TWI897446B - Resin molding device, method for manufacturing resin molded product, and computer program product - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a resin molding apparatus, a method for manufacturing a resin molded article, and a computer program product that can appropriately determine the distribution of a resin material supplied to an object to be used in molding a resin molded article, thereby appropriately preventing molding defects. The resin molding apparatus includes: an imaging unit that captures an image of the resin material supplied to the object; a molding mechanism that uses the resin material supplied to the object to mold the resin molded article; and a control unit that acquires the image and controls the operation of the molding mechanism. The control unit calculates the occupancy ratio of the area where the resin material exists or the area where the resin material does not exist in each of the multiple blocks contained in the image, and determines whether the resin material can be used for forming by the forming mechanism based on the similarity between the multiple occupancy ratios calculated for each of the multiple blocks and a multiple reference ratios preset for each of the multiple blocks.

Description

Resin molding device, method for manufacturing resin molded product, and computer program product

The present invention relates to a resin molding device, a method for manufacturing a resin molded product, and a computer program product.

Patent Document 1 discloses a compression molding device. In this compression molding device, granular resin is evenly spread on a single film, and the resin-spread single film is transported to a pressing section. In the pressing section, the resin spread on the single film is used to compress and mold a workpiece. [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document]

Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-136942

[The problem that the invention aims to solve]

In compression molding devices such as those described in Patent Document 1, the appearance of the finished workpiece is affected by the distribution of the resin applied to the film. Specifically, the distribution of the resin applied to the film can lead to defects in the workpiece. For example, if the resin material is significantly unevenly distributed on the film, this can result in defects.

The present invention aims to provide a resin molding apparatus, a method for manufacturing a resin molded product, and a program that can appropriately determine the distribution state of a resin material supplied to an object to be used in molding a resin molded product, thereby appropriately preventing the occurrence of molding defects. [Solution]

According to one aspect of the present invention, a resin forming device includes a photographing unit, a forming mechanism, and a control unit. The photographing unit photographs an image of the resin material supplied to the object. The forming mechanism uses the resin material supplied to the object to form a resin molded product. The control unit obtains the image and controls the operation of the forming mechanism. The control unit calculates the proportion of the area where the resin material exists or the area where the resin material does not exist in each of a plurality of blocks contained in the image. The control unit determines whether the resin material can be used for forming by the forming mechanism based on the similarity between the plurality of proportions calculated for each of the plurality of blocks and a plurality of reference proportions pre-set for each of the plurality of blocks.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a resin molded product uses the above-mentioned resin molding apparatus, and the method for manufacturing a resin molded product includes the following steps: arranging a resin material in a molding die; and clamping the molding die in which the resin material is arranged.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product causes a computer connected to a molding mechanism that molds a resin molded article to execute the following steps: obtaining an image of a resin material being supplied to an object; calculating the proportion of areas containing or not containing the resin material within each of a plurality of blocks included in the image; and determining whether the molding mechanism can use the resin material for molding based on the similarity between the calculated proportions for each of the plurality of blocks and a plurality of pre-set reference proportions for each of the plurality of blocks. [Effects of the Invention]

According to the present invention, the distribution state of the resin material supplied to the object to be used in molding a resin molded product can be appropriately determined, thereby appropriately preventing the occurrence of molding defects.

The following drawings illustrate one embodiment of the present invention in detail. Identical or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and their descriptions are not repeated. Furthermore, in each of the drawings, objects are schematically depicted with appropriate omissions or exaggerations to facilitate understanding.

[1. Structure of Resin Molding Apparatus] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a resin molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Resin molding apparatus 100 performs resin molding on an object. In this description, a substrate W1 on which electronic components, such as a semiconductor chip, are mounted is used as an example of the object to be molded. Resin molding apparatus 100 seals substrate W1 with a resin material P, producing substrate W2 as a resin molded article. This is not a limitation; here, the component mounting surface of substrate W1, on which electronic components are mounted, is resin-sealed.

Examples of substrate W1 include semiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers, lead frames, printed wiring boards, metal substrates, resin substrates, glass substrates, and ceramic substrates. Substrates can also be used as carriers for fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) and fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP). The substrate may or may not have wiring applied.

