Automated setup verification system

• US 5,325,305 A
• Filed: 07/24/1992
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rezaei, Fredrick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOUSI, CAMERON
• Application Number:
  US07/919,308
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468, 364/478, 29/830-832
• US Class Current: 700/114
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/086 Supply management, e.g. supply of components or of substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

An automated setup verification system provides a means and method for rapidly and accurately verifying that the component feeder magazines on a surface mount technology placement machine are correctly installed for manufacturing a selected printing wiring assembly. The system prevents manufacture until machine setup is verified correct, thus preventing manufacture of a large number of defective assemblies when there has been erroneous placement of component feeder magazines. The system comprises a local area controller which contains design and machine information, a programmable logic controller, a bar code scanning and proximity detection system, a test station for testing a sample component from a component feeder magazine, and a structural bridging and spanning assembly for adapting the invention to an existing surface mount technology placement machine. An operator associates a component to a component reel and a component feeder magazine in the local area controller using a bar code system. The loaded component feeder magazines installed on a placement machine are scanned to verify their positions are correct. Any incorrectly positioned component feeder magazines are indicated to the operator for repositioning prior to manufacturing information being downloading to the surface mount technology placement machine.

Claims

1. An automated setup verification system for use in verifying manual operator setup of a placement machine having a plurality of component feeder magazines, each containing a plurality of preselected electronic components, and arranged in fixed positions for use in the automated placement of said electronic components on assemblies during the assembly manufacturing process, comprising:

a support structure positioned adjacent said placement machine and defining a path which passes by each of said fixed positions;

a plurality of coded means, each of said coded means being attached to a different one of said component feeder magazines for identifying and distinguishing each of said component feeder magazines from all other component feeder magazines in said placement machine;

an electronic component testing meter, for manually testing the electrical values of one or more of said plurality of preselected electronic components contained within each component feeder magazine bearing one of said coded means, to determine the identity of said plurality of electronic components;

an electronic component testing terminal including code reading means, for associating an identified plurality of electronic components contained within a component feeder magazine with that particular component feeder magazine;

movement producing means movably retained to said support structure for producing selective motion relative to said support structure along said path in response to control commands;

code sensing means attached to said movement producing means for addressing and sensing coded means in each fixed position;

decoding means communicating with said code sensing means for discerning the coded identity addressed by said code sensing means of any component feeder magazine found in any fixed position;

a programmable logic controller communicating with said decoding means and said movement producing means, and programmable for sending control commands to said movement producing means, and for receiving information from said decoding means; and

a local area controller communicating with said programmable logic controller, said electronic component testing meter and said electronic component testing terminal, and having stored information defining at least one preselected assembly data set which includes a required component feeder magazine setup for manufacturing as assembly, said local area controller being programmed to compare actual component feeder magazine setup information provided by said programmable logic controller, said electronic component testing meter, and said electronic component testing terminal with said required component feeder magazine setup information, and provide a visual indication to an operator to verify whether said actual component feeder magazine setup conforms to said required component feeder magazine setup.

2. An automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a rotary member attached to said movement producing means and supporting said code sensing means and responsive to control commands from said programmable logic controller for rotating about an axis between first and second positions relative to said movement producing means.

3. An automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor attached to said code sensing means and communicating with said programmable logic controller for sensing the presence of a component feeder magazine in one of said fixer positions.

4. An automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a position designator attached to and aligned with said code sensing means for visually indicating to an operator which fixed position the code sensing means is addressing.

5. An automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising first and second sensors communicating with said programmable logic controller and positioned for detection of said rotary member position in said first and second positions.

6. An "automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first and second sensors comprise laser photoelectric sensors.

7. An automated setup verification system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said movement producing means comprises an electric linear stepper motor.

8. An automated setup verification system for use in verifying manual operator setup of a surface mount technology placement machine of the type having a plurality of component feeder magazines arranged in fixed positions for use in the automated placement of electronic components on printed wiring assemblies during the printed wiring assembly manufacturing process, comprising:

a plurality of coded means, each being associated with and attached to a different one of said component feeder magazines for identifying and distinguishing each of said component feeder magazines from all other components feeder magazines in said surface mounted technology placement machine;

a support structure positioned adjacent said surface mount technology placement machine and defining a path which passes by each of said component feeder magazine fixed positions;

movement producing means movably retained to said support structure for producing selective incremental motion along said path in response to control commands;

a rotary member attached to said movement producing means and responsive to control commands for rotational movement about an axis between first and second positions;

a proximity sensor attached to said rotary member for sensing the presence of a component feeder magazine in each component feeder magazine fixed position as said movement producing means moves along said path;

code sensing means attached to said rotary member for addressing each magazine fixed position and sensing coded information from any coded means found there and for providing signals characteristic of said found coded means;

decoding means communicating with said code sensing means for processing signals for said code sensing means and discerning the identify of said found coded means;

a position designator attached to said rotary member for providing a visual indication to an operator which component feeder magazine fixed position the code sensing means is addressing;

a programmable logic controller communicating with said decoding means, said movement producing means, said rotary member and said proximity sensor, and programmed for sending control commands to said movement producing means and said rotary member, and for receiving information from said proximity sensor and said decoding means;

a test console including code reading means for identifying representative components loaded in a particular component feeder magazine by testing the electrical values of those representative components and reading the coded means on that particular component feeder magazine; and

a local area controller communicating with said programmable logic controller, said test console and said surface mount technology placement machine, and having memory means for storing manufacturing information defining at least one preselected printed wiring assembly data set including a required surface mount technology placement machine component feeder magazine setup for manufacturing a preselected printed wiring assembly, and a library of electronic component values, for comparing actual component feeder magazine setup information provided by said programmable logic controller and said test console with said required component feeder magazine setup to verify said actual component feeder magazine setup conforms to said required component feeder magazine setup, for notifying the operator when the actual setup does not comply with the required setup, and for downloading manufacturing information to said surface mount technology placement machine when the component feeder magazine setup has been verified as correct.

9. A method for automatically verifying manual operator setup of a placement machine having a plurality of component feeder magazines coded with a distinguishing sensible marking and arranged in fixed positions for use in the automated placement of components on assemblies during the assembly manufacturing process, comprising the steps of:

recalling assembly design information including required component identify for a selected assembly, and required placement machine component feeder magazine setup information for manufacturing that assembly;

associating component identify information with component feeder magazine identity information for the component feeder magazine in which said component has been loaded;

first comparing actual component identity information with required component identity information to verify all required component part numbers are available in component feeder magazines;

informing an operator and returning to said associating step if said first comparing step indicates one or more required components are not available in component feeder magazines;

scanning actual component feeder magazine identity at each fixed position;

p1 correlating said actual component feeder magazine identity with actual component feeder magazine position on said placement machine;

second comparing required component feeder magazine setup position information with actual component feeder magazine setup position information;

informing an operator, and returning to said scanning step if said second comprising step indicates one or more required component feeder magazines are not in the required position; and

confirming that all necessary components are loaded in component feeder magazines and that all component feeder magazines are correctly placed on a placement machine to produce an assembly.