DE102021112830A1 - Production Line Transportation - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for transporting objects within a workpiece processing machine (an automatic placement machine (20A-E) and/or a printing machine) of a production line by transporting the object within a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) which is located on a carriage conveyor (25), and Positioning the carriage (35, 35A, 35B) on the carriage conveyor (25) within a working area of the machine, e.g. B. a head unit work area in which certain items can be picked up or placed by a head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E') of the machine. The system can also be used to move rejected items to a waste unit.

Description

The present invention relates to a workpiece processing machine, a production line and a method for transporting objects within a workpiece processing machine.

Background and prior art

The present invention relates generally to the technical field of processing workpieces for equipping them with electronic components. The components can be electronic components with a housing or electronic components without a housing in the form of chips, which are taken directly from a finished wafer and fed to an assembly process.

In an initial stage of processing, the workpiece is exposed to a conductive medium, such as. B. solder paste, printed with a printing machine or a "printer". After printing, electronic subassemblies are typically produced using so-called placement machines, in which electronic components are automatically fed from a component feed device, e.g. B. a "feeder" removed and placed on a workpiece, z. B. a printed circuit board, are placed. The components are transferred from the component supply device to the respective mounting position by means of a component handling device, e.g. B. a so-called placement head. For the purposes of the present invention, both printing presses and placement machines are referred to as “workpiece processing machines”.

Flexible operation is increasingly required of workpiece processing machines. A wide variety of components can thus be placed, which in turn require a corresponding variety of handling tools attached or attachable to the placement head, e.g. B. differently sized suction nozzles or component grippers. In addition, different types and sizes of target workpieces can have different types or numbers of supports, such as e.g. B. support bolts require. In order to ensure the greatest possible flexibility in operation, placement machines are often equipped with a storage facility for the temporary accommodation of equipment, such as e.g. B. support bolts, nozzles, grippers, etc. provided. Such interchangeable, exchangeable or consumable items can, for. B. be temporarily stored in one or more magazines within the pick and place machine, which can be accessed automatically and which can be used without human intervention. In such magazines z. For example, replacement items can also be accommodated so that a defective item can be automatically “replaced” without unduly reducing the throughput of the placement machine.

However, while on the one hand there is a commercial urge for increased flexibility and protection against failures, on the other hand there is also the urge to minimize the size and space requirements of workpiece processing machines and the constant desire to increase throughput. If you z. For example, equipping a pick and place machine with large magazines to accommodate many items increases the size of the machine and decreases throughput because the placement head typically has to travel a longer distance between a feeder and the workpiece when one or more magazines are adjacent to the placement area. Printing machines also have similar problems - it would be advantageous to be able to provide a large number of items such as workpiece support bolts, different doctor blade configurations, etc., but the available space inside the machine is clearly limited.

1 shows schematically the interior of a known placement machine 1 from above. A workpiece W to be fitted with components passes through the automatic placement machine 1 along a workpiece path 2 , from left to right as shown, which is released by a workpiece conveyor 3 . Above the workpiece path 2 are a first gantry 4 and a second gantry 5 operable to place placement heads 6 between component feeders 7 for receiving components, respectively, the component feeders 7 being located on opposite sides of the placement machine 1 so that they can be easily interchanged can be, and to position the workpiece W to place the picked components thereon. A stationary camera 8 for component control functionality is provided to the side of the workpiece conveyor 3, and a component reject bin 9 is located between the stationary camera 8 and the workpiece conveyor 3, so that components identified as defective by the stationary camera 8 can be disposed of. Also located between the component feeders 7 and the workpiece conveyor 3 is a support pin magazine 10 and a nozzle magazine 11, with a nozzle ejection container 12 being provided near the nozzle magazine 11 and the stationary camera 8 for receiving defective nozzles, as are generally known from the prior art are known. It can be seen that the magazines 10 and 11 are quite large and extend the distance of the placement heads 6 when driving over the component feeder 7 and the workpiece W, which has a negative effect both on the space required for the placement machine 1 and also reduces the throughput. In addition, neither nozzles nor support bolts can be automatically fed to or removed from the automatic placement machine 1 . Instead, the pick and place machine 1 must be stopped and either the magazines 10, 11 or individual nozzles/support pins must be replaced or removed by an operator, further reducing throughput.

