Production assistance device

Abstract

This production assistance device comprises: a processing unit that executes a startup process including adjusting the operation of a bulk feeder when the bulk feeder is started up; a storage unit that stores operation data relating to the operation adjustment; and a determination unit that, when the bulk feeder is restarted, determines, on the basis of the mode at the time of restarting of the bulk feeder, whether the operation data stored in the storage unit can be reused.

Description

Production support device

[0001] The present invention relates to a production support device.

[0002] The production support device supports the production process of a product substrate by a component mounting machine using a bulk feeder. The bulk feeder supplies components in a bulk state in a supply area (see Patent Document 1). In the mounting process as a production process, the component mounting machine moves a mounting head to pick up components supplied by a feeder such as a bulk feeder and mounts the components at predetermined positions on a substrate. For the component supply operation of the bulk feeder, a vibration device that applies predetermined vibrations to a track member forming a component conveyance path may be employed. For such a bulk feeder, the vibration device is controlled according to various vibration environments to improve the efficiency of the component supply operation.

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 162919

[0004] The operating characteristics of the bulk feeder can also vary depending on the fixed state with the slot of the component mounting machine on which the bulk feeder is set. Therefore, the bulk feeder, for example, executes a startup process including operation adjustment each time the power is turned on to perform a component supply operation according to the current vibration environment. However, if the required time for the startup process becomes long, it may cause a delay in production start and other factors that reduce productivity.

[0005] The purpose of this specification is to provide a production support device that can shorten the required time for the startup process of the bulk feeder.

[0006] This specification discloses a production support device including a processing unit that is installed in a component mounting machine and executes a startup process including operation adjustment of the bulk feeder when the bulk feeder is started, a storage unit that stores operation data related to the operation adjustment, and a determination unit that determines whether the operation data stored in the storage unit can be reused based on the restart mode of the bulk feeder when the bulk feeder is restarted.

[0007] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in claim 2 or 3" in claim 5 of the original application to "the production support device described in any one of claims 2-4", the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" in claim 6 of the original application to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-5", the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" in claim 7 of the original application to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-6", and the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" in claim 8 of the original application to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-7".

[0008] Furthermore, this specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-9" in claim 10 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-10" in claim 11 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-11" in claim 12 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in claim 12" to "the production support device described in claim 12 or 13" in claim 14 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-3" to "the production support device described in any one of claims 1-14" in claim 15 of the original application.

[0009] With this configuration, by allowing the reuse of operational data related to operational adjustments depending on the restart mode, the time required for the startup process that was previously executed each time the bulk feeder restarted can be reduced. This helps to suppress delays in the start of production and prevent a decrease in productivity.

[0010] This is a schematic plan view of a parts mounting machine. This is a schematic side view of a feeder set on a parts mounting machine. This is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a bulk feeder. This is a schematic side view showing the main parts and parts case of a bulk feeder. This is a plan view seen from the V direction in Figure 4. This is a block diagram of a production system to which production support equipment is applied. This is a flowchart of the parts supply process. This is a flowchart of the preparation process. This is a graph showing the relationship between the drive frequency and the amplitude of vibration of the component at a predetermined drive voltage. This is a graph showing the relationship between the drive frequency and the amplitude of vibration of the component for multiple types of drive voltages. This is the first vibration model showing the relationship between a predetermined drive voltage and the resonant frequency. This is the second vibration model showing the relationship between the maximum amplitude and a predetermined drive voltage. This is a magnified side view showing the intermediate state of the shutter. This is a table showing the effectiveness of each restart mode of the operation data. This is a flowchart of the bulk feeder stop process.

[0011] 1. Overview of the Production Support Device 80 The production support device 80 assists in the production process of product substrates using a component mounting machine 10 with a bulk feeder 20. In this embodiment, the production support device 80 is incorporated into the component mounting machine 10 and the bulk feeder 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. The component mounting machine 10 performs the mounting process of attaching components to the substrate as a predetermined substrate-to-substrate operation. Multiple substrate-to-substrate operation machines are installed, for example, in the direction of substrate transport to constitute a production line.

[0012] As shown in Figure 6, production system 1 consists of the production line, host computer 2, and a parts warehouse (not shown). The host computer 2 controls the production line. Each of the multiple board-to-board work machines is connected to the host computer 2 for communication. The production line includes multiple board-to-board work machines such as solder printing machines, multiple component mounting machines 10, a reflow oven, and an inspection machine.

[0013] In this embodiment, the production facility for substrate products may consist of multiple production lines. The configuration of each of the multiple production lines may be appropriately added or changed depending on, for example, the type of substrate product to be produced. Specifically, the multiple production lines may be appropriately equipped with substrate handling equipment such as buffer devices for temporarily holding the substrates being transported, substrate supply devices, substrate inversion devices, various inspection devices, shielding devices, adhesive application devices, and ultraviolet irradiation devices.

[0014] 2. As shown in Figure 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a substrate transport device 11 that sequentially transports the substrate 91 in the transport direction and positions the substrate 91 at a predetermined position within the machine. The component supply device 12 of the component mounting machine 10 supplies the components to be mounted on the substrate 91. The component supply device 12 has feeders 122 set in each of the multiple slots 121. Tape feeders and bulk feeders 20 are used for the feeders 122. Details of the bulk feeder 20 will be described later.

[0015] The component transfer device 13 of the component mounting machine 10 transfers components supplied by the component supply device 12 to predetermined mounting positions on the substrate 91. The head drive device 131 of the component transfer device 13 moves the mobile table 132 horizontally (X and Y directions) by a linear motion mechanism. The mounting head 133, which is detachably fixed to the mobile table 132, supports a plurality of suction nozzles 134 that are rotatable and vertically movable. The suction nozzles 134 pick up components supplied by the feeder 122 using supplied negative pressure air.

[0016] The component camera 14 and the substrate camera 15 of the component mounting machine 10 perform imaging based on control signals and transmit the image data acquired through such imaging. The component camera 14 is configured to be able to image components held by the suction nozzle 134 from below. The substrate camera 15 is mounted on a movable table 132 so as to be able to move horizontally integrally with the mounting head 133. The substrate camera 15 is configured to be able to image the substrate 91 from above.

[0017] Furthermore, in addition to imaging the surface of the substrate 91, the substrate camera 15 can also image various devices and other objects as long as they are within the movable range of the mobile stand 132. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the substrate camera 15 can capture images of the supply area As where the bulk feeder 20 supplies components and the reference mark 49 provided on the upper part of the bulk feeder 20 within its camera field of view. In this way, the substrate camera 15 can be used to image different objects in order to acquire image data that can be used for various image processing tasks.

[0018] The control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 is mainly composed of a CPU, various memories, and control circuits. The control device 16 stores various data, such as control programs used to control the mounting process. The control program indicates the mounting position, mounting angle, and type of components to be mounted on the circuit board 91 in the planned mounting order. As shown in Figure 5, the control device 16 includes a feeder management unit 60A. Details of the feeder management unit 60A will be described later.