As shown in FIG1 , the resin molding apparatus 100 includes a main module M1, a molding module M2, and a resin module M3. The molding module M2 includes a molding mechanism 5. The molding mechanism 5 uses a resin material P to seal the electronic components on the substrate W1 with resin, thereby performing resin molding to form the substrate W2. The main module M1 supplies the substrate W1, which is the molding object, to the molding mechanism 5 and recovers and stores the molded substrate W2 (resin molded product) from the molding mechanism 5. The resin module M3 supplies the resin material P to the molding mechanism 5. The above modules M1 to M3 are sequentially connected to form an integrated device, but each module M1 to M3 is detachable and can be replaced with another module. In Figure 1, two modules M2 are shown, but there can be only one module M2, or three or more modules can be provided. The same is true for modules M1 and M3; the number of modules M1 to M3 can be increased or decreased.

The resin molding device 100 further includes a control unit 10 and a memory unit 12. The control unit 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and read-only memory (ROM). The CPU executes a program 15 stored in the memory unit 12 and/or ROM to control the operation of each component of modules M1 through M3. The control unit 10 is connected to various mechanisms, such as the molding mechanism 5, contained in modules M1 through M3, to coordinate their operation. The memory unit 12 includes any type of storage media, such as a hard drive or flash memory, and can also be a combination of multiple storage media. The control unit 10 may include a single unit or a plurality of units distributed within or outside the modules M1 to M3. The memory unit 12 may also include a single unit or a plurality of units distributed within or outside the modules M1 to M3.

In the example of FIG1 , a program 15 is stored in the memory unit 12. Alternatively, the program 15 can be provided to the resin molding apparatus 100 using a non-temporary storage medium 16 that readable stores the program 15. Storage medium 16 is, for example, a portable memory. Examples of portable memories include CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, SD cards, micro SD cards, and Compact Flash (registered trademark) cards. If the storage medium 16 is a portable memory, the CPU of the control unit 10 can also read the program 15 from the storage medium 16 using a reading device (not shown). The read program 15 is written to the memory unit 12. Furthermore, the program 15 can also be provided to the resin molding apparatus 100 by communicating with an external device via a communication unit (not shown) of the resin molding apparatus 100. In this case, the CPU of the control unit 10 obtains the program 15 via the communication unit. The obtained program 15 is written to the memory unit 12. The number of CPUs in the control unit 10 is not limited to one and may be two or more. When the control unit 10 includes a plurality of CPUs, the plurality of CPUs may cooperate to execute the operations of the modules M1 to M3.

Furthermore, the resin molding apparatus 100 includes an input device, a display device, and the like as a user interface (UI) device 14. The UI device 14 can be implemented as a touch panel, for example.

The main module M1 includes a supply mechanism 1, a storage section 2, a loading section 3 and a conveying mechanism 4. The supply mechanism 1 supplies the substrate W1 to the loading section 3. The storage section 2 stores the substrate W2. The loading section 3 moves along the Y direction between a position corresponding to the supply mechanism 1 and a position corresponding to the storage section 2. The conveying mechanism 4 can move along the X direction, the Y direction and the Z direction within the main module M1 and the molding module M2. The conveying mechanism 4 holds the substrate W1 on the loading section 3, transports it to the molding module M2, and hands it over to the molding mechanism 5. In addition, the conveying mechanism 4 recovers the substrate W2 from the molding mechanism 5, transports it to the main module M1, and places it on the loading section 3. Thereafter, the substrate W2 is stored in the storage section 2. The X direction and the Y direction correspond to the left-right direction and the up-down direction in Figure 1, respectively. The Z direction corresponds to the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 .

The molding mechanism 5 manufactures the substrate W2 by compression molding. A granular resin material P is used here. Furthermore, in compression molding, other forms of resin material P, such as liquid resin material P, can also be used. The following shows an example of using a granular resin material P. The molding mechanism 5 includes a molding die 50 and a clamping mechanism 53. The molding die 50 includes an upper die 52 (first die) and a lower die 51 (second die) facing the upper die 52. The upper die 52 can hold the substrate W1 on the lower surface. The substrate W1 is held in a state where the part-carrying surface faces downward. The lower die 51 includes a bottom member and a frame-shaped side member. The bottom member is arranged on the inner side of the frame-shaped side member. Thereby, a concave mold cavity 51A is formed. The bottom member constitutes the bottom of the cavity 51A, and the side member constitutes the side of the cavity 51A.

