Method and equipment for mounting part

• US 20060053624A1
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuda, Osamu, Yazawa, Takashi, Uchiyama, Hiroshi, Maeda, Takashi, Nakashima, Makoto, Imagawa, Hiroaki, Kouketsu, Naoto, Hirai, Wataru, Nagasawa, Yosuke
• Application Number:
  US10/523,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/832
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0409 Sucking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/082 Integration of non-optical monitoring devices, i.e. using non-optical inspection means, e.g. electrical means, mechanical means or X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49131 by utilizing optical sighting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53191 Means to apply vacuum directly to position or hold work part

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for mounting components having a feature of detecting with high accuracy component pick up failure by the nozzle at component pick up stage, and/or component carrying back by the nozzle at component mounting stage. Achieved vacuum pressure is initialized to zero after completion of component pick up by the nozzle 25, and vacuum pressure decrease of the nozzle 25 is detected from the initialized zero point. If the detected value is bigger than the predetermined threshold, it may be judged that at least one of the nozzles failed to pick up a component. The failed nozzle may be identified by using a component recognition device 37. Blowing air blow volume flowing through the nozzle 25 is measured upon completion of component mounting. If the blowing air flow is smaller that the predetermined threshold, it is judged that the nozzle 25 carries back a component 30. Two thresholds may be used, and it may be judged that the component has been properly mounted if the measurement value is bigger than both thresholds, filter 22 is clogged if the measurement value is in between the two thresholds, and the nozzle 25 carries back the component if the measurement value is smaller than both thresholds.

Claims

1. A method of component mounting for picking up components and mounting the same onto respective predetermined mounting positions of a circuit substrate by means of a plurality of nozzles connected to a single vacuum generating source, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective circuit substrates due to missing component, said procedures comprising steps of:

initializing achieved vacuum pressure of a nozzle after completion of component pick up operation to zero;

detecting vacuum pressure decrease of the nozzle from the initialized zero value; and

if the detected vacuum pressure decrease exceeds predetermined first threshold, making a judgment that the nozzle has failed to pick up a component, and skipping component mounting operation by that particular nozzle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

before initializing the achieved vacuum pressure of a nozzle to zero, detecting absolute value of the vacuum pressure achieved by the nozzle after completion of component pick up operation, and

if the detected achieved vacuum pressure is lower than predetermined second threshold, shutting a vacuum air passage of that particular nozzle.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising steps of:

imaging each of the nozzles with a recognition camera; and

identifying which nozzle has failed to pick up a component based on the obtained images.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising steps of:

after identifying the nozzle that has failed to pick up a component based on the obtained images, shutting a vacuum air passage of that identified nozzle;

imaging the identified nozzle one more time, and detecting whether or not a component is still carried by the nozzle.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the nozzles perform component mounting operations, excluding the nozzle that is judged to have failed to pick up a component and the nozzle whose vacuum air passage is shut.

6. Component mounting apparatus comprising:

a vacuum generating source;

a plurality of nozzles connected to said vacuum generating source, each of which nozzles has a control valve capable of shutting a vacuum air passage;

a mounting head being supported in a movable manner and holding said plurality of nozzles;

a component recognition device positioned to face with the mounting head for recognizing components held by the nozzles; and

a controller for controlling operations of the component mounting apparatus in accordance with a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

7. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring air flow volume blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle; and

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the measurement value is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the threshold comprising two thresholds, and said procedures comprising steps of:

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the measurement value is smaller than both of the thresholds; and

making a judgment that the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate, but that a filter disposed at the air flow passage is clogged, if the measurement value is in between the two thresholds.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said procedures comprising steps of:

measuring blowing air flow volume at two different timings immediately after completion of component mounting operation;

making a judgment whether or not the component has been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the first measurement value; and

making a judgment either the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate but the filter is clogged, or the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the second measurement value.

10. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring differential of air flow volume blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle; and

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the differential of air flow volume decrease obtained by the measurement is bigger than a predetermined threshold.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the threshold comprising two thresholds, and said procedures comprising steps of:

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the differential of air flow volume decrease obtained by the measurement is bigger than both of the thresholds; and

making a judgment that the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate, but that a filter disposed at the air flow passage is clogged, if the differential of air flow volume decrease obtained by the measurement is bigger than one of the thresholds but smaller than the other.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said procedures comprising steps of:

measuring differential of air flow volume at two different timings immediately after completion of component mounting operation;

making a judgment whether or not the component has been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the first measurement result; and

making a judgment either the component has been mounted onto the circuit but the filter is clogged, or the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the second measurement result.

13. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring blowing air pressure blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle; and

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the measurement value is bigger than a predetermined threshold.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the threshold comprising two thresholds, and said procedures comprising steps of:

making a judgment that the component has not been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the measurement value is bigger than both of the thresholds; and

making a judgment that the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate, but that a filter disposed at the air flow passage is clogged, if the measurement value is in between the two thresholds.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said procedures comprising steps of:

measuring blowing air pressure at two different timings immediately after completion of component mounting operation;

making a judgment whether or not the component has been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the first measurement value; and

making a judgment either the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate but the filter is clogged, or the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the second measurement value.

16. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring differential of blowing air pressure blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle; and

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the differential of blowing air pressure decrease obtained by the measurement is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the threshold comprising two thresholds, and said procedures comprising steps of:

making a judgment that the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate, if the differential of blowing air pressure decrease obtained by the measurement is smaller than both of the thresholds; and

making a judgment that the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate, but that a filter disposed at the air flow passage is clogged, if the differential of blowing air pressure decrease obtained by the measurement is smaller than one of the thresholds but bigger than the other.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said procedures comprising steps of:

measuring differential of air flow volume at two different timings immediately after completion of component mounting operation;

making a judgment whether or not the component has been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the first measurement result; and

making a judgment either the component has been mounted onto the circuit but the filter is clogged, or the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate based on the second measurement result.

19. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring either one of blowing air flow volume, differential of blowing air flow volume decrease, blowing air pressure, or differential of blowing air pressure decrease of the air blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle;

comparing the result of the measurement with a predetermined corresponding threshold;

making a judgment that the component has been separated from the nozzle and mounted onto the circuit substrate properly, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is bigger than the corresponding predetermined threshold, or the differential of blowing air volume decrease or blowing air pressure is smaller than the corresponding predetermined threshold, and then performing next round component pick up operation;

making a judgment that the component has not been separated from the nozzle and that the circuit substrate is missing the component, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is smaller than the corresponding predetermined threshold, or the differential of blowing air volume decrease or blowing air pressure is bigger than the corresponding predetermined threshold;

stopping the component mounting apparatus;

checking the nozzle, removing the component carried by the nozzle, and confirming that the nozzle is in a proper condition; and

restarting the component mounting apparatus for next round component pick up operation.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein, between the step of making a judgment that the circuit substrate is missing a component and the step of stopping the component mounting apparatus, said procedures further comprising steps of:

discarding the component carried by the nozzle;

skipping the component pick up and component mounting operations at next round component mounting cycle;

measuring either one of blowing air flow volume, differential of blowing air flow volume decrease, blowing air pressure, or differential of blowing air pressure decrease of the air blown from that particular nozzle at a timing immediately after air blowing operation;

comparing the result of the measurement with the corresponding predetermined threshold or the first threshold;

making a judgment that the component has been discarded properly and performing next round component pick up operation without stopping the component mounting apparatus, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is bigger than the corresponding predetermined threshold or the first threshold, or the differential of blowing air flow volume decrease or blowing air pressure is smaller than the corresponding predetermined threshold or the first threshold, and then performing next round component pick up operation;

making a judgment that the component has not been discarded properly, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is smaller than the corresponding predetermined threshold or the first threshold, or the differential of blowing air flow volume decrease or blowing air pressure is bigger than the corresponding predetermined threshold or the first threshold.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein after the step of making a judgment that the circuit substrate is missing a component, said procedures further comprising a step of confirming whether or not the component to be mounted on the circuit substrate is actually missing from the circuit substrate by checking that particular circuit substrate.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein when it is judged that the circuit substrate is missing a component, the procedures further includes steps of:

picking up the missing component; and

mounting the component onto that particular circuit substrate for recovering the missing component.

