Articulated Robot Assembly Machine for Complex Substrate Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic-circuit-component mounting machines face challenges in achieving high assembly work efficiency and hand positioning accuracy, especially when dealing with three-dimensionally shaped substrates, as XY robots struggle to increase hand degrees of freedom and coordinate cooperative actions among multiple robots.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an articulated robot assembly machine with a hand that can hold various work tools and be configured to perform cooperative assembly tasks, allowing for increased motion freedom and overlapping movement regions among multiple robots, facilitated by a robot support rail and driving device for adaptable configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If XY robots are used for electronic circuit component mounting, then high positioning accuracy is achieved, but the degrees of freedom of motion of the hand cannot be increased and cooperative actions between multiple robots are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static XY robot positioning to dynamic articulated robot positioning. The articulated robot uses multiple joints with rotational degrees of freedom, allowing the hand to achieve complex motion trajectories and orientations while maintaining positioning accuracy through dynamic control of joint angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds rotational dimensions to the positioning system. Instead of only linear X-Y movement, the articulated robot introduces rotational joints that enable the hand to move in additional angular dimensions, increasing degrees of freedom while maintaining positioning capability through coordinated joint control.
2Productivity
If multiple XY robots are arranged to perform cooperative assembly work, then assembly work efficiency can be improved, but it is difficult to cause movement regions of the hands to overlap and perform cooperative actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes each articulated robot hand universal by equipping it with interchangeable work tools (component holder, screw tightening tool, laser welding tool, soldering tool, etc.). This allows any robot to perform multiple assembly functions, enabling flexible cooperation where robots can share tasks and coordinate actions more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated robots provide dynamic movement capability with multiple rotational joints, allowing their hands to reach overlapping work zones and perform coordinated cooperative actions. The flexible kinematics enable robots to adapt their movement paths to share common workspaces, facilitating collaboration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If articulated robots are used instead of XY robots, then degrees of freedom of motion are increased, but positioning accuracy becomes more difficult to secure
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated robot system incorporates feedback mechanisms through sensors and control systems that monitor joint angles and hand position. This feedback enables real-time correction of positioning errors, maintaining accuracy despite the increased complexity of multi-joint motion. The control system processes sensor data to compensate for mechanical tolerances and achieve precise positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention improves an electronic apparatus assembly machine that is formed by a substrate conveyance device, which conveys a substrate in a conveyance direction, a plurality of component supply devices, which are arrayed in a direction that is parallel to the conveyance direction, and respectively supply a single kind of electronic circuit component, and a mounting device, which receives the electronic circuit components from the component supply devices, and mounts the components onto the substrate that is carried into a work region by the substrate conveyance device, being supported by a main body frame. A mounting device is configured to include (a) a plurality of articulated robots 40, which include an arm section 54 that includes a plurality of link members (46, 48, 50 and 52), which are connected so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to one another at a plurality of joints, and a hand 52 that is attached to a free end section of the arm section 54 so as to be relatively rotatable, and (b) a robot guide rail 42 that supports base end sections of the articulated robots 40 in a manner in which the articulated robots 40 are capable of moving in a direction that is parallel to a conveyance direction, and the hand 52 holds a rotating head 80, which holds a plurality of suction nozzles 98.