JP3492190B2 - Paste application method and paste application machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mounts a substrate on a table so as to face the discharge port of the nozzle, and determines the relative distance between the nozzle and the substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate. While maintaining the predetermined amount, the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the nozzle is changed while discharging the paste filled in the paste storage cylinder onto the substrate from the discharge port, and the paste pattern having a desired shape is formed on the substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a paste applying method and a paste applying machine for improving productivity.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional paste applicator, as a method for improving productivity, a relative movement speed between the nozzle and the substrate is discharged while discharging the paste filled in the paste container from the nozzle onto the substrate. That is, the speed at which the paste pattern is applied (hereinafter referred to as the application speed) is increased.

[0003]

By the way, in the paste applicator, when the coating speed is increased as in the prior art, there is no problem in the straight part of the paste pattern, but in the curved part having a small radius of curvature, When the direction changes at a right angle, that is, when the coating direction changes from the X-axis direction to the Y-axis direction or from the Y-axis direction to the X-axis direction, vibration occurs in the moving part. For example, when the moving part is the nozzle and the fixed part is the substrate suction plate on which the substrate is placed (that is, when the nozzle is moving with respect to the substrate), when the moving direction of the nozzle changes, the nozzle moves Vertical (Z-axis) direction and horizontal (X, Y-axis) direction vibrations are generated, and the vertical direction vibration is particularly large. Even when the fixed part is the nozzle and the moving part is the substrate suction plate (that is, the substrate is moving), when the moving direction of the substrate suction plate changes, the substrate suction plate, and thus the The same vibration is generated on the substrate placed and fixed on the substrate, and the vibration in the vertical direction is particularly large. Such vibration is large in the peripheral portion of the substrate, particularly in the corner portion. For this reason, the distance between the nozzle and the substrate fluctuates, and the coating accuracy decreases.

That is, as shown in FIG.
Since the relative position distance between a and the substrate 22 varies between δ-z, the paste application amount per unit time changes,
There is a problem that the paste pattern 23 having a desired shape cannot be formed by coating, and moreover, the relative position between the nozzle 13a and the substrate 22 fluctuates as the coating speed increases. Therefore, it becomes impossible to increase the coating speed,
We were unable to improve productivity.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to improve the productivity by increasing the coating speed, and at the same time, to paste-form a paste pattern of a desired shape satisfactorily and to form a paste. To provide a coating machine.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in the paste coating method according to the present invention, a substrate is placed on a table so as to face a discharge port of a nozzle, and the main surface of the substrate is placed. The relative distance between the nozzle and the substrate in the vertical direction is maintained at a predetermined value, and the paste filled in the paste container is discharged from the discharge port onto the substrate, and the substrate of the substrate and the nozzle. In a paste application method of drawing a paste pattern of a desired shape on the substrate by changing the relative positional relationship on the main surface of the substrate, the relative positional relationship between the desired substrate placed on the table and the nozzle is predetermined. A relative distance between the nozzle and the desired substrate in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the desired substrate while changing the relative movement speed of The relative distance is A second step of determining whether or not it is within a set allowable range, and when the second step determines that the relative distance is outside the allowable range, a predetermined amount is reduced below the predetermined relative speed. The speed is set as a new predetermined relative movement speed, while using the new predetermined relative movement speed, while changing the relative positional relationship between the desired substrate and the nozzle,
A third step of detecting a relative distance between the desired substrate and the nozzle in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the desired substrate, and the relative distance being within the allowable range by the second step. When determined, the predetermined relative movement speed at that time is set as a relative movement speed between the substrate and the nozzle onto which the paste is ejected from the ejection port of the nozzle to draw the paste pattern having a desired shape. And a fourth step.

The paste applicator according to the present invention is
A nozzle having a discharge port for discharging the paste, a table for mounting the substrate facing the nozzle, and a Z-axis drive mechanism for maintaining a predetermined distance between the nozzle and the surface of the substrate, In a paste applicator equipped with an X-axis and Y-axis drive mechanism that relatively moves the nozzle and the surface of the substrate in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, a distance meter that measures the distance between the nozzle and the surface of the substrate. And the X-axis and Y-axis drive mechanism causes vibrations from changes in the distance detected by the rangefinder when the nozzle and the surface of the substrate are relatively moving at a predetermined speed.
A vibration determining unit that detects and determines whether or not the magnitude of the detected vibration is within a preset allowable range, and if the vibration determining unit determines that the magnitude is outside the allowable range, the nozzle is determined to be the nozzle. The X-axis and Y-axis driving mechanism is operated by changing the relative movement speed in the X-axis and Y-axis directions with respect to the surface of the substrate, and the distance is measured by the range finder, and the vibration determination means When it is determined to be within the allowable range, a control means is provided for executing paste application while maintaining the relative movement speeds of the nozzle and the surface of the substrate in the X-axis and Y-axis directions at that time.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a paste applicator according to the present invention, in which 1 is a pedestal, 2a,
2b is a substrate transfer conveyor, 3 is a support base, 4 is a substrate suction plate, 5 is a θ-axis movement table, and 6a and 6b are X-axis movement tables.
Bull, 7 is a Y-axis movement table, and 8a and 8b are servo modes.
, 9 is a Z-axis movement table, 10 is a servomotor, 11
Is a ball screw, 12 is a servomotor, 13 is a paste container (syringe), 14 is a distance meter, 15 is a support plate, 16
Reference numerals a and 16b are image recognition cameras, 17 is a control unit, 18 is a monitor, 19 is a keyboard, 20 is a personal computer main body equipped with an external storage device, and 21 is a cable.

