DE112021007907T5 - Provisioning device, component assembly system and transport pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

A supply device 2 comprises a pallet transport unit 26 which transfers a pallet P (transport pallet) in which a nozzle N (used element) is deposited, which has been taken from a pallet storage warehouse 22 (element storage warehouse), to a circuit board conveyor device 31 of an automatic placement machine 3. This makes it possible to deliver the nozzles N used by the automatic placement machine 3 to the automatic placement machine 3 without errors.

Description

Technical area

This invention relates to a technique for providing a use element for a placement machine that performs component mounting for mounting components on circuit boards, to the placement machine.

General state of the art

When components are placed on a circuit board in a placement machine, a nozzle is used to suck the components. Different nozzles are used depending on the size and shape of the component to be sucked. For example, when the type of circuit board to be placed on the placement machine is changed, work is carried out on the placement machine to prepare the nozzle. Patent Document 1 discloses a nozzle management device that prepares nozzles in a nozzle pallet, and the work required for preparation can be simplified by using the nozzle management device.

State of the art documents

Patent documents

Patent Document 1: JP 6129201 B

Brief description of the invention

Object of the invention

However, for use elements such as nozzles and the like used for component mounting, error-free delivery of the same to the placement machine that uses these use elements is required. In contrast, the nozzles (use elements) in Patent Document 1 are only prepared on a nozzle tray, which does not sufficiently meet this requirement.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problem, and its object is to enable elements used on a placement machine to be delivered to the placement machine without errors.

Means of solving the task

A supply device according to the present invention comprises a pallet transport unit arranged in series with a circuit board transporting circuit board conveyor of an automatic assembly machine which has the circuit board conveyor and assembles the circuit boards carried on the circuit board conveyor with components, and transfers transport pallets to the circuit board conveyor, and an element storage warehouse which stores use elements which are used on the automatic assembly machine and are different from the components and the circuit boards, wherein the pallet transport unit transfers a transport pallet in which use elements taken from the element storage warehouse are stored to the circuit board conveyor.

The invention (provision device) designed in this way comprises a pallet transport unit which transfers a transport pallet in which usage elements taken from the element storage warehouse are stored to the circuit board conveyor device of the placement machine. This makes it possible to deliver the usage elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine without errors.

The supply device can also be designed such that it further comprises a transfer head which deposits the usage elements taken from the element storage warehouse on the transport pallet, wherein the pallet transport unit transfers the transport pallet in which usage elements have been deposited by the transfer head to the circuit board conveyor. In this design, the usage elements taken from the component storage warehouse are deposited in the transport pallet by the transfer head, and this transport pallet is transferred by the pallet transport unit to the circuit board conveyor of the placement machine. This enables error-free delivery of the usage elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine.

The supply device can also be designed to further comprise an element removal unit which removes and carries the usage elements from the element storage warehouse, wherein the transfer head deposits the usage elements carried on the element removal unit on the transport pallet. In this design, the usage elements removed from the element storage warehouse by the element removal unit are carried on the element removal unit. Then, the usage elements carried on the element removal unit are transferred by the transfer head to The transport pallet is placed on the transport pallet and the transport pallet is transferred to the circuit board conveyor of the placement machine by the pallet transport unit. This enables error-free delivery of the elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine.

The supply device may also be configured such that a plurality of storage pallets on which respective use elements are stored are stored in the element storage warehouse, and the element removal unit carries the storage pallets removed from the element storage warehouse and carries the transport pallets received by the pallet transport unit, and the transfer head transfers the use elements from the storage pallets carried on the element removal unit to the transport pallet. In this configuration, the storage pallets on which use elements are stored are stored in the component storage warehouse, and the storage pallets taken from the element storage warehouse by the element removal unit are carried by the element removal unit. Then, the use elements stored on the storage pallets carried by the element removal unit are placed on the transport pallet by the transfer head, and this transport pallet is transferred to the circuit board conveyor of the pick-and-place machine by the pallet transport unit. This enables error-free delivery of the usage elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine.

The supply device may also be configured such that the element removal unit has a supporting conveyor that supports the storage pallets taken out from the element storage warehouse and the transport pallets received from the pallet transport unit, and a lifting device that moves the supporting conveyor in the vertical direction. In this configuration, it is sufficient for the transfer head to transfer the use elements from the respective storage pallets carried on the supporting conveyor to the transport pallet, whereby simplification of the operation of the transfer head can be achieved. If such a supporting conveyor and such a lifting device are provided, the following configuration is also possible.

The configuration of the supply device may be such that in the component storage warehouse, a plurality of storage pallets are lined up in a vertical direction, and the component removal unit removes this storage pallet from the component storage warehouse onto the supporting conveyor in a state in which the height of one storage pallet of the plurality of storage pallets and the supporting conveyor are matched by the lifting device. With this configuration, a target storage pallet among the plurality of storage pallets stored in the component storage warehouse can be removed onto the supporting conveyor without error.

The supply device can also be designed such that the element removal unit fetches the transport pallet from the pallet transport unit onto the supporting conveyor in a state in which the height of the pallet transport unit and the supporting conveyor have been brought into line by the lifting device. In this design, the transport pallet can be fetched from the pallet transport unit onto the supporting conveyor without errors.

The provision device can also be designed such that the pallet transport unit has a transfer conveyor arranged adjacent to the element removal unit and a delivery conveyor which is arranged in series with the circuit board conveyor and is arranged between the transfer conveyor and the circuit board conveyor, wherein the delivery conveyor transports the transport pallet from the transfer conveyor to the circuit board conveyor and the transfer conveyor is displaceable between a first position at which the transport pallet is transferred with the delivery conveyor and a second position at which the transport pallet is transferred with the element removal unit. In this design, the transport pallet in which usage elements are stored is transported by the transfer conveyor from the element removal unit to the delivery conveyor. In addition, the transfer conveyor is displaced between the first position and the second position. Therefore, the transfer conveyor is moved to the appropriate position for the transfer of the transport pallet with the element removal unit and the transfer of the transport pallet with the delivery conveyor, which is why the transfer of the transport pallet can be carried out without errors.

The supply device can also be designed in such a way that it further comprises a maintenance unit which carries out maintenance on the usage elements transported by the transfer head from the element removal unit. In this In accordance with the invention, maintenance can be carried out on the usage elements at the provision device, whereby the usage elements can be kept in a suitable condition.

The supply device may also be configured to further include a door for opening and closing the element storage warehouse. In this configuration, workers can open the door to gain access to the element storage warehouse, so that replenishment and the like of the use elements stored in the element storage warehouse can be appropriately carried out.

A component mounting system according to the present invention comprises the supply device described above and a placement machine which has a circuit board conveyor for transporting circuit boards and mounts components on circuit boards carried on the circuit board conveyor by means of a placement head, wherein the pallet transport unit of the supply device and the circuit board conveyor of the placement machine are arranged in series and carry out a transfer of a transport pallet, wherein the placement machine receives use elements by taking the use elements from the transport pallet sent from the supply device. This makes it possible to deliver the use elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine without errors.

A transport pallet according to the present invention comprises an element holding section used on a placement machine which has a board conveyor for transporting boards and mounts components on boards carried on the board conveyor, and holds use elements other than the components and the boards, and a support section having a storage surface placed on the board conveyor. By using the transport pallet, the transport pallet in which use elements have been placed on a supply device can be supplied to the board conveyor of the placement machine, thereby delivering the use elements to the placement machine. This makes it possible to deliver the use elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine without errors.

Effect of the invention

According to the present invention, an error-free delivery of the usage elements used by the placement machine to the placement machine is made possible.

Short description of the characters

• 1 ein Blockschaubild eines Beispiels für ein Bauelementmontagesystem gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 2A eine Draufsicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung einer Bereitstellungsvorrichtung veranschaulicht;
• 2B eine Seitenansicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung der Bereitstellungsvorrichtung veranschaulicht;
• 2C eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für eine durch die Bereitstellungsvorrichtung ausgeführte Auslieferungsvorbereitung veranschaulicht;
• 2D eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für eine durch die Bereitstellungsvorrichtung ausgeführte Düsenauslieferung veranschaulicht;
• 3 eine Draufsicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für einen Bestückungsautomaten veranschaulicht;
• 4A eine Teilschnittansicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung einer Palette veranschaulicht;
• 4B eine Teilschnittansicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung der Palette veranschaulicht;
• 4C eine Ansicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung und den Betrieb einer Palettenhandhabungseinheit des Bestückungsautomaten veranschaulicht;
• 4D eine Ansicht, die schematisch die Ausgestaltung und den Betrieb der Palettenhandhabungseinheit des Bestückungsautomaten veranschaulicht;
• 5A eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für einen Transportmodus von Paletten veranschaulicht, der an einer Leiterplattenproduktionslinie ausgeführt werden kann;
• 5B eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für einen Transportmodus von Paletten veranschaulicht, der an einer Leiterplattenproduktionslinie ausgeführt werden kann;
• 5C eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für einen Transportmodus von Paletten veranschaulicht, der an einer Leiterplattenproduktionslinie ausgeführt werden kann;
• 5D eine Ansicht, die schematisch ein Beispiel für einen Transportmodus von Paletten veranschaulicht, der an einer Leiterplattenproduktionslinie ausgeführt werden kann;
• 6 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für ein Verfahren zum Erstellen eines Befehls an die Bereitstellungsvorrichtung veranschaulicht;
• 7 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein erstes Beispiel für eine Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht, die in dem Ablaufdiagramm aus 6 ausgeführt wird;
• 8A eine Ansicht, die ein Beispiel für Informationen zu vorhandenen Düsen veranschaulicht, die an dem Bestückungsautomaten vorhandene Düsen angeben;
• 8B eine Ansicht, die ein Beispiel für Informationen zu für die Nutzung vorgesehenen Düsen veranschaulicht, die Düsen angeben, die für die Nutzung an dem Bestückungsautomaten vorgesehen sind;
• 8C eine Ansicht, die ein erstes Beispiel für Informationen zu auszuliefernden Düsen veranschaulicht, die an Düsen angeben, die an den Bestückungsautomaten ausgeliefert werden sollen;
• 9 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für ein Verfahren zum Erstellen eines Befehls an die Bereitstellungsvorrichtung und den Bestückungsautomaten veranschaulicht;
• 10 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein zweites Beispiel für die Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht, die in dem Ablaufdiagramm aus 9 ausgeführt wird;
• 11 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein erstes Beispiel für eine Bestimmung der Rückholungsart veranschaulicht, die in dem Ablaufdiagramm aus 9 ausgeführt wird;
• 12A eine Ansicht, die ein zweites Beispiel für Informationen zu auszuliefernden Düsen veranschaulicht, die Düsen angeben, die an den Bestückungsautomaten ausgeliefert werden sollen;
• 12B eine Ansicht, die ein Beispiel für Informationen zu zurückzuholenden Düsen veranschaulicht, die Düsen angeben, die von dem Bestückungsautomaten zurückgeholt werden sollen;
• 13 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein drittes Beispiel für die Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht, die in dem Ablaufdiagramm aus 9 ausgeführt wird;
• 14 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein zweites Beispiel für die Bestimmung der Rückholungsart veranschaulicht, die in dem Ablaufdiagramm aus 9 ausgeführt wird;
• 15A ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein viertes Beispiel für die Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht;
• 15B ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für eine Bestimmung der Rückholungsart veranschaulicht, die in Entsprechung zu der Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart aus 15 ausgeführt wird;
• 16 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein erstes Beispiel für eine Linienbereitstellungsverwaltung zum Verwalten der Bereitstellung an den einzelnen Leiterplattenproduktionslinien eines Bauelementmontagesystems veranschaulicht;
• 17 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein erstes Beispiel für eine Befehlsempfangsverarbeitung veranschaulicht, die an der Bereitstellungsvorrichtung ausgeführt wird;
• 18A ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein erstes Beispiel für eine Befehlsempfangsverarbeitung veranschaulicht, die an dem Bestückungsautomaten ausgeführt wird;
• 18B ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein zweites Beispiel für eine Befehlsempfangsverarbeitung veranschaulicht, die an dem Bestückungsautomaten ausgeführt wird;
• 19 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein zweites Beispiel für eine Linienbereitstellungsverwaltung zum Verwalten der Bereitstellung an den einzelnen Leiterplattenproduktionslinien des Bauelementmontagesystems veranschaulicht;
• 20 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein zweites Beispiel für die Befehlsempfangsverarbeitung veranschaulicht, die an der Bereitstellungsvorrichtung ausgeführt wird;
• 21 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für eine Wartungsvorbereitung veranschaulicht, die an der Bereitstellungsvorrichtung ausgeführt wird;
• 22 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein fünftes Beispiel für die Bestimmung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht;
• 23 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für eine Einzelbedingungsverwaltung der Auslieferungsart veranschaulicht;
• 24 eine Draufsicht, die schematisch ein Abwandlungsbeispiel der Bereitstellungsvorrichtung veranschaulicht;
• 25 eine Ansicht, die schematisch die Benutzungsweise eines Stützstifts an dem Bestückungsautomaten veranschaulicht; und
• 26 ein Ablaufdiagramm, das ein Beispiel für eine Auslieferungssteuerung des Stützstifts veranschaulicht.

