JPH068080A - Work supply control system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention is to mount a plurality of component mounters and testers along a transfer line while sequentially transferring a work such as a printed board unit in the process of being manufactured or manufactured in one direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a work supply control system applicable to an automated line in which a work is processed by a processing facility such as the above, and to provide a system that can easily deal with expansion and contraction of the line. A transfer line 1 for transferring a work, a plurality of processing equipments 2 provided along the transfer line, a handler 3 for selectively performing an operation of taking the work into the processing equipment 2 and a passing operation of the work, and a work It is composed of an identification unit 4 for identifying unique data for specifying, a common control unit 5, and an individual control unit 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention conveys a work such as a printed board unit which is in the process of being produced or is produced in one direction in sequence, and a plurality of component mounting machines and test machines provided along the conveying line The present invention relates to a work supply control system applicable to an automated line in which a work is processed by the processing equipment.

In recent years, in the field of electronic equipment, products have become smaller, lighter and more multifunctional, and printed board units constituting them have been increasingly mounted at high density. As a result, the number of parts has increased and the parts have become smaller and more complicated, making it difficult to mount parts and test products manually.Many processing facilities such as manufacturing facilities and test facilities have been introduced in factories. It was In addition, due to soaring labor costs in factories, there is a demand for efficiently operating those expensive equipments that have been introduced as much as possible. On the other hand, the diversification of customer needs and the shortening of product life cycle are progressing, and factories are being forced to reduce the number of products in multiple types and shorten the delivery time. ing.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a test line of a printed circuit board unit, when the processing capacity of the line is insufficient and a plurality of lines cannot be installed, in order to increase the processing capacity of the entire line, one line of the same kind I was dealing with this by arranging multiple test machines of. Specifically, the test program of the testing machine is divided into several phases, and if the number of phases is 10 and the number of testing machines is 2, the first testing machine starts from the first phase. The test up to the fifth phase is performed, and the second tester performs the tests from the sixth to the tenth phase, so that one test program is divided into two and the two testers share this. Therefore, the test time was shortened.

[0004]

In the case of a conventional system in which a test program is divided and each part is shared by a plurality of test machines of the same type, when a test machine is added to increase the processing capacity of the line. The work of dividing a new test program occurs depending on the number of additional test machines. Also,
There is also a problem that the number of man-hours for maintenance of the test program becomes large in the case of a high-mix low-volume line in which there are many types of products to be processed. Therefore, according to the conventional technique, it is not easy to deal with the expansion and contraction of lines.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a work supply control system in which it is easy to deal with expansion and contraction of a line.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a work supply control system of the present invention, and this diagram shows a configuration specified by claim 1.

The transfer line 1 sequentially transfers a plurality of works to be processed in one direction. The plurality of processing facilities 2 provided along the transfer line 1 perform the same processing on the work.

A plurality of handlers 3 provided corresponding to the processing equipment 2 selectively perform the operation of taking in the work transferred by the transfer line 1 to the processing equipment and the operation of passing the work.

A plurality of identifying means 4 provided corresponding to the processing equipment 2 identify the unique data for identifying the work carried by the carrying line 1. Common control unit 5
Includes means for sequentially storing information regarding whether or not the processing is completed in any of the plurality of processing equipments 2 for all the works in association with the unique data.

A plurality of individual control parts 6 provided corresponding to the processing equipment 2 inquire the common control part 5 about the above-mentioned information about the work specified by the unique data identified by the identification means 4, and the processing is completed. The processing equipment 2 and the handler 3 are individually controlled so as to selectively take in a work that has not been processed and process the work.

In the configuration shown in the figure, three sets (# 1 to # 3) of the processing equipment 2, the handler 3, the identification means 4 and the individual control section 6 are provided.

[0012]

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the individual control section 6 can detect the operating state of the processing equipment 2, that is, whether the processing equipment 2 is operating or not operating. As a result of the inquiry from the individual control unit 6 to the common control unit 5, even if the processing of the inquired work in one of the processing facilities is not completed, the processing facility 2 does not If it is operating, the individual control unit 6 controls the handler 3 so as to pass the work.

An outline of the work supply control in this case will be described below. Now, assume a case where four works are sequentially transported by the transport line 1. First, when the unique data of the first work is identified by the identification unit 4 (# 1), the individual control unit 6 (# 1) determines that the work is one of the processing facilities 2 (# 1 to # 3). The common control unit 5 is inquired about the information as to whether the processing has already been completed. Here, the processing for the work is not completed,
Moreover, since the processing equipment 2 (# 1) is not in operation, the handler 3 (# 1) takes the work from the transfer line 1 into the processing equipment 2 (# 1) and performs the processing, so that the individual control unit 6
(# 1) is handler 3 (# 1) and processing facility 2 (# 1)
To control.

