Nozzle Managing System Operator Verification Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nozzle managing systems lack an efficient method to determine and control nozzle transfer based on operator input and device information, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies in nozzle placement and replacement.

Innovation Solution

The system acquires nozzle information from operator input and nozzle placing device information, and controls nozzle transfer accordingly, ensuring that the correct suction nozzles are transferred to the intended devices based on work plan information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If automatic nozzle transfer is performed based on nozzle information from host PC, then transfer automation is improved, but reliability of nozzle placement deteriorates due to lack of operator control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle transfer automationVSAvoidnozzle placement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays nozzle information on a display unit and accepts operator input to confirm or correct the automatic selection. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to verify the automatically selected nozzle and make corrections if needed, thereby maintaining automation while improving reliability through human verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary between the automatic nozzle selection system and the final placement action. It processes both automatic selections from the host PC and manual corrections from the operator, mediating between automated efficiency and manual reliability to determine the final nozzle transfer execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If manual nozzle selection is performed by operator input, then reliability of nozzle placement is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to increased setup time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle placement accuracyVSAvoidsetup efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic nozzle selection partially, then stops to allow operator verification only when necessary. The operator can choose to review and confirm the automatic selection (partial manual action) or correct it if errors are detected, avoiding full manual selection and maintaining productivity while ensuring reliability when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary automatic nozzle selection based on work plan information before operator review. This preliminary action reduces the operator's workload to verification and correction only, rather than requiring complete manual selection, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive nozzle information is processed, then manufacturing precision of nozzle placement is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple information sources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle placement precisionVSAvoidinformation processing system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit is designed to handle multiple information sources (host PC data, work plan information, operator input) through a single universal interface. It can process automatic selections, manual corrections, and display information uniformly, reducing the need for separate specialized systems for each function and thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3209107B1Nozzle managing system
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 FUJI CORP
  • EP3209107B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3209107B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3209107B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A nozzle managing system in which suction nozzles can be suitably transferred is provided. A nozzle managing machine 6 includes a tray holding section that holds a tray T, a palette accommodation device as a nozzle stocker, and a nozzle transfer device that transfers the suction nozzles N between the tray T and the palette accommodation device. In addition, the nozzle managing machine 6 acquires tray information that is information indicating the tray T held in the tray holding section, acquires nozzle information corresponding to the tray T on the basis of the tray information and JOB information stored in a memory section 262 of a host PC 8, and controls the nozzle transfer device on the basis of the nozzle information. Consequently, the tray information is automatically acquired, the suction nozzles are transferred on the basis of the nozzle information corresponding to the tray information, and the suction nozzles N can be suitably transferred corresponding to the tray T.