During the in 1 While the placement machine 1 shown shows only a single workpiece conveyor 3 for the sake of simplicity, so that only a single workpiece W can be fitted with components at a time, modern placement machines typically comprise a pair of parallel and adjacent workpiece conveyors so that the workpieces W are transported individually and independently on each workpiece conveyor be able. Typically, each workpiece conveyor may have its own placement head unit. In addition, pick and place machines may include more than one head unit for each work conveyor, so that components can be placed on more than one work piece on each work conveyor at a time.

The present invention seeks to provide flexible article feeding for a workpiece processing machine while minimizing the footprint of the machine and avoiding a reduction in throughput. In addition, the present invention also provides a mechanism for conveniently removing unwanted objects from a workpiece processing machine, also with a minimized footprint.

The aforesaid aim is achieved by the subject-matters of the claims. In particular, the object is achieved by a workpiece processing machine according to claim 1, by a production line according to claim 13 and by a method for transporting objects within a workpiece processing machine according to claim 19. Further features and details of the invention result from the dependent claims, the description and the figures. Features and details that are discussed in relation to the workpiece processing machine according to the invention are also related to the production line according to the invention, the method according to the invention and vice versa.

According to the invention, this goal is achieved in that a separate transport path is provided for objects. Such items may include receptable or non-receptable items, where a receivable item is an item that can be picked up or placed by a head assembly of a work machine. Items suitable for transport across the transport track may include interchangeable or consumable items such as: As tools, under this term all consumable or interchangeable items are understood below that are required for the proper functioning of the workpiece processing machine such. B. Support bolts, calibration tools, squeegees, measuring tools, nozzles, grippers, etc., or electronic components, in particular electronic components, which are considered defective and should therefore be disposed of. Some tools, e.g. B. force measuring tools, may not be included and can therefore remain in the transport line during their measurement use and after the measurement elsewhere in the production line, z. B. to another machine. The transport path can transport such objects between a workpiece processing machine and an external location, e.g. B. a storage or waste location transport.

Summary of the Invention

• einen Arbeitsbereich im Inneren der Werkstückbearbeitungsmaschine, einen Werkstückbeförderer zum Transportieren eines Werkstücks durch die Werkstückbearbeitungsmaschine,
• einen Austauschbereich, der sich an einer Außenseite der Werkstückbearbeitungsmaschine befindet, und
• einen Wagenförderer, der zumindest teilweise parallel zum Werkstückbeförderer angeordnet ist, um einen Wagen darauf zwischen dem Arbeitsbereich und dem Austauschbereich zu transportieren, wobei der Wagen so konfiguriert ist, dass er mindestens einen Gegenstand darauf trägt.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a workpiece processing machine is provided, which comprises the following:

• a work area inside the workpiece processing machine, a workpiece conveyor for transporting a workpiece through the workpiece processing machine,
• an exchange area located on an outside of the workpiece processing machine, and
• a carriage conveyor disposed at least partially parallel to the workpiece conveyor for transporting a carriage thereon between the work area and the exchange area, the carriage being configured to carry at least one item thereon.

• die Werkstückbearbeitungsmaschine des ersten Aspekts, und
• einen Wagen, wobei der Wagen entlang des Wagenförderers verfahrbar ist.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly line comprising:

• the workpiece processing machine of the first aspect, and
• a carriage, the carriage being movable along the carriage conveyor.

• i) Transportieren des Gegenstands innerhalb eines Wagens, der sich auf einem Wagenförderer befindet, und
• ii) Positionieren des Wagens auf dem Wagenförderer innerhalb eines Arbeitsbereichs der Werkstückbearbeitungsmaschine.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is a method for transporting objects within a workpiece processor processing machine provided, comprising the steps:

• i) transporting the item within a carriage carried on a carriage conveyor, and
• ii) positioning the carriage on the carriage conveyor within a work area of the workpiece processing machine.

