JP2024166360A - Component mounting line - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an easy-to-use storage for a component supply unit.SOLUTION: A component mounting line 10 includes a plurality of component mounting machines 20 lined up along a board transfer direction, a feeder storage 60 that stores a plurality of detachable feeders 30 in the component mounting machine 20, and an exchange robot 50 capable of exchanging the feeder 30 between the feeder storage 60 and each of the component mounting machines 20, and the feeder storage 60 is provided in the same arrangement as the plurality of component mounting machines 20, and the exchange robot 50 moves along the board transfer direction to exchange the feeder 30. This allows the feeder 30 to be used in any of the component mounting machines 20 to be supplied and recovered through the feeder storage 60 by an operator easily.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a component mounting line.

Conventionally, in component mounters that pick up components from a component supply unit that contains multiple components and mount them on a board, there have been proposals for components that can automatically replace the component supply unit. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that includes a supply station on which a component supply unit is placed so that the component mounter can pick up components, a storage unit that is provided adjacent to the component mounter and stores multiple component supply units, and a loader that switches the component supply units between the storage unit and the supply station. In this configuration, when an empty component supply unit runs out of components, the loader automatically replaces the component supply unit by switching the empty component supply unit with a component supply unit in the storage unit.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-176892

When the technology described in Patent Document 1 is applied to a component mounting line consisting of multiple component mounters lined up, a storage facility corresponding to each component mounter is provided adjacent to each component mounter. This can result in the overall length of the component mounting line becoming longer than expected. In addition, when a storage facility corresponding to each component mounter is provided, it is necessary to replenish and retrieve component supply units from each storage facility. In this way, a configuration in which a storage facility is adjacent to each component mounter can actually make the system less user-friendly.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use storage facility for parts supply units.

The present invention takes the following measures to achieve the above-mentioned main objective.

The component mounting line of the present invention is a component mounting line configured by arranging a plurality of component mounting machines along the transport direction of the mounting object, each of which has a component supply unit set so as to be detachable and mounts the components supplied by the component supply unit on the mounting object, and is equipped with a unit storage cabinet for storing a plurality of the component supply units, a unit exchange device capable of exchanging the component supply units attached to the plurality of component mounting machines with the component supply units stored in the unit storage cabinet, and a control device for controlling the unit exchange device, the unit storage cabinet being installed in the same row as the plurality of component mounting machines, and the control device controlling the unit exchange device to move within a predetermined range of movement along the transport direction to exchange the component supply units.

In the component mounting line of the present invention, a unit storage unit for storing multiple component supply units is installed in the same row as multiple component mounting machines, and a unit replacement device is controlled to replace the component supply units by moving within a predetermined range along the transport direction of the mounting target. As a result, regardless of which component mounting machine uses the component supply unit, the component supply units can be loaded and unloaded in the unit storage unit for replenishment and recovery. Furthermore, if the unit replacement device is outside the predetermined range in front of the unit storage unit, the component supply units can be loaded and unloaded at any time. As a result, a user-friendly unit storage unit can be provided.

Furthermore, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage can be installed upstream of the most upstream component mounter in the line-up direction of the multiple component mounters, or downstream of the most downstream component mounter. In this way, the unit storage is installed at a position that is the end of the line-up of multiple component mounters, making it even easier to load and unload component supply units into the unit storage.

In this aspect of the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage can be installed at an intermediate position in the line of the multiple component mounters, in addition to the upstream position or the downstream position. In this way, even if the component mounting line is a long line made up of many component mounters, it is possible to prevent the distance that the unit exchange device must travel between the unit storage and the component mounters from becoming longer than necessary.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage can also be equipped with a transport device that transports the mounting objects in the transport direction. In this way, it becomes possible to easily install the unit storage in the same row as multiple component mounters.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage has a common configuration with the configuration in which the component supply unit is set removably on the component mounting machine, and the unit replacement device can perform the installation and removal of the component supply unit on the component mounting machine and the installation and removal of the component supply unit on the unit storage by a common operation using the same mechanism. In this way, it is possible to prevent the configuration of the unit replacement device from becoming complicated and to efficiently install and remove the component supply unit.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage allows the component supply unit to be loaded and unloaded by an operator, and includes a detector that detects the presence or absence of an operator within a predetermined range of the movement range that includes the front of the unit storage, and the control device can control the unit exchange device so that it does not move within the predetermined range when the detector detects an operator. In this way, the safety of the operator who loads and unloads the component supply unit can be ensured.

In this aspect of the component mounting line of the present invention, the control device can also control the unit replacement device to move within the movement range excluding the predetermined range at a slower speed when the detector detects a worker than when the detector does not detect a worker. In this way, the unit replacement device can be moved within a range that does not impede the safety of the worker.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the unit storage can be configured so that the component supply unit can be loaded and unloaded by an automatic transport device that automatically transports the component supply unit from outside the component mounting line. In this way, the loading and unloading of the component supply unit can be automated and made more efficient.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, a management device that manages the mounting of the component mounter can be placed in the installation space of the unit storage. This allows the space in the component mounting line to be used efficiently.