Next, when the unique data of the second work is identified by the identification means 4 (# 1), the processing is not completed for this work, but the processing equipment 2 (# 1) is operating. Therefore, in order for the handler 3 (# 1) to pass the second work, the individual control unit 6 (# 1) is set to the handler 3 (#
1) is controlled.

This second work is subsequently processed by the identification means 4 (#
The unique data is identified by 2), and the individual control unit 6 (# 2) makes an inquiry to the common control unit 5 based on this identification. As a result, it is found that the processing for the second work has not been completed, and since the processing equipment 2 (# 2) is not operating, the handler 3 (# 2) moves from the transfer line 1 to the second work. The individual control unit 6 (# 2) uses the handler 3 (# 2) in order to load the data into the processing facility 2 (# 2) and perform processing.
And the processing facility 2 (# 2).

During the operation of the processing equipment 2 (# 1, # 2), the third
When the unique data of the work is identified by the identification means 4 (# 1, # 2), the individual control unit 6 (# 1, # 2) makes an inquiry to the common control unit 5 and, as a result, about the third work. However, since the processing equipment 2 (# 1, # 2) is in operation, this third work passes through the handler 3 (# 1, # 2) and the identification means Four
Reach (# 3). Then, this third work is taken into the processing facility 2 (# 3) that is not in operation, and the processing for the third work is performed here.

Since each processing equipment 2 (# 1 to # 3) performs the same processing on the work, the processing equipment 2 (# 1) which first started the processing completes the processing first. Processing equipment 2
The first work that has been processed in (# 1) is returned to the transfer line 1 by, for example, the handler 3 (# 1), and this work is transferred again in the transfer line 1. When the unique data is identified by the identifying means 4 (# 2, # 3) on the second work that has completed this process, the individual control unit 6 (# 2, #).
3) makes an inquiry to the common control unit 5, but since the processing of the second work has already been completed in the processing equipment 2 (# 1), this second work is processed by the processing equipment 2 (# 2, # 2).
It is not included in 3).

Then, the fourth work is taken into the processing facility 2 (# 1) from which the first work is discharged and processed. As described above, according to the present invention, since the plurality of equivalent processing equipments are provided, the processing capacity for the work is improved. Further, since each processing facility is made to perform the same processing, when adding the processing facility, a handler corresponding to the already installed processing facility, a handler similar to the identification means and the individual control unit, It is only necessary to add the identification means and the individual control unit, and it is easy to deal with the expansion and contraction of the line.

[0019]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an automatic test line of a printed board unit to which the work supply control system of the present invention can be applied. The printed board unit is manufactured by mounting (for example, surface mounting) a circuit component such as an IC on a printed wiring board.

The printed board unit (workpiece) conveyed by the conveyor 11 from the manufacturing process is further conveyed by the conveyor 12 to the in-circuit tester 13.
In the in-circuit tester 13, a continuity test or the like is performed on the printed board unit, and the printed board unit that has completed the test is discharged onto the turntable 14. The turntable 14 selectively sends the printed board unit to the conveyor 15 or the power supply tester 18 based on a command from a line management personal computer described later.

The printed board unit supplied to the conveyor 15 is turned by the turntable 16 and carried into the scheduler 17. The scheduler 17 has a storage shelf for temporarily storing the carried-in printed board unit.

On the other hand, the printed board unit which has been carried in from the turntable 14 to the power supply tester 18 and finished the test is successively conveyed in one direction by the conveyor 19. Reference numerals 21 (# 1 to # 3) represent three functional testing machines provided along the conveyor 19, and these functional testing machines 21
(# 1 to # 3) tests whether or not the supplied printed circuit board unit operates normally.

Reference numeral 20 (# 1 to # 3) is each functional testing machine 2
1 (# 1 to # 3), the handlers 20 (# 1 to # 3) are provided on the conveyor 19 based on an instruction from a testing machine personal computer (to be described later).
The printed board unit conveyed by is carried out alternatively to the operation of taking it into the functional testing machine and the operation of passing it. In addition, the handlers 20 (# 1 to # 3) perform an operation of ejecting the printed board unit, which has been taken into the corresponding functional tester 21 (# 1 to # 3) and completed the test, onto the conveyor 19 again.

The work supply control system of the present invention is shown in FIG.
In such a test line, it is suitable for controlling the supply of the printed board unit to the functional tester 21 provided with a plurality of equivalent ones.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the work supply control system in this embodiment. Reference numeral 31
Is a line management personal computer that controls the overall operation of the test line in FIG. 2, and the main functions of this line management personal computer 31 are the control of the operation of each conveyor and turntable, and the inquiry from the personal computer for each tester. There is a function to respond to. This line management personal computer 31 corresponds to the common control unit 5 in FIG.