Further specific aspects and features of the present invention are set out in the appended claims.

character list

• 1 zeigt schematisch den Innenraum eines bekannten Bestückungsautomaten von oben;
• 2 zeigt schematisch einen Teil einer Fertigungsstraße gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung, einschließlich fünf Bestückungsautomaten, von oben;
• 3 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen Ausschnitt eines Wagenförderers mit darauf montierten Wagen;
• 4 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen Abzweigförderer im Zusammenwirken mit dem Hauptwagenförderer;
• 5 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen vertikalen Schleifenabschnitt des Wagenförderers;
• 6 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen horizontalen Schleifenabschnitt des Wagenförderers gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 7 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen vertikalen Schleifenabschnitt des Wagenförderers gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 8 zeigt schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht einen horizontalen Schleifenabschnitt des Wagenförderers gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 9 zeigt schematisch einen Teil einer Fertigungsstraße gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung, einschließlich vier Bestückungsautomaten und einer Druckmaschine, von oben.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures (not to scale), which show:

• 1 shows schematically the interior of a known automatic placement machine from above;
• 2 shows schematically a part of a production line according to an embodiment of the present invention, including five placement machines, from above;
• 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a section of a carriage conveyor with carriages mounted thereon;
• 4 shows schematically in a perspective view a branch conveyor in cooperation with the main carriage conveyor;
• 5 shows schematically in perspective view a vertical loop portion of the carriage conveyor;
• 6 Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view a horizontal loop portion of the carriage conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention;
• 7 shows schematically in perspective view a vertical loop portion of the carriage conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention;
• 8th Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view a horizontal loop portion of the carriage conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
• 9 Fig. 12 shows schematically a part of a production line according to a further embodiment of the present invention, including four pick-and-place machines and a printing machine, from above.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention

For the sake of simplicity, the present invention is described below with particular reference to pick and place machines as wafer processing machines, but it should be understood that the principles can be readily applied to printing machines as wafer processing machines.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in 2 shown. Here, part of a production line with five automatic placement machines 20A-E positioned one after the other and next to one another is shown from above. First and second parallel and adjacent workpiece conveyors 21, 22 are arranged to carry workpieces W (in 2 not shown) in a direction from left to right as shown, through the five pick and place machines 20A-E, so that each pick and place machine performs an operation, in particular the placement of one or more electronic components (in 2 not shown), can perform on each workpiece W. The workpieces W carried by the workpiece conveyors 21, 22 and subjected to the operations may have different widths, and to accommodate such widths, the workpiece conveyors 21, 22 are bounded by a fixed rail 27, 28 and a movable rail 29, 30, respectively. Each pick and place machine 20A-E comprises two head units 23A, A' - 23E, E' for carrying out the operation. These head units 23A, A' - 23E, E' can e.g. B. be carried by corresponding portals (not shown for reasons of clarity), as is known per se in the prior art. Each head unit 23A,A'-23E,E' is operable to pick or place operationally pickable items within a head unit work area 24A-E of its respective pick and place machine 20A-E. More specifically, 24A-E shows the head unit working area for the respective pick and place machine 20A-E, ie the area that can be reached by at least one head unit 23A, 23A' of the respective pick and place machine 20A-E. In practice, each individual head unit of each placement machine, e.g. B. the individual head units 23A, 23A 'of the placement machine 20A, each have their own work area, which is about half the size of the head unit work area 24A, etc. For the sake of clarity in 2 however, only the entire head unit work area 24A-E is shown.

