Expandable Tray Handling for Precise Microchip Test Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of electronic components, such as microchips, poses challenges in loading and storing them into storage grooves of a microscopic scale due to limitations in controlling the picker unit, leading to difficulties in alignment and stability during the loading and test processes.
Innovation Solution
A test handler with a tray that can expand and contract to accommodate microchips, using thermal expansion and contraction to facilitate easy and safe loading and improve test precision by aligning the components accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the storage groove size is reduced to match the miniaturized electronic component size, then the manufacturing precision and alignment are improved, but the ease of operation and loading process becomes more difficult due to picker unit control limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is designed with expandable and contractible storage grooves that can dynamically change their dimensions. During the loading process, the grooves expand to a larger size to facilitate easier placement of microchips by the picker unit. After loading, the grooves contract to a smaller size to precisely match the component dimensions, improving alignment precision for the test process.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameter of the storage groove size is changed based on the operational stage. The grooves transition between two size states: a larger expansion state during loading to improve ease of operation, and a smaller contraction state during testing to improve alignment precision and component support.
2Manufacturing precision
If the storage groove size is reduced to match the electronic component size, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the stability during loading and testing becomes problematic due to difficulty in controlling the picker unit
Solution Approach 1:
The storage grooves transition from a static small size to a dynamic system that expands during loading and contracts during testing. This dynamic size adjustment provides stability during each operational phase: larger size during loading for picker unit stability, and smaller size during testing for component alignment stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the tray is designed with fixed small storage grooves to match microchip size, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but additional absorption devices are needed to ensure proper component support and alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The tray employs dynamically adjustable storage grooves that expand and contract based on operational needs. This eliminates the need for additional absorption devices by providing inherent adaptability in the groove structure itself, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precise component support and alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable/contractible groove structure serves multiple functions: it facilitates easy loading when expanded, provides precise alignment when contracted, and inherently supports the component without requiring separate absorption devices. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity of the tray structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tray's ability to expand and contract enhances the ease and safety of loading microchips, improving the precision of the test process by aligning and supporting the components without the need for additional absorption devices, thereby reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The tray main body may expand such that the size of each of the storage grooves expands greater than the size of the electronic component by heating
Implementation Method 2
and be contracted such that the size of each of the storage grooves is reduced by cooling
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed relates to a test handler for an electronic component and a handling method of an electronic component. The test handler includes a loading unit performing a loading process of loading an electronic component on a tray and a test unit performing a test process of testing the electronic component stored in the tray. The loading unit loads the electronic component to be tested on the tray in an expansion state in which a size of each of storage grooves of the tray expands greater than a size of the electronic component, and contracts the tray to which the loading process is performed and switches the tray into a contraction state in which a size of each of the storage grooves is reduced.