In addition, in the component mounting line of the present invention, the component supply unit supplies the components to the component mounter by sending out a storage member that stores the components, and is equipped with a waste material transport device that transports waste materials from the storage member after the components have been supplied from the component supply unit to the component mounter to the installation space of the unit storage, and a collection container for collecting the waste materials transported by the waste material transport device can be placed in the installation space of the unit storage. In this way, the space in the component mounting line can be used efficiently.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a component mounting line 10. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a component mounter 20. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a feeder 30. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of an exchange robot 50. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a feeder storage 60. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram relating to control of the component mounting line 10. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a storage area information update process. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of storage area information. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a feeder replacement process. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of an exchange robot movement process. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a component mounting line according to a modified example. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a component mounting line according to a modified example.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the component mounting line 10, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the component mounter 20, and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the feeder 30. Also, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the exchange robot 50, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the feeder storage 60, and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram related to the control of the component mounting line 10. Note that the left-right direction in Figure 1 is the X direction, the front-back direction is the Y direction, and the up-down direction is the Z direction.

1, the component mounting line 10 includes a printer 12 that prints solder on a board, a print inspection machine 14 that inspects the state of the printed solder, a plurality of component mounters 20 that mount components supplied from the feeders 30 on the board, a mount inspection machine (not shown) that inspects the mounting state of the components, a feeder storage 60 that can store a plurality of feeders 30, and a management device 80 that manages the entire line. In the component mounting line 10, the printer 12, the print inspection machine 14, and the plurality of component mounters 20 are arranged in this order in the conveying direction (X direction) of the board. In addition, the feeder storage 60 is incorporated into the component mounting line 10 and is installed between the component mounter 20 that is the most upstream of the plurality of component mounters 20 in the conveying direction of the board and the print inspection machine 14. In other words, the feeder storage 60 is installed upstream of the most upstream component mounter 20. In this embodiment, a worker supplies feeders 30 to the feeder storage 60 and retrieves feeders 30 from the feeder storage 60. The supply and retrieval of feeders 30 to the feeder storage 60 is also referred to as carrying in and out of the feeders 30.

The component mounting line 10 also includes an exchange robot 50 that automatically exchanges the feeders 30 between the multiple component mounters 20 and the feeder storage 60. The exchange robot 50 is movable along an X-axis rail 18 that is provided in front of the multiple component mounters 20 and the feeder storage 60 in parallel to the board transport direction (X direction). Note that the X-axis rail 18 is not shown in Figures 2 and 5. In this embodiment, the range in front of the feeder storage 60 and the multiple component mounters 20 is described by dividing it into three ranges. The ranges are, in order from the upstream side in the transport direction, a storage front range 11a that includes the front of the feeder storage 60 and the front of the component mounter 20 adjacent to the feeder storage 60, an adjacent range 11b adjacent to the storage front range 11a, and a non-adjacent range 11c that is adjacent to the adjacent range 11b and not adjacent to the storage front range 11a.

As shown in Fig. 2, the component mounter 20 includes a board transport device 21 that transports the board S in the X direction, a head 22 having a suction nozzle that picks up components supplied by a feeder 30, a head moving mechanism 23 that moves the head 22 in the X and Y directions, and a mounting control device 28 (see Fig. 6) that controls the entire device. The mounting control device 28 is composed of a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and outputs drive signals to the board transport device 21, the head 22, the head moving mechanism 23, etc.

The feeder 30 is configured as a tape feeder that feeds out a tape that contains components at a predetermined pitch. As shown in FIG. 3, the feeder 30 includes a tape reel 32 on which the tape is wound, a tape feed mechanism 33 that pulls out and feeds out the tape from the tape reel 32, a connector 35 having two protruding positioning pins 34, a rail member 37 provided at the bottom end, and a feeder control device 39 (see FIG. 6) that controls the entire feeder. The feeder control device 39 is composed of a known CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and outputs a drive signal to the tape feed mechanism 33. The feeder control device 39 can also communicate with a control unit (such as the mounting control device 28 or management device 80) to which the feeder 30 is attached via the connector 35.

As shown in FIG. 2, the component mounter 20 has two areas, an upper area and an lower area, in which the feeders 30 can be attached at the front. The upper area is a component supply area 20A where the feeders 30 can supply components, and the lower area is a stock area 20B where the feeders 30 can be stocked. The supply area 20A and the stock area 20B are each provided with a feeder table 40 on which a plurality of feeders 30 can be attached. The feeder table 40 is an L-shaped table in a side view, and includes a plurality of slots 42 arranged in the X direction at intervals such that the rail members 37 of the feeders 30 can be inserted, two positioning holes 44 into which the two positioning pins 34 of the feeders 30 can be inserted, and a connector 45 provided between the two positioning holes 44 to which the connector 35 is connected.

The component mounter 20 also includes a tape duct 24 that sends the tape downward after the feeder 30 supplies the components, a tape cutter 25 that cuts the tape that has passed through the tape duct 24 into small pieces, a tape chute 26 into which the waste tape cut by the tape cutter 25 falls, and a waste tape transport device 27 arranged below the tape chute 26. The waste tape transport device 27 of this embodiment is configured as a belt conveyor device that transports the waste tape by a conveyor belt from the right side to the left side in the X direction. The waste tape transport device 27 is fixed in a state in which the conveyor belt is inclined so that it has an upward gradient from the right side to the left side in the X direction. In addition, the waste tape transport device 27 has a length that exceeds the width in the X direction of the component mounter 20 so that the left end of the conveyor belt protrudes from the left side of the component mounter 20 and is located above the right end of the waste tape transport device 27 (conveyor belt) of the component mounter 20 adjacent to the left side (upstream side in the transport direction). Therefore, the waste tape transport devices 27 of adjacent component mounters 20 can overlap with each other to transfer waste tape, and the waste tape transport devices 27 of each component mounter 20 form a single waste tape transport line in the direction opposite to the transport direction of the board S.