Running within and between each pick and place machine 20A-E is a carriage conveyor 25 configured to carry carriages 35 through the assembly line. As in 2 shown is the carriage conveyor 25 is formed from a plurality of different conveyor lengths, including a main carriage conveyor 31 running parallel to the first and second workpiece conveyors 21, 22, and a plurality of branch conveyors 32A-E each branching from the main carriage conveyor 31, within a respective pick and place machine 20A- E, and operatively connected thereto so that a carriage can be transported from the main carriage conveyor 31 to the branch conveyor 32A-E. It should be noted that most of the main carriage conveyors 31 and branch conveyors 32A-E are located within the head unit work areas 24A-E so that the head units 3A,A' - 23E,E' can reach the carriages 35 to pick up items received from them to pick up or put pickable items in them as needed. The main carriage conveyor 31 may conveniently be mounted on a rail, e.g. B. be fixed by simply screwing such. B. on a movable rail 29 or 30, which facilitates the adaptation to different workpiece widths. The carriage conveyor 25 ends at one end in an exchange area 26, which is located on an outside of a placement machine, here the upstream placement machine 20A. A tool changing unit 33 is provided in the vicinity of the changing area, which is connected to the main carriage conveyor 31 via a tool conveyor 34, so that a carriage 35 is moved from the tool changing unit 33 to the carriage conveyor 25 via the tool conveyor 34 and thus transported between the head unit working area and the changing area can be. The tool changing unit 33 includes a store for at least one carriage 35, which can be empty or preloaded with objects that can be picked up. In preferred embodiments, the tool changing unit 33 is operable to automatically, under the control of a control means as described below, load pickable items into a carriage 35 for subsequent transport to the carriage conveyor 25 as required. Alternatively or additionally, the tool changing unit 33 can also be operated manually, so that a human operator can place objects in a trolley 35 or place them directly. Each cart 35 is configured to carry at least one pickable item thereon, as will be described in more detail below. The relative movement of the main carriage conveyor 31 and the tool changing unit 33 due to the movement of the movable rail 29, 30 can be managed in various ways, e.g. B. by using a shuttle arrangement similar to that in 4 shown and described below, or by using a pivoting portion of the conveyor (similar to the "points" of a railway line), or even a portion of the conveyor that can at least partially flex (e.g. by using a composite conveyor consisting of a number of smaller conveyors is formed, which can rotate relative to each other).

It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the provision of ingestible objects, but can also be used for the transport of non-ingestible objects. A particular example of such a non-captureable item is a force gauge, which can be used to measure the force exerted by a placement head. Such a force gauge can, for. B. be battery operated and have a memory to store the readings. Another non-captureable item that could be carried is a nozzle ejector box used for receiving ejected nozzles from a head unit.

Although in 2 not shown, the system also includes control means for controlling the movement of the carriages 35 on the carriage conveyor 25, as well as the tool changing unit 33. Advantageously, this control system is operatively combined with the main control system of the production line, so that the movement of the carriages is seamless with the needs and operation of each Pick and place machines 20A-E of the production line can be harmonized. For example, when the control means determines that the pick and place machine 20C needs a new nozzle, the tool changing unit 33 can be controlled to load a carriage 35 with a nozzle onto the carriage conveyor 25 via the tool transport 34, and this carriage 35 then becomes the head unit- Work area 24C of the placement machine 20C moves so that the nozzle can be picked up by a placement head 6 of the placement machine 20C. In addition, it may also be necessary to move other carriages 35 out of the way in order for the carriage with the nozzle to reach the head unit work area 24C. As will be described in more detail below, this can be accomplished by driving the intermediate carriages 35 on a return loop so that the tool transport 34 clears the path to the head assembly work area 24C. Such control means may comprise processing means such as a processor or a computer loaded with appropriate control software or hardware, which may be on-line or remote, as is well known in the art.

