the cartridge 73. Therefore, the controller 152 of the control device 150 identifies the identification information of the cartridge 73 indicated by the 2D code 76 based on the image data.

[0047] Furthermore, the memory 158 of the control device 150 stores relevant information acquired from the information processing device 208. This relevant information associates the identification information of the cartridge 73, the syringe 74, and the needle 75 of the loaded dispensing device 71a housed in the syringe storage feeder 100. The controller 152 then extracts the relevant information, including the identification information of the cartridge 73 identified based on the imaging data. The controller 152 then identifies the identification information of the syringe 74 and the identification information of the needle 75 included in the extracted relevant information. This identifies the identification information of the syringe loaded in the loaded dispensing device 71a (hereinafter referred to as "specific identification information of the syringe") and the identification information of the needle attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a (hereinafter referred to as "specific identification information of the needle").

[0048] Further, the program 160 is programmed with identification information of the syringe planned to be used in the ejection operation (hereinafter referred to as "memory identification information of the syringe") and identification information of the needle planned to be used in the ejection operation (hereinafter referred to as "memory identification information of the needle"). Therefore, the controller 152 determines whether the specific identification information of the syringe matches the memory identification information of the syringe, and whether the specific identification information of the needle matches the memory identification information of the needle. At this time, when the specific identification information of the syringe matches the memory identification information of the syringe and the specific identification information of the needle matches the memory identification information of the needle, the controller 152 recognizes that the syringe and the needle planned to be used in the ejection operation are loaded or attached to the loaded ejector 71a. Also, when the specific identification information of the syringe does not match the memory identification information of the syringe, the controller 152 recognizes that a syringe different from the syringe planned to be used in the ejection operation is loaded in the loaded ejector 71a. In such a case, the controller 152 displays an error screen on the display device (see FIG. 2) 230. Also, when the specific identification information of the needle does not match the memory identification information of the needle, the controller 152 recognizes that a needle different from the needle planned to be used in the ejection operation is attached to the loaded ejector 71a. In such a case, the controller 152 executes an ejection operation according to the performance information of the needle included in the specific identification information of the needle. The ejection operation according to the performance information of the needle will be described in detail later. Thus, the specific identification information of the syringe and the needle is specified based on the imaging data of the loaded ejector 71a, and the specific identification information of the syringe and the needle is compared with the memory identification information of the syringe and the needle.

[0049] Furthermore, in the substrate work machine 18a equipped with the syringe storage feeder 100, when the amount of adhesive remaining in the syringe 74 of the dispensing tool 71 attached to the dispensing head 62 becomes low, the dispensing head 62 moves above the storage pot 102b of the syringe storage feeder 100, which is mounted on the feeder holding base 26a. Then, in the syringe storage feeder 100, the storage pot 102b rises due to the operation of the lifting device 104. As a result, the dispensing tool 71 attached to the dispensing head 62 enters the inside of the storage pot 102b. Then, the lock mechanism built into the adapter 72 releases the lock on the dispensing tool 71, and the dispensing tool 71 detaches from the adapter 72. As a result, the dispensing tool 71 that was attached to the dispensing head 62, that is, the dispensing tool loaded with a syringe with little adhesive remaining (hereinafter referred to as "empty dispensing tool 71b"), is stored in the storage pot 102b of the syringe storage feeder 100. Then, the storage pot 102b descends due to the operation of the lifting device 104.

[0050] Next, the discharge head 62 moves above the storage pot 102a in the syringe storage feeder 100, which houses the loaded dispensing tool 71a. Then, in the syringe storage feeder 100, as shown in Figure 18, the storage pot 102a rises due to the operation of the lifting device 104. As a result, the raised storage pot 102a enters the arched interior of the lower end of the head body 70 of the discharge head 62, as shown in Figure 19. At this time, the upper end of the loaded dispensing tool 71a housed in the storage pot 102a is attached to the adapter 72. The loaded dispensing tool 71a is then locked in place by a locking mechanism built into the adapter 72 and mounted on the adapter 72. As a result, the empty dispensing tool 71b that was attached to the discharge head 62 is automatically replaced with the loaded dispensing tool 71a housed in the syringe storage feeder 100. Then, the storage pot 102a descends due to the operation of the lifting device 104.

