PCB Population Optimization via Fixed Set-Up Families
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for populating printed circuit boards with pick-and-place systems are inefficient in utilizing multiple lines for producing diverse board types, leading to suboptimal capacity utilization and increased costs due to frequent setup changes and labor-intensive setup table modifications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating set-up families with assigned component types and using mixed integer programming to optimize the assignment of printed circuit board types to fixed and variant set-ups across multiple pick-and-place lines, maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime by determining optimal fixed set-ups that can be reused for extended periods and variant set-ups for specific tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If exchangeable set-up tables (shuttle tables) are used to change set-ups on pick-and-place machines, then the ability to produce different printed circuit board types is improved, but the cost and time required for setup changes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and determines optimal fixed set-ups for multiple pick-and-place lines before production begins. By performing the optimization calculation in advance using historical data and production requirements, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming setup changes during production, while still maintaining the ability to produce different PCB types through the pre-determined fixed set-up assignments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal optimization model that can be applied to any number of pick-and-place lines simultaneously. The mixed integer programming approach generates a comprehensive assignment plan that optimizes the entire system of multiple lines, allowing each line to operate with its own fixed set-up while contributing to the overall production of diverse PCB types.
2Productivity
If multiple pick-and-place lines are used to produce diverse board types, then productivity is improved, but capacity utilization becomes suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the optimization of multiple pick-and-place lines into a single unified system. By merging the decision-making process for all lines and applying mixed integer programming to the entire system simultaneously, the patent ensures that capacity is optimally distributed across all lines, maximizing overall utilization while maintaining high productivity through parallel production of different PCB types.
3Loss of time
If fixed set-ups are used on pick-and-place machines, then setup change time is reduced, but the number of producible printed circuit board types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the production system into multiple pick-and-place lines, each assigned a specific fixed set-up. By dividing the overall production task across multiple lines with different fixed set-ups, the system can produce a wide variety of PCB types simultaneously without any single line needing to change set-ups, thus maintaining both low setup time and high versatility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If set-up composition is changed frequently to match production requirements, then adaptability to different board types is improved, but operational complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary optimization calculations to determine the best fixed set-up assignments for multiple lines before production begins. By calculating the optimal configuration in advance based on production requirements and historical data, the system achieves high adaptability to different board types without the operational complexity of frequent setup changes, as each line operates with its predetermined fixed set-up throughout production.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for populating printed circuit boards, which includes the steps of registering jobs in each case relating to the population of a number of printed circuit boards of a printed circuit board type with components of predetermined component types, assigning printed circuit board types of the registered jobs to a predetermined number of fixed set-up families, optimizing the assignment in such a way that a characteristic number relating to all the pick-and-place lines of the pick-and-place system is optimized as far as possible, and populating the printed circuit boards on one of the pick-and-place lines by using one of the fixed set-ups.