The tester personal computers 32 (# 1 to # 3) corresponding to the individual control unit 6 of FIG.
~ # 3), these tester personal computers 32 (# 1 to # 3) are line management personal computers 3
1 corresponding to the handler 20 (# 1 to # 3) and the functional tester 21 (# 1 to # 1).
# 3) is controlled.

In this embodiment, a bar code reader 33 (# 1 to # 3) is provided corresponding to each of the functional testing machines 21 (# 1 to # 3) as a unit corresponding to the identifying means 4 of FIG. There is. Each printed board unit flowing through the line is provided with a bar code corresponding to unique data for specifying the printed board unit. By reading this bar code with the bar code reader 33, the printed board unit is identified. To be done. Bar code reader 33
(# 1 to # 3) are handlers 20 (# 1 to # 3), respectively.
Is provided on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the printed board unit.

Next, the operation of the tester personal computer 32 of FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step 101, when the bar code reader 33 reads the bar code attached to the printed board unit, the tester personal computer 32 recognizes the unique data corresponding to the read bar code. Since each printed board unit is provided with a different barcode, and each barcode and each unique data have a one-to-one correspondence, the printed board unit can be specified by this unique data.

Subsequently, in step 102, the tester personal computer 32 makes an inquiry to the line management personal computer 31 based on the recognized unique data, and the table included in the line management personal computer 31 is searched using the unique data as a parameter. It

Next, based on this search, the tester personal computer 32 provides the line management personal computer with information as to whether or not the printed board unit specified by the unique data has already been tested by any of the functional testers 21. Receive from 31.

Then, in step 104, it is judged whether or not the test is completed for the printed board unit, and if the test is not completed, step 10 is executed.
Then, the process proceeds to step 5, and it is further determined whether or not the relevant function tester 21 is operating.

If it is determined in step 104 that the test for the printed board unit is completed, or if it is determined in step 105 that the relevant function tester 21 is operating, the process proceeds to step 106. , The handler 20 is controlled to pass the printed board unit.

In step 105, the corresponding function tester 21
If it is determined that is not in operation, step 10
7, the handler 20 is controlled to draw the printed board unit from the conveyor 19 into the functional testing machine 21.

Subsequently, at step 108, a function test is carried out on the printed board unit in which the function tester 21 is pulled in according to a command from the tester personal computer 32. Then, when the test in the functional tester 21 is completed,
Proceeding to step 109, based on an instruction from the tester personal computer 32, the portion of the above-mentioned table in the line management personal computer 31 corresponding to the printed board unit is updated.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since a common control program can be used in each tester personal computer 32, it is easy to add a functional tester.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a work supply control system that can easily cope with expansion and contraction of lines.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a work supply control system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of a test line to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a work supply control system applied to the test line of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the tester personal computer in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transport Line 2 Processing Equipment 3,20 Handler 4 Identification Means 5 Common Control Unit 6 Individual Control Unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A transfer line (1) for sequentially transferring a plurality of workpieces to be processed in one direction, and a plurality of processing lines provided along the transfer line for performing the same processing on each of the workpieces. The equipment (2) and a plurality of equipment provided corresponding to the processing equipment,
A handler that selectively takes in and passes the work transferred by (1) to the processing equipment (3)
And a plurality of the above-mentioned transfer facilities are provided corresponding to the above-mentioned processing equipment.
The identification means (4) for identifying the unique data for identifying the work conveyed by (1) and the information as to whether or not the processing has been completed in any one of the plurality of processing facilities is included in the unique data. A common control unit including means for correspondingly sequentially storing all the above works
(5) and a plurality of the above-mentioned processing facilities are provided corresponding to the above-mentioned identification means.
The common control unit (5) is queried for the above information about the work specified by the unique data identified in (4), and the work that has not been processed is selectively fetched and processed for that work. The above-mentioned processing equipment to perform (2)
And an individual control unit (6) for individually controlling the handler (3)
A work supply control system characterized by comprising: 2. The work is a printed board unit in which circuit parts are mounted on a printed board, and the processing equipment is a functional tester (21) for testing whether the printed board unit operates normally. The work supply control system according to claim 1, wherein the work supply control system is provided. 3. The work according to claim 2, wherein the identification means identifies the unique data by reading a bar code attached to the printed board unit with a bar code reader (33). Supply control system. 4. The control process in the individual control unit includes a step of identifying the unique data based on a barcode read by the barcode reader (33), and a print specified by the identified unique data. The functional test for the board unit is performed by
1) Inquiring the common control section for information regarding whether or not it has already been completed, and based on the result of this inquiry and the operating state of the corresponding functional testing machine (21) 4. The work according to claim 3, further comprising: a step of determining whether to take in or pass through, and a step of updating the stored content of the storage means when a functional test is performed by taking in the printed board unit. Supply control system. 5. The common control unit controls loading of the work into the transfer line, transfer of the work in the transfer line, and discharge of the work from the transfer line. Work supply control system described.