[0019] 3. Configuration of the Bulk Feeder 20 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bulk feeder 20 is mounted on the parts mounting machine 10 and functions as part of the parts supply device 12. The bulk feeder 20 supplies parts that are stored in a bulk state (a random state with irregular orientations) that is not aligned like a carrier tape. Therefore, unlike a tape feeder, the bulk feeder 20 does not use a carrier tape, which has the advantage of eliminating the need to load a carrier tape and collect used tapes.

[0020] 3-1. Feeder body 21, bracket 22, support base 23 The feeder body 21 of the bulk feeder 20 is formed in a flat, box-like shape. A connector 211 and two pins 212 are provided at the front of the feeder body 21 (right end in Figure 4). When the feeder body 21 is set in the slot 121 of the component supply device 12, it is powered via the connector 211 and becomes capable of communicating with the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10. The two pins 212 are inserted into guide holes provided in the slot and are used for positioning when the feeder body 21 is set in the slot 121.

[0021] The bracket 22 of the bulk feeder 20 is vibrably mounted relative to the feeder body 21 and supports the track member 41 of the transport unit 30 which is mounted on the upper surface. The track member 41 supported by the bracket 22 is fixed by a locking member (not shown). The support base 23 of the bulk feeder 20 is vibrably mounted relative to the feeder body 21 and supports the parts case 35 via the case holder 31 of the transport unit 30. The support base 23 is subjected to a predetermined vibration by the discharge vibration device 56.

[0022] 3-2. Conveying Unit 30 The bulk feeder 20 includes a conveying unit 30, as shown in Figure 4. The conveying unit 30 is detachably attached to the feeder body 21. The conveying unit 30 is a unit for conveying parts discharged from the parts case 35 to the supply area As. The case holder 31 of the conveying unit 30 supports the set parts case 35 and is vibrated by the discharge vibration device 56 via the support base 23. The parts case 35 is an external device that houses multiple parts in bulk. The parts case 35 is detachably (replaceable) set in the case holder 31 of the conveying unit 30 of the bulk feeder 20 and is in a state where parts can be discharged from the discharge port 351 formed at the bottom.

[0023] The track unit 32 of the transport unit 30 includes a track member 41 that is detachably attached to the feeder body 21. The track member 41 is vibrated by a transport vibration device 50 via a bracket 22. The track member 41 forms a transport path R through which multiple parts are transported, and a supply area As that communicates with the transport path R and opens upward so that multiple parts can be picked up. Here, "supply area As" is an area where parts are supplied in bulk and from which parts can be picked up by the parts mounting machine 10. "Transport path R" is a path through which parts that have flowed from the case holder 31 side along the track member 41 are transported to the supply area As.

[0024] The track member 41 is formed so as to extend in the front-to-back direction (left-to-right direction in Figure 4) of the feeder body 21. In this embodiment, an alignment member 42 is interchangeably attached to the track member 41. This alignment member 42 is, for example, one or more plate-shaped members. Thus, the track unit 32 is unitized by attaching one of several types of alignment members 42, selected according to the shape of several types of parts, to a common track member 41.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, the alignment member 42 constitutes a plurality of cavities 45 arranged in a predetermined pattern (staggered in this embodiment). Each of the plurality of cavities 45 is rectangular in shape, slightly larger than the outer shape of the parts supplied by the bulk feeder 20, and is configured to accommodate parts in an orientation where the thickness direction of the parts is in the vertical direction. A pair of side walls 46 projecting upward are formed on both edges of the track unit 32 in the width direction (vertical direction in Figure 5). The pair of side walls 46, together with the tip portion 47 of the track unit 32, surround the periphery of the transport path R, preventing leakage of parts being transported along the transport path R.

[0026] The track unit 32 has a shutter 48 provided on the front end side of the track member 41. The shutter 48 is provided on the track member 41 so as to be openable and closable, and in the closed state closes the opening of the supply area As. When the track unit 32 is attached to the feeder body 21, the shutter 48 is connected to a shutter drive device 27. The opening and closing operation of the shutter 48 is controlled by the shutter drive device 27. The bulk feeder 20 can prevent parts from flying out and foreign matter from entering the supply area As by opening and closing the shutter 48.

[0027] The connecting member 33 connects the case holder 31 and the track unit 32, allowing multiple components to flow through it. The connecting member 33 is tubular in shape, allowing multiple components to flow through its interior. The connecting member 33 is flexible and absorbs vibrations by deforming in response to vibrations of the case holder 31 and the track unit 32. As a result, the connecting member 33 reduces or blocks vibrations transmitted between the case holder 31 and the track unit 32, which vibrate independently of each other.

[0028] 3-3. Air supply device 26, shutter drive device 27 The bulk feeder 20 is equipped with an air supply device 26 that supplies positive-pressure air to the transport unit 30. When the transport unit 30 is supplied with positive-pressure air by the air supply device 26, it transports multiple parts from the case holder 31 to the track unit 32 via the connecting member 33. The shutter drive device 27 is a drive device that opens and closes the shutter 48 when the track unit 32 is attached to the feeder body 21. The shutter drive device 27 switches between the closed state and the open state of the shutter 48 based on a command from the feeder control device 60.

[0029] 3-4. Vibration Exciter for Conveyance 50 The bulk feeder 20 is equipped with a vibration exciter for conveyance 50 provided on the feeder body 21. The vibration exciter for conveyance 50 is a vibration exciter that conveys parts on the conveying path R by applying vibration to the track members 41. The vibration exciter for conveyance 50 applies vibration to the track members 41 via a bracket 22 connected to the feeder body 21 by a plurality of support members 51. A plurality of piezoelectric elements 52 attached to each of the plurality of support members 51 are vibrators that vibrate at a frequency corresponding to the power supplied by the power supply device 53.

[0030] The power supply device 53 varies the voltage (driving voltage) and power frequency (driving frequency) applied to the piezoelectric element 52. This causes the amplitude and frequency of vibration of the track member 41 to vary. The vibrated track member 41 moves in an elliptical motion when viewed from the side. As a result, multiple parts on the transport path R are subjected to an external force either forward and upward, or backward and upward, depending on the rotational direction of the elliptical motion of the track member 41. This causes the multiple parts to be transported to either the front or rear side of the track member 41.

[0031] When the amplitude and frequency of vibration of the track member 41, and the rotational direction of the elliptical motion caused by the vibration, fluctuate, the transport speed of the transported parts, the degree of dispersion of the parts, and the transport direction also fluctuate. The vibration sensor 55 detects vibration values ​​that indicate the vibration state of the vibrating track member 41. The vibration values ​​that indicate the vibration state can include amplitude, frequency, decay time, and vibration trajectory (the movement trajectory of a specific part associated with the vibration). In this embodiment, the vibration sensor 55 is provided on the support member 51 and detects the actual amplitude of vibration of the track member 41 when the piezoelectric element 52 is powered and vibration is applied to the track member 41.