Show it:

• 1 a block diagram of an example of a component mounting system according to the present invention;
• 2A a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of a delivery device;
• 2 B a side view schematically illustrating the design of the delivery device;
• 2C a view schematically illustrating an example of delivery preparation performed by the provisioning device;
• 2D a view schematically illustrating an example of nozzle delivery performed by the delivery device;
• 3 a plan view schematically illustrating an example of a pick-and-place machine;
• 4A a partial sectional view schematically illustrating the configuration of a pallet;
• 4B a partial sectional view schematically illustrating the design of the pallet;
• 4C a view schematically illustrating the configuration and operation of a pallet handling unit of the pick and place machine;
• 4D a view schematically illustrating the configuration and operation of the pallet handling unit of the pick and place machine;
• 5A a view schematically illustrating an example of a transportation mode of pallets that can be carried out on a printed circuit board production line;
• 5B a view schematically illustrating an example of a transportation mode of pallets that can be carried out on a printed circuit board production line;
• 5C a view schematically showing an example of a transport mode of pallets that can be performed on a printed circuit board production line;
• 5D a view schematically illustrating an example of a transportation mode of pallets that can be carried out on a printed circuit board production line;
• 6 a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for generating a command to the provisioning device;
• 7 a flowchart illustrating a first example of a determination of the delivery type shown in the flowchart of 6 is performed;
• 8A a view illustrating an example of nozzle presence information indicating nozzles present on the pick and place machine;
• 8B a view illustrating an example of intended use nozzle information indicating nozzles intended for use on the pick and place machine;
• 8C a view illustrating a first example of nozzle delivery information indicating nozzles to be delivered to the pick and place machine;
• 9 a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for generating a command to the staging device and the pick and place machine;
• 10 a flowchart illustrating a second example of determining the delivery type shown in the flowchart of 9 is performed;
• 11 a flowchart illustrating a first example of a determination of the type of recovery used in the flowchart of 9 is performed;
• 12A a view illustrating a second example of nozzle delivery information indicating nozzles to be delivered to the pick and place machine;
• 12B a view illustrating an example of nozzle retrieval information indicating nozzles to be retrieved from the pick and place machine;
• 13 a flowchart illustrating a third example of determining the delivery type shown in the flowchart of 9 is performed;
• 14 a flow chart illustrating a second example of determining the type of recovery shown in the flow chart of 9 is performed;
• 15A a flowchart illustrating a fourth example of determining the delivery type;
• 15B a flow chart illustrating an example of a determination of the type of return corresponding to the determination of the type of delivery from 15 is performed;
• 16 a flowchart illustrating a first example of line deployment management for managing deployment on each printed circuit board production line of a component mounting system;
• 17 a flowchart illustrating a first example of command reception processing executed at the providing device;
• 18A a flowchart illustrating a first example of command reception processing executed on the pick and place machine;
• 18B a flowchart illustrating a second example of command reception processing executed on the placement machine;
• 19 a flowchart illustrating a second example of line deployment management for managing deployment on each circuit board production line of the component mounting system;
• 20 a flowchart illustrating a second example of the command reception processing executed at the provisioning device;
• 21 a flowchart illustrating an example of maintenance preparation performed on the deployment device;
• 22 a flowchart illustrating a fifth example of determining the delivery type;
• 23 a flowchart illustrating an example of single condition management of the delivery type;
• 24 a plan view schematically illustrating a modified example of the supply device;
• 25 a view schematically illustrating the manner of use of a support pin on the placement machine; and
• 26 a flowchart illustrating an example of support pin delivery control.

Embodiment of the invention

1 is a block diagram of an example of a component mounting system according to the present invention. The component mounting system 1 includes a plurality of circuit board production lines L lined up side by side. The circuit board production lines L include a single supply device 2 and a plurality of pick and place machines 3, and carry out the production of component-mounted circuit boards by supplying circuit boards to the plurality of pick and place machines 3 in sequence by transporting the circuit boards in an X direction and by mounting components on the circuit boards at the individual pick and place machines 3. This X direction is the direction in which the circuit boards are transported on the circuit board production lines L. In 1 A forward direction XI, in which the circuit boards are transported during circuit board production, and a reverse direction X2 opposite to the forward direction X1 are shown.

In addition, the component mounting system 1 includes a server computer 100 that manages the circuit board production lines L. The server computer 100 includes a computing unit 110, a UI (user interface) 120, a communication unit 130, and a storage unit 140. The computing unit 110 is, for example, a processor formed by a CPU (central processing unit) that executes calculations on the server computer 100. The UI 120 has input devices such as a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, and output devices such as a display and the like, and workers can input data into the server computer 100 via the input devices and check data output from the server computer 100 via the output devices. The communication unit 130 carries out communication with the supply device 2 and the placement machines 3 of the individual circuit board production lines L. The storage unit 140 is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) or the like, and stores data and programs used on the server computer 100.

2A is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of the delivery device, and 2 B is a side view schematically illustrating the configuration of the supply device. In 2A and 2 B are shown the X-direction, a Y-direction parallel to the horizontal direction and orthogonal to the X-direction, and a Z-direction parallel to the vertical direction. As shown in 2 B As shown, the supply device 2 includes a controller 200 that controls the device as a whole. The controller 200 includes a computing device such as a processor, e.g., a CPU, or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or the like, and a storage device such as a hard disk, an SSD or the like, and performs control of communication with the server computer 100 and the pick-and-place machines 3 and operations on the supply device 2 described below.

The supply device 2 comprises a main housing 211 and a sub-housing 212 adjacent to the main housing 211 in the Y direction, wherein the control device 200 is arranged in the main housing 211. The main housing 211 and the sub-housing 212 are connected to each other, and pallets P described below can be displaced between the main housing 211 and the sub-housing 212.

The supply device 2 also includes a pallet storage warehouse 22 arranged in the main housing 211. The pallet storage warehouse 22 has a plurality of storage slots 221 lined up in the Z direction and stores pallets P inserted into each storage slot 221. The pallet storage warehouse 22 can thus store a plurality of pallets P lined up in the Z direction. The pallet storage warehouse 22 has an opening on both sides in the Y direction, and the pallets P can be inserted into the storage slots 221 and the pallets P can be removed from the storage slots 221 through the openings. Nozzles N can be stored in the pallets P, which are used on the pick and place machines 3 as described below. For this purpose, 22 pallets P in which nozzles are stored and empty pallets P in which no nozzles are stored can be stored in the pallet storage warehouse.

A door 211A corresponding to the pallet storage warehouse 22 is provided on the main body 211, and the pallet storage warehouse 22 can be opened and closed by means of the door 211A. Thus, by opening the door 211A, the work personnel can perform work such as introducing pallets P into the pallet storage warehouse 22 and taking out pallets P from the pallet storage warehouse 22.

The supply device 2 further comprises a pallet removal unit 23 arranged in the main housing 211. The pallet removal unit 23 is arranged in the Y direction between the pallet storage warehouse 22 and the sub-housing 212. The pallet removal unit 23 has a storage conveyor 24s and a transport conveyor 24c which are lined up in the Y direction. Of these, the storage conveyor 24s is arranged adjacent to the pallet storage warehouse 22, while the transport conveyor 24c is arranged adjacent to the sub-housing 212. The storage conveyor 24s and the transport conveyor 24c each have a pair of conveyor belts 241 which are adjacent to each other in the Y direction. The storage conveyor 24s and the transport conveyor 24c each carry the pallets P by means of the conveyor belts 241 and drive the pallets P in the Y direction by circulating the conveyor belts 241. The circulation of the conveyor belts 241 is controlled by the controller 200.

The pallet removal unit 23 has a pallet pull-out device 243 which is arranged between the two conveyor belts 241 of the storage conveyor 24s. The pallet pull-out device 243 has a hook which moves forward and backward in the Y direction and can pull pallets P out of the pallet storage warehouse 22 by means of this hook. The forward and backward movement of the hook of the pallet pull-out device 243 is controlled by the control device 200.

