Automated Pick & Place Component Data Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current automated manufacturing systems for electronic circuits face challenges in efficiently generating pick & place machine-specific component data, leading to inefficiencies in component placement and supply management, particularly when dealing with new components or component substitutions.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize multiple databases to automatically generate pick & place machine-specific component data by mapping component identifiers to shape and supply parameters, employing adaptive and machine-specific rules, and integrating CAD data and bill of materials to optimize component placement and supply processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual methods are used to generate pick & place machine-specific component data, then data accuracy can be maintained through human review, but manufacturing efficiency and productivity are reduced due to time-consuming manual processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidtime for data generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining machine-specific parameters and component characteristics in databases before actual manufacturing. When a component is selected, the system automatically retrieves and applies the appropriate parameters through pre-established mapping relationships, eliminating the need for manual data generation during production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of component data by maintaining comprehensive databases of machine-specific parameters for multiple pick & place machines. When a component needs to be placed, the system automatically copies the relevant parameter sets from the database based on component-ID mappings, avoiding repetitive manual data entry for each manufacturing operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If generic component data is used for all pick & place machines, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different machine-specific requirements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine-specific data adaptationVSAvoiddata management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables parameter changes by maintaining separate machine-specific parameter sets in databases and automatically selecting the appropriate parameters based on the target pick & place machine and component type. This allows the same component data to be adapted to different machine requirements through parameter substitution rather than creating entirely separate data sets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves universality by creating a standardized data structure with component-ID mappings that can serve multiple pick & place machines simultaneously. The database architecture allows a single component definition to be mapped to multiple machine-specific parameter sets, enabling one component data structure to fulfill multiple machine-specific functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If automated systems generate component data without comprehensive databases, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and data accuracy deteriorate due to lack of adaptive rules

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent placement precisionVSAvoiddatabase and rule system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically generating machine-specific component data through predefined databases and mapping rules without requiring manual intervention. The component-ID mapping system autonomously retrieves the correct parameters and generates the appropriate data structures, ensuring consistency and accuracy while reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If comprehensive machine-specific databases are implemented, then adaptability to different machines is improved, but loss of time for data processing and retrieval increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent data adaptabilityVSAvoiddata retrieval time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary organization of data by pre-establishing component-ID mappings and structuring databases with machine-specific parameters before manufacturing operations begin. This preliminary structuring enables rapid data retrieval during production, as the system only needs to perform simple lookups based on component IDs rather than searching through unorganized data sets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7440813B2System and methods for automatic generation of component data

Publication Date: 2008.10.21 MENTOR GRAPHICS DEV SERVICES (ISRAEL) LTD

AI summary

A method of manufacturing electronic circuits including generating CAD data, a bill of materials and an approved component vendor list for an electronic circuit and employing the CAD data, the bill of materials and the approved component vendor list for automatically generating a pick & place machine-specific component loading specification, a pick & place machine-specific component placement sequence and pick & place machine-specific component data for governing the operation of at least one specific pick & place machine in a manufacturing line.