[0032] 3-5. Discharge Vibration Device 56 The bulk feeder 20 is equipped with a discharge vibration device 56 provided on the feeder body 21. The discharge vibration device 56 is a vibration device that discharges parts from the parts case 35 by applying vibration to the case holder 31 that supports the parts case 35. The discharge vibration device 56 has, for example, a solenoid 57 that is excited by power supply as an oscillator. When pulsed power is supplied to the solenoid 57 by the power supply device 58, the solenoid 57 is excited only for the duration of power supply and generates a magnetic field, causing the vibrated part (not shown) of the support base 23 to move from its initial position. As a result, the support base 23 moves back and forth in a predetermined direction, and vibration is applied to the parts case 35 via the case holder 31.

[0033] 3-6. Locking device 70 A slider 214 extending in the front-to-back direction (left-to-right direction in Figure 2) is provided on the lower surface of the feeder body 21. The slider 214 is formed in a T-shape so that it can be inserted in the front-to-back direction into a guide groove (not shown) formed in the rail 126 that constitutes the slot 121. The bulk feeder 20 is guided to slide in the front-to-back direction by the insertion of the slider 214 into the guide groove of the rail 126.

[0034] An operating lever 28 is provided on the upper rear side (left side in Figure 2) of the feeder body 21. The operating lever 28 is operated when removing the bulk feeder 20 from the parts mounting machine 10. The operating lever 28 is an operating unit that releases the lock on the slot 121 by the locking device 70 and cuts off the power supply to the bulk feeder 20. The locking device 70 operates when the feeder body 21 of the bulk feeder 20 is guided by the rail 126 and moved to a predetermined set position in the front-rear direction, restricting the movement of the bulk feeder 20 in the removal direction.

[0035] The locking device 70 has a locking member 71. The locking member 71 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction (vertical direction in Figure 2) relative to the feeder body 21. The locking member 71 is formed to protrude downward from the lower surface of the feeder body 21 when locked. The locking member 71 restricts the movement of the bulk feeder 20 by engaging with a locking groove 127 formed in the slot 121. In the unlocked state, the locking member 71 is embedded inside the feeder body 21, allowing the bulk feeder 20 to move.

[0036] The locking device 70 has an interlocking mechanism 72. The interlocking mechanism 72 operates the locking member 71 in conjunction with the operation of the operating lever 28 so as to release the lock when the amount of movement of the operating lever 28 exceeds a specified value. In this embodiment, the interlocking mechanism 72 connects the operating lever 28 and the locking member 71 via a wire 73. In the initial state when the operating lever 28 is not operated, the interlocking mechanism 72 biases the locking member 71 with a spring 74 so that the locking member 71 protrudes from the lower surface of the feeder body 21. Furthermore, the interlocking mechanism 72 gradually moves the locking member 71 as the amount of movement of the operating lever 28 increases, so as to be in a released state when the amount of movement exceeds a specified value.

[0037] The bulk feeder 20 is set up externally and installed in the slot 121 of the parts supply device 12. At this time, the bulk feeder 20 slides along the extension direction of the slider 214 inserted into the guide groove of the rail 126 and is moved to the set position guided by a pair of positioning pins 212. As a result, the connector 211 of the bulk feeder 20 is connected and the locking device 70 is activated to prevent it from coming out of the slot 121.

[0038] Furthermore, when the operating lever 28 is operated, the feeder control device 60 performs a stop process to safely cut off the power supply to the bulk feeder 20 (see Figure 15). This stop process includes, for example, terminating ongoing communications and closing the shutter 48. This allows the bulk feeder 20 to be removed from the slot 121 and safely transported without leakage of parts, and also allows the startup process to be executed normally the next time the power is turned on. Details of the stop process for the bulk feeder 20 will be described later.

[0039] 3-7. Feeder Control Unit 60B The bulk feeder 20 is equipped with a feeder control unit 60B. The feeder control unit 60B mainly consists of a CPU, various memories, and control circuits. When the bulk feeder 20 is set in the slot of the component mounting machine 10, the feeder control unit 60B is powered via the connector 211 and becomes capable of communicating with the control device of the component mounting machine 10. As shown in Figure 6, the feeder control unit 60B includes a storage unit 61, a transport control unit 62, an adjustment unit 63, and a management unit 66.

[0040] The storage unit 61 of the feeder control unit 60B stores various data such as programs and transport parameters used to control the parts supply process. In this embodiment, the storage unit 61 stores operation data D3 (see Figure 14) related to the operation adjustment of the bulk feeder 20, which is executed by the processing unit 81 described later. The transport control unit 62 controls the operation of the air supply device 26, the transport vibration device 50, the discharge vibration device 56, etc. The above-mentioned "transport parameters" are parameters for controlling the operation of the transport vibration device 50 so that the vibration applied to the track unit 32 is appropriate when transporting parts in the parts supply process, and are set in advance, for example, associated with each type of part.

[0041] In the bulk feeder 20 having the above configuration, the transport unit 30 and the transport vibration device 50 support the parts 36 discharged from the parts case 35 and supplied to the transport unit 30, and constitute a transport device that transports the parts 36 between the transport path R and the supply area As. As a transport device, in addition to the vibration method that applies vibration to the track member 41, an air transport method that blows positive pressure air upward from the top surface of the transport path R and the supply area As, or forward and backward from the side may be adopted. The transport control unit 62 executes transport processing according to the type of transport device applied to the bulk feeder 20.

[0042] The adjustment unit 63 adjusts the power (drive voltage and drive frequency) supplied to the piezoelectric element 52 by the power supply device 53 in subsequent transport processes based on the current amplitude, which is the amplitude detected by the vibration sensor 55. The management unit 66 performs a calibration process as an operation adjustment in the startup process. In the calibration process, the management unit 66 performs a model generation process to generate vibration models (Nv1, Nv2) described later. The management unit 66 also sets initial values ​​for the drive voltage and drive frequency used in the component supply process based on the vibration models (Nv1, Nv2) and the target amplitude Tt.

[0043] 4. Component supply process of bulk feeder 20 The component supply process by the bulk feeder 20 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The feeder control unit 60B first executes a preparation process (S10). The preparation process includes an initialization process that is first performed after the bulk feeder 20 is powered on, a calibration process of the conveyance vibration device 50, a process of setting an initial drive voltage and drive frequency, and the like. Details of the preparation process will be described later.