The pallet removal unit 23 also has a support arm 231 that supports the storage conveyor 24s, the transport conveyor 24c and the pallet pull-out device 243, and a lifting device 233 that drives the support arm 231 in the Z direction. The lifting device 233 raises and lowers the support arm 231 and together with it raises and lowers the storage conveyor 24s, the transport conveyor 24c and the pallet pull-out device 243. The lifting and lowering by means of the lifting device 233 is controlled by the control device 200. In 2 B the storage conveyor 24s, the transport conveyor 24c, the pallet extractor 243 and the support arm 2 are shown in solid and broken lines respectively, but this illustration is not intended to indicate that two of each of these elements are provided, but to indicate several positions in which they can be located.

The supply device 2 has a transfer unit 25 arranged in the main body 211. The transfer unit 25 has a transfer head 251 and a head drive mechanism 253 which drives the transfer head 251 in the Y direction and in the Z direction, respectively. An air chuck 252 is attached to the lower end of the transfer head 251, and by opening and closing the air chuck 252, the transfer head 251 performs gripping and releasing of the nozzles. The transfer head 251 performs taking out nozzles from or placing them in the pallets P carried on the storage conveyor 24s or the transport conveyor 24c. The drive of the transfer head 251 by the head drive mechanism 253 and the gripping/releasing of the nozzles by the air chuck 252 of the transfer head 251 are controlled by the controller 200. An image recording camera 255 is attached to the transfer head 251, and the controller 200 recognizes a nozzle removed by the transfer head 251 based on the images recorded by the image recording camera 255.

The supply device 2 comprises a pallet transport unit 26 arranged in the partial housing 212. The pallet transport unit 26 has two delivery conveyors 27 arranged on both sides in the X direction and a transfer conveyor 28 arranged between these delivery conveyors 27. Openings 212A facing in the X direction are provided on the partial housing 212 corresponding to the individual delivery conveyors 27, and end portions of the delivery conveyors 27 protrude outward from the partial housing 212 through the openings 212A.

The delivery conveyors 27 each have a pair of conveyor belts 271 which are arranged next to each other in the X direction. The delivery conveyors 27 carry the pallets P by means of the conveyor belts 271 and drive the pallets P by rotating the conveyor belts 271 in the X direction. The delivery conveyors 27 can thus transport the pallets P away by means of the conveyor belts 271 through the openings 212A and deliver the pallets P through the openings 212A. The rotation of the conveyor belts 271 is controlled by the control device 200.

The transfer conveyor 28 has a pair of conveyor belts 281 arranged side by side and carries the pallets P by means of the conveyor belts 281 and drives the pallets P by rotating the conveyor belts 281. The transfer conveyor 28 can be rotated between a rotation position R1, which is 2A shown with a solid line and a rotation position R2 shown with a broken line. The rotation position R2 corresponds to a position of rotation by 90 degrees clockwise from 2A compared to the rotation position R1. The pallet transport unit 26 has a rotary drive unit 261 to rotate the transfer conveyor 28 and positions the transfer conveyor 28 in a targeted manner in one of the rotational position R1 and the rotational position R2 by means of the rotary drive unit 261. In the rotational position R1, the transfer conveyor 28 can drive the pallets P in the X direction and carry out a transfer of pallets P with the delivery conveyor 27 adjacent to the transfer conveyor 28 in the X direction. In the rotational position R2, on the other hand, the transfer conveyor 28 can drive the pallets P in the X direction and carry out a transfer of pallets P with the transport conveyor 24c (pallet removal unit 23) adjacent to the transfer conveyor 28 in the Y direction. The circulation of the conveyor belts 281 and the drive of the conveyor belts 281 by the rotary drive unit 261 are controlled by the control device 200.

When the transfer conveyor 28 is in the rotation position R1, printed circuit boards B described below can be transported using the delivery conveyor 27, transfer conveyor 28 and delivery conveyor 27 arranged in series. The feeding of printed circuit boards B to the pick and place machines 3 can therefore be carried out via the delivery conveyor 27, the transfer conveyor 28 and the delivery conveyor 27 of the supply device 2.

The pallet removal unit 23 includes an inspection unit 291 and a cleaning unit 292 arranged in the main body 211. The inspection unit 291 inspects the condition of the nozzles. Specifically, it can inspect the external appearance of the nozzles based on the camera images and check the nozzles for clogging based on the flow rate of air supplied to the nozzles. The cleaning unit 292 can clean the nozzles by, for example, ultrasonic cleaning. The transportation of the nozzles to the inspection unit 291 and the cleaning unit 292 is carried out by the transfer head 251. Specifically, the transfer head 251 transports the nozzles N between the pallets P carried on the storage conveyor 24s or the transport conveyor 24c and the inspection unit 291 or the cleaning unit 292.

The supply device 2 further includes a display 297 and a reader 298 mounted on an outer wall of the main body 211. The display 297 displays various information such as the type and number of nozzles stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22 to the worker according to control by the controller 200. The reader 298 is an optical scanner that reads a pallet identifier attached to the pallets P for distinguishing the pallets P. For example, the worker opens the door 211A and reads the pallet identifiers of pallets P stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22 with the reader 298. The pallet identifiers thus read into the reader 298 are sent to the controller 200. In this way, the controller 200 can check the pallets P stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22.

2C is a view schematically illustrating an example of delivery preparation performed by the delivery device. The operations of each step of 2C are carried out by control by the control device 200. In step S11, the storage conveyor 24s is at the same height as the pallet P to be removed from the pallet storage warehouse 22. This pallet P is an empty pallet P in which no nozzles are stored.

In step S12, the empty target pallet P is pulled out onto the storage conveyor 24s by the pallet pull-out device 243, whereupon the pallet P is transported from the storage conveyor 24s to the transport conveyor 24c by cooperation of the storage conveyor 24s and the transport conveyor 24c. In this way, the empty pallet P is carried on the transport conveyor 24c.

Then, steps S13, S14, S15 are carried out to place the nozzles to be delivered in sequence on the empty pallet P. At this time, the storage conveyor 24s is positioned at the same height as the pallet P on which the nozzles to be delivered were placed (step S13). Then, the pallet pull-out device 243 pulls the pallet P onto the storage conveyor 24s. In this way, the pallet P on the transport conveyor 24c and the pallet P on the storage conveyor 24s are now adjacent to each other in the Y direction. Then, the transfer head 251 shifts the nozzles to be delivered from the pallet P on the storage conveyor 24s to the pallet P on the transport conveyor 24c. Then, the storage conveyor 24s returns the pallet P from which the nozzles were taken back to the pallet storage warehouse 22 (step S15). The steps S13, S14, S15 are repeated until all nozzles to be delivered have been placed in the pallets P of the transport conveyor 24c. When the placement of all nozzles has been completed, the steps S16-S19 of 2D executed.

2D is a view schematically illustrating an example of nozzle delivery performed by the delivery device. The operations of each step of 2D are carried out under control by the control device 200. In step S16, the transport conveyor 24c transports the pallet P to the transfer conveyor 28 while the transfer conveyor 28 is in the rotation position R2, and in step S17, the transfer conveyor 28 receives the pallet P from the transport conveyor 24c. In step S18, the transfer conveyor 28 is rotated from the rotation position R2 to the rotation position R1, whereupon the transfer conveyor 28 transports the pallet P to the delivery conveyor 27 while the transfer conveyor 28 is in the rotation position R1. Then, the delivery conveyor 27 transports the pallet P received from the transfer conveyor 28 to the placement machine 3, whereby the nozzles deposited in the pallet P are delivered to the placement machine 3 (step S19).

By performing steps S16-S19 in reverse order, a pallet P transported from the pick and place machine 3 can be transported to the transport conveyor 24c. In addition, this pallet P can be retrieved to the storage slots 221 by transporting the pallet P to an empty storage slot 221 by the transport conveyor 24c and the storage conveyor 24s while the transport conveyor 24c and the storage conveyor 24s are at the same height as the storage slot 221 in the pallet storage warehouse 22.

3 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a placement machine. The placement machine 3 places a printed circuit board B which is fed from the upstream side in the X direction (circuit board transport direction) to a working position (position of the printed circuit board B in 3 ) with components, and transports the component-mounted circuit board B to the downstream side from the work position in the X direction. The pick and place machine 3 includes a controller 300 that controls the entire apparatus. The controller 300 includes a computing device such as a processor, e.g., a CPU, or an FPGA or the like, and a storage device such as a hard disk, an SSD or the like, and carries out control of communication with the server computer 100 and the pick and place machine 3 and operations on the pick and place machine 3 described below. The pick and place machine 3 includes a circuit board conveyor 31 that transports the circuit boards B in the X direction. The circuit board conveyor 31 includes a pair of conveyor belts 311 arranged side by side in the X direction, and transports the circuit boards B placed on the upper surface of the conveyor belts 311 in the X direction by circulating the conveyor belts 311. The circuit board conveyor 31 carries out the delivery of the circuit boards B to the working position and the removal of the circuit boards B from the working position.

On the pick and place machine 3, a pair of Y-axis rails 321 extending in the Y direction, a Y-axis ball screw 322 extending in the Y direction, and a Y-axis motor 323 that rotates the Y-axis ball screw 322 are provided, and an X-axis rail 324 extending in the X direction is fixed to a nut of the Y-axis ball screw 322 in a state of being supported displaceably in the Y direction by the pair of Y-axis rails 321. On the X-axis rail 324, an X-axis ball screw 325 extending in the X direction and an X-axis motor 326 that rotationally drives the X-axis ball screw 325 are installed, and a head unit 33 is fixed to a nut of the X-axis ball screw 325 in a state of being displaceably supported on the X-axis rail 324 in the X direction. Thus, by rotating the Y-axis ball screw 322, the Y-axis motor 323 can displace the head unit 33 in the Y direction, and by rotating the X-axis ball screw 325, the X-axis motor 326 can displace the head unit 33 in the X direction.

On both sides in the Y direction of the board conveyor 31, two component feed sections 34 are lined up in the X direction, and a feeder installation carriage 35 is detachably installed on each component feed section 34. A plurality of tape feeders 36 lined up in the X direction are detachably installed on the feeder installation carriage 35. A component feed belt is attached to the tape feeders 36, and small components such as integrated circuits, transistors, capacitors, and the like are accommodated in the component feed belt at predetermined intervals. A component feed position 361 is provided at the front end of each tape feeder 36, and by intermittently conveying the component feed belt toward the board conveyor 31, the tape feeders 36 feed the components from the component feed belt to the component feed position 361.

