Modular Pick-and-Place Module for Variable Tray Capacities
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pick-and-place modules for test handlers cannot adjust the number of pickers to accommodate customer trays with different semiconductor device capacities, leading to reduced resource reuse, waste, and increased replacement costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular design where a detachable kit with adjustable pickers can be mounted to a main body, allowing for the adjustment of picker intervals and numbers to match varying customer tray capacities, enabling the pick-and-place module to be adaptable to different loading scenarios without full replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of pickers is fixed in the pick-and-place module, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the module cannot adapt to customer trays with different semiconductor device capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The pick-and-place module is divided into a main body and a detachable kit. The kit contains a specific number of pickers arranged in a line and can be detached and replaced. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different customer tray capacities by simply changing the kit while keeping the main body structure simple and reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The main body is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate different kits with varying numbers of pickers. This multi-functionality enables a single main body to work with multiple kits designed for different customer tray capacities, achieving adaptability without increasing the complexity of the main structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entire pick-and-place module is replaced to accommodate different customer trays, then adaptability is achieved, but resource waste and replacement costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the module into a reusable main body and replaceable kits, the invention allows only the necessary kit portion to be replaced when adapting to different customer trays. This prevents the waste of the entire module and reduces replacement costs while maintaining full adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables the recovery and reuse of the main body structure while only discarding and replacing the kit portion that needs to be changed for different customer tray configurations. This selective replacement minimizes resource waste and maximizes the reuse of valuable components.
3Productivity
If more pickers are added to handle trays with more devices, then the capacity is increased, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its capacity by allowing the kit with pickers to be replaced based on the specific customer tray configuration. When a tray with more devices is used, a kit with more pickers is attached; when a tray with fewer devices is used, a kit with fewer pickers is attached. This dynamic adjustment optimizes productivity without permanently increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pickers are segmented into modular kits that can be independently selected and attached based on the required capacity. This allows the system to have only the necessary number of pickers for each specific task, avoiding the complexity and cost of having a fixed large number of pickers for all possible scenarios.
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
This modular approach increases resource reuse, reduces waste, and lowers replacement costs by allowing the pick-and-place module to be easily configured for different customer tray capacities, enhancing efficiency and flexibility in semiconductor device handling.
Implementation Method 1
holding semiconductor devices or releasing the held semiconductor devices using vacuum pressures
Data Source
AI summary
A pick-and-place module for test handlers includes a main body, and a kit. The main body has N-th vacuum paths (where N is plural). The kit has M-th pickers. The M-th pickers are provided so as respectively correspond to M-th vacuum passages (where 1≦M≦N), which are formed to respectively correspond to all or some of the N-th vacuum paths formed in the main body, and holds semiconductor devices or releasing the held semiconductor devices using vacuum pressures. The kit is detachably mounted to the main body.