[0044] Next, the feeder control unit 60B executes a component supply process to the conveyance path R formed in the rail member 41 based on, for example, a supply command from the outside (S20). When vibration is applied to the component case 35 by the discharge vibration device 56, components are discharged from the discharge port 351 and stay in the receiving portion 311 (S21). In this state, a component blowing-up operation is executed (S22). The positive-pressure air supplied by the air supply device 26 blows up the plurality of components staying therein, and flows through the flow path formed in the case holder 31 together with the components. As a result, the plurality of components flow from the case holder 31 through the connecting member 33 to the rail unit 32 and reach the conveyance path R.

[0045] After the component supply process to the conveyance path R as described above, the feeder control unit 60B determines whether there is a supply command from the outside (S31). If there is no supply command (S31: No), the conveyance control unit 62 suspends the execution of the component conveyance process. As a result, the current component supply state in the supply area As is maintained, and the feeder waits for a supply command.

[0046] If there is a supply command (S31: Yes), the conveyance control unit 62 executes a component conveyance process (S32). In the component conveyance process, the conveyance vibration device 50 executes a conveyance operation (an operation of moving the components forward and backward) for conveying the components on the conveyance path R. Specifically, the conveyance control unit 62 causes the conveyance vibration device 50 to apply vibration to the rail member 41 via the bracket 22. As a result, the plurality of components are conveyed forward toward the supply area As. Further, the conveyance control unit 62 applies vibration for moving the components forward or backward to the rail member 41 according to the supply amount of the components in the supply area As and the like.

[0047] A part of the plurality of components conveyed to the supply area As is accommodated in the cavity 45. The components not accommodated in the cavity 45 are retracted to the conveyance path R by the vibration applied by the conveyance vibration device 50 and removed from the supply area As. The components accommodated in the plurality of cavities 45 are in a state where they can be collected by the component mounting machine 10 when the shutter 48 is in the open state. Note that the opening and closing operation of the shutter 48 is executed based on an external command.

[0048] Subsequently, the adjustment unit 63 executes an adjustment process (S33) for setting and adjusting the frequency of the vibration applied to the rail member 41 in the subsequent component conveyance process. This adjustment process (S33) adjusts the drive voltage as necessary based on the actual amplitude (current amplitude) of the rail member 41 detected by the vibration sensor 55 due to the execution of the component conveyance process (S32), and further adjusts the drive frequency according to the adjusted drive voltage. By appropriately executing such an adjustment process, the actual amplitude of the rail member 41 is controlled to approach the target amplitude in response to the fluctuating vibration environment.

[0049] After the component conveyance process (S32) and the adjustment process (S33), the feeder control device 60 determines the necessity of the component replenishment process (S20) (S34). The necessity of the replenishment process is determined, for example, by the presence or absence of an external command from the feeder management unit 60A of the component mounting machine 10, or based on the remaining amount (including the estimated value) of the components supported by the rail member 41. When the component replenishment process is necessary (S34: Yes), the component replenishment process is executed again (S20), and components are replenished to the conveyance path R. On the other hand, when the component replenishment process is unnecessary (S34: No), the component replenishment process is omitted, and the supply command is awaited (S31).

[0050] 5. Stopping the Bulk Feeder 20 The feeder control device 60 performs a stop process as shown in Figure 15 when it detects operation of the operating unit (operating lever 28 in this embodiment) or when the power supply to the bulk feeder 20 is cut off. For example, an optical sensor that detects the displacement of a predetermined part of the operating lever 28 is used to detect the operation of the operating lever 28. If the power supply is cut off due to operation of the operating lever 28, the stop process is performed using power supplied by an internal capacitor or the like.

[0051] First, the feeder control device 60 notifies the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 (S51). Upon receiving the notification, the control device 16 performs necessary corrective processing, such as disassociating the slot 121 from the bulk feeder 20. Next, the feeder control device 60 performs processing to transition to a stopped state (S52). This processing to transition to a stopped state includes, for example, terminating any ongoing communications and closing the shutter 48.

[0052] Furthermore, if the power supplied to the bulk feeder 20 decreases as described above (including estimation by operating the operating lever 28 and interruption of power supply), the storage unit 61 stores the operation data D3 in the non-volatile memory inside the bulk feeder 20 as a stop process. The storage unit 61 may also store part or all of the operation data D3 in an external memory (for example, a memory device provided in the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10).

[0053] When the amount of movement of the operating lever 28 reaches a specified level or higher, the locking device 70 is released (S53). This allows the bulk feeder 20 to move in the removal direction. If the operating lever 28 is kept in the operated state (locking device 70 released) and an external force is applied to the bulk feeder 20 in the removal direction, the connector 211 becomes disconnected and the feeder body 21 moves along the rail 126.

[0054] Furthermore, if the operating lever 28 is moved beyond a specified range and then returned to its initial position without moving the feeder body 21 (i.e., while the connection state of the connector 211 is maintained), power is supplied to the bulk feeder 20. At this time, the bulk feeder 20 performs the same startup process as when it is installed in slot 121.

[0055] 6. Detailed Configuration of the Feeder Control Device 60 In the parts supply process using the bulk feeder 20, it is necessary to stabilize the transport of parts and improve the efficiency of the supply operation. To this end, appropriate control of the vibration device (transport vibration device 50, discharge vibration device 56) and the air supply device 26 is required. More specifically, in a configuration as in this embodiment in which vibrators (piezoelectric elements 52, solenoids 57) apply vibration to the components (track members 41, case holders 31) according to the supplied power, it is preferable that the voltage (drive voltage) and frequency (drive frequency) of the power supplied to the vibration device are appropriately set.

[0056] For example, the drive voltage contributes to the amplitude of vibration, and in principle, the higher the setting, the larger the amplitude of vibration of the track member 41. Here, the vibrating body including the track member 41 has a predetermined natural frequency. The above-mentioned "vibrating body" is an assembly of members that vibrate integrally with the track member 41 due to excitation by the transport vibration device 50. In this embodiment, the vibrating body excited by the transport vibration device 50 consists of the track member 41, the bracket 22, a locking device connecting them, and a cover attached to the track member 41.

[0057] The vibrating body, including the track member 41, is assembled in contact with other members such as the connecting member 33 within the bulk feeder 20, and also supports multiple parts being transported. Therefore, the vibrating body is subjected to reaction forces from other members and multiple parts during vibration, and the reaction forces also fluctuate depending on the number of parts it supports, resulting in a vibration environment. In such a vibration environment, the vibrating body resonates when it is subjected to vibrations at a frequency corresponding to its own natural frequency. The frequency at which the vibrating body resonates in accordance with this vibration environment will be referred to as the "resonance frequency" below.

[0058] The vibrating body, including the track member 41, resonates when vibration is applied by a transport vibration exciter 50 supplied with power whose drive frequency is the resonant frequency, and vibrates stably with an expected amplitude corresponding to the drive voltage. In other words, if the drive frequency deviates from the resonant frequency, it may become impossible to obtain the expected amplitude for the drive voltage, or the vibration may become unstable, such as the amplitude periodically increasing or decreasing. If the vibration becomes unstable, the distance traveled by the component per unit time may decrease, or the component may be subjected to shock due to the amplitude suddenly increasing.

