JPH11320823A - Screen printing method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate setting of printing conditions and prevent irregularity in the setting of printing conditions by an operator from occurring by a method wherein printing paste information is read through a bar code provided on a printing paste container, and printing condition parameters are automatically set after the printing paste information is collated with library information stored in advance. SOLUTION: When a screen plate 4 and a matter to be printed 1 are to be registered with each other, a registering mark on the screen plate 4 is read with a recognizing camera. In addition, the information (a type number, characteristic and the like) of a printing paste 9 recorded on a printing paste container 11 by a bar code 10 is read by a bar code recognizing part 12 so as to compare the read information with a library which shows the correlation between the information of the printing paste 9 and a printing condition parameter, in order to automatically set printing conditions before the production of a board. After that, the matter to be printed 1 is positioned and fixed to a positioning stage 2. After the positioning stage 2 is raised until the stage 2 abuts against the screen plate 4, the printing paste 9 is transferred through the screen plate 4 to the matter to be printed 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a screen printing method and an apparatus for printing a printing paste such as cream solder and a thick film circuit forming paste on an electronic circuit forming substrate such as a printed circuit board. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a screen printing apparatus has been used in a cream solder printing step or the like in a circuit mounting step of an electronic part. Accordingly, high-precision printing of cream solder or the like is also required.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional screen printing apparatus.
First, in order to align the screen plate and the print substrate 1, a recognition mark is read by the recognition camera 7 on the screen plate 4. Next, the printing substrate 1 is positioned and fixed on the positioning stage 2 which can be moved up and down by the positioning stage lifting / lowering driving means 3, and a mark for alignment on the printing substrate 1 is read. The positioning stage 2 is as described above,
Horizontal movement based on the recognition result of the alignment mark (X,
(Y direction), and thereafter, the printing substrate is lifted by the positioning stage lifting / lowering drive unit 3 to a position near the upper surface of the printing object in contact with the lower surface of the screen plate 4.

[0004] Squeegees 5 a and 5 b are attached to the tip of the squeegee lifting drive means 6. The squeegee horizontal reciprocating lifting / lowering drive means 8 is generally an AC servomotor, and is horizontally moved (X direction) with the left squeegee 5a and the right squeegee 5b descending and contacting the upper surface of the screen plate 4, and the left squeegee 5a Then, the printing paste 9 such as cream solder is moved on the upper surface of the screen plate 4 with the right squeegee 5b to fill the opening of the screen plate 4 with the printing paste 9. Then, after the printing plate 1 is separated from the screen plate 4 by the positioning stage lifting / lowering driving means 3, the plate separating operation is performed.
The left squeegee 5a and the right squeegee 5b are raised, and then the print substrate 1 is removed.

Next, the printing operation with the right squeegee 5b is performed in the same manner as described above, and thereafter the operation is alternately repeated.

FIG. 4 shows an operation and operation flow at the time of model switching in a conventional screen printing apparatus. Note that S1 to S2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a step number indicating the procedure of the operation and the operation, which coincides with the number added to the text.

First, it is checked whether or not the printing paste 9 used for production has been used before (S1). If so, the program is read (S3), and the printing paste 9 is placed on the screen plate 4. (S13). If the print paste 9 to be used for production is to be newly used, print condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are set from the characteristics of the print paste 9 (S1).
7) Then, the printing paste 9 is put on the screen plate 4 (S13). Note that S17 is manually input on the operation screen. Thereafter, in order to check whether the printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are optimal for the print paste characteristics, the substrate is loaded (S18), printing (test printing) (S19), and the substrate is unloaded (S20). The printing state confirmation (S21), mainly by visual observation, and the change of the printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) (S22) are repeated.

The above is the operation of setting the printing conditions which must be performed before the actual production starts.

Next, the actual production is started, and the substrate is loaded (S1).
4), printing (actual production) (S15), unloading of substrate (S16)
Is performed to complete the production of one substrate, and S14 to S16 are repeated to sequentially produce the second and subsequent substrates.

