CN1250064C - Method of supplying components to electronic component mounting or insertion machines - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of supplying components to an electronic component mounting or insertion machine having first and second component supply tables each having a plurality of component supply units, comprising the steps of: supplying components to be mounted from a supply unit to a component mounting apparatus in a predetermined order; (b) sensing exhaustion of components from a supply unit of one of the stations; and (c) continuing to supply subsequent components from another of said stations as said one station moves to the replenishment station. Other features are disclosed that allow the machine to continue feeding subsequent components from the station containing spent components prior to replenishment and skip taking components from the station being replenished and inserting the skipped components at a later time.

Description

Method of supplying components to electronic component mounting or insertion machines

aspect field

The present invention relates to a method of operating an electronic component mounting or insertion machine, and more particularly to a component supply method using a component supply device provided with a plurality of feeding tables adapted to move independently.

Background technique

A conventional component supply method used in an electronic component mounting or insertion machine for mounting or inserting electronic components onto a printed substrate will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1-4.

Figure 1 shows an example of an electronic component mounting or insertion machine. The electronic component mounting or insertion machine is composed of a main body 1 and a component supply device 2 . The main body 1 comprises a printed substrate support 3 , a swivel mount or insertion head 4 and the like. The component supply device 2 is composed of a left feed table 6 and a right feed table arranged to be freely movable on a guide rail 5 .

A plurality of component supply units 8 are respectively arranged on the supply tables 6 and 7 , and electronic components are loaded on the independent component supply units 8 according to component types. The feeding tables 6 and 7 can independently reciprocate on the guide rail 5 . Moving the feeder table 6 or 7 positions the component supply unit 8 in which electronic components of a desired type are loaded at the component supply position 9 to perform a component supply operation.

The electronic components are withdrawn by the rotary mounting or insertion head 4 at the component supply position 9 and carried to the printed substrate support device 3 by actuation of the rotary or insertion head 4 . The electronic components are then mounted on a printed substrate.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a component supply device 2 . Arrange and fix the screw rod 10 along its moving direction below the feeding tables 6 and 7 . A nut part 11 to be screwed onto the screw shaft 10 and a motor 12 with the nut part 11 driven in rotation about the screw shaft 10 are provided for each feed station 6 , 7 .

The motor 12 has a cylindrical rotor 14 positioned concentrically with the screw shaft 10 within a stator 13 fixed to the lower surfaces of the feed tables 6 and 7 and rotatably supported by bearings 15 . One end of the rotor 14 is coupled to the nut portion 11 . Accordingly, the motor 12 rotates the rotor 14 to rotate the nut portion 11 to reciprocate the feed tables 6 and 7 along the guide rail 5 independently, respectively.

When many kinds of electronic components are to be used in the printed substrates required for production, the component supply units 8 are distributed and loaded on both the left feeding table 6 and the right feeding table 7 . In this case, the respective feeding tables 6 and 7 must be moved alternately to the component feeding positions 9 according to the electronic components to be mounted. The first and second component feeding methods using these two feeding tables 6 and 7 alternately will now be described.

The first component feeding method requires only moving the feed table to be used while the other feed table not being used is stopped at the respective waiting position. FIG. 3( a ) shows the case where the left feed table 6 is used. The unused right feed table 7 is moved to the waiting position 17 and remains in the stopped state until the right feed table 7 is used again, FIG. 3( b ) shows the situation where the right feed table 7 is selected for use. The unneeded left feed table 6 moves to the waiting position 16 and comes to a standstill. The right feeding table 7 moves to the component feeding position 9 .

The second component supply method requires similar operation of both feed tables 6 and 7 regardless of which of feed tables 6 and 7 is being used. Figure 4(a) shows that the right feed table 7 is selected and Figure 4(b) shows that the left feed table is selected. In both cases, they behave as one feed table by moving together the same distance in the same direction while maintaining the required spacing between them.