[0059] Therefore, in the preparation process (S10), the initial drive voltage and drive frequency are set so that the power supplied to the piezoelectric element 52 by the power supply device 53 of the transport vibration device 50 is appropriate during the parts supply process. However, since the resonant frequency may fluctuate with changes in the vibration environment, adjustment of the drive frequency during production (S33) is necessary to maintain a good parts supply process. In addition, if the amount (remaining number) of parts supported by the track members 41 is insufficient or excessive, it may affect the efficiency of the parts supply process. Therefore, the feeder control unit 60B estimates the remaining number of parts in the track members 41. The estimated remaining number is used to determine whether replenishment processing is necessary and to control the operation of the air supply device 26 during replenishment processing.

[0060] As shown in Figure 6, the feeder control device 60 consists of a feeder management unit 60A provided on the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 and a feeder control unit 60B provided on the bulk feeder 20. The feeder management unit 60A performs recognition processing of the component supply status and processing of sending various external commands to the bulk feeder 20. The feeder management unit 60A recognizes the component supply status in the supply area As by processing image data acquired by imaging the supply area As. The component supply status includes the determination result of whether the component 36 supplied to the supply area As of the bulk feeder 20 is suitable for the component mounting operation by the component mounting machine 10.

[0061] Furthermore, the feeder management unit 60A sends various commands, including commands to supply parts, to multiple feeders 122. Based on the progress of the mounting process and the results of the supply status recognition process, the feeder management unit 60A sends commands to supply parts to the bulk feeder 20 and commands to replenish parts to the transport unit 30. As a result, the feeder control unit 60B of the bulk feeder 20 controls the replenishment and transport operations of the transport vibration device 50, the discharge vibration device 56, and the air supply device 26 in accordance with the commands, and executes the replenishment and supply processes for the parts 36.

[0062] Here, the operating characteristics (such as the resonant frequency) of the bulk feeder 20 can vary depending on the vibration environment, including the fixed state of the bulk feeder 20 in relation to the slot 121 of the component mounting machine 10 in which it is set. Therefore, each time the power is turned on, the feeder control device 60 of the bulk feeder 20 performs a startup process (S40) including operation adjustment (S42) as a preparation process (S10) for the component supply process, as shown in Figure 8. This makes it possible to supply components in accordance with the current vibration environment. However, if the time required for the startup process is long, it can lead to delays in the start of production and become a factor in reducing productivity.

[0063] Therefore, the production support device 80 of this embodiment employs a configuration that can shorten the time required for the startup process of the bulk feeder 20. As shown in Figure 6, the production support device 80 comprises a processing unit 81, a storage unit 61, and a determination unit 82. In this embodiment, the processing unit 81 includes a feeder management unit 60A, an adjustment unit 63, and a management unit 66. When the bulk feeder 20 is being restarted, the production support device 80 shortens the time required for the startup process by allowing the reuse of at least a portion of the operation data D3 related to operation adjustments according to the restart mode.

[0064] 6-1. Operation Adjustment and Operation Data D3 As shown in Figure 8, when the bulk feeder 20 is started, the processing unit 81 performs a startup process including operation adjustment of the bulk feeder 20 (S40). First, the processing unit 81 determines whether or not the bulk feeder 20 is being restarted (S41). Here, "restarting" the bulk feeder 20 means that the power supply to the bulk feeder 20, which has previously undergone a startup process, is cut off and then powered on again to start it up. The processing unit 81 determines that it is being restarted if there is any evidence of use, such as operation data D3 being stored in the internal non-volatile memory or external memory of the bulk feeder 20 (S41: Yes).

[0065] On the other hand, if the bulk feeder 20 is maintained in the external setup area, or if the combination of the feeder body 21 and the transport unit 30 is changed, the above operation data D3 is discarded. The processing unit 81 determines that it is a normal "startup" and not a restart if the operation data D3 is not stored, or if the startup process has not been executed for the combination of the feeder body 21 and the transport unit 30 registered in the host computer 2 (S41: No).

[0066] 6-1-1. The operation adjustment in the vibration model startup process (S40) includes a calibration process (S421) in which power is supplied to the vibrator (piezoelectric element 52) ​​at a predetermined drive voltage Ed to obtain the resonant frequency Fr at which the amplitude of vibration of the track member 41 is maximized. The above calibration process also includes a model generation process that obtains the resonant frequency Fr for multiple types of drive voltage Ed and generates a first vibration model Nv1 that shows the relationship between the drive voltage Ed and the resonant frequency Fr, and a second vibration model Nv2 that shows the relationship between the maximum amplitude Tm and the drive voltage Ed based on the maximum amplitude Tm detected by the vibration sensor 55 for each of the multiple resonant frequencies Fr corresponding to each of the multiple types of drive voltage Ed.

[0067] Here, the curve LSF in Figure 9 shows the relationship between the drive frequency when the power supply device 53 applies a predetermined drive voltage to the piezoelectric element 52 for forward movement, with the vibrating body in a reference state as the target of excitation, and the actual amplitude of vibration of the track member 41. As shown in the curve LSF, at a predetermined resonance frequency Fr (FrSF), the vibration of the track member 41 reaches its maximum amplitude Tm (TmSF). In this embodiment, the "reference state" when the vibrating body to be excited includes the track member 41 is the state in which parts have been removed from the track member 41.

[0068] In this embodiment, the processing unit 81 first applies vibrations of multiple different frequencies (corresponding to the sampling points in Figure 9) to the track member 41. The drive voltage at this time is set to, for example, the maximum voltage that the power supply device 53 can apply. The processing unit 81 acquires the amplitude of the track member 41 to which vibrations of each frequency have been applied, and acquires the frequency at which vibration occurred with the maximum amplitude Tm (TmSF) as the resonant frequency Fr (FrSF). Similarly, the processing unit 81 acquires the resonant frequency Fr for each of the multiple drive voltages Ed.

[0069] Thus, as shown in Figure 10, the processing unit 81 supplies power to the oscillator (piezoelectric element 52) ​​with a predetermined drive voltage Ed (EdS, Ed1, Ed2, ...) for forward movement and acquires the frequency at which the amplitude of vibration of the constituent member (track member 41) is maximized as the resonance frequency Fr (FrSF, FrSF1, FrSF2, ...) for each of the multiple types of drive voltages Ed (EdS, Ed1, Ed2, ...). The processing unit 81 then switches the forward and reverse movements and performs the same acquisition process to acquire the resonance frequency FrSR for reverse movement, as shown in the curve LSR in Figure 9. Then, the processing unit 81 acquires the resonance frequency Fr for each of the multiple types of drive voltages Ed for reverse movement (see the characteristic curve LCr in Figure 10).

