Operating Time Reducing Method, Operating Time Reducing Apparatus, Program and Component Mounter

• US 20080154392A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Maenishi, Yasuhiro, Konishi, Chikashi, Yamasaki, Akihito, Kuribayashi, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/32
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/085 Production planning, e.g. of allocation of products to machines, of mounting sequences at machine or facility level
• 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 29/53174 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

An operating time reducing method in which a processing procedure of a component mounting order determination method can be changed depending on the type of an operation loss that affects a component mounting time for mounting components onto the board is an operating time reducing method for a component mounter, wherein the method includes: an operation loss identifying step (S22 to S26, S30, S34 to S38, S42 to S46) of identifying an operation loss to be resolved in the component mounter; a processing procedure selecting step (S28, S32, S40, S48, S50, S52) of selecting, based on the identified operation loss, a processing procedure for reducing an operating time of the component mounter; and a processing procedure executing step (S28, S32, S40, S48, S50, S52) of executing the selected processing procedure.

Claims

1. An operating time reducing method for a component mounter, the method comprising:

an operation loss identifying step of identifying an operation loss to be resolved in the component mounter;

a processing procedure selecting step of selecting, based on the identified operation loss, a processing procedure for reducing an operating time of the component mounter; and

a processing procedure executing step of executing the selected processing procedure.

2. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein, in said processing procedure selecting step, when an operation loss caused by a component mounter provided with a rotary head which, while rotating about an axis, picks up components and mounts the components onto a board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method for a component mounter that mounts a plurality of components onto a board,

a board mark provided on a board for board positioning or a point included in component mounting points where a component is mounted first is defined as a start point,

for an arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and the start point, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component on one of the two points until completion of mounting of a component on the other of the two points is defined as a cost for the two points,

a point set up hypothetically as a last movement point is defined as a dummy point, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

a component mounting point information acquiring step of acquiring position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points, the start point and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating step of calculating a traveling path that passes individual points so as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the start point, the dummy point and the plurality of component mounting points on the board; and

a mounting order determining step of determining the component mounting order based of the traveling path.

3. The operating time reducing method according to claim 2,

wherein the dummy point is a hypothetical point where a cost relative to each component mounting point is greater than a cost for every two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the start point and where a cost relative to the start point is smaller than a cost for every two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the start point.

4. The operating time reducing method according to claim 2, wherein the component mounter includes a mounting head which picks up a component and mounts the component onto a board, and a component supply unit which supplies the component to the mounting head,

the mounting head is a rotary head which, while rotating about an axis, picks up the component and mounts the component onto the board,

the component mounter further includes a table on which the board is placed and which moves so that a component mounting point on the board conforms with a component mounting position of the rotary head, and

the cost from a particular component mounting point to another component mounting point is defined based on at least one of a time duration necessary when the table moves between the component mounting points, a time duration necessary when the rotary head performs intermittent rotation operation, and a time duration necessary when the component supply unit supplies a component to the rotary head.

5. The operating time reducing method according to claim 2,

wherein said processing procedure further includes a cost calculating step of calculating a cost for arbitrary two points among the start point, the dummy point, and the plurality of component mounting points on the board, and

in said traveling path calculating step, by using the costs calculated in said cost calculating step, a traveling path that passes individual points so as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the start, the dummy point, and the plurality of component mounting points point on the board is calculated in accordance with a traveling salesman problem.

6. The operating time reducing method according to claim 2,

wherein the dummy point is located at the same position as the start point.

7. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining a mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

for arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and a dummy point which is a point set up hypothetically, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component to one point of the two points until completion of mounting of a component to the other point is defined as a cost for the two points,

the dummy point is defined as a point set up as a start point and an end point of component mounting, and the component mounting order determination method includes:

a component mounting point information acquiring step of acquiring position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating step of calculating a traveling path in which the dummy point serves as a starting point and an end point and which passes individual points so as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point; and

a mounting order determining step of determining the component mounting order based on the traveling path.

8. The operating time reducing method according to claim 7,

wherein the dummy point is provided in a component supply unit which supplies the component to the mounting head.

9. The operating time reducing method according to claim 8,

wherein the dummy point is provided at a center of a plurality of component supply openings in the component supply unit.

10. The operating time reducing method according to claim 7,

wherein said component mounting point information acquiring step includes:

a step of acquiring position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points;

a step of generating corrected position information by correcting the position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points based on a pickup position of the component in the mounting head; and

a step of deriving, based on the corrected position information, the cost for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point.

11. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a plurality of mounting heads each for holding and transporting a plurality of components mount alternately the components onto one board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining a mounting order in the case where a plurality of mounting heads alternately mount components onto one board,

each mounting head is a head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

a component group that is mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by each mounting head is defined as a task, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

an assignment step of assigning components to be mounted onto the board to any one of the plurality of mounting heads so that the number of tasks assigned to each of the plurality of mounting heads becomes uniform; and

a task generating step of generating each task for the components assigned to each head so that a time duration from completion of component mounting in the task of a mounting head until start of component mounting in the task of a next mounting head is minimized.

12. The operating time reducing method according to claim 11,

wherein in said task generating step, for each of the plurality of mounting heads, tasks are generated by dividing the assigned component group into tasks so that pickup and recognition of the components can be completed by the time mounting of components by other mounting heads is completed.

13. The operating time reducing method according to claim 12,

wherein said task generating step includes:

a step of calculating, for each of the plurality of mounting heads, a maximum number of component pickup iterations in which pickup and recognition of the components can be completed within a mounting time for mounting components performed by the other mounting heads, by comparing a pickup time and a recognition time with the mounting time which is a time duration from completion of recognition of components until completion of mounting performed by the other mounting heads, the pickup time being a time duration from completion of mounting of components until completion of pickup, the recognition time being a time duration from completion of pickup of the components until completion of recognition; and

a step of generating tasks for each of the plurality of mounting heads, by dividing the assigned component group into tasks so that the number of component pickup iterations is smaller than or equal to the maximum number of pickup iterations.

14. The operating time reducing method according to claim 11,

wherein said component mounting order determination method further includes a number-of-nozzles acquiring step of acquiring the number of pickup nozzles that are provided in each mounting head for picking up the components,

in said assignment step, a component to be mounted onto the board is assigned to one of the plurality of mounting heads, based on the acquired number of pickup nozzles, and

in said task generating step, the component group assigned to each mounting head is divided into tasks, and a mounting order for the divided tasks is determined.

15. The operating time reducing method according to claim 14,

wherein the mounting head includes a plurality of pickup nozzles arranged along a rotating circumference, and

in said task generating step, the component group assigned to each mounting head is divided into tasks so that, in the same task order, the number of components included in each task assigned to each of the plurality of mounting heads is equal, and an order for the divided tasks is determined.

16. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a plurality of mounting heads each for holding and transporting a plurality of components mount alternately the components onto one board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a method of generating tasks for each mounting head when a plurality of the mounting heads alternately mount components onto one board,

each of the mounting heads is a head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board, and

the task generating method includes a task generating step of generating, in the case where a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operation composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, each task for the components assigned to each head so that a time duration from completion of component mounting in the task of a mounting head until start of component mounting in the task of a next mounting head is minimized.

17. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a case where, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, a board carrying-in time which is a time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until a next board is carried in to a board stop position in the component mounter is greater than a predetermined threshold is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a method of reducing an operating time in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

the method of reducing an operating time includes:

a board carrying-in time calculating step of calculating the board carrying-in time which is the time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until the next board is carried in to the board stop position in the component mounter; and

a timing determining step of determining, in the case where one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, timing of pickup of components in a first task so that pickup of the components in a first task, for a board carried in, is started within the board carrying-in time.

18. The operating time reducing method according to claim 17,

wherein the component mounting order determination method further includes a task order determining step of determining task order so that a task having the greatest component pickup time is adopted as the first task and pickup of a component in the first task is started within the board carrying-in time.

19. The operating time reducing method according to claim 18,

wherein said task order determining step includes:

a comparison step of comparing a greatest component pickup time among all tasks with the board carrying-in time; and

a first determination step of determining task order so that when the greatest component pickup time is smaller than the board carrying-in time, a task having the greatest component pickup time is adopted as the first task and pickup of the component in the first task is started within the board carrying-in time.

20. The operating time reducing method according to claim 19,

wherein said task order determining step further includes a second determination step of determining, when the greatest component pickup time is greater than or equal to the board carrying-in time, a task order so that an arbitrary task having a component pickup time greater than or equal to the board carrying-in time is adopted as the first task and pickup of the component in the first task is started within the board carrying-in time.

21. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, and a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, when an operation loss caused by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation speed limits for the mounting head or by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation acceleration limits for the mounting head is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting method of mounting a plurality of components onto a board by using a holding unit that holds and transports the plurality of components, and

the component mounting method includes:

a speed identifying step of identifying a transportation speed limit for a holding unit corresponding to each of the plurality of components;

a determination step of determining, based on the transportation speed limits, a handling order for the plurality of components in the holding unit so that a time duration that a component having a lower transportation speed limit, among the plurality of components, is held by the holding unit is reduced; and

a mounting step of mounting the plurality of components onto the board by handling the plurality of components with the holding unit in accordance with the handling order determined in said determination step, and moving the holding unit at a speed not exceeding the lowest transportation speed limit of the components held by the holding unit.

22. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said determination step, a holding order for the plurality of components in the holding unit is determined as the handling order so that components are held sequentially starting from a component having the highest transportation speed limit identified in said speed identifying step, and

in said mounting step, the holding unit is made to hold the plurality of components in accordance with the handling order, and the held plurality of components is mounted onto the board.

23. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said determination step, a mounting order for the plurality of components in the holding unit is determined as the handling order so that components are mounted sequentially starting from a component having the lowest transportation speed limit identified in said speed identifying step, and

in said mounting step, the holding unit is made to hold the plurality of components, and the held plurality of components are mounted onto the board in accordance with the mounting order.

24. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said speed specifying step, a transportation speed limit for each component is specified by referring to speed information that indicates transportation speed limits for the plurality of components.

25. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said speed specifying step, a transportation speed limit for each component is specified by referring to size information that indicates sizes of the plurality of components, so that the transportation speed of the holding unit is restricted to be lower for a component having a larger size.

26. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said speed specifying step, a transportation speed limit for each component is specified by referring to weight information that indicates weights of the plurality of components, so that the transportation speed of the holding unit is restricted to be lower for a component having greater weight.

27. The operating time reducing method according to claim 21,

wherein in said speed specifying step, a transportation speed limit for each component is specified by referring to thickness information that indicates thicknesses of the plurality of components, so that the transportation speed of the holding unit is restricted to be lower for a component having greater thickness.

28. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, and a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, when an operation loss caused by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation speed limits for the mounting head or by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation acceleration limits for the mounting head is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting method of mounting a plurality of components onto a board by using a holding unit that holds and transports the plurality of components, and

the component mounting method includes:

an acceleration identifying step of identifying a transportation acceleration limit for the holding unit, corresponding to each of the plurality of components;

a determination step of determining a handling order for the plurality of components in the holding unit based on the transportation acceleration limits so that a time duration that a component having a lower transportation acceleration limit, among the plurality of components, is held by the holding unit is reduced; and

a mounting step of mounting the plurality of components onto the board by handling the plurality of components with the holding unit in accordance with the handling order determined in said determination step, and moving the holding unit with an acceleration not exceeding the lowest transportation acceleration limit of the components held by the holding unit.

29. The operating time reducing method according to claim 1,

wherein when an operation loss caused by an interference, which is a collision between components or between a component and a mounting head that can occur when a component mounter provided with a mounting head mounts a component on a board, is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

a mounting order determining step of determining a mounting order onto the board based on a restriction condition concerning a before-after relation in the mounting order for the components; and

a task order determining step of dividing all components into tasks in a state where the mounting order determined in said mounting order determining step is maintained, and determining a mounting order for the divided tasks, in the case where a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task.

30. The operating time reducing method according to claim 29,

wherein in said mounting order determining step, the mounting order is determined so that interference does not occur, the interference being collision between components or between a component and the mounting head that can occur when the components are mounted onto the board.

31. The operating time reducing method according to claim 30,

wherein in said mounting order determining step, the mounting order is determined so that interference caused by arch motion operation of the mounting head does not occur.

32. The operating time reducing method according to claim 31,

wherein in said mounting order determining step, for each component, it is judged whether another component or a part of another component mounted on the board is present within a range of a moving space of the mounting head in the case where the mounting head mounts the component onto the board by arch motion operation, and when it is judged as being present, the mounting order is determined so that the component being judged is mounted before the another component.

33. The operating time reducing method according to claim 32,

wherein in said mounting order determining step, a sequence of component groups is generated as the mounting order by repeating a process in which, based on the judgment result, a group of components to be mounted first is specified as a first component group, and a group of components to be mounted next among the components excluding said first component group is specified as a second component group.

34. The operating time reducing method according to claim 33,

wherein in said mounting order determining step, a three-dimensional map that shows three-dimensional positions and shapes of the components mounted on the board is generated, and a group of components to be mounted first is specified as a first component group, in the generated three-dimensional map, based on the judgment result.

35. An operating time reducing apparatus for a component mounter, said operating time reducing apparatus comprising:

an operation loss identifying unit operable to identify an operation loss to be resolved in the component mounter;

a processing procedure selecting unit operable to select a processing procedure for reducing an operating time of the component mounter, based on the identified operation loss; and

a processing procedure executing unit operable to execute the selected processing procedure.

36. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter provided with a rotary head which, while rotating about an axis, picks up components and mounts the components onto a board is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, said processing procedure selecting unit is operable to select a processing procedure,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure performed by an apparatus which determines a mounting order for components in the component mounter for mounting a plurality of components onto a board,

a board mark provided on a board for board positioning or a point included in component mounting points where a component is mounted first is defined as a start point,

for arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and the start point, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component to one point of the two points until completion of mounting of a component to the other point is defined as a cost for the two points,

a point set up hypothetically as a last movement point is defined as a dummy point, and

the mounting order determining apparatus includes:

a component mounting point information acquiring unit which acquires position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points, the start point and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating unit which calculates according to a traveling salesman problem a traveling path that passes individual points so as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the start point on the board, the dummy point, and the plurality of component mounting points; and

a mounting order determining unit which determines a mounting order for the component based on of the traveling path.

37. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, said processing procedure selecting unit is operable to select a processing procedure,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure executed by a component mounting order determining apparatus operable to determine a mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

for arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and a dummy point which is a point set up hypothetically, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component to one point of the two points until completion of mounting of a component to the other point is defined as a cost for the two points,

the dummy point is defined as a point set up as a start point and an end point of component mounting, and the component mounting order determining apparatus includes:

a component mounting point information acquiring unit which acquires position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating unit which calculates a traveling path in which the dummy point serves as a starting point and an end point and which passes individual points such as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point; and

a mounting order determining unit which determines a mounting order for the component based on the traveling path.

38. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a plurality of mounting heads each for holding and transporting a plurality of components mount alternately the components onto one board is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, a processing procedure is selected by said processing procedure selecting unit,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure executed by a component mounting order determining apparatus which determines a mounting order in the case where a plurality of mounting heads alternately mount components onto one board,

each mounting head is a head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by each mounting head is defined as a task, and

the component mounting order determining apparatus includes:

an assignment unit which assigns components to be mounted onto the board to any one of the plurality of mounting heads so that the number of tasks assigned to each of the plurality of mounting heads becomes uniform; and

a task generating unit which generates each task for the components assigned to each head so that a time duration from completion of component mounting in the task of a particular mounting head until start of component mounting in the task of the next mounting head is minimized.

39. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a the case where, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, a board carrying-in time which is a time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until the next board is carried in to a board stop position in the component mounter is greater than a predetermined threshold is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, a processing procedure is selected by said processing procedure selecting unit,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure executed by an apparatus which reduces an operating time in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

the apparatus which reduces an operating time includes:

a board carrying-in time calculating unit which calculates a board carrying-in time which is a time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until the next board is carried in to a board stop position in the component mounter; and

a timing determining unit which, when one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, determines timing of pickup of components in a first task so that pickup of the components in a first task for a board carried in is started within the board carrying-in time.

40. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, and a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, when an operation loss caused by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation speed limits for the mounting head or by a presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation acceleration limits for the mounting head is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, a processing procedure is selected by said processing procedure selecting unit,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure executed by an order determining apparatus operable to determine handling order for a plurality of components in a holding unit operable to hold and transport the plurality of components in order to mount the plurality of components onto a board, and

the order determining apparatus includes:

a speed identifying unit which identifies a transportation speed limit for the holding unit corresponding to each of the plurality of components; and

a determination unit which determines handling order for the plurality of components performed by the holding unit based on the transportation speed limits in so that a time duration that a component having a lower transportation speed limit among the plurality of components is held by the holding unit is reduced.

41. The operating time reducing apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein when an operation loss caused by interference, which is collision between components or between a component and a mounting head which can occur when a component mounter provided with a mounting head mounts a component on a board, is identified by said operation loss identifying unit, a processing procedure is selected by said processing procedure selecting unit,

the selected processing procedure is a processing procedure executed by a component mounting order determining apparatus which determines a mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board, and

the component mounting order determining apparatus includes:

a mounting order determining unit which determines a mounting order onto the board based on a restriction condition concerning before-after relation in the mounting order for the components; and

a task order determining unit which, in the case where a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, divides all components into tasks in a state that the mounting order determined by said mounting order determining unit is maintained, and determines a mounting order for the divided tasks.

42. A component mounter comprising a unit operable to mount components based on a control procedure determined by an operating time reducing method,

wherein said operating time reducing method is a method for reducing operating time in a component mounter, said method including:

an operation loss identifying step of identifying an operation loss to be resolved in the component mounter;

a processing procedure selecting step of selecting, based on the identified operation loss, a processing procedure for reducing an operating time of the component mounter; and

a processing procedure executing step of executing the selected processing procedure.

43. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter provided with a rotary head that, in a state rotating about an axis, picks up components and mounts the components onto a board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a method of determining component mounting order in a component mounter that mounts a plurality of components onto a board,

a board mark provided on a board for board positioning or a point included in component mounting points where a component is mounted first is defined as a start point,

for arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and the start point, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component to one point of the two points until completion of mounting of a component to the other point is defined as a cost for the two points,

a point set up hypothetically as a last movement point is defined as a dummy point, and

the component mounting order determining method including:

a component mounting point information acquiring step of acquiring position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points, the start point and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating step of calculating a traveling path that passes individual points so as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the start point on the board, the dummy point and the plurality of component mounting points; and

a mounting order determining step of determining the component mounting order based on the traveling path.

44. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

for arbitrary two points among a plurality of component mounting points and a dummy point which is a point set up hypothetically, a distance between the two points or a time duration necessary from completion of mounting of a component to one point of the two points until completion of mounting of a component to the other point is defined as a cost for the two points,

the dummy point is defined as a point set up as a start point and an end point of component mounting, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

a component mounting point information acquiring step of acquiring position information concerning the plurality of component mounting points and the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point;

a traveling path calculating step of calculating a traveling path in which the dummy point serves as a starting point and an end point and which passes individual points such as to minimize a sum of the costs for two points among the plurality of component mounting points and the dummy point; and

a mounting order determining step of determining the component mounting order based on the traveling path.

45. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a component mounter in which a plurality of mounting heads each for holding and transporting a plurality of components mount alternately the components onto one board is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining mounting order in the case where a plurality of mounting heads alternately mount components onto one board,

each mounting head is a head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board,

a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by each mounting head is defined as a task, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

an assignment step of assigning components to be mounted onto the board to any one of the plurality of mounting heads so that the number of tasks assigned to each of the plurality of mounting heads becomes uniform; and

a task generating step of generating each task for the components assigned to each head so that a time duration from completion of component mounting in the task of a particular mounting head until start of component mounting in the task of the next mounting head is minimized.

46. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein when an operation loss caused by a the case where, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, a board carrying-in time which is a time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until the next board is carried in to a board stop position in the component mounter is greater than a predetermined threshold is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a method of reducing an operating time in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board, and

the operating time reduction method includes:

a board carrying-in time calculating step of calculating a board carrying-in time which is a time duration after the components have been mounted onto the board until the next board is carried in to a board stop position in the component mounter; and

a timing determining step of determining, when one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, timing of pickup of components in a first task so that pickup of the components in the first task for a board carried in is started within the board carrying-in time.

47. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein, in a component mounter in which a mounting head for holding and transporting a plurality of components mounts the plurality of components onto a board, and a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, when an operation loss caused by the presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation speed limits for the mounting head or by the presence of a task in which the components have mutually different component transportation acceleration limits for the mounting head is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting method of mounting a plurality of components onto a board by using a holding unit that holds and transports the plurality of components, and

the component mounting method includes:

a speed identifying step of identifying a transportation speed limit for the holding unit corresponding to each of the plurality of components;

a determination step of determining handling order for the plurality of components performed by the holding unit based on the transportation speed limits so that a time duration that a component having a lower transportation speed limit among the plurality of components is held by the holding unit is reduced; and

a mounting step of handling the plurality of components with the holding unit in accordance with the handling order determined in said determination step, and moving the holding unit at a speed not exceeding the lowest transportation speed limit of the components held by the holding unit so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board.

48. The component mounter according to claim 42,

wherein when an operation loss caused by interference, which is collision between components or between a component and a mounting head that could occur at the time that a component mounter provided with a mounting head mounts a component on a board, is identified in said operation loss identifying step, a processing procedure is selected in said processing procedure selecting step,

the selected processing procedure is a component mounting order determination method of determining mounting order in the case where components are mounted onto a board by a component mounter provided with a mounting head that picks up and transports a plurality of components so as to mount the plurality of components onto the board, and

the component mounting order determination method includes:

a mounting order determining step of determining mounting order onto the board based on a restriction condition concerning before-after relation in the mounting order for the components; and

a task order determining step of, in the case where a component group to be mounted in one iteration of a repeated series of operations composed of pickup, transportation and mounting of the components performed by the mounting head is defined as a task, dividing all components into tasks in a state that the mounting order determined in said mounting order determining step is maintained, and determining mounting order for the divided tasks.