As shown in FIG. 4, the exchange robot 50 includes a robot moving mechanism 51 that moves the exchange robot 50 along the X-axis rail 18, a feeder transfer mechanism 53 that transfers the feeder 30 to the component mounter 20 or the feeder storage 60, and a robot control device 59 (see FIG. 6) that controls the entire robot. The robot moving mechanism 51 includes an X-axis motor 52a such as a servo motor that drives a drive belt for moving the exchange robot 50, and a guide roller 52b that guides the movement of the exchange robot 50 along the X-axis rail 18. The feeder transfer mechanism 53 includes a Y-axis slider 55 that includes a clamp unit 54 that clamps the feeder 30 and a Y-axis motor 55a that moves the clamp unit 54 along the Y-axis guide rail 55b, and a Z-axis motor 56a that moves the Y-axis slider 55 along the Z-axis guide rail 56b. The exchange robot 50 also includes an encoder 57 (see FIG. 6) that detects the movement position in the X direction, and left and right monitoring sensors (left monitoring sensor 58a, right monitoring sensor 58b, see FIG. 6) such as infrared sensors that monitor the presence or absence of obstacles (workers) on the left and right.

The Y-axis slider 55 of the feeder transfer mechanism 53 is driven by the Z-axis motor 56a to move to an upper transfer area 50A facing the supply area 20A of the component mounter 20 and a lower transfer area 50B facing the stock area 20B of the component mounter 20. The robot control device 59 moves the Y-axis slider 55, which clamps the feeder 30 with the clamp unit 54, from the upper transfer area 50A to the supply area 20A by driving the Y-axis motor 55a, inserts the rail member 37 of the feeder 30 into the slot 42 of the feeder table 40, and releases the clamp of the clamp unit 54, thereby attaching the feeder 30 to the feeder table 40 in the supply area 20A. The robot control device 59 also clamps the feeder 30 attached to the feeder table 40 in the supply area 20A with the clamp unit 54, and removes the feeder 30 from the feeder table 40 in the supply area 20A (pulls it into the upper transfer area 50A) by driving the Y-axis motor 55a to move the Y-axis slider 55 from the supply area 20A to the upper transfer area 50A. The robot control device 59 performs the same process for attaching the feeder 30 to the feeder table 40 in the stock area 20B and removing the feeder 30 from the feeder table 40 in the stock area 20B, except that the Y-axis slider 55 is driven by the Z-axis motor 56a to move the lower transfer area 50B, and the process is performed in the lower transfer area 50B instead of the upper transfer area 50A, so a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the feeder storage 60 has a storage area 60A in which the feeder 30 can be attached to the upper right front portion of the housing 61. The storage area 60A is provided with a feeder table 40 having the same configuration as the feeder table 40 provided in the supply area 20A or the stock area 20B of the component mounter 20. The feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A is provided at the same height (Z direction position) as the feeder table 40 in the supply area 20A. For this reason, the robot control device 59 of the exchange robot 50 moves the Y-axis slider 55, which clamps the feeder 30 with the clamp unit 54, from the upper transfer area 50A to the storage area 60A by driving the Y-axis motor 55a, inserts the rail member 37 of the feeder 30 into the slot 42 of the feeder table 40, and releases the clamp of the clamp unit 54, thereby attaching the feeder 30 to the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A. The robot control device 59 can clamp the feeder 30 attached to the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A with the clamp unit 54 and move the Y-axis slider 55 from the storage area 60A to the upper transfer area 50A by driving the Y-axis motor 55a, thereby removing the feeder 30 from the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A (pulling it into the upper transfer area 50A). That is, the exchange robot 50 can attach and detach the feeder 30 to and from the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A of the feeder storage 60 with the same operation as that for attaching and detaching the feeder 30 to and from the feeder table 40 in the supply area 20A of the component mounter 20. Note that both the storage area 60A of the feeder storage 60 and the stock area 20B of the component mounter 20 can store feeders 30 that are not in use (not supplying components). For example, the stock area 20B can store feeders 30 that have remaining parts or that are scheduled to be used relatively soon, while the storage area 60A can store used feeders 30 that have no remaining parts.

The feeder storage 60 also includes a board transport device 62 at the upper rear of the housing 61, which transports the board S in the X direction. This board transport device 62 is located at the same position in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions as the board transport device (not shown) of the print inspection machine 14 and the board transport device 21 of the adjacent component mounter 20. Therefore, the board transport device 62 is able to transport the board S received from the board transport device of the print inspection machine 14 and hand it over to the board transport device 21 of the adjacent component mounter 20.

A collection container 64 for collecting waste tape transported by the waste tape transport line is arranged in the lower space 63A at the rear lower part of the housing 61 of the feeder storage 60. As described above, the left end of the waste tape transport device 27 of each component mounter 20 protrudes from the left side of each component mounter 20, so the left end of the waste tape transport device 27 of the component mounter 20 adjacent to the feeder storage 60 also protrudes and enters the housing 61. The collection container 64 is arranged below the left end of the waste tape transport device 27 that has entered the housing 61, making it possible to collect waste tape. In addition, an opening 63B that communicates with the lower space 63A and opens larger than the height and left and right width of the collection container 64 is formed at the lower part of the front right side of the housing 61. Therefore, the worker can insert and remove the collection container 64 from the opening 63B to collect the collection container 64 (waste tape). The feeder storage 60 may have an area below the storage area 60A where the feeder 30 can be attached, and the opening 63B may not be formed. In that case, the collection container 64 may be configured to be removable from the rear of the housing 61.