[0070] Next, the processing unit 81 generates a first vibration model Nv1 that shows the relationship between the drive voltage Ed (EdS, Ed1, Ed2, ...) and the resonance frequency Fr (FrSF, FrSF1, FrSF2, ...) based on multiple types of drive voltage Ed and multiple acquired resonance frequencies Fr (see Figure 10). As shown in Figure 11, the first vibration model Nv1 draws a curve in which the resonance frequency Fr gradually decreases as the drive voltage Ed increases, and the resonance frequency Fr reaches its minimum value (FrSF) at the maximum voltage Emax (EdS).

[0071] Next, the processing unit 81 generates a second vibration model Nv2 that shows the relationship between the maximum amplitude Tm and the drive voltage Ed, based on the maximum amplitude Tm (TmSF, TmSF1, TmSF2, ...) detected by the vibration sensor 55 for each of the multiple resonant frequencies Fr (FrSF, FrSF1, FrSF2, ...) corresponding to each of the multiple types of drive voltage Ed (EdS, Ed1, Ed2, ...). As shown in Figure 12, the second vibration model Nv2 shows that the maximum amplitude Tm increases proportionally as the drive voltage Ed increases, and the maximum amplitude Tm reaches its maximum value (TmSF) when the maximum voltage Emax (EdS).

[0072] The first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 described above are vibration models that show the vibration characteristics of a vibrating body including the track member 41. When the processing unit 81 acquires the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 related to the transport vibration exciter 50, it acquires the first vibration model and the second vibration model for reverse movement by the same process as described above for forward movement. The storage unit 61 stores the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 generated by the processing unit 81. The operation data D3 related to the adjustment operation includes the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2, as shown in Figure 14.

[0073] 6-1-2. Drive voltage, drive frequency, and estimated remaining number. Also, when the amplitude of vibration applied to the track member 41 by the transport vibration device 50 during the parts supply process is specified as a predetermined target amplitude Tt, the drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd are set based on the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, the control unit 66 sets the drive voltage Ed (EdT) corresponding to the target amplitude Tt based on the second vibration model Nv2. This drive voltage Ed (EdT) is an initial value corresponding to the target amplitude Tt.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the control unit 66 sets the resonant frequency Fr (FrSFT) for the drive frequency Fd based on the set drive voltage Ed (EdT) and the first vibration model Nv1. In this way, when a target amplitude Tt is specified, the feeder control device 60 can set the drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd according to the current vibration environment based on vibration models (first vibration model Nv1, second vibration model Nv2) that show the vibration characteristics of the vibrating body including the track member 41. This drive frequency Fd (FrSFT) is an initial value corresponding to the target amplitude Tt.

[0075] As described above, the drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd, which are initially set, are adjusted as appropriate during the adjustment process (S33) of the parts supply process. The adjusted drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd are recorded as part of the operation data D3 as the current drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd, as shown in Figure 14. If the remaining number of parts in the track member 41 is estimated during the determination of whether or not a replenishment process is necessary (S34), which is performed after the adjustment process (S33), the latest estimated remaining number is recorded as part of the operation data D3.

[0076] 6-1-3. Shutter Opening Here, the bulk feeder 20 performs a transport process that applies vibration to the track member 41 as described above to transport the parts to the supply area As, and opens the shutter 48 provided in the supply area As to supply the parts in a state where they can be picked up. During the execution of the transport process, the shutter drive device 27 sets the shutter opening to an intermediate state, as shown in Figure 13, such that the shutter 48 does not interfere with the vibrating track member 41, and the shutter 48 is separated from the track member 41 to such an extent that parts do not leak out from the gap between the track member 41 and the shutter 48.

[0077] The shutter 48 is formed in an overall U-shape that opens downward when viewed in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, the shutter 48 has an upper wall portion 481 and a pair of side wall portions 482. The upper wall portion 481 contacts the track member 41 in the closed state to close the opening of the supply area As, and separates from the track member 41 in the intermediate state. The pair of side wall portions 482 are located on the left-right outer side of the track member 41 and extend downward from both ends of the upper wall portion 481, and together with the upper wall portion 481 in the intermediate state, restrict the ejection of parts from the opening of the supply area As.

[0078] As shown in Figure 13, the shutter 48 in the intermediate state moves slightly forward and upward by an amount Hs. The amount Hs is set to be greater than the amplitude of vibration of the track member 41. As a result, the shutter 48 in the intermediate state maintains a non-interfering state with respect to the vibrating track member 41. Note that Figure 13 exaggerates the amount Hs of upward movement of the shutter 48 when it transitions from the closed state to the intermediate state. The reason for setting the shutter 48 to the intermediate state during the transport process is to prevent the shutter 48 from interfering with the vibrating track member 41 and hindering its vibration, and also to prevent changes in the vibration characteristics of the vibrating body including the track member 41.

[0079] Therefore, it is preferable that the opening degree of the shutter 48 during the transport process be set such that the upward amount Hs is greater than the amplitude of the track member 41, and the gap created between the track member 41 and the shutter 48 is smaller than the minimum dimension of the outer shape of the part (for example, the thickness of the part). This allows the shutter 48 to move away from the track member 41 in the intermediate state while preventing the part from flying out.

[0080] Furthermore, the operation adjustment in the startup process includes an opening degree setting process (S422) in which the opening degree of the shutter 48 in the transport process is set based on the amplitude of the track member 41 to which vibration is applied at a predetermined opening degree of the shutter 48. Specifically, in the calibration process (S421) described above, the shutter 48 is set to an intermediate state at a provisionally set opening degree. Then, the processing unit 81 sets the opening degree of the shutter 48 so that the shutter 48 does not interfere with the track member 41 to which vibration is applied with power set to the initial drive voltage Ed and drive frequency Fd, and the gap between the track member 41 and the shutter 48 is within a predetermined range. The operation data D3 related to the adjustment operation includes the shutter opening degree set as described above, as shown in Figure 14.

[0081] 6-1-4. The startup process (S40) for determining the reference position and measurement process results includes a measurement process (S43). The feeder management unit 60A of the processing unit 81 performs at least one of the following during the measurement process: measuring the reference position of the track member 41 inside the component mounting machine 10, measuring the position and inclination of the supply area As, and measuring the position and height of each of the multiple cavities 45.

[0082] The measurement of the reference position of the track member 41 involves image processing of the image data obtained by capturing a reference mark 49 on the bulk feeder 20 with the substrate camera 15, and determining the reference position of the track member 41 based on the results of the image processing and the position of the substrate camera 15 at the time of imaging. The bulk feeder 20 is detachably mounted in the slot 121. Therefore, different positional errors may occur in the track member 41 each time the bulk feeder 20 is attached or detached. To address this, the feeder control device 60 enables sampling operations that correct for the above-mentioned positional errors by grasping the reference position of the track member 41 measured by the processing unit 81.