In the mold cavity 51A, the resin material P is dispersed on the film 73 as described below. The resin material P in the mold cavity 51A is heated by a heating device (not shown). While the resin material P is heated by the heating device, the clamping mechanism 53 clamps the upper mold 52 and the lower mold 51 to close the mold cavity 51A, thereby solidifying the resin material P in the mold cavity 51A. As a result, the component mounting surface of the substrate W1 held by the upper mold 52 is sealed with the resin material P. Thereafter, the clamping mechanism 53 opens the upper mold 52 and the lower mold 51 to remove the substrate W2 from the forming mold 50. In addition, in this embodiment, the resin material P has thermosetting properties, but it may also have thermoplastic properties. When the resin material P has thermoplastic properties, the resin material P is heated to melt and then cooled during resin molding, thereby solidifying the resin material P.

The resin module M3 includes a movable platform 6, a receiving portion 7, and a supply mechanism 8. The movable platform 6 can move in the X direction and the Y direction within the resin module M3. Figure 2 is a side sectional view schematically showing the periphery of the supply mechanism 8. As shown in Figure 2, a film 73 supplied from a film supply mechanism (not shown) is laid on the movable platform 6, and a frame 72 is further placed on the film 73. Thereby, a receiving portion 7 is formed having a space 71 with the film 73 as the bottom surface and the frame 72 as the side surface. The film 73 is a demolding film. The space 71 is open upward and has a shape and size corresponding to the mold cavity 51A of the lower mold 51. In this embodiment, the frame 72 and the space 71 are rectangular. The resin material P is supplied from the supply mechanism 8 to the space 71 of the storage portion 7. The resin material P is supplied so as to be spread into the space 71 from above.

As shown in Figure 2, the supply mechanism 8 includes a storage section 80, a conveying path 81, and a vibrating mechanism 82. The storage section 80 temporarily stores the resin material P. The conveying path 81 is connected to the storage section 80 and is a conveying path for the resin material P flowing out of the storage section 80. It has a nozzle 85. The vibrating mechanism 82 vibrates the storage section 80 and the conveying path 81 to deliver the resin material P from the storage section 80 and then convey it along the conveying path 81 to the nozzle 85 side. After reaching the nozzle 85, the resin material P falls through the nozzle 85 and is received in the receiving section 7. During the operation of the vibrating mechanism 82, the movable platform 6 moves relative to the nozzle 85 in the X and Y directions. In this way, the resin material P is filled in the container 7. The Y direction is the direction perpendicular to the paper in Figure 2. The X direction is the left-right direction.

The supply mechanism 8 further includes a metering mechanism 83 that supplies a predetermined target amount of resin material P into the storage section 7. For example, the metering mechanism 83 measures the weight of the resin material P in the storage section 80 and the conveying path 81. The control unit 10 controls the vibration mechanism 82 based on the measurement results of the metering mechanism 83 to ensure that the supply amount of resin material P into the storage section 7 reaches the target amount.

Referring again to Figure 1 , the resin module M3 includes a camera 20 and a conveyor mechanism 9. The camera 20 captures an image of the resin material P supplied by the supply mechanism 8 onto the film 73. In other words, the camera 20 captures the image of the resin material P dispersed within the container 7 and scattered on the film 73. The image generated by the camera 20 is transmitted to the control unit 10 and appropriately stored in the memory unit 12.

Figure 3 illustrates the camera unit 20's shooting state. As shown in Figure 3 , the camera unit 20 captures the resin material P within the storage portion 7 from above, for example, with the movable platform 6 positioned below the camera unit 20. The camera unit 20 includes one or more camera modules 21. The camera modules 21 may include image sensors such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs) or complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOSs). Furthermore, the camera unit 20 includes a light source 22 positioned above the camera module 21. Alternatively, a backlight may be provided in place of the light source 22. That is, the light source and the light guide plate may be arranged behind the object viewed from the camera module 21 , in other words, below the film 73 .