The head units 33 have a plurality of placement heads 331 arranged in a row in the X direction. The placement heads 331 have an elongated head extending in the Z direction (vertical direction). che shape and can suck and hold components through a nozzle N detachably engaged with their lower end. That is, the mounting heads 331 move over the tape feeders 36 and suck the components fed to the component feed positions 361 through the nozzle N. Then, the mounting heads 331 move over the circuit boards B in the working position and release the suction through the nozzle N, thereby mounting the components on the circuit boards B. Thus, the mounting heads 331 carry out component mounting by taking the components fed to the component feed positions 361 by the tape feeders 36 from the component feed belts and mounting them on the circuit boards B.

An image recording camera 333 is attached to the head unit 33 and takes images directed downward. The image recording camera 333 takes, for example, an image of a logo attached to the circuit boards B or a pallet identifier attached to the pallet P or the like and sends it to the control device 200.

The pick and place machine 3 also includes a nozzle stocker 37 arranged between the board conveyor 31 and the component feed unit 34. The nozzle stocker 37 has a plurality of nozzle receiving holes 371, and the nozzles N are received in the nozzle receiving holes 371 by inserting the lower end portion of the nozzles N into the nozzle receiving holes 371. In addition, the nozzle stocker 37 has a shutter for opening or closing the plurality of nozzle receiving holes 371 in one operation. When the nozzle stocker 37 closes the shutter of the nozzle receiving holes 371, it prevents nozzles N from being taken out of the nozzle receiving holes 371 or nozzles N from being inserted into the nozzle receiving holes 371. On the other hand, when the nozzle stocker 37 closes the shutter of the nozzle receiving holes 371, it allows nozzles N to be taken out of the nozzle receiving holes 371 or nozzles N to be inserted into the nozzle receiving holes 371.

By inserting a nozzle N held in a nozzle receiving hole 371 of the nozzle stocker 37 into the lower end of a mounting head 331 in which no nozzle is engaged, the nozzle N is engaged with the mounting head 331. The engagement between the mounting head 331 and the nozzle N is maintained by, for example, the spring force of a leaf spring or the like. When the mounting head 331 is lifted with the shutter of the nozzle stocker 37 opened, the nozzle N engaged with the mounting head 331 is taken out from the nozzle receiving hole 371 of the nozzle stocker 37 (nozzle attachment). Conversely, a nozzle N engaged with the mounting head 331 is inserted into the nozzle receiving hole 371 by lowering the nozzle N into the nozzle receiving hole 371 of the nozzle stocker 37 while the shutter of the nozzle stocker 37 is opened. Then, the shutter of the nozzle stocker 37 is closed and the mounting head 331 is raised, whereby the nozzle N held in the nozzle receiving hole 371 is released from the lower end of the mounting head 331 and the nozzle N is removed from the mounting head 331 (nozzle removal). By performing these nozzle attachment and nozzle removal in combination, the nozzle N attached to the mounting head 331 is replaced.

At the automatic assembly machine 3, the pallets P delivered from the supply device 2 are delivered to the automatic assembly machine 3. For this purpose, the automatic assembly machine 3 comprises a pallet handling unit 38, which carries out the handling of the pallets P. The pallet P and the pallet handling unit 38 are described below with reference to 4A-4D described in concrete terms.

4A and 4B are partial sectional views schematically illustrating the configuration of the pallet. The pallet P has a base plate 41 which is rectangular when viewed in plan. The base plate 41 has a receiving plate portion 41A in which a plurality of nozzle receiving holes 411 are provided, and conveyor belt storage portions 41B provided on both sides in the Y direction of the receiving plate portion 41A. The nozzle receiving holes 411 pass through the base plate 41 in the Z direction and hold nozzles N inserted therein from above. The receiving plate portion 41A is thicker than the conveyor belt storage portions 41B and protrudes downward further than the conveyor belt storage portions 41B. A bottom surface of the conveyor belt depositing sections 41B is a horizontal depositing surface 41C, and the pallet P is transported by the conveyor belts 241, 271, 281, and 311 discussed above, respectively, while the depositing surface 41C is deposited on the upper surface of the conveyor belts 241, 271, 281, and 311, respectively.

In addition, the pallet P has a shutter 43 attached to the upper surface of the base plate 41. The shutter 43 has a plurality of engaging portions 431 corresponding to the individual nozzle receiving holes 411. The shutter 43 is displaceable in the X direction with respect to the base plate 41 and can be selectively moved from an engaging position in which the engaging portion 431 is engaged with the nozzles received in the nozzle receiving holes 411. Nozzles N are engaged (position of the shutter 43 from 4A) and a release position in which the engaging portion is disengaged from the nozzles N received in the nozzle receiving holes 411. When the shutter 43 is in the engaging position, the nozzles N are prevented from being removed from the nozzle receiving holes 411 by the engaging portion 431 (i.e., the shutter 43 is closed). On the other hand, when the shutter 43 is in the release position, the nozzles N are permitted to be removed from the nozzle receiving holes 411 (i.e., the shutter 43 is opened).

4C and 4D are views schematically illustrating the configuration and operation of the pallet handling unit of the pick and place machine. The pallet handling unit 38 has a stopper 381, an opening and closing cylinder 382 attached to the stopper 381, and a lifting and lowering cylinder 383 supporting the stopper 381 and the opening and closing cylinder 382. The lifting and lowering cylinder 383 lifts the stopper 381 and the opening and closing cylinder 382 integrally, thereby moving them to a position in accordance with a path of travel of the pallet P (position of 4C and 4D ) and a position retracted downward from the path of travel of the pallet P. The path of travel of the pallet P is the path traveled by the pallet P transported in the X direction by the circuit board conveyor 31.

In this configuration, the pallet P can be transported by the board conveyor 31 in the X direction by retracting the stopper 381 and the opening and closing cylinder 382 from the path of the pallet P. On the other hand, when the stopper 381 is positioned on the path of the pallet P, the stopper 381 abuts against the pallet P from the downstream side of the X direction, whereby the pallet P can be stopped. The pallet handling unit 38 also has a single-axis robot 384 that drives the lifting and lowering cylinder 383 in the X direction. The single-axis robot 384 can be formed by, for example, a linear motor or a ball screw. When the single-axis robot 384 drives the lifting and lowering cylinder 383 in the X direction, the stopper 381 and the opening and closing cylinder 382 supported by the lifting and lowering cylinder 383 are displaced in the X direction. The position at which the pallet P is stopped by the stopper 381 can thus be changed by means of the single-axis robot 384.

When the stop 381 rests against the pallet P, the opening and closing cylinder 382 can actuate the shutter 43. Thus, the opening and closing cylinder 382 can displace the shutter 43 in the X direction in order to hold the shutter 43 in the engaged position (position of the shutter 43 from 4C ) or the release position (position of the lock 43 from 4D ). The opening and closing cylinder 382 may drive the shutter 43 while holding the shutter 43 by, for example, magnetic force. According to this pallet P, attachment or removal of a nozzle N to the mounting head 331 can be carried out in the same way as in the nozzle stocker 37 discussed above.

Namely, by inserting a nozzle N held in a nozzle receiving hole 411 of the pallet P into the lower end of a mounting head 331 on which no nozzle is engaged, the nozzle N is engaged with the mounting head 331. When the mounting head 331 is raised with the shutter of the pallet P open (i.e., in the release position), the nozzle N engaged with the mounting head 331 is removed from the nozzle receiving hole 411 of the pallet P (nozzle attachment). Conversely, a nozzle N engaged with the mounting head 331 is inserted into the nozzle receiving hole 411 by lowering the nozzle N into the nozzle receiving hole 411 of the pallet P with the shutter of the pallet P open. Then, the nozzle receiving holes 411 of the pallet P are closed (i.e., brought into the engagement position) and the mounting head 331 is raised, whereby the nozzle N held in the nozzle receiving hole 411 is released from the lower end of the mounting head 331 and the nozzle N is removed from the mounting head 331 (nozzle removal). In this mounting machine 3, the displacement of the nozzles N between the nozzle stocker 37 and the pallet P can be carried out by cooperation between the mounting head 331 and the pallet handling unit 38.

In this design, as in 1 shown, the delivery conveyors 27 of the supply device 2 and the circuit board conveyors 31 of the individual assembly machines 3, which belong to the same circuit board production line L, are arranged in series and form a single transport line. The supply devices 2 can therefore deliver the pallets P transported away by the delivery conveyors 27 to the assembly machines 3 in sequence. Specifically, the following in 5A-5D The following transport modes are only a part of all transport modes that can be carried out on the PCB production line L, and the pallets P can also be used in other transport modes be transported on the printed circuit board production line L.

5A-5D are views that schematically illustrate examples of pallet transportation modes that can be performed on the PCB production line. In 5A-5D the delivery conveyors 27 and circuit board conveyors 31 adjacent to one another are shown in simplified form as conveyor belt pairs, and also the circuit board conveyors 31 adjacent to one another are shown in simplified form as conveyor belt pairs.

In transport mode of 5A a pallet P is transported to a plurality of pick and place machines 3. The pallets P are transported from the downstream side in the X direction in sequence to the plurality of pick and place machines 3 arranged in a row in the X direction. Specifically, in steps S21, S22, the supply device 2 transports a pallet P to the furthest downstream pick and place machine 3 of the plurality of pick and place machines 3. Then, in steps S23, S24, the supply device 2 transports a pallet P to the furthest downstream pick and place machine 3 among the pick and place machines 3 to which no pallet P has yet been delivered. By repeating such transport of pallets P, pallets P are transported to the respective pick and place machines 3, as shown in step S25.

In transport mode of 5B there are fewer pallets P than pick and place machines 3 to which pallets P are to be transported, and one pallet P is transported to each of two pick and place machines 3. Specifically, in step S31, the provision device 2 transports pallets P to the odd pick and place machines 3, counted in the X direction from the upstream side. In the next step S32, the pallets P are transported from the odd pick and place machines 3 in the X direction to the downstream side and thereby transported to the even pick and place machines 3.

In transport mode of 5C there are fewer pallets P than pick and place machines 3 to which pallets P are to be transported, and a pallet P is transported in sequence to several pick and place machines 3. Specifically, the pallet P is transported by the provision device 2, starting with the pick and place machine 3 upstream in the X direction of the several pick and place machines 3, in the X direction to the downstream side (steps S41-S45).