In addition, on the front left side of the housing 61 of the feeder storage 60, a storage section 65A is formed with a rectangular parallelepiped opening at the bottom, and a stand 65B with a horizontal surface is formed at the top. The storage section 65A is formed to be slightly larger than the main body of the management device 80, and as shown in FIG. 1, the main body of the management device 80 is stored in the storage section 65A. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a display 82 and an input device 84 are placed on the upper stand 65B. In this way, the installation space of the feeder storage 60 is also used as the arrangement space for the collection container 64 and the management device 80.

As shown in FIG. 6, the management device 80 is composed of a known CPU 80a, ROM 80b, HDD 80c, RAM 80d, etc., and is equipped with a display 82 such as an LCD, and an input device 84 such as a keyboard and a mouse. The management device 80 stores a production program for the board S. The production program for the board S is a program that determines which components are to be mounted on which board S, and how many boards S mounted in this manner are to be produced. The management device 80 is connected to the mounting control device 28 by wire for communication and to the robot control device 59 by wireless communication, and is also connected to the control devices of the printing machine 12, the printing inspection machine 14, and the mounting inspection machine for communication. The management device 80 receives information on the mounting status of the component mounter 20 from the mounting control device 28, and receives information on the driving status of the exchange robot 50 from the robot control device 59. In addition, the management device 80 of this embodiment also manages the feeder storage 60. The management device 80 is communicatively connected to the feeder control device 39 of the feeder 30 attached to the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A via the connectors 35, 45. The management device 80 also outputs a drive signal to the board transport device 62 in the feeder storage 60 to cause the board transport device 62 to transport the board S. The management device 80 also receives a detection signal from a storage front monitoring sensor 86, such as an infrared sensor, that monitors the presence of a worker within the storage front range 11a.

The following is an explanation of the processing performed by the management device 80 of the component mounting line 10. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the storage area information update processing. The storage area information is information about the mounting position, ID information, and contained parts of the feeder 30 set on the feeder table 40 of the storage area 60A, and is stored in the HDD 80c. In the storage area information update processing, the CPU 80a of the management device 80 first determines whether or not a feeder 30 has been newly attached to the feeder table 40 of the storage area 60A (S100). When the CPU 80a determines that a feeder 30 has been newly attached, it acquires position information of the mounting position based on the position of the attached connector 45 (S105), and acquires feeder information such as the ID information of the feeder 30 and the contained component type and component amount from the feeder control device 39 of the attached feeder 30 (S110). Then, the CPU 80a updates the storage area information by registering the feeder information in association with the position information (S115), and proceeds to the next processing of S120. Furthermore, if the CPU 80a determines in S100 that a new feeder 30 has not been installed, it skips steps S105 to S115 and proceeds to the next step S120.

Next, the CPU 80a of the management device 80 determines whether the feeder 30 has been removed from the feeder table 40 in the storage area 60A (S120), and if it determines that the feeder 30 has not been removed, ends the storage area information update process. On the other hand, if the CPU 80a determines that the feeder 30 has been removed, it acquires position information of the removal position based on the position of the removed connector 45 (S125), updates the storage area information by deleting the feeder information associated with the position information (S130), and ends the storage area information update process.

Here, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of storage area information. In the storage area information, the ID information of the feeder 30, information on the component type, information on the component amount, etc. are stored in association with the position information of the mounting position of the feeder 30. The position information is determined in order, with the reference slot (for example, the leftmost slot 42) among the multiple slots 42 of the feeder table 40 as the leading position "001". In the example of FIG. 8, the position information "001" or "002" indicates that the feeder 30 with the component type "A-001" and the component amount "Full" (unused after replenishing by the operator) is mounted. The position information "003" indicates that the feeder 30 is not mounted. The position information "004" or "005" indicates that the feeder 30 with the component type "B-005" and the component amount "Empty" (already used by the component mounter 20) is mounted. When the number of "Empty" feeders 30 exceeds a predetermined number, the worker is notified by voice. The storage area information is not limited to storing whether the component quantity is "Full" or "Empty", but may store the value of the remaining number of components. The management device 80 may also display the storage area information visibly on the display 82 based on a request from the worker. The mounting control device 28 of each component mounter 20 stores, similar to the storage area information, supply area information that associates position information in the supply area 20A with feeder information and stock area information that associates position information in the stock area 20B with feeder information.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a feeder replacement process. This process is executed when a feeder 30 in the storage area 60A of the feeder storage 60 is replaced with a feeder 30 in the supply area 20A (or in the stock area 20B) of the component mounter 20. The management device 80 replaces the feeder 30 based on the production program of the board S by removing the feeder 30 containing the components required for the next mounting process from the storage area 60A and attaching it to the supply area 20A of each component mounter 20, or removing the feeder 30 containing the components not required for the next mounting process from the supply area 20A and attaching it to the stock area 20B or the storage area 60A. Alternatively, when the number of remaining components in a feeder 30 attached to the supply area 20A becomes 0 and out-of-component information is received from the component mounter 20, the feeder 30 that has been used is removed from the supply area 20A and attached to the storage area 60A, or a feeder 30 containing the same type of components is removed from the storage area 60A and attached to the supply area 20A or the stock area 20B. In this way, the feeder 30 replacement process can be performed by attaching or detaching the feeder 30 in the feeder storage 60 (storage area 60A) or by attaching or detaching the feeder 30 in the component mounter 20 (supply area 20A, stock area 20B).

