Component Mounting Machine Inspection Timing Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In component mounting systems, the inspection of lower components is challenging when upper components cover them, and existing solutions do not adequately address the need for balancing inspection reliability and production efficiency, especially when multiple lower components are mounted and each upper component is placed on different lower components.

Innovation Solution

A component mounting machine with a head, head moving device, and imaging device that allows for selective inspection modes: one where the lower component is inspected immediately before the upper component is mounted, and another where all lower components are inspected collectively before the upper component is placed, enabling flexible timing based on user priorities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the mounting inspection of the lower component is performed immediately before the upper component is mounted (first inspection mode), then the reliability of the inspection is improved, but the production efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinspection reliabilityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic inspection timing selection mechanism that allows the inspection mode to be flexibly changed based on user needs. The control device can switch between first inspection mode (immediate inspection before each upper component mounting) and second inspection mode (batch inspection after all lower components are mounted), making the inspection system adaptive to different production priorities and scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If all mounting inspections of multiple lower components are successively performed (second inspection mode), then the production efficiency is improved, but the reliability of the inspection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidinspection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent provides a preliminary action option where all lower components are mounted first before performing the inspection (second inspection mode). This allows the inspection to be performed after all components are in place, enabling batch processing and improving production efficiency, while still providing a valid inspection approach for users who prioritize speed over maximum reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the component mounting machine performs mounting inspection of multiple lower components at the timing immediately before mounting the upper component (first inspection mode), then the reliability of avoiding foreign matter invasion is improved, but the time required for inspection increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforeign matter prevention reliabilityVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic inspection action where the inspection is performed at specific intervals or timing points in the mounting process. In the first inspection mode, inspection occurs periodically at each stage before upper component mounting. The system allows users to select between periodic immediate inspection (higher reliability, more time) and batch inspection (less time, lower reliability) based on their specific needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3996484B1Component mounting machine
Publication Date: 2024.10.23 FUJI CORP
  • EP3996484B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3996484B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3996484B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The component mounting machine includes a head, a head moving device, an imaging device, and a control device. The control device executes a lower component mounting operation that mounts a lower component on a board, an upper component mounting operation that mounts an upper component on the lower component mounted on the board, and a lower component mounting inspection operation that images the board on which the lower component is mounted, and performs a mounting inspection of the lower component based on a captured image after the lower component mounting operation is performed and before the upper component mounting operation is performed. Furthermore, in a case where each of the upper components is mounted on different lower components among multiple lower components mounted on the board, the control device executes the lower component mounting inspection operation in an inspection mode selected from multiple inspection modes including a first inspection mode in which the mounting inspection of the lower component located below the upper component of a mounting target is performed immediately before the upper component mounting operation of each of the upper components is performed as an execution timing of the lower component mounting inspection operation and a second inspection mode in which all mounting inspections of the multiple lower components are continuously performed.