Pick-and-Place Socket Self-Teaching for Faster APS Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual assistance is required for teaching pick and place locations in automated programming systems, leading to increased setup time, operator skill requirements, and reduced productivity due to the need for human intervention in determining X, Y, Z, and Theta target locations for each workflow point.
Innovation Solution
An automated method that uses multiple pick and place cycles and mathematical models to determine and adjust target locations, with optional camera assistance via machine vision algorithms, allowing the system to self-teach and reduce operator involvement, enabling the system to begin processing without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual assistance is used to teach pick and place locations, then operator control and flexibility are maintained, but setup time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-teaching by automatically determining pick and place locations without operator intervention. The APS autonomously loads devices, captures images, processes coordinates, and establishes workflow locations, eliminating the need for manual assistance while maintaining high setup speed and accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated vision-based system. Instead of operators physically positioning devices and measuring locations, the system uses image capture devices, coordinate processing algorithms, and automated device handling to determine locations programmatically
2Measurement precision
If manual teaching of each pick and place location is performed, then accuracy can be verified by operator judgment, but the skill level required increases and setup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective operator judgment with objective machine vision measurement. Image capture devices photograph each pick and place location, and coordinate processing algorithms automatically calculate precise X, Y, Z, and Theta values, eliminating the need for skilled operator estimation while ensuring consistent accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures images of actual device positions, processes the coordinates mathematically, and uses this feedback to automatically establish accurate pick and place locations. This closed-loop approach ensures precision without requiring operator expertise in manual measurement techniques
3Productivity
If operators manually load and unload devices for teaching, then flexibility in handling different device types is maintained, but setup time increases and labor burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The APS autonomously handles device loading and unloading during the teaching process. The system automatically loads a device onto the pick and place mechanism, transports it through the workflow, and unloads it, repeating this cycle for multiple locations without operator intervention, thereby reducing both setup time and process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated setup actions including loading devices onto the mechanism and positioning them for teaching. By pre-configuring the system with blank devices and automatically initiating the teaching sequence, the process is simplified and executed faster without requiring operators to manually prepare each teaching step
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces setup time and operator skill requirements, improves accuracy and repeatability, and increases productivity by allowing the system to operate autonomously once configured, leading to higher job yield and quality.
Implementation Method 1
The APS then picks the device from socket A and moves it in succession to sockets B through 'n' to establish the X, Y, Z and Theta locations for each socket
Implementation Method 2
Alternatively, a camera will assist to identify and establish each target pick or place point using machine vision algorithms
Implementation Method 3
Using multiple pick and place cycles and analyzing results with a mathematical model, the APS will automatically determine, retain and adjust as necessary the target locations for pick and place locations within the programming job workflow
Data Source
AI summary
The operator may first place a blank device in a first socket in a first site. The APS may self-teach the position and orientation of that first socket by removing and replacing the device in the socket one or more times, and by detecting the position of the device in the socket or by monitoring a change in position of the device as it is placed into the socket. The APS then picks the device from the first socket (or from the input tray) and moves it in succession through the rest of the sockets to establish position and orientation of each socket. After all sockets are taught, the APS loads all sockets with blank devices, and programming begins. Alternatively, the programming job begins as each site is taught and before the remaining sites are taught so that production output can begin “immediately.”