In the feeder replacement process, the CPU 80a of the management device 80 first determines whether it is the timing to attach or detach the feeder 30 in the feeder storage 60 (storage area 60A) (S200), and if it is not the timing, proceeds to the next process of S225. On the other hand, if the CPU 80a determines that it is the timing to attach or detach the feeder 30, it sets the processing target position, which is the position at which the feeder 30 is to be attached or detached, based on the storage area information (S205). In addition, the CPU 80a sets the position to which the exchange robot 50 should move in order to attach or detach the feeder 30 at the processing target position as the target position (S210). For example, when removing the feeder 30 from the feeder storage 60 (storage area 60A), the position (attachment position) of the slot 42 to which the feeder 30 is attached becomes the processing target position, and the position of the exchange robot 50 at which the feeder 30 can be removed from the processing target position becomes the target position. Furthermore, when attaching a used feeder 30 to the feeder storage 60 (storage area 60A), the position of the empty slot 42 into which the feeder 30 can be attached becomes the processing target position, and the position of the exchange robot 50 at which the feeder 30 can be attached at the processing target position becomes the target position. When the CPU 80a sets the target position, it executes an exchange robot movement process to move the exchange robot 50 to the target position (S215), drives and controls the exchange robot 50 at the target position to perform the attachment/detachment process of the feeder 30 to/from the processing target position of the feeder storage 60 (storage area 60A) (S220), and proceeds to the next process of S225.

Next, the CPU 80a judges whether it is time to attach or detach the feeder 30 in the component mounter 20 (supply area 20A, stock area 20B) (S225), and ends the feeder exchange process if it is not time to attach or detach. On the other hand, if the CPU 80a judges that it is time to attach or detach, it identifies the component mounter 20 to be processed (S230), sets the processing target position based on the supply area information and stock area information of the identified component mounter 20 (S235), and sets the target position of the exchange robot 50 (S240). For example, when removing the feeder 30 of the component mounter 20 (supply area 20A, stock area 20B), the position of the slot 42 to which the feeder 30 is attached (mounting position) becomes the processing target position, and the position of the exchange robot 50 at which the feeder 30 can be removed from the processing target position becomes the target position. Furthermore, when the feeder 30 is attached to the component mounter 20 (supply area 20A, stock area 20B), the position of the empty slot 42 in which the feeder 30 can be attached becomes the processing target position, and the position of the exchange robot 50 in which the feeder 30 can be attached at the processing target position becomes the target position. When the target position is set, the CPU 80a executes an exchange robot movement process for moving the exchange robot 50 to the target position (S245), and performs a process of attaching and detaching the feeder 30 to the processing target position of the component mounter 20 (supply area 20A, stock area 20B) by driving and controlling the exchange robot 50 at the target position (S250), thereby completing the feeder exchange process. Note that in the processes of S235 to S250, the work of switching the feeder 30 between the supply area 20A and the stock area 20B may be performed. The exchange robot movement process of S215 and S245 will be described below. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the exchange robot movement process. This process is performed by the CPU of the robot control device 59 based on a drive command from the management device 80.

In this exchange robot movement process, the robot control device 59 first determines whether or not the sensor on the traveling direction side of the exchange robot 50 (the side toward the target position) has detected a worker (obstacle) (S300). The process of S300 is performed based on a detection signal from the left monitoring sensor 58a if the traveling direction is leftward, and based on a detection signal from the right monitoring sensor 58b if the traveling direction is rightward. If the robot control device 59 determines that the sensor on the traveling direction side has detected a worker, it stops the exchange robot 50 (S305) and repeats the determination of S300. The process of S305 is performed by ending the movement if the exchange robot 50 is moving, and by maintaining the state if the exchange robot 50 is stopped.

On the other hand, when the robot control device 59 determines that the sensor on the moving direction side has not detected the worker, it determines whether the moving direction of the exchange robot 50 is the feeder storage 60 side (in this embodiment, the upstream side of the component mounting line 10) (S310). When the robot control device 59 determines that the moving direction of the exchange robot 50 is not the feeder storage 60 side (it is the downstream side of the component mounting line 10), it moves the exchange robot 50 at a predetermined speed (S315) and proceeds to the processing of S360. Also, when the robot control device 59 determines that the moving direction of the exchange robot 50 is the feeder storage 60 side, it determines whether or not there is a worker in the storage front range 11a based on the detection signal from the storage front monitoring sensor 86 (S320). When the robot control device 59 determines that there is a worker in the storage front range 11a, it determines whether or not the current position of the exchange robot 50 is within the adjacent range 11b based on the detection position of the encoder 57 (S325). When the robot control device 59 determines that there is no worker in the storage front range 11a, or determines that there is a worker in the storage front range 11a but the exchange robot 50 is not in the adjacent range 11b (in this embodiment, it is in the non-adjacent range 11c), it moves the exchange robot 50 at a predetermined speed (S330). Also, when the robot control device 59 determines that there is a worker in the storage front range 11a and that the exchange robot 50 is in the adjacent range 11b, it moves the exchange robot 50 at a slower speed than the predetermined speed (S335). In this way, when the exchange robot 50 approaches a worker in the storage front range 11a, the exchange robot 50 is moved at a slow speed within the adjacent range 11b, so that the worker can work safely while preventing the movement of the exchange robot 50 from being restricted more than necessary.