In FIG. 1, on the gantry 1, there are two substrate transfer conveyors 2a which are parallel to the X-axis direction and which can be raised and lowered.
2b is provided, and a substrate (not shown) is conveyed from the back to the front in the drawing, that is, horizontally in the X-axis direction. A support base 3 is provided on the pedestal 1, and a substrate suction plate 4 is placed on the support base 3 via a θ-axis movement table 5. The θ-axis movement table 5 is used for the substrate suction plate 4
Is rotated in the θ direction around the Z axis.

Further, on the gantry 1, X-axis movement tables 6a and 6b are provided outside the substrate transfer conveyors 2a and 2b in parallel to the X-axis, and these X-axis movement tables 6a and 6b are provided.
A Y-axis movement table 7 is provided so as to extend across 6b. The Y-axis movement table 7 is conveyed horizontally in the X-axis direction by the normal rotation and the reverse rotation (forward / reverse rotation) of the servo motors 8a and 8b provided on the X-axis movement tables 6a and 6b. To be done. On the Y-axis moving table 7, there is provided a Z-axis moving table 9 which moves in the Y-axis direction by the forward and reverse rotation of the ball screw 11 driven by the servo motor 10. This Z
The axis moving table 9 includes a paste storage cylinder 13 and a distance meter 1.
A support plate 15 that supports and fixes 4 is provided, and the servo motor 12 causes the paste storage cylinder 13 and the distance meter 14 to move in the Z-axis direction via a movable part of a linear guide (not shown) provided on the support plate 15. To move. Paste storage cylinder 1
Reference numeral 3 is detachably attached to the movable portion of the linear guide. Further, the top plate of the gantry 1 is provided with an image recognition camera 16a for aligning a substrate (not shown),
16b is provided so as to face upward.

Servo motors 8a, 8a are installed inside the mount 1.
A control unit 17 for controlling b, 10, 12, 24 (not shown) and the like is provided, and the control unit 17 includes the cable 2
1 is connected to a monitor 18, a keyboard 19, and a personal computer main body 20 via 1, and data for various processing in the control unit 17 is input from the keyboard 19 and images and controls captured by the image recognition cameras 16a and 16b are input. The processing status of the unit 17 is displayed on the monitor 18.

Data input from the keyboard 19 is stored and stored in a storage medium such as a floppy disk in an external storage device of the personal computer body 20.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the paste storage cylinder 13 and the distance meter 14 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral a is a nozzle, 22 is a substrate, and 23 is a paste pattern. The portions corresponding to those in FIG.

In the figure, the range finder 14 has a triangular notch at the lower end, and a light emitting element and a plurality of light receiving elements are provided at the notch. The nozzle 13a is a rangefinder 1
It is located at the bottom of the notch 4. Rangefinder 14
Is the substrate 22 made of glass from the tip of the nozzle 13a.
The distance to the surface (top surface) of is measured by non-contact triangulation. That is, a light emitting element is provided on one side of the triangular cutout, and the laser light L emitted from this light emitting element is provided.
Is reflected at the measurement point S on the substrate 22 and is received by any one of the plurality of light receiving elements provided on the other slope of the cut portion. Therefore, the laser light L is not blocked by the paste storage cylinder 13 or the nozzle 13a.

Further, the measurement point S of the laser light L on the substrate 22 and the position directly below the nozzle 13a deviate by a slight distance ΔX, ΔY on the substrate 22, but these slight distances ΔX, ΔY.
Since there is no difference in the undulations (irregularities) on the surface of the substrate 22 between the positions deviated to some extent, the measurement result of the distance meter 14 and the nozzle 1
There is almost no difference between the distance from the tip of 3a to the surface of the substrate 22. Therefore, by controlling the servomotor 12 based on the measurement result of the distance meter 14, the distance from the tip of the nozzle 13a to the surface of the substrate 22 can be kept constant according to the undulations of the surface of the substrate 22. Thus, the width and thickness of the paste pattern 23 applied on the substrate 22 become uniform.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the control unit 17 shown in FIG. 1, the control of the air pressure of the paste storage cylinder 13, and the control of the substrate 22, and 17a is a micro computer.
And 17b are motor controllers, 17c1 and 17c2.
Is an X1 and X2 axis driver, 17d is a Y axis driver, 17
e is a θ-axis driver, 17f is a Z-axis driver, 17g is a data communication bus, 17h is an external interface, 24 is a servomotor for driving the θ-axis movement table 5 (FIG. 1),
25 to 29 are encoders, 30 is a positive pressure source, 30a is a positive pressure regulator, 31 is a negative pressure source, 31a is a negative pressure regulator, and 32 is a valve unit. Parts corresponding to FIG. 1 and FIG. The same code is attached.