In transport mode of 5D there are fewer pallets P than pick and place machines 3 to which pallets P are to be transported, and a pallet P is transported in sequence to a plurality of pick and place machines 3. Specifically, the pallet P is transported to the pick and place machine 3 furthest downstream in the X direction of the plurality of pick and place machines 3 (steps S51, S52). Then the pallet P is transported in sequence from the pick and place machine 3 downstream in the X direction (steps S52-S55).

The case where pallets P are transported from the supply device 2 to the pick and place machines 3 has been described above. However, it is also possible for the supply device 2 to retrieve pallets P transported to the pick and place machines 3 by transporting the pallets from the pick and place machines 3 to the supply device 2.

In the circuit board production lines L of the component mounting system 1 described above, the supply device 2 can place the nozzles N used for component mounting for mounting components on the circuit boards B in the pallets P and deliver them to the placement machines 3. The placement machines 3 can take out the nozzles N delivered by the supply device 2 from the pallets P by means of the placement heads 331 and receive them (receiving process). In this receiving process, the nozzles N placed in the pallet P can be moved to the nozzle stocker 37, or the nozzles N placed in the pallet P can be attached to the placement head 331. In the present embodiment, the nozzles N used for component mounting are provided to the placement machines 3 by delivering the nozzles N from the supply device 2 to the placement machines 3. In particular, this provisioning is managed by sending commands from the server computer 100 to the provisioning device 2.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for creating a command to the provisioning device, and 7 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of a delivery type determination shown in the flowchart of 6 is executed. The flow charts from 6 and 7 are executed separately for the individual circuit board production lines L by the server computer 100.

In step S61 of the command creation of 6 a determination of the delivery method ( 7 ). As described below, the determination of the delivery method is carried out in several Modes can be executed, whereby a basic mode is described here in which nozzles N that are missing for component assembly are delivered to the placement machines 3.

In step S101 of 7 the computing unit 110 of the server computer 100 allocates the pallets P used to deliver the nozzles N to the multiple placement machines 3. The example described here is that the number of pallets P that can be used to deliver nozzles N is equal to or greater than the number of placement machines 3 to be supplied, with one pallet P being allocated to each placement machine 3. The transport of the pallets P to the placement machines 3 can therefore be carried out using the transport mode. 5A However, if the number of pallets P is less, one pallet P can be assigned to two pick and place machines 3 and the pallets P can be transported in the transport modes discussed above from 5B-5C be transported.

In step S102 of 7 the computing unit 110 checks the nozzles N that are present on the placement machines 3 and the nozzles N that are intended for use in a subsequent component assembly for the placement machines 3. Specifically, the computing unit 110 in 8A information on existing nozzles and in 8B shown information of nozzles intended for use is created and stored in the storage unit 140.

8A is a view illustrating an example of the nozzle presence information indicating nozzles present on the pick and place machines 3. In this view, the plurality of pick and place machines 3 are distinguished by different reference numerals 3(1)-3(4), and this designation will be used later as necessary. Here, nozzle presence means nozzles N currently housed in the nozzle stocker 37 of the pick and place machines 3 and nozzles N currently attached to the placement heads 331 of the pick and place machines 3. The nozzle presence information indicates a type Nk of the nozzles N, a nozzle ID of the nozzles N, a suction rate of the nozzles N, and a discharge number of the nozzles N for the nozzles N present on the pick and place machines 3. The nozzle ID is an identifier attached to the nozzles N for distinguishing the nozzles N. The computing unit 110 knows the nozzle ID of the nozzles N present on the placement machines 3 by managing the nozzle IDs of the nozzles N delivered to/retrieved from the placement machines 3. The suction rate is the success rate of suction of components by a nozzle N, and the delivery number indicates how often a component was mounted on a circuit board B using a nozzle N. The computing unit 110 records the suction rate and the delivery number from the placement machines 3 by means of the communication unit 130. The suction rate and the delivery number are measured on the placement machines 3 and reset, for example, every time a nozzle N is cleaned.

8B is a view illustrating an example of nozzle intended-to-use information indicating nozzles that are nozzles intended for use on the pick-and-place machines 3. This nozzle intended-to-use information indicates the type Nk of nozzles N present on the pick-and-place machines 3. Specifically, a production plan indicating the type and number of assembly boards (component-mounted boards B) produced on a board production line L is stored in the storage unit 140, and the arithmetic unit 110 acquires the nozzle intended-to-use information by determining the nozzles N used on the pick-and-place machines 3 in the next production of assembly boards (board production) from the production plan.

In step S103, the arithmetic unit 110 determines a difference between the nozzles N specified by the information on nozzles intended for use and the nozzles N specified by the information on existing nozzles and in this way checks for the individual placement machines 3 whether nozzles N are missing for carrying out the circuit board production. Nozzles N from the information on nozzles intended for use that do not appear in the information on existing nozzles are thus missing nozzles N.

In step S104, the computing unit 110 creates information on nozzles to be delivered by determining the missing nozzles N detected for the placement machines 3 as nozzles to be delivered to the placement machines 3 ( 8C ). 8C is a view illustrating a first example of the nozzle delivery information indicating nozzles to be delivered to the pick-and-place machines. The nozzle delivery information indicates, for each pick-and-place machine 3, the pallet ID of the pallet P transported to the pick-and-place machine 3 and the type Nk and nozzle ID of the nozzles N placed in the pallet P and to be delivered to the pick-and-place machine 3. In this way, the delivery type of the nozzles N is determined.

In step S62 of 6 will be delivered according to the information determined in step 104 the nozzles, a delivery preparation command is created by the computing unit 110 and stored in the storage unit 140 to cause the supply device 2 to carry out the delivery preparation in which pallets P with nozzles N stored therein are prepared.

9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for generating a command to the supply device and the pick and place machines, 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of determining the delivery type shown in the flowchart of 9 is executed, and 11 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of a determination of the type of retrieval shown in the flowchart of 9 is executed. The flow charts from 9 , 10 and 11 are executed separately for the individual circuit board production lines L by the server computer 100.

In step S71 of the command creation of 9 a determination of the delivery method ( 10 ). This describes the determination of the delivery type in a selective exchange mode in which missing nozzles N and nozzles N for replacement for maintenance purposes are delivered to the placement machines 3 to carry out component assembly.

Also in 10 Steps S101-S103 are carried out on the individual placement machines 3 in the same way as in the example described above. That is, pallets P are allocated to the multiple placement machines 3 (step S101). Then, in step S102, a check is made for missing nozzles N based on the result of the check of the existing nozzles and the nozzles intended for use.

In the next step S105, the arithmetic unit 110 determines, based on the production plan, the time (operation time) that can be used for the receiving process of the delivered nozzles N from the supply device 2 to the placement machine 3. Specifically, the operation time allocated to the receiving process is determined in a range in which the circuit board production can start at a fixed scheduled time specified in the production plan.

In step S106, the arithmetic unit 110 determines the number of nozzles N that the pick-and-place machines 3 can receive within the operation time determined in step S105 (receivable number), and calculates a number (serviceable number) by subtracting the missing number determined in step S103 from the receiveable number. Then, the arithmetic unit 110 selects the serviceable number of nozzles N from the nozzles N available on the pick-and-place machines 3 based on a priority (suction rate or discharge number) as nozzles to be maintained. When the suction rate is applied as a priority, nozzles N with a low suction rate are selected as nozzles to be maintained with priority. On the other hand, when the discharge number is applied as a priority, nozzles N with a higher discharge number are selected as nozzles to be maintained with priority.

In step S107, the arithmetic unit 110 creates the information on nozzles to be delivered by determining the missing nozzles N determined for the placement machines 3 and the nozzles N selected as nozzles to be maintained (in other words, nozzles N of the same type as the nozzles to be maintained, with which the maintenance nozzles are replaced) as nozzles to be delivered to the placement machines 3 ( 12A) . 12A is a view illustrating a second example of nozzle delivery information indicating nozzles to be delivered to the pick and place machines. The nozzle delivery information from 12A was compared to those from 8C a status is added. In this status, "replenishment" indicates nozzles N that are delivered from the supply device 2 to the pick and place machines 3 to replenish missing nozzles N on the pick and place machines 3, and "replacement" indicates nozzles N that are delivered from the supply device 2 to the pick and place machines 3 to replace nozzles N that are retrieved from the pick and place machines 3 to the supply device 2 as nozzles to be serviced. However, this status is not necessarily included in the information on nozzles to be delivered. In this way, the delivery type of the nozzles N is determined.

In step S72 of 9 the determination of the type of recovery (selective exchange mode) of 11 executed. In step S201 of 11 the computing unit 110 checks the nozzles N selected in step S106 as nozzles to be maintained for the individual placement machines 3. In step S202, the computing unit 110 then determines the nozzles N selected as nozzles to be maintained as nozzles to be retrieved, which are to be retrieved from the placement machines 3 to the provision device 2, and creates information on nozzles to be retrieved ( 12B) . 12B is a view illustrating an example of the nozzle-to-be-retrieved information indicating nozzles to be retrieved from the pick-and-place machines. The nozzle-to-be-retrieved information indicates the pallet numbers for each pick-and-place machine 3. the pallet P used to retrieve the nozzles N to be retrieved, as well as the type Nk and the nozzle identification of the nozzles N placed in the pallet P and retrieved by the pick-and-place machines 3. The pallet P used to retrieve the nozzles N is the pallet P that is transported to the pick-and-place machines 3 on which the nozzles N to be retrieved are located in order to deliver nozzles N to the pick-and-place machines 3. In this way, the type of retrieval of the nozzles N is determined.

In step S73 of 9 a delivery preparation command is created by the computing unit 110 according to the information on nozzles to be delivered determined in step 107 and stored in the storage unit 140 in order to cause the supply device 2 to carry out the delivery preparation in which pallets P with nozzles N placed therein are prepared. In addition, in step S73 a return command for retrieving the nozzles N from the placement machines 3 to the supply device 2 is created by the computing unit 110 according to the information on nozzles to be retrieved determined in step S202 and stored in the storage unit 140.

13 is a flowchart illustrating a third example of determining the delivery type shown in the flowchart of 9 is executed, and 14 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of determining the type of recovery shown in the flowchart of 9 is executed. The flow charts from 13 and 14 are executed separately for the individual circuit board production lines L by the server computer 100.

In step S71 of the command creation of 9 the determination of the delivery method ( 13 ). This describes the determination of the delivery type in a complete exchange mode, in which missing nozzles N and nozzles N intended to replace all nozzles N present on the placement machines 3 for maintenance purposes are delivered to the placement machines 3 in order to carry out the component assembly.