Next, the robot control device 59 determines whether the exchange robot 50 has reached the boundary position between the adjacent range 11b and the storage front range 11a based on the detection position of the encoder 57 (S340), and proceeds to processing of S360 if it determines that the exchange robot 50 has not reached the boundary position. If the robot control device 59 determines that the exchange robot 50 has reached the boundary position, it determines whether or not there is an operator in the storage front range 11a based on the detection signal from the storage front monitoring sensor 86 (S345), and if it determines that there is an operator in the storage front range 11a, it stops the exchange robot 50 (S350) and repeats the determination of S345. The processing of S350 is performed by ending the movement of the exchange robot 50 if it is moving, and by maintaining the state if the exchange robot 50 is stopped. In this way, if there is a worker in the storage front range 11a, the exchange robot 50 is prevented from entering the storage front range 11a from the adjacent range 11b, and the exchange robot 50 is prevented from moving in the storage front range 11a, so the safety of the worker who carries the feeder 30 in and out of the feeder storage 60 can be ensured. Here, for example, the detection range of the monitoring sensor (left side monitoring sensor 58a) of the robot control device 50 is set to be narrower than the detection range of the storage front monitoring sensor 86 that monitors the storage front range 11a. Therefore, the safety of the worker in the storage front range 11a can be appropriately ensured based on the detection signal from the storage front monitoring sensor 86. In addition, the storage front range 11a includes not only the range in front of the feeder storage 60 but also the range in front of the adjacent component mounter 20, so that the safety of the worker can be more easily ensured.

In S345, when the robot control device 59 determines that there is no worker in the storage front range 11a, it moves the exchange robot 50 at a predetermined speed to enter the storage front range 11a (S355), and proceeds to the process of S360. Note that, after stopping the exchange robot 50 in S350, if the robot control device 59 determines that the storage front monitoring sensor 86 does not detect a worker in S345, it may wait until a predetermined time has elapsed before moving the exchange robot 50. Then, the robot control device 59 determines whether the exchange robot 50 has reached the target position (S360). If the robot control device 59 determines that the exchange robot 50 has not reached the target position, it returns to S300 and repeats the process, and if it determines that the exchange robot 50 has reached the target position, it stops the exchange robot 50 (S365), and ends the exchange robot movement process. Note that, if the exchange robot 50 detects a worker after entering the storage front range 11a and before reaching the target position, it stops the movement in S305.

Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. In this embodiment, the feeder 30 corresponds to a component supply unit, the component mounter 20 corresponds to a component mounter, the component mounting line 10 corresponds to a component mounting line, the feeder storage 60 corresponds to a unit storage, the exchange robot 50 corresponds to a unit exchange device, and the management device 80 that executes the feeder exchange process in FIG. 9 and the robot control device 59 that executes the exchange robot movement process in FIG. 10 correspond to control devices. In addition, the board transport device 62 corresponds to a transport device, the storage front monitoring sensor 86 corresponds to a detector, the management device 80 corresponds to a management device, and the waste material transport device 26 corresponds to a waste material transport device.

The component mounting line 10 described above includes a plurality of component mounters 20 arranged along the conveying direction of the board, a feeder storage 60 that stores a plurality of feeders 30 that can be attached to and detached from the component mounters 20, and an exchange robot 50 that can exchange the feeders 30 between the feeder storage 60 and each component mounter 20. The feeder storage 60 is installed in the same row as the plurality of component mounters 20, and the exchange robot 50 moves along the conveying direction of the board to exchange the feeders 30. This allows the worker to replenish the feeders 30 to each component mounter 20 on the component mounting line 10 simply by replenishing the feeders 30 in the feeder storage 60. In addition, since the used feeders 30 can be automatically collected from each component mounter 20 in the feeder storage 60, the worker can collect the feeders 30 from the feeder storage 60 all at once. In other words, the worker can replenish or collect the feeders 30 used by any component mounter 20 in the feeder storage 60. Furthermore, if the exchange robot 50 is not in front of the feeder storage 60, the feeders 30 can be replenished or retrieved at any time. Furthermore, compared to a case where an operator supplies the feeders 30 to each component mounter 20, the exchange robot 50 can be prevented from being stopped frequently while moving. As a result, a user-friendly feeder storage 60 can be provided. Furthermore, by configuring the feeder storage 60 so that the number of feeders 30 stored (contained) in the feeder storage 60 is an appropriate number according to the number and type of components to be mounted on the component mounting line 10, the feeder storage 60 can be made to function appropriately as an in-line component warehouse.

In addition, since the feeder storage 60 includes a board transport device 62, the feeder storage 60 can be easily installed in a position where it is aligned with multiple component mounters 20. Since the component mounting line 10 installs the feeder storage 60 in a position upstream of the most upstream component mounter 20, interference with the movement of the exchange robot 50 when the feeder 30 is carried in and out of the feeder storage 60 can be suppressed. In addition, the component mounting line 10 includes a feeder table 40 that is common to the feeder storage 60 and the component mounters 20 at the same height, and the exchange robot 50 can efficiently attach and detach the feeder 30 between the feeder storage 60 and the component mounters 20 by a common operation using the same feeder transfer mechanism 53.