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the conveying mechanism 9 is movable in the X, Y, and Z directions within the molding module M2 and the resin module M3. The conveying mechanism 9 conveys the film 73 carrying the resin material P to the molding module M2. The film 73 carrying the resin material P is then placed within the mold cavity 51A of the lower mold 51 of the molding mechanism 5. Furthermore, after the resin material P is spread onto the film 73, it is photographed by the photographing unit 20 until it is set within the mold cavity 51A. The resin material P on the film 73 is manipulated in such a manner that its position does not significantly shift. In other words, the distribution state of the resin material P spread onto the film 73 hardly changes from the time the resin material P is spread until it is set within the mold cavity 51A.

[2. Preventing Resin Molded Product Defects] As described above, in the molding mechanism 5, resin material P is used to mold substrate W1. As previously described, resin material P, spread on film 73 and contained in lower mold 51, is melted by the heating device. During mold clamping, the molten resin material covers the component mounting surface of substrate W1, which is held by upper mold 52. In this state, the temperature of resin material P rises. As a result, resin material P solidifies, forming a resin layer that seals the component mounting surface of substrate W1. As a result, substrate W2 with the resin layer is produced. Film 73 is then peeled off from substrate W2.

According to the above-described forming steps, the appearance of the formed substrate W2 is affected by how the resin material P is distributed on the film 73. Specifically, the distribution of the resin material P on the film 73 can lead to defects in the substrate W2. Furthermore, the term "defective forming" here includes, for example, large variations in the thickness of the resin layer on a single substrate W2. In addition, various other defects that may arise due to the distribution of the resin material P include wafer flow on the component mounting surface.

To prevent these molding defects, the imager 20 in the resin molding apparatus 100 captures an image of the resin material P spread across the film 73. Based on this image, the control unit 10 determines the appropriateness of the distribution of the resin material P on the film 73 and, accordingly, determines whether the resin molding process is acceptable. Specifically, if the distribution of the resin material P suggests the possibility of molding defects, the control unit 10 controls the molding process to appropriately prevent these defects. The specific processing will be described below.

[3. Resin Molding Apparatus Operation] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a portion of the operational flow of the resin molding apparatus 100. The processing shown in this flowchart is executed by the control unit 10.

First, in step S1, the control unit 10 controls the supply mechanism 8 to supply a target amount of resin material P into the storage section 7. This control is performed with the storage section 7 positioned below the nozzle 85 of the supply mechanism 8. The control unit 10 moves the movable platform 6 to position the storage section 7 below the nozzle 85. In this state, the control unit 10 vibrates the vibration mechanism 82 to supply the resin material P into the storage section 7 while simultaneously metering the supply amount of resin material P using the metering mechanism 83. The vibration and metering continue until the supply amount of resin material P reaches the target amount. Once the target amount is reached, the vibration and metering cease. Furthermore, the control unit 10 moves the movable platform 6 while vibrating the vibration mechanism 82 so that the resin material P is spread throughout the storage portion 7.

In the following step S2, the control unit 10 moves the movable platform 6, positioning the container 7 containing the resin material P below the camera module 21. In this state, the camera unit 20 begins capturing images. The camera unit 20 captures the resin material P supplied into the housing 72 from above, thereby generating an image (hereinafter referred to as the original image) that reflects the resin material P spread across the film 73. The control unit 10 acquires the original image from the camera unit 20.

In the next step S3, the control unit 10 performs grayscale processing and binarization on the original image. As an example, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the camera module 21 is a monochrome camera and the original image is a grayscale image. At this time, for example, in grayscale processing, each pixel of the original image is classified into 256 levels [0 (dark) - 255 (bright)]. "255" is assigned to white pixels, and "0" is assigned to black pixels. In binarization, each pixel is classified as "white (1)" or "black (0)". For example, "white" is assigned to pixels whose values assigned by grayscale processing are greater than a threshold value X1 (for example, 200), and "black" is assigned to pixels whose values assigned by grayscale processing are less than the threshold value X1. Through the above, each pixel value contained in the original image is converted into a binary image through binary conversion.