[0051] In this way, when the dispensing tool 71 is exchanged between the dispensing head 62 and the syringe storage feeder 100, the syringe storage feeder 100 will contain only the empty dispensing tool 71b, that is, the dispensing tool 71 loaded with a syringe containing little adhesive. Therefore, the syringe storage feeder 100, containing only the empty dispensing tool 71b, is automatically retrieved from the feeder holder 26a of the substrate work machine 18a to the work area 206.

[0052] More specifically, the feeder exchange device 13 moves to a position opposite the syringe-containing feeder 100 mounted on the feeder holder 26a of the substrate work machine 18a. Then, the syringe-containing feeder 100 mounted on the feeder holder 26a is gripped by the clamper 190 of the feeder exchange device 13, and the clamping mechanism 184 retracts, removing the syringe-containing feeder 100 from the feeder holder 26a. Next, the feeder exchange device 13 moves to a position opposite the storage rack 140 housed in the feeder storage compartment 14. Then, the clamping mechanism 184 extends, and the syringe-containing feeder 100, gripped by the clamper 190, is stored in the storage rack 140 housed in the feeder storage compartment 14.

[0053] When the syringe storage feeder 100 is placed in the storage rack 140, the automatic transport device 200 moves to a position opposite the storage rack 140. Then, in the feeder storage compartment 14, multiple transport rollers 220 rotate in the direction of unloading the storage rack 140, and in the automatic transport device 200, multiple transport rollers 218 rotate in the direction of loading the storage rack 140. As a result, the storage rack 140 that was stored in the feeder storage compartment 14 is automatically transferred onto the automatic transport device 200. Then, the automatic transport device 200 moves from the position opposite the feeder storage compartment 14 to the work area 206 by the operation of the drive wheels 212 and steering wheels 214.

[0054] As described above, when the automated transport device 200 moves to the work area 206, the worker removes the syringe storage feeder 100 from the storage rack 140 placed on the automated transport device 200 and takes out the empty dispensing nozzle 71b from the syringe storage feeder 100. The worker then removes the syringe 74 with a small amount of adhesive remaining from the empty dispensing nozzle 71b and discards the syringe 74 or stores it in the work area 206. The worker also removes the needle from the empty dispensing nozzle 71b and stores the needle in the work area 206.

[0055] In the circuit board processing machine 18a, when the loaded dispensing tool 71a is attached to the head body 70 of the dispensing head 62a, the loaded dispensing tool 71a is imaged by the parts camera 27a, and a double check of the needle 75 attached to the loaded dispensing tool 71a is performed based on the image data. Specifically, when the loaded dispensing tool 71a is attached to the head body 70 of the dispensing head 62a, the dispensing head 62a moves above the parts camera 27a by the operation of the moving device 24a. The parts camera 27a then images the loaded dispensing tool 71a from a view above. A needle 75 is provided at the lower end of the dispensing tool 71, and a 2D code 90 is attached to the lower surface of the flange 79 of the needle 75. Therefore, the 2D code 90 is imaged by the camera in the parts camera 27a. Then, the controller 152 of the control device 150 identifies the identification information of the needle 75 indicated by the 2D code 90 (hereinafter referred to as "imaging identification information") based on the imaging data.

[0056] Furthermore, as mentioned above, program 160 contains stored identification information for needle 75, that is, identification information for the needle to be used in the dispensing operation. Therefore, the controller 152 determines whether the imaged identification information of the needle matches the stored identification information of the needle. In other words, as explained earlier, when the 2D code 76 of cartridge 73 is imaged by the mark camera 28a, it is determined whether the specific identification information of the needle matches the stored identification information of the needle. For this reason, the 2D code 76 of cartridge 73 is used to check whether the needle to be used in the dispensing operation is attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a. In addition, the imaged identification information of the needle is identified based on the 2D code 90 of needle 75, and it is determined whether the imaged identification information of the needle matches the stored identification information of the needle. For this reason, the 2D code 90 of needle 75 is used to double-check whether the needle to be used in the dispensing operation is attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a. This double-checking process makes it possible to reliably confirm whether or not the needle intended for use in the dispensing operation is attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a.