[0083] Furthermore, measuring the position and inclination of the supply area As involves determining the position and inclination angle of the supply area As formed on the track member 41 within the machine, based on, for example, the measured reference position of the track member 41 and the detection results from the height sensor 17. The height sensor 17 is, for example, provided on the mobile platform 132 and configured to detect the distance to an object located vertically below. The height sensor 17 may employ, for example, an optical sensor using laser light. The processing unit 81 detects the heights of three or more different measurement points and determines the height and inclination of the plane formed by the supply area As.

[0084] The measurement of the position and height of each of the multiple cavities 45 involves determining the position of the center of each cavity 45 within the machine and the height of the bottom surface of each cavity 45, based on, for example, the measured position and inclination of the supply area As and cavity information indicating the positional relationship of the multiple cavities 45. This associates the address representing each of the multiple cavities 45 with the center position and bottom surface height of the cavity 45 in the current state of the bulk feeder 20's installation.

[0085] With this configuration, the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 controls the horizontal movement of the mounting head 133 and the downward height of the suction nozzle 134 during the sampling operation to correct the positional error of the track member 41 based on the results of the measurement process (S43). The operation data D3 related to the adjustment operation includes the results of the measurement process described above (at least one of the reference position of the track member 41, the position and inclination of the supply area As, and the position and height of the cavity 45), as shown in Figure 14.

[0086] 6-2. Determination of the Reusability of Operation Data D3 As described above, the startup process (S40) of the bulk feeder 20 requires the execution of various operation adjustments (S42) and measurement processes (S43). When the bulk feeder 20 is being restarted (S41: Yes), the determination unit 82 determines the reusability of each item included in the operation data D3, thereby suppressing the execution of unnecessary operation adjustments (S42) and measurement processes (S43) and shortening the time required for the startup process (S40).

[0087] The determination unit 82 first acquires the restart state (S44). Here, the "restart state" refers to the state when power is supplied to the bulk feeder 20 again, and includes the elapsed time since the power was cut off, the movement of the bulk feeder 20, and any changes to the equipment around the bulk feeder 20. In this embodiment, the restart state is classified into "momentary power outage state," "re-equipped state," "moved equipment state," and "surrounding dynamics" from the viewpoint of determining the reusability of the operation data D3.

[0088] A momentary power outage refers to a state in which the power outage period from the time the bulk feeder 20 is cut off until it is restarted is less than or equal to a preset specified time. In a momentary power outage, the bulk feeder 20 maintains its position relative to the equipped parts mounting machine 10. That is, in a momentary power outage, the bulk feeder 20 does not move the slot 121, nor does it slide in the removal direction relative to the slot 121. The specified time is set to 1.0 second or less as an example. The specified time can be set appropriately, taking into account the operability of the operating lever 28, etc.

[0089] Specifically, a momentary power interruption is caused by an operation performed by the operator on the control lever 28 for a specified time or less, and without applying an external force to the feeder body 21 of the bulk feeder 20 that would cause the parts to be unequipped from the parts mounting machine 10. A momentary power interruption is performed, for example, to restart the bulk feeder 20, for the purpose of resetting the communication between the bulk feeder 20 and the parts mounting machine 10, or to allow the parts mounting machine 10 to recognize the bulk feeder 20 again after performing some error correction.

[0090] The re-equipped state is the condition in which the bulk feeder 20 is removed and installed in the same slot 121 during the power outage period from when the bulk feeder 20's power is cut off until it is restarted. In the re-equipped state, although the slot 121 to which the equipment is installed does not change, the contact condition between the slot 121 and the feeder body 21 may change, and it is thought that this may have some effect on changes in the vibration environment.

[0091] Furthermore, in the mobile equipment state, the bulk feeder 20 is installed in a different slot 121 than the one it was in before removal during the isolation period. In the mobile equipment state, there is a change in the slot 121 to which it is installed, and due to individual differences in each slot 121 (such as manufacturing tolerances and the degree of aging), the contact state between the slot 121 and the feeder body 21 changes, and it is thought that the change in the vibration environment is relatively large.

[0092] During the power outage period from when the bulk feeder 20 is shut off until it is restarted, the feeder 122 may be removed from a different slot 121 than the one in which the bulk feeder 20 is installed, or a feeder 122 may be installed. The vibration environment of the bulk feeder 20 is relatively unaffected by the surrounding dynamics, but it is thought that it may change due to external shocks or other factors during the power outage period.

[0093] The restart mode D4 is determined by the period during which the bulk feeder 20's power is shut off, the slot 121 recognized after power is turned on, and whether or not the feeders 122 are removed from or installed in the surrounding slots (for example, the adjacent slots 121) during the shutoff period. The determination unit 82 acquires the recognized restart mode D4 (S44) and, based on the restart mode D4, determines whether or not the operation data D3 stored in the storage unit 61 can be reused (S45).

[0094] An example of the determination result by the determination unit 82 is shown in Figure 14. At this time, the determination unit 82 determines the validity of the operation data D3 based on the restart mode D4, and determines whether the operation data D3 is reusable (○ in Figure 14), not reusable (- in Figure 14), or conditionally reusable (△ in Figure 14). For example, if the restart mode D4 is "momentary power outage", the determination unit 82 determines that the change in the vibration environment is within an acceptable range and determines that all of the operation data D3 is valid.

[0095] On the other hand, if the restart mode D4 is "moving equipment," the determination unit 82 determines that the change in the vibration environment is relatively large and that it is unsuitable to reuse the operation data D3 executed in slot 121 before the move, and determines that all of the operation data D3 is invalid. Also, if the restart mode D4 is "re-equipping" or "peripheral movement," the determination unit 82 determines that some items of the operation data D3 are valid, invalid, or partially valid.

[0096] Here, the conditions for reuse can be set for each item of the operation data D3, but for example, the reuse conditions for the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 may be that vibration is applied to the track member 41 with a predetermined drive voltage (e.g., maximum voltage Emax) and drive frequency (e.g., resonant frequency FrSF), and the current amplitude Tc detected by the vibration sensor 55 is within an acceptable range with respect to the expected amplitude (e.g., maximum amplitude TmSF).

[0097] Furthermore, reuse conditions may include the current drive voltage and drive frequency, the estimated number of remaining parts, and the opening degree of the shutter 48, such that both the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 satisfy the reuse conditions. In addition, reuse conditions for the reference position of the track member 41, the position and inclination of the supply area As, and the position and height of each of the multiple cavities 45 may include the fact that the displacement of the reference mark 49 before and after restart is within an acceptable range.

[0098] Next, the determination unit 82 updates and deletes the operation data D3 (S46). Specifically, of the operation data D3 that is determined to be conditionally reusable, only a portion that meets the reuse conditions is allowed to be reused, and the remainder is updated by reacquisition. The portion that does not meet the reuse conditions is deleted from the operation data D3. Specifically, in the above example, if the current amplitude Tc is not within the acceptable range relative to the maximum amplitude TmSF, the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2 are deleted.