In the method shown in FIG. 3, when a feed station is selected, the feed station must be moved from the waiting position to the component supply position, thereby interrupting the component supply operation, which wastes time and reduces productivity. Usually, the waiting position is separated from the component feeding position by a sufficient distance so as to avoid interference with the movement of another feeding table, which wastes a lot of time each time the feeding table is moved through this distance.

In the method of FIG. 4 , it is not necessary to travel to and from the waiting position when selecting a feeding station, thereby reducing time consumption when switching between feeding stations. However, unlike the method in FIG. 3 where only one feeding table is moved when supplying electronic components, in the method of FIG. 4 , two feeding tables must be moved simultaneously, which can cause large mechanical vibrations. Referring again to the component supply device of FIG. 2 , the vibration caused by the driving operation of the motor 12 is transmitted to the screw shaft 10 . When moving the two feeding tables 6 and 7 at the same time, the two motors 12 are driven at the same time, causing extremely large vibrations on the screw shaft 10 . The vibration of the screw shaft 10 is transmitted to the feed tables 6 and 7 mounted thereon, and thereby vibrates the component supply unit 8 and the electronic components housed therein. As a result, the rotary mounting or insertion head 4 is less successful in engaging components, and thus reduces production efficiency due to increased repair time and wasted electronic components. And the mounting or insertion accuracy of electronic components is deteriorated due to the vibration of the whole machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to alleviate the above-discussed disadvantages inherent in the prior art.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of supplying components to an electronic component mounting or insertion machine having first and second component feeding stations each having a plurality of component supplying units, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying components to be mounted from the supply unit to the component mounting apparatus in a predetermined order;

(b) sensing the exhaustion of a component in a supply unit of said station; and

(c) When the one station is moved to a supply station, the subsequent components are continuously supplied from the other station.

The method preferably further comprises the step of continuing to feed subsequent components from said one station prior to step (c), preferably until a component from said other station is to be inserted.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of, when said one station is being replenished, skipping the insertion of files from that station and inserting those components after replenishment, and preferably when the components from said one station have been skipped Then continue to insert components from the other station.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of supplying components to an electronic component mounting or insertion machine having first and second component feed stations each having a plurality of component supply units, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying components to be mounted from the supply unit to the component mounting apparatus in a predetermined order;

(b) sensing exhaustion of components from a supply unit of one of said stations; and

(c) continuing to supply components from behind the one station before moving the one station to a supply station.

The method preferably further comprises the step of continuing to feed subsequent components from said one station until insertion of components from said other station is required.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of supplying components to an electronic component mounting or insertion machine having first and second component feed stations each having a plurality of component supply units, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying components to be mounted from the supply unit to the component mounting apparatus in a predetermined order;

(b) sensing exhaustion of components from a supply unit of one of said stations and moving that station to a replenishment station; and

(c) Continue feeding the following components and skip inserting components from the one station and inserting these components after replenishment.

In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, whenever the component supply unit on the component feed table at the component take-out position is used up, the extraction operation will follow the instruction from the production program to follow the component on the component feed table. Continue on the supply unit. When switching component supply tables, a table that has used up one of its component supply units will be moved out to a designated position to replenish the component supply units. Simultaneously with the replenishment period of the component supply unit of a specific station, the switched component supply station continues the component extraction operation. After the completion of the component supply replenishment process to the component supply unit on a particular component feeder, the extraction of the previously exhausted component supply unit begins once the switched component feeder completes its extraction procedure. Inserting components at the end of a station after sensing component exhaustion reduces the transit distance between stations, thereby reducing overall changeover time. Using the replenishment time of one station to continue to insert another station, the interruption of the extraction operation of the host machine is reduced to a small degree, thereby reducing time waste and improving the overall productivity of the machine.

A brief introduction to the attached drawings

Embodiments of the invention are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a plan view showing the construction of an electronic component mounting or insertion machine;

Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing the structure of the document supply device;

3(a) and 3(b) are views showing the first component supply method of the prior art;

4(a) and 4(b) are views showing the second component supply method of the prior art;

5 is a flowchart showing a first component supply routine of an embodiment of the component supply method of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a second component supply routine of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the component replenishment routine of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6;

Figure 8 shows five possible component supply and replacement scenarios using an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

An embodiment of the component insertion method of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5-7. It will be appreciated that the method can be used with prior art electronic component mounting or insertion machines as previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 .

