Screw Blade Roller Detachment of Soldered PCB Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detaching electronic components from mounting substrates are inefficient and costly due to poor workability and high damage rates, especially when dealing with components adhered by solder, which complicates the recovery of precious and rare metals.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus featuring a screw blade roller with opposing screw blades arranged in multiple stages, combined with a substrate heating system that softens the solder, allowing for efficient and reliable detachment of electronic components without excessive force or damage, using a conveyor with a tilting mechanism to handle multiple substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual stripping tools with claws are used to detach electronic components, then specific components can be selected and separated for sorting, but the workability is poor and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting substrate is divided into multiple regions with different gap sizes between the substrate and electronic components. The screw blade roller is correspondingly divided into multiple stages, with each stage having a specific gap size designed to detach components of different heights. This segmentation allows efficient batch detachment of multiple component types simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between selective capability and processing efficiency.
2Reliability
If heat treatment is applied to melt solder and weaken adhesion, then electronic components can be removed from the substrate, but many components still cannot be detached and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Heat treatment is applied as a preliminary action before the mechanical detachment process. The substrate is heated to melt the solder and weaken the adhesion between electronic components and the substrate. This preliminary softening of the adhesive enables the subsequent screw blade roller to easily detach components that would otherwise be firmly attached, significantly improving the component removal rate while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If excessive force is applied to detach components firmly attached by solder, then more components can be removed, but the damage rate of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap size between the screw blade roller and the substrate is changed as a critical parameter to match the height of electronic components at different stages. By adjusting the gap size parameter, the screw blade roller applies just enough force to detach components without excessive force that could cause damage. This parameter optimization enables high component detachment quantity while minimizing damage rates.
4Productivity
If multiple stages of screw blade rollers are used to handle components of different heights, then detachment efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each screw blade roller stage is designed with dual functionality: it serves both as a support structure for the substrate and as the active detachment element through its screw blade configuration. The rollers are arranged in multiple stages, with each stage handling components of specific height ranges. This multi-functional design achieves high detachment efficiency for various component types while controlling device complexity through standardized roller modules.
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
The apparatus enables efficient and cost-effective separation of electronic components by reducing damage and extending the life of the screw blade roller and motor, allowing for continuous processing and high-volume recovery of valuable metals from used substrates.
Implementation Method 1
the mounting substrate is heat-treated at a temperature at which the solder melts or softens to weaken the adhesion of the electronic components to the mounting substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is provided for detaching substrate components such as electronic components mounted on a substrate. The apparatus has a screw blade roller having a screw blade attached to a rotary shaft of the screw blade roller, wherein the apparatus causes the screw blade roller to come into contact with the electronic components mounted on the substrate and detaches the electronic components while the screw blade roller rotates. In the apparatus, two or more screw blades are arranged, and the winding direction of the screw blade(s) in one side of the screw blade roller is opposite to the winding direction of the screw blade(s) in the other side of the screw blade roller. Also, the screw blade roller is placed at a front side of the substrate where many components are typically mounted. A feed roller supporting a rear side of the substrate is placed at the rear side of the substrate.