[0099] Furthermore, operation data D3 that has been determined to be conditionally reusable may be configured to be allowed to be reused only if the results of a predetermined operation test using said operation data D3 are satisfactory. Specifically, an operation test may be performed to detect the current amplitude Tc using multiple types of drive voltages and drive frequencies for testing, based on the first vibration model Nv1 and the second vibration model Nv2. Alternatively, an operation test may be performed to check whether the touch probe makes contact at the expected height by lowering it to a test position set at a predetermined location on the supply area As or the track member 41.

[0100] If the determination unit 82 determines that the operation data D3 is unusable or conditionally reusable, it deletes some or all of the unusable operation data D3 and executes at least part of the startup process. As a result, some or all of the operation data D3 is updated according to the current vibration environment. At this time, if at least part of the operation data D3 is reusable, some of the operation adjustment (S42) and measurement process (S43) that would normally be executed in the startup process performed by restarting are omitted, thus shortening the time required for the startup process.

[0101] 7. Modified Embodiments In one embodiment, the production support device 80 is configured such that the processing unit 81 is incorporated into the control unit 16 of the component mounting machine 10, and the adjustment unit 63 and management unit 66 are incorporated into the feeder control unit 60B of the bulk feeder 20, while the storage unit 61 and determination unit 82 are incorporated into the feeder control unit 60B. In contrast, the processing unit 81, storage unit 61, and determination unit 82 of the production support device 80 may be incorporated into the component mounting machine 10, the bulk feeder 20, and external devices. For example, the processing unit 81 and determination unit 82 may be incorporated into the control unit 16 of the component mounting machine 10 or the host computer 2.

[0102] 1: Production system, 2: Host computer, 10: Parts mounting machine, 12: Parts supply device, 121: Slot, 122: Feeder, 126: Rail, 16: Control device, 20: Bulk feeder, 21: Feeder body, 28: Operating lever (operating part), 30: Conveying unit, 31: Case holder, 32: Track unit, 41: Track member, 42: Alignment member, 45: Cavity, 48: Shutter, 33: Connecting member, 35: Parts case, 50: Conveying vibration device (vibration device), 52: Piezoelectric element (vibrator), 55: Vibration sensor, 60: Feeder control device, 60A: Feeder management unit, 60B: Feeder control unit, 61: Memory unit, 62: Conveying control unit, 63: Adjustment unit, 66: Management unit, 70: Locking device 80: Production support device, 81: Processing unit, 82: Judgment unit, 91: Substrate, As: Supply area, R: Transport path

Claims

1. A production support device applied to a bulk feeder equipped on a parts mounting machine that supplies parts, comprising: a processing unit that executes a startup process including operation adjustment of the bulk feeder when the bulk feeder is started; a storage unit that stores operation data related to the operation adjustment; and a determination unit that, when the bulk feeder is restarted, determines whether the operation data stored in the storage unit can be reused based on the restart pattern of the bulk feeder.

2. The production support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restart mode includes a momentary power outage state in which the period of power interruption from the time the power to the bulk feeder is cut off until it is restarted is less than or equal to a predetermined time.

3. The production support device according to claim 2, wherein, in the momentary power outage, the bulk feeder maintains its position relative to the equipped component mounting machine.

4. The production support device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the specified time is set to 1.0 second or less.

5. The production support device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the component mounting machine comprises a plurality of slots on which the bulk feeder is mounted, the bulk feeder comprises an operating unit for releasing the lock to the slot and cutting off the power supply, and the momentary power outage is caused by a momentary power outage operation in which an operator operates the operating unit for less than the specified time and does not apply an external force to the feeder body of the bulk feeder that would cause it to be unmounted from the component mounting machine.

6. The production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the component mounting machine comprises a plurality of slots on which the bulk feeder is mounted, and the restart mode includes, during the power outage period from when the power to the bulk feeder is cut off until it is restarted, a re-mounting state in which the bulk feeder is removed and mounted in the same slot, and a mobile mounting state in which it is mounted in a different slot than the one on which it was removed.

7. The production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the component mounting machine comprises a plurality of slots equipped with the bulk feeder, and the restart mode includes, during the interruption period from when the power to the bulk feeder is cut off until it is restarted, a feeder being removed from a slot different from the slot equipped with the bulk feeder, or peripheral motion of the feeder being equipped.

8. The production support apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bulk feeder comprises a track member that is vibrably provided with respect to the feeder body and has a supply area that communicates with the transport path for the parts and opens upward; an excitation device that applies vibration to the track member with a vibrator in accordance with supplied power; and a vibration sensor that detects the amplitude of the vibration of the track member caused by the excitation of the excitation device, and the operation adjustment in the startup process includes a calibration process to obtain a resonant frequency at which the amplitude of vibration of the track member is maximized by supplying power to the vibrator with a predetermined drive voltage.

9. The production support apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the calibration process includes acquiring the resonant frequency for each of the multiple types of drive voltages, generating a first vibration model showing the relationship between the drive voltage and the resonant frequency, and generating a second vibration model showing the relationship between the maximum amplitude and the drive voltage based on the maximum amplitude detected by the vibration sensor for each of the multiple resonant frequencies corresponding to each of the multiple types of drive voltages, and the operation data includes the first vibration model and the second vibration model.

10. The production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bulk feeder performs a transport process to transport the parts to a supply area by applying vibration to a track member, opens a shutter provided in the supply area to supply the parts in a manner that allows them to be collected, and the operation adjustment in the startup process includes an opening degree setting process to set the opening degree of the shutter in the transport process based on the amplitude of the track member to which vibration is applied at a predetermined opening degree of the shutter.

11. The production support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bulk feeder is vibrably mounted relative to the feeder body and comprises a track member having a supply area that communicates with the transport path for the parts and opens upward, and having a plurality of cavities capable of accommodating the parts transported into the supply area, the startup process includes a measurement process that performs at least one of measuring the reference position of the track member inside the parts mounting machine, measuring the position and inclination of the supply area, and measuring the position and height of each of the plurality of cavities, and the operation data includes the result of performing the measurement process.

12. The production support apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination unit determines the validity of the operation data based on the restart configuration, and determines whether the operation data is reusable, unusable, or conditionally reusable for each validity configuration.

13. The production support device according to claim 12, wherein the operation data determined to be conditionally reusable is permitted to be reused in part only, with the remainder being updated by reacquisition, or is permitted to be reused if the results of a predetermined operation test using the operation data are satisfactory.

14. The production support apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determination unit, when it determines that the operation data is unreusable or conditionally reusable, deletes some or all of the operation data that cannot be reused and causes at least a part of the startup process to be executed.

15. The production support apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the storage unit stores the operation data in the non-volatile memory inside the bulk feeder or in an external memory as a stop process when the power supplied to the bulk feeder decreases.

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