The embodiment of the invention to be described is characterized in that if a station runs out of specific components for insertion, the machine looks ahead in the list of components to be inserted and continues to insert successive components on the same list. When there are no more consecutive components to be inserted on the station, the station is placed in a waiting position for insertion of replacement components, but the machine does not stop at this point if there are any insertable components from another station components, they are inserted, taking advantage of some downtime while the station is being refilled. This action is similarly performed when another station runs out of a particular component, as will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

The electronic component mounting or insertion machine shown in Figures 1 and 2 is microprocessor controlled and programmed to insert multiple components into a printed substrate. In this embodiment, each feeding table 6, 7 can store 60 components, and the components Z1-Z60 on the feeding table 6 and the components Z61-Z120 on the feeding table 7 are in separate component supply units. The order in which the components are taken out from the component supply unit 8 mounted on the feed tables 6 and 7 together with the positions where the components are inserted into the printed substrate is programmed in the machine. The main program controls the operation of the machine. For each cycle of component insertion or mounting, the subroutines shown in Figures 5 and 6 are called.

Referring to Figure 5, the routine begins at step 100 and at step 105 specifies the first station, which may be one of station 6 or station 7, depending on where the first element of the production run is located. The first unit thus designated is then selected for insertion at step 110. After the first element has been inserted, a check is made whether the element has been used up. If not, it is checked in step 130 whether the end point of the insertion procedure for this PCB has been reached. If yes, the subroutine ends and returns to the main program. If not, it is determined in step 140 whether to insert the next component from the first station, if so, loop to step 110 to insert the next first station component.

If it is determined at step 120 that the component inserted just now has been used up, then at step 200 it is checked whether the next component is from the second station. If not, then at step 210 it is checked whether the end point of the insertion procedure for this PCB has been reached. If so, at step 220 the first unit is moved to a waiting position for replenishment and the routine ends at step 150 as before. If not, the program loops to step 110 to insert the next first component.

If it is determined at step 140 that the next component does not come from the first station, then at step 230 it is checked whether a component out condition has been determined for the second station. If yes, the next second station element is skipped because the second station is in the waiting replenishment position. And at this point save the identity of the element for later insertion once the second unit has been resupplied. It is then checked at step 250 whether the next component is from the first station. If so, the routine loops to step 110 for component insertion. If not, it is checked in step 260 whether the end point of the insertion procedure for this PCB has been reached. If so, the routine ends at step 150, but if not, the routine loops back to step 240 to skip and save the next second unit. This continues until the first component is found at step 250 and/or the end of the insert routine is reached at step 260 .

If one of step 200 or steps 140 and 230 determines that the next element is the second element, then the first and second elements are exchanged in step 270, and if necessary, the first element is moved to the waiting replenishment position in steps 275 and 280 .

From step 270, the routine moves to another routine shown at step 310 in Figure 6, using the second station for insertion. The routine in FIG. 6 operates in almost the same manner as the routine in FIG. 5 , giving the same steps the same reference numerals plus 200.

The main difference between the two routines is that the first moves the second station to the waiting position at step 500 after the insertion has ended at step 460 (corresponding to step 260). Primarily, this step moves the second machine out of the path to avoid collision and interference with the first, which has priority.

Second, in step 400 (corresponding to step 200), if the next component is the first component, then in step 430 it is checked whether the first unit is in an exhausted state, if not, in step 510, whether the second unit is checked In the exhausted state, if yes, the second station is moved to the waiting position at step 520 and a determination is made at step 530 whether the insertion process is complete. If yes, the routine ends at step 530, and if not, at step 470 the first and second stations are swapped.

