Feeder Setup Device Reel Posture Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tape feeder setup methods are inefficient and labor-intensive, particularly when changing the posture of component tapes from lying down to vertical, and require manual intervention, which complicates the setup process and prolongs operation time.
Innovation Solution
A feeder setup device and system that includes a feeder holding section for vertical tape feeders, a reel holding section for lying down reels, and a reel attachment mechanism to change reels from a lying down to a vertical posture and attach them to the tape feeder, eliminating the need for manual posture changes and conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the component tape is pulled out from the reel and sent to the component supply device, then the component tape can be supplied to the used component supply device, but the setup work becomes complicated and inefficient due to the need to pull out a long component tape and rewind it
Solution Approach 1:
The reel is pre-positioned in the reel holding section in a lying down posture before the setup operation. The reel attachment mechanism prepares the reel for transfer in advance, changing it to a vertical posture and positioning it near the tape feeder, so that the actual attachment operation can be completed quickly without complex manual manipulation of long tape lengths
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the reel from the complicated process of pulling out and rewinding long component tape. Instead of manipulating the tape itself, the system focuses on transferring and attaching the reel, simplifying the setup process by removing the unnecessary step of handling long tape lengths
2Extent of automation
If one robot section sequentially sets the unused component tape and collects the used component tape, then the component tape can be automatically supplied, but it takes a long time to perform the setup work due to sequential operations
Solution Approach 1:
The setup device is divided into functionally independent sections: a reel holding section for storing reels, a reel attachment mechanism for transferring reels, and a tape feeder holding section for mounting feeders. This segmentation allows each section to operate independently and in parallel, eliminating sequential bottlenecks while maintaining full automation
Solution Approach 2:
The reel holding section continuously holds multiple reels in a lying down posture, ready for transfer. The reel attachment mechanism continuously performs posture changes and attachment operations. This continuous readiness and operation eliminate idle time between setup steps, maintaining automated operation without time loss
3Ease of operation
If the component supply device is set to the lying down posture for setup, then the reel can be easily positioned, but it takes time and effort to change the component supply device to the vertical posture when attached to the component mounter
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the reel in a lying down posture and then changing the entire component supply device to vertical, the invention inverts the approach: the reel is positioned vertically in the reel holding section, and this vertical orientation is maintained through to the tape feeder, eliminating the need for posture conversion
Solution Approach 2:
The reel holding section is positioned in a different spatial dimension (separate from the tape feeder mounting position), allowing the reel to be held vertically without interfering with the tape feeder's orientation. This spatial separation enables the reel to be prepared in the optimal vertical posture from the start, which is then transferred directly to the tape feeder without requiring posture changes
Data Source
AI summary
A feeder setup device includes a feeder holding section configured to hold, at a work execution position in a vertical posture, a tape feeder to which a reel around which a carrier tape is wound is attached, the tape feeder being configured to feed the carrier tape to supply a component, a reel holding section configured to hold the reel in a lying down posture, and a reel attachment mechanism configured to take out the reel from the reel holding section, change the reel to the vertical posture, and further attach the reel to the tape feeder at the work execution position.