In the figure, the control section 17 includes a microcomputer 17a, a motor controller 17b, X, and
An external interface for performing signal transmission with Y, Z, and θ axis drivers 17c1 to 17f, an image processing device 17i that processes video signals obtained by the image recognition cameras 16a and 16b, and a keyboard 19 and the like. Face 17h is built in. The control unit 17 further includes the substrate transfer conveyors 2a, 2
Although the drive control system of b is included, illustration is omitted here.

Although not shown, the microcomputer 17a includes a main arithmetic unit, a ROM storing a processing program for performing paste painting and drawing described later, a processing result in the main arithmetic unit, and an external interface. 17h and m
RA for storing input data from the ta controller 17b
An input / output unit for exchanging data with the M, the external interface 17h and the motor controller 17b is provided. Each of the servo motors 8a, 8b, 10, 12, 24 is provided with encoders 25 to 29 for detecting the rotation amount, and the detection results are provided for each X, Y, Z, θ driver. The position control is performed by returning to 17c1 to 17f.

The servomotors 8a, 8b, 10 are keyboards.
R of the microcomputer 17a input from the code 19
By rotating forward and backward based on the data stored in the AM, the nozzle 13a () is attached to the substrate 22 vacuum-sucked by the substrate suction disk 4 (FIG. 1) by the negative pressure distributed from the negative pressure source 131. 2), through the Z-axis movement table 9 (FIG. 1),
The microcomputer 17a controls the valve unit 32 while moving an arbitrary distance in the X- and Y-axis directions, so that the positive pressure source 30 moves the positive pressure regulator 30.
The paste storage cylinder 1 is provided via a and the valve unit 32.
A slight air pressure is applied to the nozzle 3, the paste is discharged from the discharge port at the tip of the nozzle 13a, and the paste is applied to the substrate 22 in a desired pattern. This Z-axis movement table 9
The distance meter 14 moves the nozzle 1 during horizontal movement in the X and Y axis directions.
The Z-axis driver 17f controls the servo motor 12 so as to measure the distance between the substrate 3 and the substrate 3a and keep the distance constant.

In the standby state where the paste is not applied, the microcomputer 17a operates the valve unit 3
By controlling 2, the negative pressure source 31 communicates with the paste storage cylinder 13 via the negative pressure regulator 31a and the valve unit 32, and the paste dripping from the discharge port of the nozzle 13a is pulled back into the paste storage cylinder 13. As a result, it is possible to prevent the liquid from dripping from the discharge port. An image recognition camera (not shown) monitors the discharge port of the nozzle 13a, and only when liquid dripping occurs,
The negative pressure source 31 may be communicated with the paste storage cylinder 13.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In the figure, first, when the power of the paste applicator of this embodiment is turned on (step 100),
The initial setting is executed (step 200). In this initial setting process, in FIG.
By driving b and 10, the Z-axis moving table 9 is moved in the X and Y directions and positioned at a predetermined reference position,
The position at which the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a (FIG. 2) starts discharging the paste (that is, the paste application start point)
Is set to a predetermined origin position so that it can be positioned at, and further, data for each of one or more paste patterns (hereinafter referred to as a paste pattern) to be applied to a substrate (hereinafter referred to as an actual substrate) that is a target for drawing a paste pattern Data), the position data of the actual substrate, and the relative speed between the actual substrate and the nozzle when the paste is actually applied to the actual substrate (this is called the application speed, especially the application speed in this case Paste storage that determines the initial setting coating speed), the height of the nozzle from the substrate surface (this is called the coating height, especially the coating height in this case is called the initial setting coating height), and the amount of paste discharged from the nozzle. The pressure applied to the cylinder 13 (this is referred to as the coating pressure, and particularly the coating pressure in this case is referred to as the initial setting coating pressure), the respective data, and the position indicating the paste ejection end position. De - data, the applied paste pattern - emission measurement position de - to set such data. The input of such data is carried out from the keyboard 19 (FIG. 1), and the input data is stored in the RAM built in the microcomputer 17a (FIG. 3).

