Component Mounting Machine Image Orientation Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In component mounting machines, images captured by multiple suction nozzles are often displayed inverted or in different orientations, making it difficult for operators to align and inspect the components correctly, especially when the same object is viewed from different directions.

Innovation Solution

An image processing method that divides the image data into predetermined regions for each suction nozzle and applies direction conversion processing to align the images, ensuring that all components are displayed in a unified orientation, facilitating easier inspection and alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If images of multiple suction nozzles are captured simultaneously using multiple mirrors, then the operator can check multiple statuses at once, but the images may be displayed in inverted or different orientations making inspection difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinspection efficiencyVSAvoidimage inspection ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The single captured image containing multiple suction nozzle views is divided into multiple divided images, with each divided image corresponding to a specific suction nozzle. This segmentation allows each component image to be processed and oriented independently, resolving the orientation problem while maintaining the efficiency benefit of simultaneous multi-nozzle imaging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Direction conversion processing is applied selectively to each divided image based on its specific orientation requirements. Instead of applying uniform processing to the entire image, the system adjusts the orientation of each local region (divided image) according to its individual needs, ensuring all components are displayed in a consistent, easy-to-inspect orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If direction conversion processing is applied to align images from different orientations, then all components can be displayed in a unified orientation, but additional processing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage alignmentVSAvoidimage processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs direction conversion processing on each divided image immediately after division, before final display. This preliminary orientation adjustment ensures that all component images are aligned in a unified orientation early in the processing pipeline, simplifying the subsequent display and inspection steps without requiring complex post-processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If multiple mirrors are used to capture images of multiple locations simultaneously, then imaging speed is improved, but image orientation consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging speedVSAvoidimage orientation consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies direction conversion processing specifically to each divided image based on its orientation characteristics. This localized processing approach maintains the high imaging speed achieved through simultaneous multi-location capture while correcting the orientation inconsistencies introduced by different mirror angles, ensuring all component images are displayed in a consistent orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3823427B1Image processing method and component mounting machine
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 FUJI CORP
  • EP3823427B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3823427B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3823427B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an image processing method for easily viewing images obtained by imaging multiple components at a time, the method including image capturing processing of capturing each component holding state relating to multiple suction nozzles mounted on a mounting head as one image, image dividing processing of dividing a region relating to a predetermined component holding state for image data of the multiple component holding states obtained by the image capturing processing, direction conversion processing of converting a direction of the component holding state for divided image data divided by the image dividing processing, and display processing of displaying an image based on the divided image data subjected to the direction conversion processing.