[0057] Furthermore, if the needle intended for use in the dispensing operation is not attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a, the dispensing operation will be performed according to the needle's performance information contained in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information. In other words, if the needle's imaging identification information and the needle's stored identification information do not match, or if the needle's specific identification information and the needle's stored identification information do not match, the dispensing operation will be performed according to the needle's performance information contained in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information.

[0058] More specifically, if the performance information included in the needle's memory identification information indicates the presence of a contact pin 88, the program 160 is programmed to perform a dispensing operation with the needle 75 having the contact pin 88. With the needle 75 having the contact pin 88, the program is programmed to perform a dispensing operation in which the dispensing tool 71 is lowered so that the lower end of the contact pin 88 comes into contact with the upper surface of the circuit board 47. However, if a needle 75 without a contact pin 88 is attached to the loaded dispensing tool 71a mounted on the dispensing head 62a, lowering the dispensing tool 71 in this manner may cause the needle 75 to collide with the circuit board and be damaged.

[0059] On the other hand, if the performance information included in the needle's memory identification information indicates that there is no contact pin 88, the program 160 is programmed to perform the dispensing operation with the needle 75 that does not have a contact pin 88. With the needle 75 that does not have a contact pin 88, the program is programmed to perform the dispensing operation by lowering the dispensing tool 71 so that there is a predetermined distance between the lower end of the needle 75 and the upper surface of the circuit board 47. However, if the dispensing tool 71 is lowered in this manner when the loaded dispensing tool 71a attached to the dispensing head 62a has a needle 75 that has a contact pin 88, the contact pin 88 will not come into contact with the circuit board and will not be able to perform its function.

[0060] Therefore, if the needle intended for use in the dispensing operation is not attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a, the dispensing operation is performed according to the needle's performance information included in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information. In other words, if the needle's performance information included in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information indicates that there is no contact pin 88, the dispensing operation is performed to lower the dispensing device 71 so that the distance between the lower end of the needle 75 and the upper surface of the circuit board 47 is predetermined, regardless of the program 160. On the other hand, if the needle's performance information included in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information indicates that there is a contact pin 88, the dispensing operation is performed to lower the dispensing device 71 so that the lower end of the contact pin 88 contacts the upper surface of the circuit board 47, regardless of the program 160. In this way, when the needle intended for use in the dispensing operation is not attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a, the dispensing operation is performed according to the needle's performance information included in the needle's specific identification information or imaging identification information, enabling appropriate dispensing operations.

[0061] Furthermore, if the needle to be used in the dispensing operation is attached to the loaded dispensing device 71a, that is, if the specific identification information of the needle matches the stored identification information of the needle, and the imaging identification information of the needle matches the stored identification information of the needle, the dispensing operation will be executed according to the program 160.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the substrate work system 10 is an example of a substrate work system. The substrate work machine 18 is an example of a substrate work machine. The feeder holding base 26 is an example of a mounting base. The parts camera 27 is an example of a first imaging device. The mark camera 28 is an example of a second imaging device. The discharge head 62 is an example of a discharge head. The head body 70 is an example of a head body. The discharge tool 71 is an example of a discharge tool. The cartridge 73 is an example of a cartridge. The syringe 74 is an example of a syringe. The needle 75 is an example of a needle. The 2D code 76 is an example of identification information for the cartridge 73. The outer cylinder 77 is an example of a housing. The nozzle 81 is an example of a needle discharge port. The adhesive 85 is an example of a liquid material. The contact pin 88 is an example of a stopper. The 2D code 90 is an example of identification information for a needle. The syringe housing feeder 100 is an example of a storage device. The memory 158 is an example of a storage device.

[0063] In the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0064] The dispensing device 71 comprises a syringe 74 filled with adhesive 85, a cartridge 73 in which the syringe 74 is housed, and a needle 75 that is detachably attached to the dispensing port of the syringe 74 via the cartridge 73 and dispenses the adhesive filled in the syringe 74 from the tip of the nozzle 81. A 2D code 90 indicating needle identification information is affixed to the needle 75. This makes it possible to confirm the identification information of the needle 75.