3 Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view an exemplary portion of the carriage conveyor 25 with two carriages 35A, 35B mounted thereon. This section of the trolley conveyor could, for example, be at least part of the Main carriage conveyor 31 (see 2 ), at least part of a branch conveyor 32A-E (see 2 ) or at least part of a loop, as described in more detail below. The illustrated portion of the carriage conveyor 25 includes two linear conveyor modules 36A, 36B connected together to form a composite length of linear conveyor. A linear conveyor, as that term is used herein, as opposed to a belt conveyor, is one in which a linear actuator, typically an electromagnetic linear actuator, is used to directly effect movement of a carriage 35 along the linear conveyor. Drive can be in either direction along the conveyor and it is possible to accurately stop a carriage at any point along the linear conveyor.

Each linear conveyor module 36A, 36B includes an elongate rail 37 which defines the path of travel of a carriage 35 in a direction T and includes at each end thereof a link 38 which confirms the alignment of adjacent linear conveyor modules 36A, 36B. When properly positioned, the gap between the rails 37 of adjacent linear conveyor modules in the conveyor track is less than the length of the carriages 35A, 35B, allowing the carriages 35A, 35B to pass between the linear conveyor modules 36A, 36B without interruption or interference. Any number of linear conveyor modules 36 can be connected together to form a composite carriage conveyor 25.

Each carriage 35A, 35B includes a base 39 which, in use, sits directly on a rail 37 and is shaped to reduce the possibility of detachment from the rail 37. In the embodiment shown, each carriage 35A, 35B is provided with an upper tray 40A, 40B suitable for temporarily retaining at least one pick-up item during carriage. The tray 40A is provided with a plurality of recesses 41 sized to accommodate individual nozzles for safe and secure transportation. Similar trays (not shown) can be used to hold support pins, grippers, etc.

The shelf 40B is formed with a larger open receptacle 42, e.g. B. to accommodate used, damaged or discarded items such as electronic components, nozzles, grippers, support bolts or similar. suitable is. As in 3 As shown, the shelves 40A, 40B are modular so that each cart base 39 can be fitted with any type of shelf 40A, 40B as required. In alternative embodiments (not shown), a cart 35 may include an integrally molded base and tray, in which case the collectible items would be conveyed by a special type of cart 35 in use.

4 12 shows schematically in perspective view a branch conveyor 32 in cooperation with the main carriage conveyor 31. As shown, the branch conveyor 32 is located between two adjacent and aligned linear conveyor modules 36 and perpendicular thereto. Branch conveyor 32 is a linear conveyor (similar in operation to linear conveyor modules 36) carrying thereon two branch shuttles 50A, 50B, each movable along branch conveyor 32 in a direction B under control of control means (not shown). Each branch shuttle 50A, 50B includes a relatively short linear conveyor long enough to support a carriage 35 thereon and transport it in a direction orthogonal to direction B of shuttle travel and parallel to direction T of carriage travel. When a branch shuttle, such as branch shuttle 50A shown, is aligned with adjacent linear conveyor modules 36, a carriage (such as carriage 35A shown) is free to move between linear conveyor modules 36 in direction T. A carriage 35 may also be brought to a halt on a branch shuttle (e.g. branch shuttle 50B as shown) and then transported along branch conveyor 32 in direction B. This arrangement allows the carriage 35 to "pass" along the main carriage conveyor 31. For example, by moving carriage 35B onto branch shuttle 50B and out of alignment with linear conveyor modules 36 as shown, carriage 35A is free to move via aligned branch shuttle 50A along the extent of linear conveyor modules 36 without passing through getting in the way of or risking a collision with the carriage 35B.

As previously described, the linear conveyor modules 36 of the main carriage conveyor 31 are advantageously mounted on a movable rail 29,30. The branch conveyor 32 is also advantageously mounted on the same moving rail so that it also moves with that rail.

in the in 2 and 4 In the embodiments shown, the branch conveyor 32 extends to one side of the main carriage conveyor 31. In other embodiments (not shown), the branch conveyor may extend to both sides of the main carriage conveyor 31, but such an arrangement may require additional measures to avoid interference with the rails.