Also in 13 Steps S101-S103 are carried out on the individual placement machines 3 in the same way as in the example described above. That is, pallets P are allocated to the multiple placement machines 3 (step S101). Then, in step S102, a check is made for missing nozzles N based on the result of the check of the existing nozzles and the nozzles intended for use.

In the next step S108, the computing unit 110 selects all nozzles N present on the placement machines 3 as nozzles to be serviced. In step S109, the computing unit 110 creates the information on nozzles to be delivered in the same way as described above by determining the missing nozzles N identified for the placement machines 3 and the nozzles N selected as nozzles to be serviced (in other words, nozzles N of the same type as the nozzles to be serviced, with which the maintenance nozzles are replaced) as nozzles to be delivered to the placement machines 3 ( 12A) .

In step S72 of 9 the determination of the type of return (complete exchange mode) of 14 executed. In step S201 of 14 the computing unit 110 checks the nozzles N selected as nozzles to be maintained in step S108 for the individual placement machines 3. In step S202, the computing unit 110 then determines the nozzles N selected as nozzles to be maintained as nozzles to be retrieved, which are to be retrieved from the placement machines 3 to the supply device 2, in the same way as described above, and creates the information on nozzles to be retrieved. In this way, the retrieval type of the nozzles N is determined.

In step S73 of 9 According to the information on nozzles to be delivered determined in step 109, the computing unit 110 creates a delivery preparation command and stores it in the storage unit 140 to cause the supply device 2 to carry out the delivery preparation in which pallets P with nozzles N placed therein are prepared. In addition, in step S73, the computing unit 110 creates a return command for retrieving the nozzles N from the placement machines 3 to the supply device 2 according to the information on nozzles to be retrieved determined in step S202 and stores it in the storage unit 140.

As discussed above, the delivery mode can be executed in the basic mode, the selective replacement mode and the complete replacement mode. The configuration may be such that only one of these modes is executed, and the configuration may be such that the operator executes the mode selected by operating the UI 120. In the latter case, the configuration may be as follows, for example.

15A is a flowchart illustrating a fourth example of determining the delivery type, and 15B is a flow chart illustrating an example of determining the type of recovery that is appropriate in relation to the Determination of the delivery method from 15 When determining the delivery type (mixed mode) from 15A In step S121, it is judged whether the mode selected by the worker is the basic mode. If the basic mode is selected ("YES" in step S121), the basic mode is executed (step S122), and if the basic mode is not selected ("NO" in step S121), a transition is made to step S123.

In step S123, it is judged whether the mode selected by the worker is the selective replacement mode. If the selective replacement mode is selected ("YES" in step S123), the selective replacement mode is executed (step S124), and if the selective replacement mode is not selected ("NO" in step S123), it goes to step S125 and the complete replacement mode is executed.

When determining the type of recovery (mixed mode) from 15B It is judged in step S221 whether the mode selected by the worker is the basic mode. If the basic mode is selected (“YES” in step S221), the flowchart of 15B , and if the basic mode is not selected ("NO" in step S221), transition is made to step S223.

In step S223, it is judged whether the mode selected by the worker is the selective replacement mode. If the selective replacement mode is selected ("YES" in step S223), the selective replacement mode is executed (step S224), and if the selective replacement mode is not selected ("NO" in step S223), it goes to step S225 and the complete replacement mode is executed.

As described above, the delivery preparation command is prepared for the supply device 2 and the recall command is prepared for the placement machines 3. Next, a procedure in which these commands are sent to the supply device 2 and the placement machines 3, respectively, to cause the execution of the operations corresponding to these commands will be described.

16 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of line supply management for managing supply on each circuit board production line of the component mounting system. The flowchart of 16 is executed by the arithmetic unit 110 of the server computer 100. In step S301, the arithmetic unit 110 estimates the completion time of the currently executed circuit board production on the plurality of circuit board production lines L.

In step S302, the arithmetic unit 110 creates commands for the next PCB production to be executed after the currently executed PCB production (delivery preparation command/recall command) for the plurality of PCB production lines L. The creation of these commands is carried out in the basic mode, the selective replacement mode, or the complete replacement mode. Thus, when the command creation is performed by the basic mode, the delivery preparation command is created, and when the command creation is performed by the selective replacement mode or the complete replacement mode, the delivery preparation command and the recall command are created. In addition, in step S302, the timing of sending the commands is set based on the estimated completion time of the PCB production. For example, the arithmetic unit 110 calculates the preparatory time required for the delivery preparation at the supply device 2 from the content of the delivery preparation, and sets a command end time that is earlier than the estimated completion time of the PCB production by a buffer time added to this preparation time.

When the current time reaches the command end time (step S303), the arithmetic unit 110 sends the commands (delivery preparation command/recall command) prepared in step S302 to the respective devices (provision device 2/loading machine 3) (step S304). Steps S303, S304 are repeated until the sending of all the commands prepared in step S302 is completed ("YES" in step S305).

17 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of command reception processing performed at the provisioning device 2. When the control device 200 of the provisioning device 2 receives the delivery preparation command from the server computer 100 ("YES" in step S401), it places the nozzles N specified in the delivery preparation command in the palette P specified in the delivery preparation command (step S402). When the delivery preparation is completed by placing all the nozzles N specified by the delivery preparation command in the palette P ("YES" in step S403), it proceeds to step S404. The concrete processes performed at the provisioning device 2 for the delivery preparation are as in steps S11-S15 of 2C shown.

In step S404, the controller 200 judges, based on an operating state received from the placement machine 3, whether the pallet P in which nozzles N have been placed by means of the delivery preparation can be transported away from the supply device 2 to the placement machine 3 of the circuit board production line L to which the supply device 2 belongs. Specifically, the controller 200 checks, based on the operating state of the placement machine 3 to which the pallet P is to be transported (component mounting in progress/component mounting completed/circuit board removal completed, etc.), whether receipt of the pallet P can be carried out at the placement machine 3. If receipt is possible, it is judged that the pallet P can be transported away to the placement machine 3 ("YES" in step S404), and the pallet P is transported away from the supply device 2 to the placement machine 3. Specifically, the pallet P, in which nozzles N were placed by means of delivery preparation, is transported from the delivery conveyor 27 of the supply device 2 to the circuit board conveyor 31 of the placement machine 3 and delivered to the placement machine 3. The specific processes carried out on the supply device 2 for the delivery of the nozzles N are as in steps S16-S19 of 2D shown.

18A is a flowchart illustrating a first example of command reception processing executed at the mounting machine 3. When a pallet P is supplied to the mounting machine 3 ("YES" in step S501), the controller 300 of the mounting machine 3 stops the pallet P at a predetermined pallet stop position (step S502). In step S503, the controller 300 judges whether a return command has been received from the server computer 100. When no return command has been received ("NO" in step S503), the controller 300 performs reception of the nozzles N placed in the pallet P using the mounting heads 331 (reception process). If, on the other hand, a return command has been received ("YES" in step S503), the control device 300 carries out a relocation process in which, of the nozzles N present on the placement machine 3, the nozzles to be retrieved specified in the return command are relocated from the nozzle stocker 37 to the pallet P by means of the placement heads 331, and the receiving process. The relocation process is carried out in parallel with the receiving process. Specifically, the placement heads 331 remove the nozzles to be retrieved from the nozzle stocker 37 and relocate them to the pallet P when they relocate nozzles N from the pallet P to the nozzle stocker 37 for the receiving process. That is, the receiving process is carried out on the way from the pallet P to the nozzle stocker 37, and the relocation process is carried out on the way back from the nozzle stocker 37 to the pallet P.

When the receiving process of step S504 or the receiving process and the transfer process of step S505 have been completed in this way, the pallet P is transported away from the pick and place machine 3 (step S506). For example, if the transport mode of 5A is carried out, the transport destination of the pallet P from the pick and place machine 3 is the supply device 2, and when a transport mode of 5B-5D is carried out, the transport destination of the pallet P from the pick and place machine 3 is the provision device 2 or another pick and place machine 3.

18B is a flowchart illustrating a second example of command reception processing performed on the placement machine. It mainly shows the differences from the first example of 18A described, in which common parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals and their description may be omitted. For the second example, it is assumed that the server computer 100 sends pallet information concerning the pallet P to which the delivery preparation command applies to the supply device 2 in advance to the placement machine 3. In the pallet information, the pallet stop position of the pallet P to which the application preparation command applies on the placement machine 3 and the arrangement (in other words, the position) of the nozzles N in the pallet P are indicated in association with the pallet identifier.

When a pallet P is delivered to the pick and place machine 3 (“YES” in step S501), the controller 300 of the pick and place machine 3 temporarily stops the pallet (step S507) and reads the pallet ID based on the image of the pallet ID of the pallet P from the image camera 333. Then, the controller 300 adjusts the position of the stopper 381 by means of the single-axis robot 384 according to the pallet stop position indicated in the pallet ID and then starts to transport the pallet P by means of the circuit board conveyor 31. As a result, the pallet P comes into contact with the stopper 381 whose position has been adjusted and is stopped in the pallet stop position indicated by the pallet ID (step S503). In the receiving During the process of steps S504, S505, the control device 300 receives the nozzles N based on the arrangement of the nozzles N in the pallet P specified in the pallet identifier and recognizes the type of the nozzles N.

19 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of line supply management for managing supply on each PCB production line of the component assembly system. The flowchart of 19 is executed by the computing unit 110 of the server computer 100. The main differences to the first example from 16 described, whereby common parts are provided with corresponding reference symbols and their description can be omitted.

If the computing unit 110 in the second example of 19 creates the commands for each printed circuit board production line L, it checks whether the work personnel have inputted an interrupt request on the UI 120. The interrupt request is a request to deliver a specific nozzle N from the supply device 2 to the placement machine 3 for an urgent reason such as a damaged nozzle N, regardless of the delivery preparation command created in step S302. If the interrupt request is made in a situation where the delivery preparation command created in step S302 has not yet been sent ("YES" in step S306), the arithmetic unit 110 sends a command to deliver the nozzle N specified in the interrupt request to the supply device 2, and the supply device 2 delivers the nozzle N in question according to the command (step S307).

In step S308, the arithmetic unit 110 checks whether the nozzle N delivered according to the interruption request was a nozzle N scheduled for delivery according to the delivery preparation command created in step S302. Specifically, the check of step S308 is performed based on whether the nozzle IDs of the former nozzle N and the nozzle ID of the latter nozzle N match. If the nozzle N delivered according to the interruption request was the nozzle N scheduled for delivery according to the delivery preparation command ("YES" in step S308), the arithmetic unit 110 judges that the delivery preparation command needs to be created again and returns to step S302, while otherwise ("NO" in step S308) transitions to step S303.