As shown in FIG. 7, the waiting positions of the first and second stations and the supply conditions of the component supply unit are independently monitored. As shown in this flowchart, it is determined at loop 600, 610 whether one of the first and second stations is in the waiting position. If the first station is found to be in the waiting position, a check is made at step 620 to determine whether the second station is also in the waiting position. If not, then at step 630 only the first station is monitored to determine when replenishment is complete. When this event occurs, the second station is checked back at step 640 to determine whether the second station has completed insertion (step of FIG. 6 ). Once the insertion is complete, the first station is moved back at step 650 .

If at step 620 the second station is found to be in the waiting position, then at steps 660 and 670 the first and second stations are checked one by one to determine which one is replenished first. The station is then moved back at step 680 or 690, and then at step 700 or 710 it is determined whether the other is still replenishing. Once finished, it is judged in steps 720, 730 whether the station that has moved back in step 680 or 690 has completed insertion (Fig. 5 is used for the first station and Fig. 6 is used for the second station). Move back to another to start plugging.

If, in loop 600, 610, it is determined that the second station is in the waiting position instead of the first station, then steps 760, 770 and 780 are taken which are similar to steps 620-640 described above.

Once the replenished station has been moved back at step 650, 750, 740 or 780, the routine ends at step 790 and returns to start point 795 to continue monitoring the positions of the first and second stations as before.

Once a station has been replenished and moved, the main program again calls the subroutines of Figures 5 and 6 and inserts the missing elements saved in steps 240 and 440.

Five simplified examples of the operation of the present invention are shown in FIG. 8, now describing the respective components to be machined into the printed substrate of 6 components in the sequence shown, wherein components Z1-Z60 are located on feed table 6. The components z61-z120 are similarly located on the feed table 7 in the supply unit. All examples start with the main program calling the routine in Figure 5.

In case 1, since the first component Z1 to be inserted is on the platform 6, the platform 6 is designated as the first platform in step 105, and components z1 and Z30 are inserted through steps 110, 120, 130, and 140. Element z30 then becomes exhausted. Since element Z60 is on the first station and is not used up, it is inserted through loops 120,130,140,110. However, the next element Z61 is on the second station, so at step 120 the routine branches through steps 200 to steps 275, 280 where the first station is moved to a waiting position for replenishment Z30 and exchanged at step 270 First and second. The routine then passes to the flow chart of Figure 6, elements Z61 and Z80 are inserted, and then Z80 is exhausted. The next component z120 from the second station is inserted via steps 320 , 330 , 340 , 310 . Since element z120 is the last element, the routine continues through steps 320 , 400 , 410 , 420 , moving the second station to the waiting position to replenish element Z80 , and the routine ends at step 350 .

Then replenish the first and second units according to the routine of FIG. 7, and then the main program replaces the completed circuit board with a new circuit board and calls the routine of FIG. 5 again.

In case 2, station 6 is designated as the first station. Element Z1 is first taken and then the two stations are exchanged through steps 120 , 130 , 230 , 275 , 270 . Z80 is taken out to be exhausted, and the next component Z60 is on stage 1 . The routine goes back to the first station and moves the second station to the waiting replenishment position via steps 320, 400, 430, 510, 520, 530, 470. Insert Z60 but the next element Z61 is on the second table. However, the second station has been moved to a waiting position waiting for components to be inserted. As a result, component Z61 is skipped and saved through steps 130, 230, 240, and component Z30 from the first station is inserted in steps 250, 110. The Z120 from the second station is also skipped via steps 130 , 230 , 240 before the routine ends via steps 250 , 260 , 150 . Resupply the second and move it back to its working position following the routine in Figure 7. Then the main program calls the routine of FIG. 5 again, this time for the indel elements Z61 and Z120. Since Z61 is on station 7, this station is now designated as the first station and steps 110, 120, 130, 140, 110, 120, 130 are used to insert elements Z61 and Z120 before terminating at step 150.

