Surface Mount Line Quality Management via State-Based Parameter Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The quality of a surface mount production line varies unpredictably after temporary stoppages, such as component replacements or parameter adjustments, making it difficult to predict and prevent defective products.

Innovation Solution

A quality management apparatus that learns and adjusts setting parameters for solder printing, mounting, and reflow furnaces based on the operation state of the production line, including the cause and duration of stoppages, to maintain reliable product quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the surface mount production line is temporarily stopped for component replacement or parameter adjustment, then maintenance and optimization can be performed, but the quality state becomes unpredictable after restart

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance capabilityVSAvoidquality predictability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary recording of operation states (stoppage causes, durations, parameters) before quality issues occur. By storing this historical data in advance, the system can later retrieve and apply appropriate correction information when similar states are detected, preventing quality variations before they happen.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where quality data and operation state data are continuously collected, analyzed, and used to generate correction information. This correction information is then fed back to adjust manufacturing parameters, creating a closed-loop system that continuously improves quality predictability after stoppages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the same manufacturing parameters are used after restart, then operational simplicity is maintained, but quality variation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter consistencyVSAvoidproduct quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static parameter settings to dynamic parameter adjustment. Based on the detected operation state (type of stoppage, duration, conditions), the system automatically determines and applies different correction information to adjust parameters dynamically, ensuring optimal quality for each specific restart scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes manufacturing parameters based on recorded operation states. By storing correction information associated with different stoppage scenarios and retrieving the appropriate corrections after restart, the system adjusts parameters to compensate for quality variations caused by different types of stoppages and restart conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If traditional quality management is used without considering operation state, then system simplicity is maintained, but failure prediction capability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanagement system complexityVSAvoidfailure prediction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments quality management into distinct operation state categories (different stoppage causes, durations, and types). By dividing the continuous operation space into discrete states with specific correction strategies, the system makes complex quality management more structured and manageable while improving prediction accuracy for each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a universal quality management framework that handles multiple types of stoppages and restart scenarios through a single integrated approach. The same correction information storage and retrieval mechanism works across different stoppage causes, durations, and production conditions, providing comprehensive failure prediction without requiring separate systems for each scenario.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3119176B1Quality management apparatus, quality management method and program
Publication Date: 2020.04.01 OMRON CORP
  • EP3119176B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3119176B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2
  • EP3119176B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A quality management apparatus for managing a surface mount production line for performing: a solder printing step of printing solder onto a printed circuit board by using a solder printing apparatus; a mounting step of arranging electronic components on the printed circuit board by using a mounter; and a reflow step of soldering the electronic components by using a reflow furnace. The quality management apparatus includes: state acquisition means for acquiring a state of the surface mount production line; correction information storage means for storing correction information for correcting a setting parameter for at least one of the production facilities, for each state; and correction means for acquiring, from the correction information storage means, correction information that corresponds to the state acquired by the state acquisition means, and correcting the setting parameter for at least one of the production facilities, using the acquired correction information. With this quality management apparatus, it is possible to manage the surface mount production line based on the operation state of the surface mount production line, and reduce the possibility of failures occurring.