This initial setting process step (step 200)
1 is completed, a dummy substrate (not shown) used for determining whether or not the paste pattern having a desired shape can be accurately applied in FIG. It is held (step 300). In this dummy substrate mounting step, the dummy substrate is transferred to the substrate transfer conveyor 2
The substrates a, 2b are transported in the X-axis direction to a position above the substrate suction plate 4, and then the substrate transport conveyors 2a, 2b are lowered by an elevating means (not shown) to be placed on the substrate suction plate 4.

Next, in order to measure the presence or absence of vibration of the movable portion during the paste application operation, an operation of applying paste in a simulated manner using this dummy substrate (paste simulated application operation) is performed. The purpose of this paste simulation coating operation is to detect the vibration occurrence point of the movable part when applying and drawing the paste pattern on the actual substrate, and obtain the maximum application speed at which vibration at such a point does not occur. The coating height and coating pressure are calculated with respect to the obtained coating speed. The initial setting application speed, the initial setting application height, and the initial setting application pressure set in the initial setting process step (step 200) apply paste to the straight line portion of the paste pattern determined by experience or the like. Time.

In this paste simulation application operation, the presence or absence of vibration is measured from the change in the distance between the nozzle 13a and the substrate 22 (FIG. 2), and the distance meter 14 is used as a vibration measuring sensor for this purpose. Further, the paste patterns used for this paste simulation application operation are n (where n is usually an integer of 2 or more) paste patterns used on the actual substrate, and as described above, these paste patterns are used. The pattern data is input from the keyboard 19 (FIG. 1) to the RAM (hereinafter, simply referred to as a memory) of the microcomputer 17a (FIG. 3), for example, in the order of 1,2, .., n and numbers are stored.

In starting the paste simulation coating operation, first, the distance meter 14 used as a vibration measuring sensor is positioned at a predetermined height on the dummy substrate (step 400). Then, the data of the paste pattern used for the simulated coating operation is selected from the paste pattern data stored in the memory and the number is stored in the memory. Initially, the paste pattern data of number 1 is selected (step 500).

Therefore, first, the microcomputer 17
a (FIG. 3) immediately controls the servomotors 8a, 8b, 10 by using the selected paste pattern data of No. 1 to move the nozzle 13a along the paste pattern defined by the paste pattern data of No. 1. The simulated coating operation is started by moving at the initial setting coating speed (step 600). In this case, the paste is not ejected from the nozzle 13a, and the servo motor 12 is not controlled.

With the start of this simulated coating operation, the distance between the nozzle 13a and the substrate 22 is sequentially measured by the distance meter 14, and this measurement data is associated with the position data represented by the paste pattern data as a vertical distance measurement result. And store in memory (step 700).

FIG. 5 shows this distance measurement processing step (step 7).
00) is a flowchart showing the details.

In the figure, the distance between the nozzle 13a and the substrate 22 is sequentially measured by the distance meter 14 (step 710), and the sequentially obtained measurement results are stored as distance data in the memory in association with the above position data. (Step 720). The process of measuring and storing such distance data is
This is continued until the paste pattern of No. 1 performing the simulated coating operation is completed (step 730).

Such distance measurement processing step (step 70)
When 0) is completed, the distance meter 14 is retracted upward (step 800), and the obtained distance data causes a vibration generation position outside the permissible range, that is, vibration outside the permissible range on the paste pattern. The position is searched / determined (step 900).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing details of the search processing step (step 900) for a vibration generation pattern outside the allowable range.

In the figure, first, it is determined whether or not there is distance data to be searched / determined (step 910). When the search / judgment with the distance data is completed, the value 0 is substituted into the variable V_F for the allowable range judgment flag, assuming that the distance data to be searched / judged does not exist (step 950). On the other hand, if the search / judgment using the distance data is not completed, the next distance data is read and data conversion is performed (step 920).

This data conversion process will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7A shows the distance data (waveform 1) obtained by distance measurement, and the gentle undulation of this distance data indicates that of the dummy substrate. Since it is due to the undulation of the surface and the servomotor 12 is not controlled, the range finder 14 measures the change in the distance between the nozzle 13a and the substrate 22 due to the undulation. In addition, the abrupt change in the portion a of this distance data indicates that the distance meter 14
3a) due to the vertical vibration, the coating speed, that is,
This occurs when the moving direction of the nozzle 13a changes while the moving speed of the nozzle is too fast.

In order to determine whether or not the vibrating portion shown in FIG. 7 (a) is outside the preset allowable range, the change due to the waviness of the surface of the dummy substrate in the distance data is removed. Then, data conversion is performed so that the amount of change due to vibration appears significantly. One method is a method of differentiating the distance data, and the data obtained by such processing is shown in FIG. 7 (b).

In FIG. 7B, in the converted data (waveform 2), the variation due to the waviness of the surface of the dummy substrate falls within the above-mentioned allowable range, and the variation due to the vibration of the nozzle 13a appears remarkably. .

