Method and system for placing components by means of at least one component placement unit

• US 20060085975A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assembleon B.V.
• Original Assignee: Assembleon B.V.
• Inventors: van der Graaf, Sebastiaan Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/834
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0413 with orientation of the component while holding it; Drive mechanisms for gripping tools, e.g. lifting, lowering or turning of gripping tools
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0853 Determination of transport trajectories inside mounting machines
• 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 29/49133 with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component

Abstract

Provided is a method and system for placing components by means of at least one component placement unit wherein the component placement unit is moved over a distance between a component pickup position and a component placement position located on a substrate. In addition, a total distance to be covered by the component placement unit is calculated for the number of components to be placed, wherein the number of components to be placed is determined beforehand. This total distance value is subsequently compared with a reference value. If the total distance value is greater than the reference value, the substrate to be provided with the components is rotated with respect to the component pickup position about an axis that extends perpendicularly to the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for placing components, comprising

(a) determining a total distance to be covered by a component placement unit for a number of components to be placed;

(b) comparing the total distance to a reference value;

(c) rotating, if the total distant is greater than the reference value, a substrate onto which the components are to be placed relative to a component pickup position about an axis that extends transversely to a substrate until the determined total distance is smaller than or equal to the reference value; and

(d) moving the component placement unit over a distance between the component pickup position and a component placement position located on the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference value is equal to a total distance to be covered by the component placement unit where the substrate has been rotated through a predefined angle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising calculating an average distance to be covered from the total distance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reference value is equal to an average distance to be covered between a centre line of the substrate, and a component pickup position wherein the centre line of the substrate extends transversely to a direction of movement of the component placement unit, and.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating an average distance to be covered from the total distance.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising rotating the substrate in steps of approximately 90 degrees with a rotation system.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising rotating the substrate in steps of approximately 180 degrees with a rotation system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation comprises rotation based on a randomly selected angle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the total distance to be covered by the component placement unit is determined using design data of the substrate.

10. A system comprising

(a) a number of components;

(b) at least one component placement unit for placing the number of components wherein the component placement unit can be moved over a distance between a component pickup position and a component placement position; and

(c) a substrate, wherein the substrate contains the component placement position;

(d) a processor for calculating a total distance to be covered by the component placement unit for the number of components to be place, wherein the calculation is done before placement of the components and comparing the total distance to a reference value wherein if the total distance is greater than the reference value, the substrate can be rotated; and

(e) a rotation system for rotating the substrate with respect to the component pickup position about an axis that extends transversely with respect to the substrate until the calculated distance is smaller than or equal to the reference value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate can be rotated by a rotation system, wherein the rotation system is integrated in the system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate can be rotated by a rotation system, wherein the rotation system is detachably connected to the system.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the component placement unit comprises a camera.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the component placement unit further comprises a movable nozzle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises a number of reference elements.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein a number of component supply devices supply the number of components.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the number of component supply devices is two.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the component placement unit is movable in two directions.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate is square-shaped.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate is rectangular-shaped.