While the provision of branch conveyors 32, as described above, allows carriages 35 to overtake and thus change their relative position, further flexibility may be provided to facilitate the movement of carriages 35 in the production line and to allow a plurality of carriages 35 can travel on the same section of trolley conveyor without conflict or collision, by the inclusion of one or more loops within the conveyor which allow a trolley carried thereon to circulate around the loop. The loops can be provided as an alternative or in addition to the branch conveyors. Such loops may be located within the main carriage conveyor 31 and/or within one or more branch conveyors 32A-E ("branch loops"). 5 until 8th 12 show various possible embodiments of loops suitable for the main carriage conveyor 31. FIG. The loops for the branch conveyors 32 can be arranged in a similar manner.

5 Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view a vertical loop portion of the carriage conveyor 25. The loop comprises a loop conveyor 43 arranged parallel to and spaced vertically from the main carriage conveyor 25, of which three linearly arranged conveyor modules are shown. There are two posts 44, one at each end of the central conveyor module of the main conveyor 25. The posts 44 each support an elevator conveyor 45, which is a linear conveyor capable of supporting and driving a carriage 35 and in relation to its supporting post 44 is vertically movable between a lower position in which the elevator 45 is operatively connected to conveyor modules of the main conveyor 25 for passage of a trolley 35 therebetween, and an upper position in which the elevator 45 is operatively connected to the loop conveyor 43 is connected so that a carriage can travel between the elevator 45 and the loop conveyor 43. The control of the elevators 45 can advantageously be controlled by the aforesaid control means.

6 Figure 12 shows schematically in perspective a horizontal loop portion of the carriage conveyor 25. The loop comprises a loop conveyor 43 which is parallel to and laterally spaced from the main carriage conveyor 25, three conveyor modules of which are shown. Two shuttle supports 46 are provided, one at each end of the center conveyor module of the main conveyor 25. The shuttle supports 46 each support a shuttle conveyor 47, which is a linear conveyor capable of supporting and driving a carriage 35 and along its shuttle support 46 horizontally movable between a first position in which the shuttle conveyor 47 is operatively connected to conveyor modules of the main conveyor 25 for passage of a carriage 35 therebetween and a second position in which the shuttle conveyor 47 is operatively connected to the loop conveyor 43 , so that a carriage can travel between the shuttle conveyor 47 and the loop conveyor 43. The control of the shuttle conveyors 47 can advantageously be controlled by the aforesaid control means.

While the embodiments described above exclusively use conveyor modules comprising linear conveyors, the present invention is not so limited and other types of conveyors are possible, such as e.g. B. Belt conveyor. 7 Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view a vertical loop portion of the carriage conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement is very similar to that relating to 5 described above, but here the loop comprises a belt conveyor module 48.

8th Fig. 12 shows schematically in perspective view a horizontal loop portion of the carriage conveyor according to another embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement is very similar to that relating to 6 described above, but here the loop comprises a belt conveyor module 49.

9 Figure 12 shows schematically a portion of a production line according to another embodiment of the present invention, including four pick and place machines 20A-D and a printing press 51, from above. The pick and place machines 20A-D and the carriage conveyor 25 running through them correspond to those described with reference to FIG 2 are described and are therefore not further described here. In this embodiment, the carriage conveyor 25 extends into the printing machine 50 which, as is well known to those skilled in the art, is located within the production line upstream of the pick and place machines 20A-D. Between the printing machine 51 and the placement machines 20A-D there can be intermediate machines or stations, which for reasons of clarity are shown in 9 are not shown, such as B. Inspection machines through which the carriage conveyor 25 may extend or around. The main carriage conveyor 31 of the carriage conveyor 25 extends into the interior of the printing machine 51 and into a head unit work area of the printing machine 52, which is an area accessible to a head unit (not shown) having, for example, a print head or a special May include head unit for picking up and / or settling of ingestible objects (not shown) such as support pins, doctor blades, etc. is operable on or from the carriages on the carriage conveyor 25 and the head unit work area of the printing press 52. An exchange area of the printing machine 53 is located on an outside of the printing machine 51. The main carriage conveyor 31 can be conveniently fixed to a rail (not shown), advantageously the movable rail (not shown) of the printing machine 51. There is also a branch conveyor of the printing machine 54 which runs laterally to the main carriage conveyor 31 inside the printing machine 51 and which can move with the main carriage conveyor 31 and the movable rail attached thereto. The relative movement of the main carriage conveyor 31 within the printing press 51 and other parts of the system due to the movement of the moving rail of the printing press can be controlled in various ways, as previously with reference to FIG 2 described.