In case 3, station 6 is designated as the first station and components z1 and Z30 are inserted. But thereafter element Z30 became exhausted. Since the next element Z61 is on the second station, at step 280 the first station is moved to the waiting position and at step 270 the two stations are exchanged. Control passes to the flowchart of Figure 6, which then inserts Z61. Since component Z60 comes from the first station but this station is currently replenishing component Z30, skip and save component Z60 through steps 320, 330, 430, 440, and two cycles of steps 450 and 310-340 before ending at step 350 Take components Z80 and Z120. Once replenished, the first machine returns to its working position and the main program calls the routine of Figure 5 again, this time via steps 110, 120, 130, 150 to insert the missing element Z60.

In case 4, station 6 is designated as the first station and the components Z1 and Z30 are taken from the first station through the loop 110-140, and then the component Z61 is taken from the second station through steps 110, 120, 200, 275, 270, and 310. make it exhausting. Thereby, the second station is moved to the waiting position and the second station and the first station are exchanged through steps 320, 400, 430, 510, 520, 530 and 470. Then from Figure 5, element Z60 is inserted and also becomes exhausted. By steps 110, 120, 200, 275, 280, 270 the first station is moved to the waiting position and the first and second stations are exchanged. The program then waits at step 310 until the second table is moved back to the insertion position using the routine of FIG. 7 before continuing to insert component Z80.

In case 5, component insertion starts from designating stage 7 as the first stage at step 105 because the first component Z61 is on stage 7 . Elements Z61 and Z80 are inserted through loops 110, 120, 130, 140, 110, at which point element Z80 becomes depleted. The next component Z120 is also from the first station so this component is taken through steps 120 , 200 , 210 , 110 . The next element z1 is on the second station, so the two stations are exchanged and the first station is moved to the waiting replenishment position by steps 130, 140, 230, 275, 280, 270. The next element Z81 is from the first station, but the first station is in the waiting position because it is currently replenishing Z80, skip and save the element Z81 and go through steps 310, 320, 330, 340, 430, 440, 450, 310, 320 , 330, 350 provide the last second component Z60. Once the second station is replenished, it is moved back to its working position, and the main program then calls the routine of Figure 5 to complete the insertion of component Z80.

It should be understood that in the following claims, references to plural "elements" are to be considered as equivalent to singular references to "elements."

Claims (8)

1, a kind ofly install or insertion machine provides the method for element to electronic component, this machine has first and second element rollway, and each rollway has a plurality of component feedings unit, and this method comprises the steps:

(a) predetermined order provides the element that will install to component mounting apparatus from feed unit;

(b) sensing using up from the element of one described feed unit; And

(c) when a described platform is moved to depot, continue to supply with element, wherein from another back of described

(d) this predesigned order is changed.

2, desired method in the claim 1 also is included in step (c) and continues the step of supply from the element of the back of a described platform before.

3, desired method in the claim 2 also comprises and continue supplying with from the element of the back of a described platform up to inserting from the step till described another the element.

4, desired method in any one in the claim of front also comprises the steps, when just at the described platform of supply, skips the insertion from this element, and insert these elements after supply.

5, desired method in the claim 4 also is included in to skip and continues after the element to insert from described another the step of element.

6, a kind of method to electronic component installation or insertion machine feed element, this machine has first and second element rollway, and each rollway has a plurality of component feedings unit, and this method comprises the steps:

(a) predetermined order provides the element that will install to component mounting apparatus from feed unit;

(b) sensing using up from the element of one described feed unit; And

(c) a described platform is moved to the element that depot continues to supply with from a described platform back before, wherein

(d) this predesigned order is changed.

7, desired method in the claim 6 comprises that also the element that continuation is supplied with the back from a described platform inserts from the step till another the element up to needs.

8, a kind of method to electronic component installation or insertion machine feed element, this machine has first and second element rollway, and each rollway has a plurality of component feedings unit, and this method comprises the steps:

(a) predetermined order provides the element that will install to component mounting apparatus from feed unit;

(b) sensing using up and this moved to depot from the element of one described feed unit; And

(c) element after continue supplying with and skip from the insertion of the element of a described platform and after supply, insert these elements, wherein

(d) this predesigned order is changed.

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