The threshold value X1 used in binarization can be set as appropriate by the user. For example, the user can determine an appropriate threshold value X1 based on the color of the resin material P, the color of the film 73, the color of the movable platform 6 below the film 73, the light intensity of the light source 22, and so on, and then operate the UI device 14 to input the threshold value. The control unit 10 sets the threshold value X1 based on the user's input. The threshold value X1 is stored in the memory unit 12. The user input can be the threshold value X1 itself or information used to determine the threshold value X1. The information used to determine the threshold value X1 may be, for example, information specifying a specific pixel within an image prepared for testing. When the user specifies a specific pixel, the pixel value of that pixel may be set as the threshold value X1.

In the following step S4, the control unit 10 sets a plurality of blocks T1 to T18 within the original image's capture range (entire field of view) A1. Figure 5 illustrates blocks T1 to T18 within the original image. The rectangular area A2 within the capture range A1 corresponds to the space within the frame 72, namely, the space 71 within the container 7 that holds the resin material P. Blocks T1 to T18 are defined in a grid-like pattern within area A2.

In this embodiment, the control unit 10 determines the position of area A2 within the shooting range A1 and further sets blocks T1 to T18 by dividing the area A2. The method for determining the position of area A2 is not particularly limited. For example, if the positional relationship between the camera module 21 and the frame 72 is fixed during shooting, the position of area A2 can be pre-set. Alternatively, the area A2 within the frame 72 where the resin material P is arranged can be separated from the background by performing image processing on the original image, such as processing to detect the edge of the frame 72. Furthermore, the position of area A2 can also be determined in step S3. In this case, the grayscale processing and binarization of step S3 can also be performed only on the image within area A2. The method for dividing area A2 is also not particularly limited. For example, the control unit 10 may evenly divide area A2, as shown in the example of FIG5 , so that the number of blocks is a predetermined number. The control unit 10 may set parameters such as the number of blocks to be divided into blocks T1 through T18 based on user input.

In the next step S5, the control unit 10 calculates the occupancy ratio of each of the plurality of blocks T1 to T18. In this embodiment, the occupancy ratio refers to the proportion of the area containing the resin material P in each block included in the original image or the binary image.

Through binarization in step S3, pixels within area A2 where resin material P exists are assigned a different value, either "white" or "black." Furthermore, the area within area A2 where resin material P does not exist refers to the area where film 73 (or, if film 73 is transparent, the underlying movable platform 6) is reflected in the original image. For example, assume that resin material P is a blackish color (or a dark or dark color), and film 73 or movable platform 6 is a lighter or brighter color. In this case, pixels within the area where resin material P exists are assigned "black" through binarization, while pixels within the area where resin material P does not exist are assigned "white."

In step S5, the control unit 10 counts the number of pixels assigned "black" by binarization in each block. Furthermore, the ratio of the number of pixels assigned "black" to the total number of pixels in the block is calculated as the occupation ratio. Furthermore, if the resin material P is lighter or lighter than the film 73 or the moving platform 6, the occupation ratio in this embodiment can be calculated by dividing the number of pixels assigned "white" by the total number of pixels.

The above occupancy ratios are calculated for each of the plurality of blocks T1 to T18. Therefore, in step S5, a plurality of sets of occupancy ratios C1 to C18 are calculated. Occupancy ratios C1 to C18 correspond to blocks T1 to T18, respectively.

In the following step S6, the control unit 10 calculates the similarity between a plurality of sets of values for the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and a plurality of sets of values for the reference ratios R1 to R18. Reference ratios R1 to R18 are pre-set for each of blocks T1 to T18. While not limited to this, in this embodiment, a correlation coefficient is calculated as the similarity. The correlation coefficient is the value obtained by dividing the covariance between the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the reference ratios R1 to R18 by the product of the standard deviation of the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the standard deviation of the reference ratios R1 to R18.

Figure 6 compares the graphs for occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the reference ratios R1 to R18. The similarity is the similarity between the pair of values for occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the pair of values for reference ratios R1 to R18. In other words, the similarity can be described as the similarity between the graph for occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the graph for reference ratios R1 to R18, as shown in Figure 6.