Step 930 in FIG. 6 is to determine whether or not there is a part b outside the permissible range in the converted distance data. All parts outside the allowable range b
The position data in the paste pattern data of No. 1 (that is, the position on the paste pattern by this paste pattern data) is detected, and the value 1 is substituted into the variable V_F for the allowable range determination flag (step 940).
Even if the above judgment processing is performed until the end of the distance data detected for the paste pattern data of No. 1 (step 910) and there is no part b outside the allowable range (step 930). As described above, the value 0 is assigned to the variable V_F for the allowable range determination flag (step 950).

The data conversion method of the distance data is not limited to the method by the above-mentioned differential processing, but a method by a difference processing for obtaining the difference between the data values before and after the change due to the waviness of the surface of the dummy substrate. Any method may be used as long as it is possible to suppress the amount of change so that the amount of change due to vibration can be remarkably exhibited.

The above is the step 900 of FIG. 4, and the position where the vibration is generated is detected in the first simulated coating operation in which the coating speed based on the paste pattern data of No. 1 is set to the above-mentioned initial setting coating speed. become. According to this, at the position where the vibration does not occur, the application speed when the actual paste application of the actual substrate is performed with the paste pattern data of number 1 can be set to the above-described initial application speed.

When the processing of step 900 is completed,
Next, it is determined whether the value of the variable V_F is 1 (step 10
(00) If the value is 1, the process proceeds to the coating condition correction step (step 1100). The coating condition correction processing step (step 1100) will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, first, the initial setting coating speed is reduced by a predetermined value to obtain a new coating speed (step 1110).

By the way, in general, when the coating speed is reduced, the amount of paste discharged from the nozzle 13a per unit moving distance is increased, so that the width of the paste pattern is increased and the height is increased. No paste pattern can be obtained. For this reason, it is necessary to reduce the paste discharge pressure, that is, the application pressure, to reduce the paste discharge amount and obtain a paste pattern having a desired shape.

From this, in step 1110, it is determined whether or not the initial setting coating speed is reduced by the above-mentioned predetermined amount to obtain a new coating speed, and it is necessary to reduce the coating pressure with respect to this new coating speed. (Step 1120) If it is necessary to change the coating pressure, the coating pressure is reduced by a predetermined value using the new changed coating speed value as a criterion (step 1130).

Next, it is judged whether or not the nozzle setting height (coating height) at the time of coating needs to be changed with respect to the new coating speed (step 1140).
Similar to the change of the coating pressure, the coating height is increased by a predetermined value using the changed value of the coating speed as a criterion (step 1150).

When the processing of step 1100 above is completed, the coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height at the vibration occurrence point detected in the first simulated coating operation using the above-mentioned paste pattern data of No. 1 are updated as described above. The coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height are set to. Then, in FIG. 4, step 40 using the same paste pattern data of No. 1 at these new coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height.
The above series of second simulated coating operations from 0 are performed.

Even in the second simulated coating operation, if there is a portion where the vibration is out of the allowable range, the coating speed used at this time is corrected as described above in the coating condition correcting step (step 1100). In addition to setting a new coating speed, the coating pressure and coating height are also corrected if necessary (steps 1130 and 1150 in FIG. 8), and the coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height at locations where vibration is outside the allowable range are set. The corrected coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height are changed. Therefore, at the place where the vibration is reduced within the permissible range in the second simulated coating operation, the new coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height obtained in the first simulated coating operation remain set. Has become.

In this way, when new coating speed, coating pressure and coating height are obtained in the second simulated coating operation,
Under this condition, the third simulated coating operation using the same paste pattern data of No. 1 is started from step 400,
Hereinafter, the variable V_F is repeated until the value becomes 0 (step 1000). In this way, the coating speed, the coating pressure, and the coating height at each position on the paste pattern can be obtained for the paste pattern data of No. 1. In this case, the initial setting coating speed, the initial setting coating pressure, and the initial setting height are assigned to the respective portions of the straight line portion of the paste pattern, and the assigned coating speed becomes smaller as the portion where the larger vibration occurs. The coating pressure and the coating height are determined according to the above.

FIG. 9 schematically shows the data obtained by the above simulated coating operation, and the coating positions on the paste pattern by the paste pattern data of No. 1 are set to seven positions S1 to S7.