[0010]

However, in the above configuration, since a plurality of printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are set based on the experience of the operator, it takes time to set the printing conditions. In addition, there is a problem that the set values vary by the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to simplify the setting of printing conditions and to eliminate variations in setting of printing conditions by an operator.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information input step for reading print paste information (model number, characteristics, etc.) from a barcode provided on a print paste container, and a method for inputting print paste information in advance. And a setting step for automatically setting print condition parameters based on print paste information, thereby automatically setting print conditions. Is what you can do.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the first aspect of the present invention, after a printed board is brought into contact with a screen plate at a predetermined position, a printing paste supplied on the screen plate is screened with a squeegee. In the screen printing method of transferring the print information from a bar code provided on the print paste container to the print paste container through the opening portion, an information input step of reading the print paste information, and the read information is stored in library information in which the print paste information is stored in advance. This is a screen printing method including a search step for collation and a setting step for automatically setting print condition parameters based on print paste information. The print condition parameters according to print paste characteristics (viscosity, thixotropic ratio, yield value, etc.) (Squeegee speed, plate release speed, etc.) Eliminate the variations in print condition setting that, and, printing condition parameter (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) is not necessary to test printing to confirm whether it is the best, has the effect of shortening of the printing conditions out time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the screen printing method according to the first aspect, wherein the information input step inputs a catalog value of the print paste characteristic. It facilitates the setting of printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) in accordance with the thixo ratio, yield value, etc., eliminates variations in printing condition settings by the operator, and reduces printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate It is not necessary to perform test printing for confirming whether the separation speed is optimal or the like, which has the effect of shortening the printing condition setting time.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the screen printing method according to the first aspect, wherein the information input step inputs an actually measured value of the print paste characteristics. It facilitates the setting of printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) according to the thixotropy ratio, yield value, etc., eliminates variations in the printing condition settings by the operator, and sets the printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate It is not necessary to perform test printing for confirming whether the separation speed is optimal or the like, which has the effect of shortening the printing condition setting time.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the screen printing method according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the library information includes information on a temporal change in print paste characteristics. Printing paste characteristics (viscosity,
It has the effect that the optimum printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) can be set for changes in the thixo ratio, yield value, etc.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, after the printed board is brought into contact with the screen plate at a predetermined position, the printing paste supplied on the screen plate is squeegeeed from the opening of the screen plate through the opening of the screen plate. In the screen printing method of transferring the information to the upper side, an information input step of reading print paste information from a barcode provided on a print paste container, a search step of comparing the read information with library information in which print paste information is stored in advance, and A step of selecting a print paste having the closest print paste characteristics from the library information when the read information is not stored in the library information in the search step; and a setting step of automatically setting print condition parameters based on the print paste information. Screen printing method consisting of , Making it easy to set printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) in accordance with print paste characteristics (viscosity, thixotropic ratio, yield value, etc.), eliminating variations in printing condition settings by the operator, and printing. Test printing for checking whether the condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are optimal is not necessary, and has the effect of shortening the printing condition setting time.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, after the printed board is brought into contact with the screen plate at a predetermined position, the printing paste supplied on the screen plate is squeegeeed through the opening of the screen plate through the opening of the screen plate. In a screen printing apparatus for transferring the information to a screen, information input means for reading print paste information from a bar code provided on a print paste container, search means for comparing the read information with library information in which print paste information is stored in advance, and printing. This is a screen printing apparatus comprising setting means for automatically setting print condition parameters based on paste information. The print condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate release speed, etc.) adapted to print paste characteristics (viscosity, thixo ratio, yield value, etc.) etc)
Settings are easy, the printing condition setting by the operator is not dispersed, and test printing for checking whether the printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are optimal is unnecessary, and the printing condition is not required. It has the effect of shortening the delivery time.

