Component Mounting Line Fiducial Fallback for Print Defects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic component mounting machines face accuracy issues when they cannot read solder paste marks due to print defects, leading to potential misalignment and low accuracy in component placement, especially if operators manually intervene with low skill levels.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an electronic component mounting machine equipped with an image-capturing device to capture sub-fiducial marks, allowing the control device to determine component placement using main fiducial marks when readable, and switching to sub-fiducial marks when main marks are not readable, with information transmission along a production line to skip unreadable marks, thereby maintaining high accuracy and automating the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual specification of solder paste mark by operator is used when automatic reading fails, then the system can handle print defects, but the mounting accuracy decreases due to operator skill limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle print defectsVSAvoidmounting accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of both the main fiducial mark and sub-fiducial mark before mounting, and pre-establishes the backup reference mechanism. When the main mark is unreadable, the system has already prepared the sub-fiducial mark as a fallback reference, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention and maintaining automated precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sub-fiducial mark serves as an intermediary reference when the main fiducial mark is unreadable. Instead of directly involving operators, the system uses this intermediate reference point to determine mounting positions, maintaining automated operation while handling print defects effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If operator manual specification is used to handle unreadable marks, then print defect cases can be processed, but the production time increases due to manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to process print defect casesVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system captures images of both main fiducial mark and sub-fiducial mark in advance before mounting operations. This preliminary action ensures that when print defects occur, the system can immediately switch to the backup reference without waiting for manual intervention, thus maintaining production speed while handling defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically switching between main fiducial mark and sub-fiducial mark based on readability. The control device autonomously determines which reference to use without requiring operator input, eliminating time loss from manual intervention while maintaining adaptability to print defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If only main fiducial mark is used for mounting position determination, then the process is simple, but the system fails when main mark has print defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereference system simplicityVSAvoidsystem reliability with print defects

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reference system is segmented into two independent parts: main fiducial mark for normal operation and sub-fiducial mark as backup. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity by using only the main mark when readable, while providing reliability through the sub-fiducial mark when the main mark has print defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system preliminarily establishes both main and sub-fiducial marks as reference options before mounting. This preliminary preparation enables automatic switching based on readability, maintaining system simplicity during normal operation while ensuring reliability when print defects occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11291149B2Electronic component mounting machine and production line

Publication Date: 2022.03.29 FUJI CORP

AI summary

An electronic component mounting machine includes an image-capturing device and a control device. The image-capturing device captures the images of sub-fiducial marks and main fiducial marks. When the control device can read the main fiducial marks from the images captured by the image-capturing device, the control device determines the mounting positions of the electronic components with respect to a substrate with reference to the main fiducial marks. On the other hand, when the main fiducial marks cannot be read from the images due to a print defect of the main fiducial marks, the control device determines the mounting positions of the electronic components with respect to the substrate with reference to the sub-fiducial marks which are the reference sources of the image-capturing positions of the main fiducial marks.