FIG. 9A shows the case of the first simulated coating operation, where the initial setting coating speed is V ₀ , the initial setting coating pressure is F ₀ , and the initial setting coating height is H ₀ . Now, assuming that vibrations outside the permissible range occur at the coating positions S2, S5 in this first simulated coating operation, as shown in FIG. 9B, the coating speed for these coating positions S2, S5 is set to the initial setting coating. The speed is changed from V ₀ to V ₁ (in this case, it is assumed that the coating pressures at these need to be corrected from F ₀ to F ₁ but the coating height need not be corrected), and this new coating is performed. The second simulated coating operation is performed at speed V ₁ . When vibration outside the allowable range occurs at the coating position S2 in the second simulated coating operation, as shown in FIG.
The coating speed for this coating position S2 is corrected from the coating speed V ₁ to V ₂ (in this case, it is not necessary to correct the coating pressure, but it is necessary to correct the coating height from H ₀ to H ₁ ). ), The third simulated coating operation is performed at this new coating speed V ₂ . If vibration outside the allowable range does not occur at any of the coating positions in the third simulated coating operation, the simulated coating operation using the paste pattern data of No. 1 is finished with this, and the paste pattern data is The coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height at each coating position are determined as shown in FIG. 9 (c).

When the simulated coating operation for the paste pattern data of No. 1 is completed as described above (step 1000), the paste pattern data of No. 2 is selected (step 1200), and the above simulation from step 400 is performed. The coating operation is repeated.
The simulated coating operation using the paste pattern data is performed in the order of. In this case, in the first simulated coating operation of each paste pattern data, the initial setting coating speed, the initial setting coating pressure, and the initial setting height initially set in step 200 are used as the coating speed, the coating pressure, and the coating height. .

When the variable V_F has a value of 0 for all the paste pattern data up to the last number n and the simulated coating operation is completed (step 1200), the paste pattern data for each paste pattern data is deleted. The coating speed, the coating pressure, and the coating height are set, so that the vibration generated in the nozzle 13a at the time of drawing the paste coating on the actual substrate is set to the condition that does not affect the accuracy of the desired coating paste pattern. As a matter of course, the dummy substrate is discharged (step 1300) and the production of the actual substrate (coating and drawing of the paste pattern) described below is started.

First, the actual substrate is placed on the substrate suction board 4 (FIG. 1) and held by suction (step 1400). In this substrate placing step, the real substrates are transported in the X-axis direction to a position above the substrate suction plate 4 by the substrate transport conveyors 2a and 2b (FIG. 1), and the substrate transport conveyors 2a and 2b are lowered by an elevating means (not shown). Thus, the actual substrate is placed on the substrate suction plate 4.

Next, the substrate pre-positioning process (step 1
500). In this process, in FIG. 1, a positioning chuck (not shown) aligns the actual substrate in the X and Y directions. In addition, an image recognition camera 16 is provided for positioning marks of the actual substrate placed on the substrate suction plate 4.
a) and 16b, the center of gravity of the positioning mark is obtained by image processing, the inclination of the actual substrate in the θ direction is detected, and the servo motor 24 (FIG. 3) is driven accordingly. , The inclination in the θ direction is also corrected.

When the amount of the paste remaining in the paste storage cylinder 13 becomes small and the paste may be interrupted during the operation of applying the paste pattern, the paste storage cylinder 13 is replaced with the nozzle 13a in advance. When the 13a is replaced, compared to before the replacement,
The mounting position may be displaced and the reproducibility may be impaired. Therefore, in order to ensure reproducibility, a new nozzle 13a is replaced on the actual substrate where the paste is not applied.
Apply pesto in a cross shape using, calculate the center of gravity position of the intersection of this cross application pattern by image processing, and calculate the distance between this center of gravity position and the position of the center of gravity of the positioning mark on the actual board. Then, this is set as the positional deviation amounts dx and dy (FIG. 2) of the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a, and the
It is stored in the RAM built in the data 17a. This is the substrate preliminary positioning process (step 1500) for the actual substrate, and the positional displacement amounts dx and dy of the nozzles 13a are used to correct the positional displacement of the nozzles 13a when the paste pattern is applied and drawn later. .

Next, paste pattern application processing is performed in order from the paste pattern data of number 1 (step 160).
0) is performed. In this process, the nozzle 1 is placed at the coating start position.
Z-axis movement table 9 for positioning the discharge port of 3a.
(Fig. 1) is moved to compare and adjust the nozzle positions. To this end, first, the positional deviation amounts dx and dy of the nozzle 13a obtained in the preceding substrate preliminary positioning process (step 1500) and stored in the RAM of the microcomputer 17a are the same as those of the nozzle 13a shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not the positional deviation amount is within the permissible ranges ΔX and ΔY.
If it is within the allowable range (that is, ΔX ≧ dx and ΔY ≧ dy), it is left as it is, and if it is outside the allowable range (that is, ΔX <dx or ΔY <dy), this positional deviation amount dx, dy Move the Z-axis moving table 9 based on
By adjusting 3, the positional deviation between the paste ejection port of the nozzle 13a and the desired position of the actual substrate is eliminated, and the nozzle 13a is positioned at the desired position.