In addition, when the front-of-storage monitoring sensor 86 detects a worker, the component mounting line 10 does not allow the exchange robot 50 to enter the front-of-storage range 11a, ensuring the safety of the worker. In addition, when the front-of-storage monitoring sensor 86 detects a worker, the exchange robot 50 is moved at a low speed toward the feeder storage 60 within the adjacent range 11b, so the exchange robot 50 can be moved within a range that does not impede the safety of the worker. In addition, the component mounting line 10 places the management device 80 and collection container 64 within the installation space of the feeder storage 60, making efficient use of space.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the feeder storage 60 is installed at a position upstream of the most upstream component mounter 20, but this is not limited thereto, and the feeder storage 60 may be installed at a position downstream of the most downstream component mounter 20 in the arrangement direction of the multiple component mounters 20. Alternatively, the feeder storage 60 may be installed at a position midway in the arrangement direction of the multiple component mounters 20 (a position sandwiched between the component mounters 20). Also, although only one feeder storage 60 is installed in the component mounting line 10, multiple feeder storages may be installed. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the component mounting line 10B of the modified example. As shown in the figure, in the component mounting line 10B of the modified example, a total of two feeder storages 60 are installed at a position upstream of the most upstream component mounter 20 and at a position midway in the arrangement direction of the multiple component mounters 20 (approximately the middle position). In this case, the feeders 30 used by the component mounters 20 between the upstream feeder storage 60 and the intermediate feeder storage 60 can be mainly supplied and collected from the upstream feeder storage 60, and the feeders 30 used by the component mounters 20 downstream of the intermediate feeder storage 60 can be mainly supplied and collected from the intermediate feeder storage 60. This prevents the movement distance of the exchange robot 50 from becoming longer than necessary, even when multiple component mounters 20 are lined up as multiple component mounters 20 and the overall length of the component mounting line 10B is long, and prevents the work efficiency of automatic exchange of the feeders 30 from decreasing. Note that not only the feeder storage 60 but also multiple exchange robots 50 may be installed.

In the above-described embodiment, the feeder 30 is carried in and out of the feeder storage 60 by an operator, but the present invention is not limited to this. The feeder 30 may be carried in and out of the feeder storage 60 using an automatic transport device capable of automatically transporting the feeder 30 from outside the line of the component mounter 10. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the modified component mounting lines 10C and 10D. As the automatic transport device, for example, an OHT (overhead-traveling unmanned guided vehicle) 90 can be used, as shown in FIG. 12(a). The OHT 90 needs to open the top of the destination to carry in and out the feeder 30, but it is difficult to configure the component mounter 20 to open the top due to the structure for moving the head 22. The feeder storage 60 has no such constraints and can open the top of the storage area 60A, making it possible to automatically carry in and out the feeder 30 by the OHT 90. As shown in FIG. 12B, an AGV (floor-traveling automated guided vehicle) 100 can be used as the automatic transport device. If the AGV transports the feeder 30 to and from each component mounter 20, interference between the movement of the AGV and the movement of the exchange robot 50 may occur frequently. In addition, in order to smoothly transport the feeder 30 by the AGV, it is desirable to provide a guide for aligning the stop position of the AGV. However, if the AGV transports the feeder 30 to and from each component mounter 20, a guide must be provided for each component mounter 20, which may cause space problems. As in the modified example, by having the AGV 100 transport the feeder 30 only to and from the feeder storage 60, interference between the movement of the AGV 100 and the movement of the exchange robot 50 can be prevented only in the storage front range 11a, and a guide can be provided only in the feeder storage 60, so that these problems can be prevented.

In the above embodiment, the management device 80 and the collection container 64 are arranged within the installation space of the feeder storage 60, but this is not limited to the above, and one or both of the management device 80 and the collection container 64 may not be arranged. Note that the collection container 64 is not limited to collecting waste tape, but may also collect waste materials from storage members (e.g., tray-shaped members) that store parts.

In the above-described embodiment, when a worker is present in the storage front range 11a, the exchange robot 50 moves within the adjacent range 11b toward the feeder storage 60 at a speed slower than a predetermined speed, but this is not limited thereto, and the exchange robot 50 may also be moved at a predetermined speed.

In the above embodiment, the storage front monitoring sensor 86 detects (monitors) the presence or absence of a worker in the storage front area 11a, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a safety fence that can be pulled out by a worker may be provided between the feeder storage 60 and the adjacent component mounter 20, and the sensor may detect whether the safety fence is pulled out.

In the above embodiment, if a worker is present in the storage area 11a, the exchange robot 50 is stopped without entering the storage area 11a, but the process is not limited to this. For example, in the feeder exchange process, if a worker is detected to be present in the storage area 11a, the exchange robot 50 may be controlled to first perform processes that can be performed in areas other than the storage area 11a.

In the above embodiment, the storage front monitoring sensor 86 and the left and right monitoring sensors 58a, 58b of the exchange robot 50 are used in the movement control of the exchange robot 50, but this is not limited to the above, and only the left and right monitoring sensors 58a, 58b of the exchange robot 50 may be used. In this case, the left and right monitoring sensors 58a, 58b may be composed of multiple sensors each having a first detection range and a second detection range wider than the first detection range, and may move at a low speed when a worker is detected in the second detection range and stop when a worker is detected in the first detection range. Alternatively, even if the movement control of the exchange robot 50 is performed using only the storage front monitoring sensor 86, it is possible for the worker to work safely in the storage front range 11a.

