Handling Device Alignment via Fiducial Mark Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for aligning handling devices with semiconductor packages rely on human judgment, which is subjective and impractical for small components, lacking data-driven accuracy and requiring significant skill and labor.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing a rotary device with pick heads, a position-determining device, a fiducial mark, and an imaging device to capture images and adjust the position of handling devices based on the offset between the fiducial mark and the handling device, ensuring precise alignment of semiconductor components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human judgment is used for alignment, then operational flexibility is maintained, but alignment accuracy deteriorates due to subjectivity and lack of data basis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual visual alignment with an optical imaging system and computational processing. The imaging device captures images of semiconductor packages and fiducial marks, which are then processed computationally to determine precise positions and calculate offsets, eliminating subjective human judgment and achieving high-precision automated alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fiducial marks as intermediary reference elements that mediate between the semiconductor packages and the imaging system. These marks provide known reference positions that enable the system to accurately determine package locations and calculate alignment offsets, serving as a bridge between physical components and measurement system.
2Productivity
If manual alignment methods are used, then device complexity is kept low, but productivity deteriorates due to high skill requirements and labor intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-alignment by automatically capturing images, processing the data, calculating offsets, and determining the positions of handling devices without requiring external human intervention. The imaging device and processing system work together autonomously to achieve alignment, eliminating the need for skilled operators and significantly improving productivity.
3Measurement precision
If visual inspection is required for alignment, then operational simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates for very small semiconductor packages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates optical copies (images) of the semiconductor packages and fiducial marks using an imaging device. These digital copies can be magnified and analyzed computationally, allowing precise measurement of very small components that would be difficult or impossible to detect and measure through direct visual inspection. The image copying process preserves all dimensional information for accurate analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an apparatus for handling electronic components. The apparatus comprises: i) a rotary device and a plurality of pick heads arranged circumferentially around the rotary device, each pick head being operable to hold an electronic component; ii) a position-determining device for determining an arrangement of the electronic components as held by the respective pick heads; iii) a fiducial mark arranged in a position that is indicative of the arrangement of the electronic components, as determined by the position-determining device; iv) a first imaging device arranged relative to the fiducial mark; and v) at least one handling device for handling the electronic components. Specifically, the first imaging device is operable to capture at least one image comprising the fiducial mark and the at least one handling device so that a position of the at least one handling device is adjustable to align the at least one handling device with respect to the arrangement of the electronic components, based on an offset between the fiducial mark and the at least one handling device as derived from the at least one image captured by the first imaging device. A method of adjusting the position of at least one handling device of an apparatus for handling electronic components is also disclosed.