20 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of the command reception processing performed on the provisioning device. It mainly explains the differences from the first example of 17 described, wherein common parts are provided with corresponding reference numerals and their description can be omitted. If the control device 200 in the second example of 20 receives a delivery preparation command ("YES" in step S401), it checks whether there are nozzles to be retrieved that need to be retrieved on the pick-and-place machine 3 to which the nozzles N for which the delivery preparation was carried out are to be delivered according to the delivery preparation command (step S406). Specifically, the existence of nozzles to be retrieved can be checked based on whether there are nozzles to be serviced among the nozzles N for which the delivery preparation was carried out.

If there are no nozzles to be retrieved ("NO" in step S406), the process goes to step S402. However, if there are nozzles to be retrieved ("YES" in step S406), the supply device 2 transports an empty pallet P to be retrieved to the pick-and-place machine 3 where there are nozzles to be retrieved (step S407) before the start of delivery preparation (steps S402-403). The pick-and-place machine 3 to which the pallet P to be retrieved is delivered places the nozzles to be retrieved in the pallet P before delivering nozzles N from the supply device 2 and transports the pallet P to the supply device 2.

When the computing unit 110 has sent the recall command to the placement machine 3 as discussed above, the nozzles to be recalled are recalled from the placement machine 3 to the provision device 2. For this purpose, the provision device 2 can be designed in such a way that it 21 executes the flow chart shown. 21 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of maintenance preparation performed on the supply device 2. In step S601, the controller 200 of the supply device 2 checks whether the pallet P in which the nozzles to be retrieved have been placed has been retrieved from the pick-and-place machine 3 to the supply device 2. If the retrieval is confirmed ("YES" in step S601), the controller 200 displays a view instructing the worker to perform maintenance on the display 297 (step S602).

This allows the worker to enter a maintenance execution command into the UI 120. When the maintenance execution command is entered into the UI 120, the transfer head 251 of the Provision device 2 takes the nozzles to be serviced from the pallet P retrieved from the pick and place machine 3 to the cleaning unit 292 and carries out maintenance of the nozzles.

22 is a flow chart illustrating a fifth example of determining the delivery method. The differences from the above-described determination of the delivery method are mainly described, with common parts being designated by corresponding reference numerals and their descriptions being omitted. Also in 22 Steps S101-S103 are carried out on the individual placement machines 3 in the same way as in the example described above. This means that pallets P are allocated to the multiple placement machines 3 (step S101). Then, in step S102, a check is made for missing nozzles N based on the result of the check of the existing nozzles and the nozzles intended for use.

In the next step S111, the computing unit 110 checks whether, among a plurality of automatic placement machines 3 that belong to the same circuit board production line L as the provision device 2 on which the delivery preparation was carried out, there are two automatic placement machines 3 in which a specific nozzle N can be reused. Specifically, it is checked whether a nozzle N is present that satisfies the following reuse condition: A nozzle N that is present on a placement machine 3 of the plurality of placement machines 3 but is not a nozzle intended for use (reusable nozzle) is a nozzle N that is intended for use on another placement machine 3 but is not a nozzle N present on this.

If there is a nozzle N that satisfies the reuse condition ("YES" in step S111), it is determined that this nozzle N used for the other placement machine 3 is not delivered from the supply device 2, but is moved from the one placement machine 3 to the other placement machine 3 (step S112). The movement of the nozzle N from the one placement machine 3 to the other placement machine 3 is carried out using the pallet P. The pallet P that was used for delivery to the one placement machine 3 can be used as this pallet P. When determining the nozzles to be delivered to the other placement machine 3, the nozzles N that remain when the nozzles N that satisfy the reuse condition are subtracted from the missing nozzles N determined for the other placement machine 3 are determined as the nozzles to be delivered in step S112.

Furthermore, in the determination of the delivery type described above, individual conditions of the delivery type such as the position of the nozzles N placed in the pallet P and the stop position of the pallet P on the pick and place machine 3 to which delivery is made (pallet stop position) can be managed as follows. 23 is a flowchart that illustrates an example of single condition management of the delivery type. The flowchart of 23 is carried out by the arithmetic unit 110 of the server computer 100 on the nozzles N which were determined as nozzles to be delivered in the determination of the delivery type described above, whereby the optimal details of the delivery type are determined by changing the individual conditions of the delivery type.

In step S701, the arithmetic unit 110 checks the nozzles to be delivered. In step S702, a stop position variable Vs, which is a variable indicating the position at which the pallet P used to deliver the nozzles to be delivered stops on the supplied pick and place machine 3, is reset, and in step S703, the stop position variable Vs is incremented by 1. Different stop position variables Vs indicate different stop positions of the pallet P. In addition, a nozzle arrangement variable Va, which is a variable indicating variations in the positions at which the individual nozzles to be delivered are arranged in the pallet P, is reset, and in step S705, the nozzle arrangement variable Va is incremented by 1. Different nozzle arrangement variables Va indicate different arrangements of the nozzles N in the pallet P, or in other words, different combinations of the arrangement of the nozzles N.

When the pallet P in which the nozzles N have been placed in an arrangement indicated by the nozzle arrangement variable Va has been stopped at the supplied pick-and-place machine 3 at the position indicated by the stop position variable Vs, the arithmetic unit 110 estimates the time required for the pick-and-place machine to receive the nozzles N from the pallet P (operation time) in step S706. The calculations of steps S705-S706 are repeated until the nozzle arrangement variable Va reaches a predetermined value Vax. The calculations of steps S703-S707 are repeated until the stop position variable Vs reaches a predetermined value Vsx.

In this way, the operating time for the receiving operation is estimated for the several combinations of the arrangement of the nozzles N in the pallet P and the stop position of the pallet P. In step S709, the computing unit 110 determines these combinations, the optimum combination of the arrangement of the nozzles N and the stopping position of the pallet P having the shortest operation time, and determines that the nozzles N are arranged in the arrangement and the pallet P is stopped at the stopping position indicated by the optimum combination. The content of this determination is sent from the server computer 100 to the supply device 2 and the pick and place machine 3, whereby the supply device 2 performs delivery preparation so that the nozzles N are arranged in the arrangement indicated by the optimum combination in the pallet P, and the pick and place machine 3 stops the pallet P at the position indicated by the optimum combination.

The supply device 2 of the above-described embodiment includes the pallet transport unit 26 which transfers a pallet P (transport pallet) in which nozzles N (used elements) taken from the pallet storage warehouse 22 (element storage warehouse) are stored to the circuit board conveyor 31 of an automatic placement machine 3. This makes it possible to deliver the nozzles N used by the automatic placement machine 3 to the automatic placement machine 3 without errors.

In addition, the transfer head 251 is provided which deposits the nozzles N taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22 into the pallet P, and the pallet transport unit 26 transfers the pallet P in which the nozzles N have been deposited by the transfer head 251 to the circuit board conveyor 31. The nozzles N taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22 are thus deposited into the pallet P by the transfer head 251, and the pallet P is transferred to the circuit board conveyor 31 by the pallet transport unit 26. Thus, the nozzles N used by the placement machine 3 can be delivered to the placement machine 3 without errors.

In addition, the pallet take-out unit 23 (element take-out unit) is provided which takes out and carries the nozzles N from the pallet storage warehouse 22, and the transfer head 251 deposits the nozzles N carried on the pallet take-out unit 23 into the pallet P. In this configuration, the nozzles N taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22 by the pallet take-out unit 23 are carried on the pallet take-out unit 23. Then, the nozzles N carried on the pallet take-out unit 23 are deposited into the pallet P by the transfer head 251, and this pallet P is transferred to the board conveyor 31 of the pick-and-place machine 3 by the pallet transport unit 26. Thus, the nozzles N used by the pick-and-place machine 3 can be delivered to the pick-and-place machine 3 without any errors.

In the pallet storage warehouse 22, a plurality of pallets P (storage pallets) in which nozzles N are stored are stored. The pallet take-out unit 23 carries the pallet P (storage pallet) taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22 and carries the pallet P (transport pallet) received by the pallet transport unit 26, and the transfer head 251 transfers the nozzles N from one pallet P (storage pallet) carried on the pallet take-out unit 23 to the other pallet P (transport pallet). That is, the one pallet P (storage pallet) in which the nozzles N are stored is stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22, and the other pallet P (storage pallet) taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22 by the pallet take-out unit 23 is carried by the pallet take-out unit 23. The nozzles N stored in the one pallet P (storage pallet) carried by the pallet removal unit 23 are stored in the other pallet P (transport pallet) by the transfer head 251, and this other pallet P (transport pallet) is transferred to the circuit board conveyor 31 of the placement machine 3 by the pallet transport unit 26. Thus, the nozzles N used by the placement machine 3 can be delivered to the placement machine 3 without errors.

The pallet take-out unit 23 includes the storage conveyor 24s that carries the pallet P (storage pallet) taken out from the pallet storage warehouse 22, the transport conveyor 24c that carries the pallet P (transport pallet) received from the pallet transport unit 26, and the elevator 233 that moves these conveyors 24s, 24c (carrying conveyors) in the Z direction. With this configuration, it is sufficient for the transfer head 251 to transfer the nozzles N from one pallet P to the other pallet P carried by the respective conveyors 24s, 24c, whereby simplification of the operation of the transfer head 251 can be achieved. In addition, when these conveyors 24s, 24c and this elevator 233 are provided, the following configuration is possible.

In the pallet storage warehouse 22, a plurality of pallets P (storage pallets) are lined up in the Z direction. Therefore, the pallet removal unit 23 removes in a state in which the height of one pallet P of the plurality of pallets P and the height of the conveyors 24s, 24c are brought into agreement by the lifting device 233. which transfer a pallet P from the pallet storage warehouse 22 to the storage conveyor 24s. With this configuration, a target pallet P from among the plurality of pallets P stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22 can be removed to the storage conveyor 24s without error.

The pallet removal unit 23 fetches the pallet P from the pallet transport unit 26 onto the transport conveyor 24c in a state in which the heights of the pallet transport unit 26 and the conveyors 24s, 24c have been brought into line by the lifting device 233. With this configuration, the pallet P can be fetched from the pallet transport unit 26 onto the transport conveyor 24c without errors.