[0065] Furthermore, the needle identification information indicated by the 2D code 90 includes performance information that shows the performance of the needle. This makes it possible to verify the performance of the needle 75 as well.

[0066] The substrate processing machine 18a includes a discharge head 62 having a head body 70 and a discharge tool 71, and a parts camera 27a that captures the 2D code 90 of the needle 75 of the discharge tool 71 attached to the head body 70. The controller 152 then acquires identification information of the needle 75 based on the image data of the 2D code 90 captured by the parts camera 27a. This allows for the efficient acquisition of identification information of the needle 75.

[0067] Furthermore, the discharge operation by the discharge head 62 is performed according to the performance information contained in the identification information of the needle 75 acquired based on the imaging data of the 2D code 90. This makes it possible to perform the discharge operation according to the needle 75 of the loaded discharge tool 71a attached to the discharge head 62.

[0068] Furthermore, the performance information for the needle 75 includes information indicating the nozzle diameter, which is either the inner or outer diameter of the nozzle 81. This allows for dispensing operations to be performed according to the nozzle diameter.

[0069] Furthermore, the performance information for the needle 75 includes information indicating the presence or absence of a contact pin 88. When a needle 75b having a contact pin 88 is attached to the dispensing device 71, the dispensing operation is performed to lower the dispensing device 71 so that the lower end of the contact pin 88 contacts the upper surface of the circuit board 47. This makes it possible to keep the dispensing height of the adhesive 85 constant.

[0070] Furthermore, when the operator attaches the needle 75 to the cartridge 73, the identification information of the cartridge 73 and the identification information of the needle 75 are associated and stored in the memory 158. This makes it possible to manage the identification information of the cartridge 73 on the loaded dispensing device 71a in association with the identification information of the needle 75 attached to that cartridge 73.

[0071] Furthermore, the substrate processing machine 18a has a feeder holder 26 for detachably mounting a syringe storage feeder 100 that houses the loaded dispensing device 71a. When the operator places the loaded dispensing device 71a into the syringe storage feeder 100, the identification information of the cartridge 73, the identification information of the needle 75, and the identification information of the syringe storage feeder 100 are associated and stored in the memory 158. This makes it possible to manage the identification information of the cartridge 73 on the loaded dispensing device 71a, the identification information of the needle 75 attached to the cartridge 73, and the identification information of the syringe storage feeder 100 that houses the loaded dispensing device 71a in association with each other.

[0072] Furthermore, a 2D code 76 is attached to the cartridge 73, and the 2D code 76 of the cartridge 73 of the loaded dispensing device 71a housed in the syringe housing feeder 100 mounted on the feeder holding base 26a is imaged by the mark camera 28a. The controller 152 then acquires the identification information of the cartridge 73 based on the imaged data of the 2D code 76, and identifies the specific identification information of the needle stored in the memory 158 in association with the acquired cartridge identification information. This makes it possible to identify the identification information of the needle 75 attached to the cartridge 73 of the loaded dispensing device 71a based on the imaged data of the cartridge 73.

[0073] Furthermore, if the specific identification information of the needle 75 matches the stored identification information of the needle programmed in the program 160, the loaded dispensing tool 71a stored in the syringe storage feeder 100 is automatically replaced with the empty dispensing tool 71b attached to the dispensing head 62. This allows the loaded dispensing tool 71a, which has the needle intended for use in the dispensing operation attached, to be automatically mounted to the dispensing head 62.

[0074] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Specifically, for example, in the above embodiments, if the specific identification information of the needle and the stored identification information of the needle do not match, or if the imaging identification information of the needle and the stored identification information of the needle do not match, an ejection operation is performed according to the performance information contained in the specific identification information or the imaging identification information. On the other hand, in the above embodiments, if the specific identification information of the needle and the stored identification information of the needle do not match, or if the imaging identification information of the needle and the stored identification information of the needle do not match, the ejection operation is not performed, and an error screen may be displayed.