Reference ratios R1 through R18 are the proportions of the area containing the resin material P within blocks T1 through T18, respectively, contained in the reference image. Reference ratios R1 through R18 can be calculated by performing the same processing on the reference image as steps S3 through S5 for the original image. A reference image is an image to be compared for similarity to the original image. For example, a reference image is an image obtained by photographing the resin material P used to form a well-manufactured substrate W2, spread across the film 73, before the substrate W2 is formed. If the similarity between the reference ratios R1 to R18 and the occupation ratios C1 to C18 calculated based on the reference image is high, it means that the distribution of the resin material P on the film 73 in the reference image and the original image is similar. Therefore, if the similarity calculated in step S6 is greater than a predetermined value, it means that when the substrate W2 is formed using the resin material P having the distribution reflected in the original image, there is a high probability that a good substrate W2 will be formed without forming defects.

Therefore, in the next step S7, the control unit 10 determines whether the resin material P can be formed using the forming mechanism 5 based on the similarity calculated in step S6. For example, it determines whether the similarity is greater than or equal to a threshold value X2. If the similarity is greater than or equal to the threshold value X2 (similar), it is determined that forming can be performed using the forming mechanism 5, and the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, if the similarity is less than the threshold value X2 (not similar), it is determined that forming cannot be performed using the forming mechanism 5, and the process proceeds to step S9.

The threshold value X2 used in step S7 can be set appropriately by the user. For example, the threshold value X2 of the correlation coefficient is preferably set to a value greater than 60%, but can also be set to a value greater than 70%, or even greater than 80%. The user can operate the UI device 14 to input the threshold value. In this case, the control unit 10 sets the threshold value X2 based on the user input. The threshold value X2 is stored in the memory unit 12.

Furthermore, the set of values for the reference ratios R1 to R18 used in step S6 can also be appropriately set by the user. The user can set this set by operating the UI device 14. In this case, the control unit 10 sets the set of reference ratios R1 to R18 based on the user's input to the UI device 14. The set set of reference ratios R1 to R18 is stored in the memory unit 12. Furthermore, the user can specify either the values for the reference ratios R1 to R18 themselves or a reference image. If the user specifies a reference image, the control unit 10 calculates the set of reference ratios R1 to R18 based on the reference image and sets it. Furthermore, the control unit 10 may calculate and set a set of reference ratios R1 to R18 based on multiple reference images specified by the user. In this case, for example, the multiple sets of reference ratios R1 to R18 calculated based on the multiple reference images may be averaged or median-valued for each block to calculate the single set of reference ratios R1 to R18.

Furthermore, multiple sets of values for the reference ratios R1 to R18 may be set. For example, if there are multiple types of distribution patterns of the resin material P on the film 73 that allow for good molding of the substrate W2, multiple sets of reference ratios R1 to R18 corresponding to each type may be set. In this case, in step S7, if the similarity between any of the multiple similarities calculated between the respective sets of the reference ratios R1 to R18 and the respective sets of the reference ratios C1 to C18 exceeds a threshold value X2, molding may be determined to be possible. Conversely, if the similarity between all sets is less than the threshold value X2, molding may be determined to be impossible. Furthermore, the threshold value X2 may be set for each set.

If the process is determined to be suitable for forming, in step S8, the control unit 10 causes the forming mechanism 5 to perform forming using the resin material P in the dispersed state reflected in the original image. Specifically, the control unit 10 controls the transport mechanism 9 to transport the film 73 carrying the resin material P to the forming mechanism 5, thereby producing the substrate W2 using the forming mechanism 5. Subsequently, the control unit 10 controls the transport mechanism 4 to retrieve the substrate W2 into the storage unit 2.

On the other hand, if it is determined that forming is impossible, the control unit 10 discards the resin material P in the scattered state reflected in the original image in step S9. For example, the control unit 10 controls the conveying mechanism 9 to convey the film 73 carrying the resin material P to a waste box (not shown) to discard the resin material P and the film 73.

When step S8 or step S9 is completed, the process of Figure 4 is completed. The process of Figure 4 is repeatedly performed, thereby continuously manufacturing substrates W2.