A tool changing unit 33, similar to that in FIG 2 shown, provided. The tool changing unit 33 is connected to the main carriage conveyor 31 via a tool transport 34, so that a carriage 35 can be moved from the tool changing unit 33 via the tool transport 34 to the carriage conveyor 25 and can thus be transported between the working area of the printing press 52 and the exchange area of the printing press 53. For larger production lines, such. for the production of smartphones, which can include many machines (lines with over twenty machines are known), one or more additional tool changing units can be provided, placed along the line as needed or where space allows be able. Additionally, in this embodiment, an ejection unit 55 is connected to the main carriage conveyor 31 via an ejection transport 56 so that a carriage 35 containing rejected or discarded items placed there by a machine head unit (of a pick and place machine 20A-D or the printing machine 51) is removed from Car conveyor 25 can be driven over the ejection transport 56 to the ejection unit 55. The reject unit 55 is configured to receive the rejected items from the carriage 35 for further processing. This may include counting the rejected components and discarding them in a reject bin (not shown) housed in reject unit 55 . There are several ways in which the rejected or discarded items can be removed from the cart 35, e.g. B. by tipping the cart over a hopper or by using a cart with built-in ejection mechanism. All operations described above can be controlled by control means (not shown) as previously described. In alternative embodiments, the ejection unit 55 may be omitted or replaced with a reject bin storage unit.

The embodiments described above are only exemplary, and other possibilities and alternatives within the scope of the invention will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. For example, there is flexibility in the positioning of the carriage conveyor, and in various embodiments the carriage conveyor may be positioned above or below the or each workpiece conveyor. It is also possible to use a line where the height of the carriage conveyor relative to the work conveyor(s) varies along the length of the line. For example, if the street B. comprises a range of different machine types, it may be advantageous to change the height of the trolley conveyor for different machines, e.g. B. by using a lifting/lowering device similar to that in 5 shown between the different sections of the trolley conveyor.

reference list

1

well-known placement machine

2

workpiece path

3

workpiece conveyor

4

first portal

5

second portal

6

placement heads

7

component feeder

8th

stationary camera

9

Component Reject Bin

10

support bolt magazine

11

jet magazine

12

jet ejection canister

20A-E

placement machines

21

first workpiece conveyor

22

second workpiece conveyor

23A,A' - 23E,E'

head units

24A-E

Head Unit Workspaces

25

trolley conveyor

26

exchange area

27, 28

solid rails

29, 30

moving rail

31

Main Car Conveyor

32, 32A-E

branch conveyor

33

tool changing unit

34

tool transport

35, 35A, 35B

Car

36, 36A, B

linear conveyor modules

37

rail

38

link

39

Base

40A, B

shelves

41

recess

42

recording

43

loop conveyor

44

post

45

elevator conveyor

46

shuttle support

47

shuttle conveyor

48, 49

belt conveyor modules

50A, 50B

branch shuttles

51

printing press

52

Head unit workspace of the press

53

Exchange area of the printing press

54

Branch conveyor of the printing press

55

ejection unit

56

ejection transport

W

workpiece

T

direction of travel of the car

B

Direction of travel along the branch conveyor

Claims (23)