20. A method of component mounting for picking up a component by means of vacuum sucking effect of a nozzle, and separating the component from the nozzle and mounting the same onto a predetermined mounting position of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect of the nozzle, wherein the method including procedures for preventing occurrence of defective substrates, which procedures comprising steps of;

measuring either one of blowing air flow volume, differential of blowing air flow volume decrease, blowing air pressure, or differential of blowing air pressure decrease of the air blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at a timing immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle;

comparing the result of the measurement with a first predetermined corresponding threshold;

making a judgment that the component has been separated from the nozzle and mounted onto the circuit substrate properly, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is bigger than the corresponding predetermined first thresholds, or the differential of blowing air flow volume decrease or blowing air pressure is smaller than the corresponding predetermined first threshold, and then performing next round component pick up operation;

comparing the result of the measurement with a second corresponding predetermined threshold, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is smaller than the corresponding predetermined first threshold, or the differential of blowing air flow volume decrease or the blowing air pressure is bigger than the corresponding predetermined first threshold;

making a judgment that the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate but that a filter disposed at an air flow passage is clogged, and generating an alarm, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is bigger than the corresponding predetermined second thresholds, or the differential of blowing air flow volume decrease or blowing air pressure is smaller than the corresponding predetermined second threshold;

making a judgment that the component has not been separated from the nozzle and that the circuit substrate is missing the component, if the blowing air flow volume or the differential of blowing air pressure decrease is smaller than the corresponding predetermined second threshold, or the differential of blowing air volume decrease or the blowing air pressure is bigger than the corresponding predetermined second threshold;

stopping the component mounting apparatus;

checking the nozzle, removing the component carried by the nozzle, and confirming that the nozzle is in a proper condition; and

restarting the component mounting apparatus for next round component pick up operation.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein, after the step of generating an alarm, said procedures further comprising steps of:

stopping the component mounting apparatus;

checking the nozzle, removing the component carried by the nozzle, and confirming that the nozzle is in a proper condition; and

restarting the component mounting apparatus for next round component pick up operation.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the procedures comprising step of:

measuring either one of blowing air flow volume, differential of blowing air flow volume decrease, blowing air pressure, or differential of blowing air pressure decrease of the air blown from the nozzle at an air flow passage at two different timings immediately after completion of component mounting operation, which air flow passage is provided for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle;

comparing the result of the first measurement with the first threshold; and

comparing the result of the second measurement with the second threshold.

26. A component mounting apparatus comprising:

component supply for supplying component continuously;

a mounting head having nozzles for picking up components from the component supply by means of air sucking effect, and separating and mounting the components onto predetermine respective mounting positions of a circuit substrate by means of air blowing effect;

a substrate holder for transporting and positioning the circuit substrate;

an air sucking/blowing mechanism connected to the nozzles for providing air sucking effect and air blowing effect to the nozzle; and

a controller for controlling overall operations of the component mounting apparatus, wherein the air sucking/blowing mechanism further comprising;

either one of a measuring meter capable of measuring blowing air flow volume or differential of the blowing air flow volume, or a pressure meter capable of measuring blowing air pressure or differential of the blowing air pressure, either one of which is disposed at an air flow passage for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle, and for measuring either blowing air volume or pressure at a timing immediately after completion of blowing air; and

a controller for comparing the measuring result obtained by either one of the meters with a corresponding preliminary inputted threshold, and for making a judgment whether or not the component has been mounted properly.

27. The component mounting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the preliminary inputted threshold comprising two thresholds, and the controller being designed to make a judgment whether or not the component has been mounted properly or not based on comparison between the measurement result and the first threshold, and/or making judgment either the component has been mounted onto the circuit substrate but the filter is clogged, or the component has not been mounted onto the circuit substrate based on comparison between the measurement result and the second threshold.

28. The component mounting apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the measuring meter or the pressure meter measuring either one of blowing air flow volume, differential of blowing air flow volume decrease, blowing air pressure or differential of blowing air pressure decrease at two different timings immediately after air blowing operation;

and

the controller making a judgment whether or not the component has been properly mounted onto the circuit substrate based on comparison between the first measurement result and the corresponding first threshold, and making a judgment either the a filter disposed at air flow passage is clogged, or the component has not been mounted based on comparison between the second measurement value and the corresponding second threshold.

29. The component mounting apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the nozzle is structured to suck a component having a span length of equal to or less than 1.0 mm.