[4. Features] In this embodiment, the appropriateness of the distribution of the resin material P supplied to the film 73 is determined based on similarity before forming the substrate W2. If the determination result is poor, forming using the resin material P in this distribution is discontinued. As a result, forming defects can be effectively prevented.

Furthermore, even if the resin material P is supplied to the film 73 with a large deviation and not evenly distributed, it is possible to produce a good substrate W2. In the above embodiment, even in such a case, it can be determined that the substrate is moldable, thereby preventing the resin material P from being wasted excessively.

[5. Other Embodiments] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and various modifications are possible without departing from the main purpose. For example, the following modifications are possible. Furthermore, the main purpose of the following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[5-1] In the above embodiment, a correlation coefficient is calculated as the similarity, but this is not limited to this example. Any indicator that can represent the similarity between the set of values for the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the set of values for the reference ratios R1 to R18 can be used. For example, the similarity can be a coefficient of determination that is the square of the correlation coefficient, or can be calculated using artificial intelligence (AI). Furthermore, in order to determine the feasibility of forming based on similarity, it is not necessary to calculate a quantitative indicator such as similarity. For example, AI can be used to determine the similarity between a graph of the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and a graph of the reference ratios R1 to R18, and the feasibility of forming can be determined based on the similarity determination result.

[5-2] In the above embodiment, the frame 72, the space 71 within the housing 7, and the area A2 are rectangular in shape, but they can be any shape, such as a circle. The shape of the block is also not limited to a rectangle and can be any shape.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the blocks are created by equally dividing area A2. However, the size and shape of the blocks may vary. For example, blocks may be configured to become larger as they are closer to the center of area A2 and smaller as they are further away from the center, or vice versa. Furthermore, the blocks do not need to be arranged without gaps or overlap within area A2; they may partially overlap. Gaps may exist within area A2 that are not contained within the blocks.

[5-3] In the above embodiment, the occupancy ratios C1 to C18 and the reference ratios R1 to R18 are defined as the ratios of the area containing the resin material P within blocks T1 to T18. However, the occupancy ratios C1 to C18 and the reference ratios R1 to R18 may also be defined as the ratios of the area containing no resin material P within blocks T1 to T18.

[5-4] In the above embodiment, the reference image is a good example image. However, the reference image may also be a poor example image. Specifically, an image of the resin material P spread on the film 73 before forming on a poorly formed substrate W2 may be used as the reference image. Furthermore, when a poor example image is used as the reference image, in step S7, if the similarity is less than a threshold value X2 (not similar), the image is judged as being formable, while if the similarity is greater than the threshold value X2 (similar), the image is judged as being unformable. Furthermore, both a good example image and a poor example image may be prepared as reference images.

[5-5] In the embodiment described above, in step S1, the amount of resin material P supplied to the container 7 is controlled to a target amount. At this point, it is expected that the total value of the occupation ratios C1 to C18 will be approximately equal to the total value of the reference ratios R1 to R18, and the integral values of the two graphs shown in FIG6 will also be approximately equal. On the other hand, if an excessive or insufficient amount of resin material P is supplied to the container 7 in step S1, there is a risk of forming defects. However, even in the case of excessive or insufficient supply of resin material P, the graphs of the occupation ratios C1 to C18 and the reference ratios R1 to R18 may have similar shapes, as shown in FIG7 . Therefore, there may be cases where the similarity-based determination in step S7 alone cannot prevent the occurrence of poor forming.

In addition to the similarity-based determination in step S7, the following determination can be performed to prepare for such situations. Specifically, a threshold value (upper and/or lower limit) can be set for each of the occupation ratios C1 to C18 for each block. If the occupation ratio corresponding to any block exceeds the upper limit or falls below the lower limit, the block is determined to be unformable. Otherwise, the block is determined to be formable. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to this, a threshold value (upper and/or lower limit) can be set for the total of the occupation ratios C1 to C18. If the total exceeds the upper limit or falls below the lower limit, the block is determined to be unformable. Otherwise, the block is determined to be formable.