In the above-described embodiment, the worker may carry the feeders 30 into and out of the feeder storage 60 one by one, or may carry multiple feeders 30 into and out all at once. For example, the storage area 60A of the feeder storage 60 is configured to be able to set a magazine that can detach multiple feeders 30 all at once. The worker then attaches multiple new feeders 30 to the magazine and resupplies the storage area 60A, or collects the magazine when multiple used feeders 30 are attached to the magazine in the storage area 60A. In this case, the worker may use a cart that can carry the magazine to carry out the resupply and collection. The storage area 60A of the feeder storage 60 may also be configured to be able to set a cart carrying such a magazine, and a work vehicle may replace each cart (including the feeders 30 in the magazine on the cart).

In the above-described embodiment, the component mounter 20 is provided with a feeder stock area 20B, but this may not be provided. In this case, the exchange robot 50 may not be provided with the lower transfer area 50B, or the lower transfer area 50B may be used as a stock area for the feeders 30 in the exchange robot 50. The exchange robot 50 may also be configured to accommodate multiple feeders 30 and be able to replace multiple feeders 30 together.

The present invention can be used in the manufacturing industry, such as component mounting lines.

10, 10B, 10C, 10D component mounting line, 11a storage area, 11b adjacent area, 11c non-adjacent area, 12 printing machine, 14 printing inspection machine, 18 X-axis rail, 20 component mounting machine, 20A supply area, 20B stock area, 21 board transport device, 22 head, 23 head movement mechanism, 24 tape duct, 25 tape cutter, 26 tape chute, 27 waste tape transport device, 28 mounting control device, 30 feeder, 32 tape reel, 33 tape feed mechanism, 34 positioning pin, 35 connector, 37 rail member, 39 feeder control device, 40 feeder table, 42 slot, 44 positioning hole, 45 connector, 50 exchange robot, 50A upper transfer area, 50B lower transfer area, 51 robot movement mechanism, 52a X-axis motor, 52b guide roller, 53 feeder transfer mechanism, 54 clamp unit, 55 Y-axis slider, 55a Y-axis motor, 55b Y-axis guide rail, 56a Z-axis motor, 56b Z-axis guide rail, 57 encoder, 58a left side monitoring sensor, 58b right side monitoring sensor, 59 robot control device, 60 feeder storage, 60A storage area, 61 housing, 62 substrate transport device, 63A lower space, 63B opening, 64 collection container, 65A storage unit, 65B placement stand, 80 management device, 80a CPU, 80b ROM, 80c HDD, 80d RAM, 82 display, 84 input device, 86 storage front monitoring sensor, 90 OHT, 100 AGV, S substrate.

Claims (10)

A component mounting line in which a component supply unit is detachably set, and a plurality of component mounters that mount components supplied by the component supply unit onto a mounting object are arranged in a transport direction of the mounting object,
a unit storage facility for storing a plurality of the part supply units;
a unit exchange device capable of exchanging the component supply units attached to the plurality of component mounters with the component supply units stored in the unit storage;
A control device for controlling the unit replacement device;
Equipped with
The unit storage is installed in the same row as the plurality of component mounters,
The control device controls the unit replacement device so as to replace the component supply unit by moving within a predetermined movement range along the conveying direction. 2. The component mounting line according to claim 1,
The unit storehouse is installed at a position upstream of the most upstream component mounter or at a position downstream of the most downstream component mounter in a line-up direction of the plurality of component mounters. 3. The component mounting line according to claim 2,
The component mounting line, wherein the unit storage is installed at the upstream position or the downstream position, and also at an intermediate position in the row of the plurality of component mounters. 4. The component mounting line according to claim 1,
The unit storage includes a transport device that transports the object in the transport direction. The component mounting line according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
the unit storage has a configuration common to the configuration in which the component supply unit is detachably set in the component mounter,
a unit exchange device for performing attachment and detachment of the component supply unit in the component mounter and attachment and detachment of the component supply unit in the unit storehouse by a common operation using the same mechanism. The component mounting line according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
the unit storage is configured so that an operator can carry the part supply unit in and out of the unit storage;
a detector for detecting the presence or absence of a worker within a predetermined range including a front of the unit storage unit within the movement range;
The control device controls the unit replacement device so as not to move within the predetermined range when the detector detects a worker. 7. The component mounting line according to claim 6,
The control device is capable of controlling the unit replacement device to move within the movement range excluding the predetermined range at a slower speed when the detector detects a worker than when the detector does not detect a worker. The component mounting line according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The component mounting line, wherein the unit storage can carry the component supply unit in and out by an automatic transport device that automatically transports the component supply unit from outside the component mounting line. 9. The component mounting line according to claim 1,
a management device that manages mounting related to the component mounter,
The management device can be placed in an installation space of the unit storehouse. The component mounting line according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
the component supply unit supplies the components to the component mounter by sending out a container that contains the components;
a waste material transport device that transports waste materials of the housing member after the components are supplied from the component supply unit to the component mounter to an installation space of the unit storage;
Equipped with
A collection container for collecting the waste material transported by the waste material transporting device can be placed in an installation space of the unit storehouse.

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