Component Mounting Line Image Comparison for Error Source Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In component mounting lines, detecting mounting errors requires operators to manually compare images from inspection and component mounters, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and often difficult to determine which device erroneously recognized the component state.

Innovation Solution

A manufacturing management system that includes an image searching section to automatically retrieve and display comparative images of the mounted and suction states of components, allowing for efficient confirmation of inspection and recognition results, and facilitating identification of erroneous recognition by either the inspection machine or component mounter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If operators manually check images from both inspection machine and component mounter to investigate mounting errors, then the cause of mounting errors can be identified, but the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting error investigation accuracyVSAvoidtime required for mounting error investigation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the image data from the inspection machine and the component mounter into a single integrated system. The image storage section stores both the mounted state image (from inspection machine) and the suction state image (from component mounter) together with associated production information, allowing operators to access both images simultaneously through one interface rather than manually checking separate systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an image management system that acts as an intermediary between the inspection machine and component mounter. This system automatically retrieves, stores, and manages images from both devices, and provides a unified access interface that eliminates the need for operators to manually navigate between separate systems, thereby reducing investigation time while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If operators separately check images from inspection machine and component mounter, then both recognition results can be confirmed, but it is difficult to determine which device made the erroneous recognition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecognition result verificationVSAvoidease of determining error source

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the image data from the inspection machine and the component mounter into a single integrated system. The image storage section stores both the mounted state image (from inspection machine) and the suction state image (from component mounter) together with associated production information, allowing operators to access both images simultaneously through one interface rather than manually checking separate systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to the image display by showing both the mounted state image and the suction state image together in a comparative view. This dimensional change from separate sequential viewing to simultaneous comparative viewing allows operators to easily identify which device made the erroneous recognition by directly comparing the two images side by side.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of information

If operators access images from separate systems (inspection machine and component mounter), then complete inspection data can be obtained, but the process requires multiple system accesses and operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of inspection dataVSAvoidnumber of systems to access

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal image management system that can access and store images from multiple sources (inspection machine and component mounter) through a single interface. The image storage section is designed to universally store both types of images with their associated production information, eliminating the need for operators to access multiple separate systems while ensuring complete inspection data is obtained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11367170B2Manufacturing management system for component mounting line

Publication Date: 2022.06.21 FUJI CORP

AI summary

A component mounter images suction states of components picked up by a suction nozzle, processes images of the suction states of the components to recognize the suction state of the component, and stores the images in a storage device with linking production information related to the components. An inspection machine images a mounted state of each component on a board, processes an image of mounted state of each component to recognize the mounted state of each component, and inspects whether a mounting error occurred for each component based on the recognition result. The inspection machine determines that a mounting error occurred for any of the components the image of the mounted state of the component for which a mounting error was determined to have occurred and a searched image of the suction state of the component are displayed on the display monitor in a comparative manner.