[5-6] In the above embodiment, the original image is a grayscale image. However, a color image can be obtained by using a visible light camera as the camera module 21. Furthermore, if there is a temperature difference between the resin material P and the film 73 supplied to the resin material P or the movable platform 6 below it, the camera module 21 can be an infrared camera, and the original image can be an infrared image.

1: Supply mechanism 2: Storage unit 3: Loading unit 4: Transport mechanism 5: Molding device 6: Moving platform 7: Storage unit 8: Supply mechanism 9: Transport mechanism 10: Control unit 12: Memory unit 14: User interface unit 15: Program 16: Storage medium 20: Camera unit 21: Camera module 22: Light source 50: Molding die 51: Lower die 51A: Cavity 52: Upper die 53: Clamping mechanism 71: Space 72: Frame 73: Film (object) 80: Storage unit 81: Transport path 82: Vibration mechanism 83: Measuring mechanism 85: Spray nozzle 100: Resin molding device A1: Shooting range A2: Area C1-C18: Occupancy ratio M1: Main unit module M2: Molding module M3: Resin module P: Resin material R1-R18: Reference ratio S1-S9: Steps T1-T18: Blocks W1: Substrate before molding W2: Substrate (resin molded product) X1: Threshold value (first threshold value) X2: Threshold value (second threshold value)

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a resin molding apparatus. Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the resin material supply mechanism and its surroundings. Figure 3 illustrates the imaging state of the imaging unit. Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the operational flow of the resin molding apparatus. Figure 5 illustrates the blocks set within an image. Figure 6 compares a graph showing an occupation ratio with a reference ratio. Figure 7 is another diagram comparing a graph showing an occupation ratio with a reference ratio.

1: Supply organization

2: Storage area

3: Loading part

4:Transportation mechanism

5: Forming device

6: Mobile Platform

7: Containment Department

8: Supply Agency

9:Transportation mechanism

10: Control Department

12: Memory

14: User Interface Machine

15: Program

16: Memory Media

20: Photography Department

50: Forming mold

51: Lower mold

51A: Mold cavity

52: Upper mold

53: Clamping mechanism

71: Space

100: Resin forming device

M1: Host module

M2: Molded module

M3: Resin module

P: Resin material

W1: Substrate before molding

W2: Substrate (resin molded product)

Claims (10)

A resin forming device includes: a camera that captures an image of a resin material supplied to an object; a forming mechanism that uses the resin material supplied to the object to form a resin molded product; and a control unit that obtains the image and controls the operation of the forming mechanism, wherein the control unit calculates the occupancy ratio of an area containing the resin material or an area not containing the resin material in each of a plurality of blocks contained in the image, and determines whether the resin material can be used by the forming mechanism to perform the forming based on the similarity between the plurality of occupancy ratios calculated for each of the plurality of blocks and a plurality of reference ratios preset for each of the plurality of blocks. The resin molding device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit binarizes the image and calculates the ratio of the number of pixels in each block to which the first value is assigned by the binarization, out of the first value and the second value, as the occupation ratio. The resin molding device as described in claim 2, wherein the control unit sets the first threshold value used for the binarization based on user input. The resin molding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit calculates the similarity and causes the molding mechanism to perform the molding when the similarity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value. The resin forming device as described in claim 4, wherein the control unit sets the second threshold value based on user input. The resin forming device as described in any one of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein the control unit sets the multiple reference ratios based on user input. A resin forming device as described in any one of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein the similarity is a correlation coefficient or a determination coefficient. A resin molding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the photographing unit photographs the resin material supplied into a rectangular frame arranged on the object, and the multiple blocks are areas defined in a grid shape within the frame. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product, using a resin molding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, the method for manufacturing a resin molded product comprising the following steps: arranging the resin material in a molding die; and clamping the molding die in which the resin material is arranged. A computer program product causes a computer connected to a molding mechanism that performs molding of a resin molded product to execute the following steps: obtaining an image of a resin material supplied to an object; calculating the proportion of areas where the resin material is present or absent in each of a plurality of blocks contained in the image; and determining whether the molding mechanism can perform molding using the resin material based on the similarity between the plurality of proportions calculated for each of the plurality of blocks and a plurality of pre-set reference proportions for each of the plurality of blocks.