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the performance information of the needle includes information indicating the nozzle diameter and the presence or absence of a contact pin 88, but other information may also be included. Specifically, for example, since there may be multiple nozzles arranged on the needle 75, the performance information of the needle may include the number of needles arranged, the arrangement pitch of the multiple needles, etc.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a syringe storage feeder 100 that can be attached to and detached from the feeder holding base 26 is used as a storage device for the dispensing device 71, but a storage station for the dispensing device 71 that can be attached to and detached from the frame 32 of the substrate work machine 18a may also be used as a storage device.

[0077] Furthermore, although adhesive 85 is used as the liquid material in the above embodiment, various liquid materials can be used. For example, liquid materials used in mounted circuit boards such as solder, flux, and underfill can be used.

[0078] This specification also discloses a technical concept in which "the dispensing device described in claim 1" is changed to "the dispensing device described in claim 1 or claim 2" in claim 3 of the original application. Furthermore, it discloses a technical concept in which "the substrate work machine described in claim 3" is changed to "the substrate work machine described in claim 3 or claim 4" in claim 5 of the original application. Furthermore, it discloses a technical concept in which "the substrate work machine described in claim 3" is changed to "the substrate work machine described in any one of claims 3 to 6" in claim 7 of the original application.

[0079] 10: PCB processing system 18: PCB processing machine 26: Feeder holder (mounting stand) 27: Parts camera (first imaging device) 28: Mark camera (second imaging device) 62: Discharge head 70: Head body 71: Discharge tool 73: Cartridge 74: Syringe 75: Needle 76: 2D code (cartridge identification information) 77: Outer cylinder (container) 81: Nozzle (needle discharge port) 85: Adhesive (liquid material) 88: Contact pin (stopper) 90: 2D code (needle identification information) 100: Syringe containment feeder (storage device) 158: Memory (storage device)

Claims

1. Dispensing device comprising: a syringe filled with liquid material and having a discharge port with a diameter smaller than the shaft diameter of the container; a cartridge in which the syringe is housed; and a needle detachably attached to the discharge port of the syringe via the cartridge for dispensing the liquid material filled in the syringe from the needle discharge port, wherein the needle has identification information inscribed on it.

2. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the identification information of the needle includes performance information indicating the performance of the needle.

3. A substrate work machine comprising: a discharge head having a discharge tool as described in claim 1 and a head body to which the discharge tool is detachably attached; and a first imaging device capable of imaging identification information of the needle of the discharge tool attached to the head body, wherein the machine acquires the identification information of the needle based on the imaging data of the needle identification information imaged by the first imaging device.

4. The substrate work machine according to claim 3, wherein the needle identification information includes performance information indicating the performance of the needle, and the machine performs a liquid material discharge operation by the discharge head according to the performance information included in the needle identification information acquired based on the imaging data.

5. The substrate work machine according to claim 4, wherein the performance information includes diameter information, which is information on the inner or outer diameter of the needle discharge port.

6. The substrate work machine according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the performance information includes stopper information indicating the presence or absence of a stopper provided near the needle discharge port and in contact with the substrate, and the substrate work machine operates the discharge tool so that, when the needle has the stopper, the tip of the stopper comes into contact with the surface of the substrate from which the liquid material is discharged.

7. A substrate work system comprising: a substrate work machine according to claim 3; and a storage device that stores the identification information of the cartridge and the identification information of the needle in association.

8. The substrate processing machine has a mounting base for detachably mounting a storage device for housing the dispensing tool, and the storage device stores identification information of the cartridge, identification information of the needle, and identification information of the storage device in association with each other, according to claim 7.

9. The substrate processing system according to claim 8, wherein the cartridge has identification information for the cartridge inscribed on it, the substrate processing machine has a second imaging device that images the identification information for the cartridge of the dispensing tool stored in the storage device mounted on the mounting base, and the system acquires the identification information for the cartridge based on the imaging data of the identification information for the cartridge captured by the second imaging device, and extracts the identification information for the needle stored in association with the acquired identification information for the cartridge in the storage device.

10. The substrate handling system according to claim 9, which automatically performs the operation of exchanging the dispensing tool stored in the storage device mounted on the mounting base with the dispensing tool mounted on the dispensing head when the identification information of the extracted needle matches the identification information of a needle that has been set in advance.

Images