Workpiece processing machine, comprising: a work area inside the workpiece processing machine, a workpiece conveyor (21, 22) for transporting a workpiece (W) through the workpiece processing machine, an exchange area (26) located on an outside of the workpiece processing machine, and a carriage conveyor (25) disposed at least partially parallel to the workpiece conveyor (21, 22) for transporting a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) thereon between the work area and the exchange area (26), the carriage (35, 35A , 35B) configured to carry at least one item thereon. workpiece processing machine claim 1 , comprising a head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E') operable, in use, to receive or deposit objects within the work area. Workpiece processing machine according to one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein the carriage conveyor (25) comprises a main carriage conveyor (31) arranged parallel to the workpiece conveyor (21, 22). workpiece processing machine claim 3 wherein the carriage conveyor (25) comprises a loop allowing a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) carried thereon to circulate around the loop. workpiece processing machine claim 3 wherein the loop comprises a loop conveyor (43) arranged parallel to and laterally or vertically spaced from the main carriage conveyor (31). Workpiece processing machine according to one of claims 2 until 5 wherein the carriage conveyor (25) comprises a branch conveyor (32, 32A-E) branching from and operably connected to the main carriage conveyor (31) such that a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) from the main carriage conveyor (31) to the branch conveyor (32, 32A-E) can be transported. Workpiece processing machine according to one of the preceding claims, in which the workpiece conveyor (21, 22) is carried by a rail (27, 28) and the carriage conveyor (25) is fixed to the rail (27, 28), the rail (27, 28 ) is a movable rail (29, 30). Workpiece processing machine according to one of the preceding claims, in which the carriage conveyor (25) comprises a linear conveyor. Workpiece processing machine according to one of claims 2 until 8th , comprising a placement machine (20A-E). workpiece processing machine claim 9 , wherein the head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E') comprises a mounting head for placing components on a workpiece (W). workpiece processing machine claim 9 wherein the head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E') comprises a special tool pick-up head unit operable to pick up tools from the carriage. Workpiece processing machine according to one of Claims 1 until 8th , comprising a printing machine (51). Production line comprising: the workpiece processing machine according to one of the preceding claims, and a carriage (35, 35A, 35B), the carriage (35, 35A, 35B) being movable along the carriage conveyor (25). production line after Claim 13 , wherein the carriage comprises a magazine for receiving at least one tool. Production line according to one of Claims 13 and 14 wherein the carriage comprises a receptacle for receiving items from the head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E'). Production line according to one of Claims 13 until 15 , comprising: a tool changing unit (33) and a tool transport (34) which connects the tool changing unit (33) to the carriage conveyor (25) of the workpiece processing machine, wherein the carriage (35, 35A, 35B) can be driven along the tool transport (34). so that a tool can be sent from the tool changing unit (33) via the tool transport (34) to the carriage conveyor (25); optionally wherein the tool changer (34) is operable to load the tool into a carriage; optionally wherein the tool changer (34) includes storage for at least one carriage (35, 35A, 35B). production line after Claim 16 comprising at least one additional workpiece processing machine, and wherein the carriage conveyor (25) connects the tool changing unit (33) to the at least one additional workpiece processing machine. Production line according to one of Claims 13 until 17 , wherein the workpiece processing machine comprises a placement machine (20A-E) or a printing machine (51). Method for transporting objects within a workpiece processing machine, comprising the following steps: i) transporting the item within a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) carried on a carriage conveyor (25), and ii) positioning the carriage (35, 35A, 35B) on the carriage conveyor (25) within a work area of the workpiece processing machine. procedure after claim 19 for feeding an object comprising a tool to the workpiece processing machine, comprising the steps of: i) transporting the tool to the workpiece processing machine on a carriage (35, 35A, 35B) on the carriage conveyor (25), and ii) positioning the carriage (35 , 35A, 35B) within the working area. procedure after claim 20 wherein the tool comprises a component handling tool, optionally a gripper or a suction nozzle, or a force measuring tool, a support pin or a doctor blade. Procedure according to one of claims 19 until 21 , wherein the workpiece processing machine comprises a placement machine (20A-E) or a printing press (51). Procedure according to one of claims 19 until 22 , the workpiece processing machine comprising a head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E') operable to pick up or place objects within the work area in use, and the method further comprises the step of picking up the object with the head unit (23A, A' - 23E, E').

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