The pallet transport unit 26 has the transfer conveyor 28 arranged adjacent to the pallet removal unit 23 and the delivery conveyor 27, which is arranged in series with the circuit board conveyor 31 of the automatic assembly machine 3 and arranged between the transfer conveyor 28 and the circuit board conveyor 31. The delivery conveyor 27 transports the pallet P from the transfer conveyor 28 to the circuit board conveyor 31. To do this, the transfer conveyor 28 moves between the rotation position R1 (first position), in which the pallet P is transferred with the delivery conveyor 27, and the rotation position R2 (second position), in which the pallet P is transferred with the pallet removal unit 23. In this embodiment, the pallet P, in which the nozzles N are deposited, is transported by the transfer conveyor 28 from the pallet removal unit 23 to the delivery conveyor 27. In addition, the transfer conveyor 28 shifts between the rotation position R1 and the rotation position R2. Therefore, the transfer conveyor 28 is shifted to the appropriate position for the transfer of the pallet P with the pallet removal unit 23 and for the transfer of the pallet P with the delivery conveyor 27, which is why the transfer of the pallet P can be carried out without errors.

In addition, the inspection unit 291 and the cleaning unit 292 (maintenance units) are provided, with which maintenance is carried out on the nozzles N that have been transferred by the transfer head 251 from the pallet take-out unit 23. With this configuration, maintenance can be carried out on the nozzles N at the supply device 2, whereby the nozzles N can be kept in an appropriate state.

In addition, the door 211A is provided for opening and closing the pallet storage warehouse 22. With this configuration, workers can open the door 211A to access the pallet storage warehouse 22, so that replenishment and the like of the nozzles N stored in the pallet storage warehouse 22 can be appropriately carried out.

The pallet P (transport pallet) has the receiving plate portion 41A (element holding portion) that holds the nozzles N, and the conveyor belt depositing portion 41B (carrier portion) that has the depositing surface 41C deposited on the circuit board conveyor 31. By using the pallet P, the pallet P in which nozzles N have been deposited on the supply device 2 can be transported to the circuit board conveyor 31 of the pick-and-place machine 3, thereby delivering the nozzles N to the pick-and-place machine 3. This makes it possible to deliver the nozzles N used by the pick-and-place machine 3 to the pick-and-place machine 3 without errors.

In the above embodiment, the component mounting system 1 corresponds to an example of the “component mounting system” of the present invention, the supply device 2 corresponds to an example of the “supply device” of the present invention, the door 211A corresponds to an example of the “door” of the present invention, the pallet storage warehouse 22 corresponds to an example of the “element storage warehouse” of the present invention, the pallet take-out unit 23 corresponds to an example of the “element take-out unit” of the present invention, the lifting device 233 corresponds to an example of the “lifting device” of the present invention, the storage conveyor 24s and the transport conveyor 24c correspond to an example of the “supporting conveyor” of the present invention, the transfer head 251 corresponds to an example of the “transfer head” of the present invention, the pallet transport unit 26 corresponds to an example of the pallet transport unit of the present invention, the delivery conveyor 27 corresponds to an example of the “delivery conveyor” of the present invention, the transfer conveyor 28 corresponds to an example of the "Transfer conveyor, the inspection unit 291 and the cleaning unit 292 an example of the "maintenance unit" of the present invention, the pick and place machine 3 an example of the "pick and place machine" of the present invention, the circuit board conveyor 31 an example of the "circuit board conveyor", the receiving plate section 41A an example of the "element holding section" of the present invention, the conveyor belt storage section 41B an example of the "carrier section" of the present invention, the storage surface 41C an example of the "storage surface" of the present invention the invention, the circuit board B is an example of the “circuit board” of the present invention, the pallet P is an example of the “transport pallet” or the “storage pallet” of the present invention, the rotational position R1 is an example of the “first position” of the present invention, and the rotational position R2 is an example of the “second position” of the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and the above embodiments can be modified in various ways as long as this does not deviate from the essence of the invention. For example, the design of the supply device 2 can be modified in a suitable manner. Specifically, the supply device is, for example, as shown in 24 shown can be modified.

24 is a plan view schematically illustrating a modification example of the supply device. The difference between the supply devices 2 of 24 and from 2A mainly concerns the design of the displacement of the transfer conveyor 28 of the pallet transport unit 26. Therefore, this difference is mainly described, whereby common parts are provided with corresponding reference numerals and their description can be omitted. In comparison to the example from 2A differs in the example of 24A the orientation of the main body 211 and the configuration of what is accommodated therein varies by 90 degrees. The direction of displacement of the transfer conveyor 28 of the pallet transport unit 26 is not the direction of rotation but the Y direction. That is, the transfer conveyor 28 shifts between a position R1 in which it is arranged in series with the delivery conveyor 27 and a position R2 in which it is arranged in series with the transport conveyor 24c. The transfer conveyor 28 performs a transfer of the pallet P with the delivery conveyor 27 in the position R1 and a transfer of the pallet P with the transport conveyor 24c in the position R2.

The arrangement of the supply device 2 in the circuit board production line L can also be changed in a suitable manner. That is, the supply device 2 does not necessarily have to be arranged at the end of the circuit board production line L. Because the delivery conveyor 27 is provided in the Y direction on both sides of the transfer conveyor 28, the pallet P can be transported away in the Y direction to both sides of the supply device 2. Thus, the supply device 2 can be arranged between two automatic pick and place machines 3 lined up in the Y direction. Conversely, in the case that the supply device 2 is arranged at the end of the circuit board production line L, one of the two delivery conveyors 27 is not necessarily required on the supply device 2.

Other usage elements than the nozzles N, such as support pins, can also be delivered to the placement machine 3. 25 is a view schematically illustrating the manner of use of a support pin on the placement machine, and 26 is a flowchart illustrating an example of delivery control of the support pin. As shown in 25 As shown, the placement machine 3 has a horizontally supported support plate 39, with support pins BP arranged on the upper surface of the support plate 39. The circuit boards B are supported by the support pins BP from below on the circuit board conveyor 31.

During the support pin delivery preparation of 26 the computing unit 110 checks whether support pins BP are missing from the individual pick and place machines 3 (step S801). If there is a pick and place machine 3 that is missing a support pin BP (“YES” in step S802), the computing unit 110 determines the pick and place machine 3 as the delivery destination for support pins BP and allocates it a pallet P (step S803). In addition, the computing unit 110 determines the number of support pins BP delivered to the pick and place machine 3 (step S804) and issues a pin delivery command to the supply device 2 so that pallets P in this number are placed in the pallet P and delivered to the pick and place machine 3 (step S805).

Explanation of reference symbols

1

Component placement system

2

Provisioning device

211A

door

22

Pallet storage warehouse (element storage warehouse)

23

Pallet removal unit (element removal unit)

233

Lifting device

24s

Storage conveyor (supporting conveyor)

24c

Transport conveyor (supporting conveyor)

251

Transfer head

26

Pallet transport unit

27

Delivery conveyor

28

Transfer conveyor

291

Test unit (maintenance unit)

292

Cleaning unit (maintenance unit)

3

Assembly machine

31

PCB conveyor system

41A

Mounting plate section (element holding section)

41B

Conveyor belt storage unit (carrier section)

41C

Storage area

B

Circuit board

P

Pallet (transport pallet, storage pallet)

R1

Rotation position (first position)

R2

Turning position (second position)

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• JP 6129201 B [0003]

Claims (12)

A supply device comprising: a pallet transport unit arranged in series with a circuit board-transporting circuit board conveyor of an automatic assembly machine which has the circuit board conveyor and assembles the circuit boards carried on the circuit board conveyor with components, and transfers transport pallets to the circuit board conveyor, and an element storage warehouse which stores use elements which are used on the automatic assembly machine and are different from the components and the circuit boards, wherein the pallet transport unit transfers a transport pallet in which use elements taken from the element storage warehouse are stored to the circuit board conveyor. Provision device according to Claim 1 , further comprising a transfer head which deposits the usage elements taken from the element storage warehouse into the transport pallet, wherein the pallet transport unit transfers the transport pallet in which usage elements have been deposited by the transfer head to the circuit board conveyor. Provision device according to Claim 2 , further comprising an element removal unit that removes and carries the usage elements from the element storage warehouse, wherein the transfer head deposits the usage elements carried on the element removal unit into the transport pallet. Provision device according to Claim 3 , wherein a plurality of storage pallets are stored in the element storage warehouse, in each of which the usage elements are stored, wherein the element removal unit carries the storage pallets removed from the element storage warehouse and carries the transport pallets received by the pallet transport unit, wherein the transfer head moves the usage elements from the storage pallet carried by the element removal unit to the transport pallet. Provision device according to Claim 4 wherein the component removal unit comprises a supporting conveyor that carries the storage pallets taken out from the component storage warehouse and the transport pallets received from the pallet transport unit, and a lifting device that moves the supporting conveyor in the vertical direction. Provision device according to Claim 5 wherein in the element storage warehouse, a plurality of storage pallets are lined up in the vertical direction, and the element removal unit, in a state where the height of a storage pallet of the plurality of storage pallets and the height of the supporting conveyor have been matched by the lifting device, takes out a storage pallet from the element storage warehouse onto the supporting conveyor. Provision device according to Claim 6 wherein the element removal unit fetches the transport pallet from the pallet transport unit onto the carrying conveyor in a state in which the height of the pallet transport unit and the height of the supporting conveyor have been brought into line by the lifting device. Provision device according to one of the Claims 4 until 7 , wherein the pallet transport unit has a transfer conveyor arranged adjacent to the element removal unit and a delivery conveyor which is arranged in series with the circuit board conveyor and is arranged between the transfer conveyor and the circuit board conveyor, wherein the delivery conveyor transports the transport pallet from the transfer conveyor to the circuit board conveyor, and the transfer conveyor is displaceable between a first position at which a transfer of the transport pallet with the delivery conveyor takes place, and a second position at which a transfer of the transport pallet with the element removal unit takes place. Provision device according to one of the Claims 3 until 8th , further comprising a maintenance unit that performs maintenance on the usage elements transported by the transfer head from the element removal unit. Provision device according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , further comprising a door that opens and closes the element storage area. Component assembly system, comprising: the supply device according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 and an automatic assembly machine which has a circuit board conveyor for transporting circuit boards and which equips circuit boards carried on the circuit board conveyor with components by means of an assembly head, wherein the pallet transport unit of the supply device and the circuit board conveyor of the automatic assembly machine are arranged in series net and carry out a transfer of the transport pallet, whereby the pick and place machine receives the usage elements by taking the usage elements from the transport pallet transported by the provision device. A transport pallet comprising: an element holding section used on a placement machine having a circuit board conveyor for transporting circuit boards and placing components on circuit boards carried on the circuit board conveyor, and holding use elements other than the components and the circuit boards, and a support section having a storage surface placed on the circuit board conveyor.

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