Next, the height of the nozzle 13a is set. When the paste container 13 has not been replaced,
Since there is no data on the positional deviation amounts dx and dy of the nozzle 13a, the height of the nozzle 13a is immediately set when the paste pattern coating process (step 1600) is started. This set height is set to the initial setting coating height used in the above-mentioned simulated coating operation, and the distance from the ejection port of the nozzle 13a to the surface of the actual substrate is the thickness of the paste, that is, this coating height. To do so.

When the above processing is completed, the servo motors 8a, 8b, 1 are next driven based on the paste pattern data stored in the RAM of the microcomputer 17a.
0 (FIG. 1) is driven, whereby the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a moves in the X and Y directions according to the paste pattern data while facing the actual substrate, and the positive pressure source 30 (FIG. 1). From 3), a slight air pressure is applied to the paste storage cylinder 13, and the paste starts to be discharged from the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a. The coating speed at this time is the initial setting coating speed used in the above simulated coating operation, and
The air pressure corresponds to the initial setting coating pressure used in the above-mentioned simulated coating operation. As a result, the drawing of the paste pattern on the actual substrate is started at the coating speed obtained in the simulated coating operation.

With the start of the coating drawing operation, the microcomputer 17a controls the coating speed, the coating pressure, and the coating height according to the coating position of the paste pattern based on the data obtained in the above-mentioned simulated coating operation. . Figure 9 (c)
Taking the data shown in (1) as an example, at the coating position S1, the coating speed is V ₀ , the coating pressure is F ₀ , the coating height is H _0, and when the coating position S2 is approached, the coating speed is V ₂ , and the coating pressure is F. _{1. The} coating height is H ₁ , and the coating speed, coating pressure, and coating height applied at the coating position S2 are set. As a result, when the paste is applied to the application position S2, the movable portion does not generate a large vibration outside the allowable range. After the coating position S2, the coating speed, the coating pressure, and the coating height are returned to the original values V ₀ , F ₀ , and H ₀ , and when the coating position S5 is approached, the coating speed is set to V ₁ . , And the coating pressure is changed to F ₁ .

At the same time as drawing the paste pattern, the microcomputer 17a inputs the measured data of the distance between the paste discharge port of the nozzle 13a and the surface of the actual substrate from the range finder 14 to determine the surface of the actual substrate. By measuring the waviness and driving the servo motor 12 according to the measured value, the paste pattern is applied and drawn while the set height of the nozzle 13a from the surface of the actual substrate is maintained constant.

In this way, although the paste pattern coating / drawing proceeds, it is determined whether the paste pattern coating / drawing operation is to be continued or finished by determining the coating point based on the paste pattern data. It is determined by whether or not it is, and if it is not the end, return to the measurement processing of the undulation of the surface of the actual substrate,
Hereinafter, the above steps are repeated until the end of the paste pattern application is reached.

The paste pattern applying operation is performed for all the set n paste pattern data, and when the end of the paste pattern by the last paste pattern data of number n is reached, the servo motor 12
Is driven to raise the nozzle 13a, and the paste pattern applying step (step 1600) is completed.

Next, the substrate discharging process (step 1700)
Proceed to. In this processing step, in FIG. 1, the suction of the actual substrate onto the substrate suction plate 4 is released, and the substrate transfer conveyor 2
The substrates a and 2b are raised and the actual substrate 22 is placed thereon, and in this state, the substrates are conveyed out of the apparatus by the substrate transfer conveyors 2a and 2b.

Then, it is judged whether or not all of the above steps are completed (step 1800), and when a paste pattern is applied to a plurality of actual substrates using the same paste pattern data, another pattern is applied. The substrate mounting process (step 1400) is repeated for the actual substrate. Then, when this series of processing is completed for all the actual substrates, all the operations are completed (step 1900).

In the above embodiment, the nozzle is the movable part and the substrate is the fixed part. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the nozzle may be the fixed part and the substrate may be the moving part. .

As described above, in this embodiment, the dummy coating operation is performed using the dummy substrate, and in order to determine the coating condition in the paste pattern data to be coated in advance, the unnecessary coating operation is performed on the actual substrate. Therefore, the yield can be improved.

Further, since the coating conditions (that is, coating speed, coating pressure, coating height) on the actual substrate are determined according to the straight line portion and the curved portion of the paste pattern, that is, the shape of the paste pattern, When applying and drawing the paste pattern, the vibration of the movable part (nozzle part or actual substrate) can be reduced to the extent that it does not affect the drawing paste pattern, and the accuracy of application is ensured and paste application per unit time The amount can be made constant, and a paste pattern having a desired shape can be applied and formed with high accuracy.

Furthermore, in the curved portion of the paste pattern,
Even if it is impossible to increase the coating speed there because of the large influence of vibration on the moving part, it is possible to set the maximum coating speed at which the influence of such vibration does not occur. Because of the small size, the coating speed there can be increased. Therefore, the application time of the paste pattern can be shortened, and furthermore, the paste pattern can be applied and drawn well, and the productivity can be improved.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to set the maximum possible coating speed within a range in which the vibration of the movable part can be suppressed, and it is possible to perform favorable coating drawing of a paste pattern having a desired shape, thereby significantly improving productivity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a paste applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of a paste storage cylinder and a distance meter in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit in FIG. 1 and its control system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the embodiment shown in FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing details of a vibration measurement processing step in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of a vibration generation paste pattern search / determination processing step in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a distance data reading and converting process in FIG. 6 and a determining process of determining whether the distance is out of an allowable range.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing details of a coating condition correction processing step in FIG.

9 is a diagram for explaining changes in coating conditions due to the coating condition correction step in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in thickness of a paste pattern applied by a conventional paste applicator.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 stand 2a, 2b Substrate transfer conveyor 4 Substrate suction board 5 θ-axis movement table 6a, 6b X-axis movement table 7 Y-axis movement table 8a, 8b, 10, 12, 24 Servo motor 9 Z-axis movement table 10,12 Servo motor 13 paste storage cylinder 13a nozzle 14 Rangefinder 17 Control unit 22 Substrate 23 paste patterns 25-29 encoder 30 Positive pressure source 30a Positive pressure regulator 31 Negative pressure source 31a Negative pressure regulator 32 valve unit S measurement point L laser light

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Fukuo Yoneda Fukuo Yoneda 5-2 Koyodai, Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. Development Laboratory (72) Haruo Mikai 5-2 Koyodai, Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd. Development Laboratory (56) Reference JP-A-9-99268 (JP, A) JP-A-8-173873 (JP, A) JP-A-8-321520 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B05C 5/00 101 H01L 21/52

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substrate is placed on a table so as to face a discharge port of the nozzle, and a relative distance between the nozzle and the substrate in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the substrate is maintained at a predetermined value. Then
A paste pattern having a desired shape is formed on the substrate by changing the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the nozzle on the main surface of the substrate while discharging the paste filled in the paste container from the discharge port onto the substrate. In the paste applying method for drawing the desired substrate between the nozzle and the desired substrate while changing the relative positional relationship between the desired substrate placed on the table and the nozzle at a predetermined relative movement speed. The first step of detecting the relative distance in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the, and the vibration from the change of the relative distance detected in the first step.
Detecting, determining a second step of determining whether the magnitude of the detected this vibration is in the allowable range set in advance, the size of the vibration by the second step is outside the allowable range At this time, a speed reduced by a predetermined amount from the predetermined relative speed is set as a new predetermined relative movement speed, and the new relative movement speed is used to determine the relative positional relationship between the desired substrate and the nozzle. while it is changing, the desired substrate and the third step of detecting a relative distance in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the desired substrate, of the vibration by the second step size between the nozzle the When it is determined to be within the allowable range, the predetermined relative movement speed at that time is set between the substrate and the nozzle on which the paste is ejected from the ejection port of the nozzle to draw the paste pattern of the desired shape. And a fourth step of setting the relative moving speed of Paste application method comprising. 2. A nozzle having a discharge port for discharging the paste, and a table on which a substrate is placed facing the nozzle.
The Z-axis drive mechanism for maintaining a predetermined distance between the nozzle and the surface of the substrate, and the nozzle and the surface of the substrate by X
A paste applicator provided with an X-axis and Y-axis drive mechanism for relatively moving in the axis and Y-axis directions, a range finder for measuring the distance between the nozzle and the surface of the substrate, and the X-axis and Y-axis drive mechanism. Detects the vibration from the change in the distance detected by the range finder when the nozzle and the surface of the substrate are relatively moving at a predetermined speed, and detects the detected vibration.
The vibration determining means for determining whether or not the magnitude of the movement is within a preset allowable range, and when the vibration determining means determines that it is outside the allowable range, the nozzle and the surface of the substrate The relative movement speeds in the X-axis and Y-axis directions are changed by a predetermined amount to operate the X-axis and Y-axis drive mechanisms, and the distance is measured by the distance meter.
When the vibration determination means determines that the amount is within the allowable range, the control means that executes paste application while maintaining the relative movement speeds of the nozzle and the surface of the substrate in the X-axis and Y-axis directions at that time. A paste applicator characterized by being equipped. 3. The control means according to claim 2, wherein the control means determines a relative movement speed in the X-axis and Y-axis directions of the nozzle and the surface of the substrate based on the determination result of the vibration determination means as being outside the allowable range. When a predetermined amount is changed, a discharge pressure determination unit that determines whether to change the discharge pressure of the paste from the nozzle is provided, and when the discharge pressure determination unit determines that the discharge pressure should be changed, A paste applicator characterized by changing the setting of the discharge pressure.