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the printing condition setting method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Components having the same functions as those in FIG. 3 showing the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a screen printing apparatus used for carrying out the present invention. First, in order to align the screen plate 4 and the printing medium 1, the screen plate 4 is recognized by a recognition camera.
Read the alignment mark above. Next, the information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste 9 stored in advance in the print paste container 11 as a barcode 10 is read by the barcode recognition unit 12, and the information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste 9 is read. Compare with the library showing the correlation of printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.)
Automatically set printing conditions before board production.

In the same manner as in the prior art, the position of the printing object 1 is fixed on the positioning stage 2 which can be moved up and down by the positioning stage elevating drive means 3, and the alignment marks on the printing object 1 are read. The positioning stage 2 is horizontally moved (X, Y directions) based on the recognition result of the alignment mark, and then is moved by the positioning stage elevating drive unit 3 until the upper surface of the printing material 1 comes into contact with the lower surface of the screen plate 4. Can be lifted.

Squeegees 5a and 5b are attached to the tip of the squeegee lifting drive means 6. The squeegee horizontal reciprocating movement driving means 8 is generally an AC servomotor, and is horizontally moved (in the X direction) with the left squeegee 5a and the right squeegee 5b descending and abutting on the upper surface of the screen plate 4, and the left squeegee 5a Then, the printing paste 9 such as cream solder is moved on the upper surface of the screen plate 4 with the right squeegee 5b to fill the opening of the screen plate 4 with the printing paste 9. Then, after the printing plate 1 is separated from the screen plate 4 by the positioning stage lifting / lowering drive means 3, the left squeegee 5a and the right squeegee 5b are raised, and then the printing material 1 is removed.

Next, the printing operation by the right squeegee 5b is performed in the same manner as described above, and thereafter, the operation is alternately repeated.

FIG. 2 shows an operation flow at the time of model switching in the screen printing apparatus of the present invention. In addition, S1 to S16 are step numbers indicating the procedure of the work and the operation, and correspond to the numbers added to the text.

First, it is checked whether or not the printing paste 9 used for the production has been used before (S1). If the printing paste 9 has been used, the program is read (S3), and the printing paste 9 is placed on the screen plate 4. (S13). If the print paste 9 to be used for production is a new one, it is checked whether or not the print paste container 11 has the barcode 10 (S2). Read 10 (S
4) The information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste 9 is searched from the library (S5), and the print paste 9 is stored in the library.
(Model number, characteristics, etc.), the printing condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are automatically set (S6). In S2, the barcode 10 is the printing paste container 1
If not, print paste properties (viscosity, thixotropic ratio,
Enter the catalog value or actual measurement value of the yield value, etc. (S7,
S8) Searching the library for a print paste having a closer viscosity (S9), then searching the print pastes searched for in S9 for a print paste having a closer thixotropy ratio (S10), and further searching for a print paste found in S10. , A print paste having a similar yield value is searched for (S11), stored as library data (S12), and print condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are automatically set (S11).
6). If there is no information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste 9 in the library in S5, a print paste having a viscosity close to that of the library is searched for in the same manner as described above (S9). From among them, a print paste with a close thixotropy ratio is searched (S10), and a print paste with a close yield value is searched from the print pastes searched in S10 (S11), and stored as library data (S12). Printing condition parameters (squeegee speed,
Automatic setting of plate separation speed, etc.) is performed (S6). Thereafter, the printing paste 9 is put on the screen plate 4 (S1).
0).

Up to this point, the setting operation of the printing conditions which must be performed before the actual production is started. However, unlike the above-mentioned conventional technology, the printing of the printing paste characteristics (viscosity, thixo ratio, yield value, etc.) is performed in advance. Since the optimum values of the condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) are stored in a library, and even if the information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste 9 is not stored in the library, the print paste characteristics (viscosity, thixotropic ratio, Since the print condition parameters (squeegee speed, plate separation speed, etc.) can be limited by performing a detailed search for the yield value, etc., test printing is unnecessary.

In the same manner as in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the actual production starts, and the substrate is loaded (S14), printed (actual production) (S1).
5) The substrate is unloaded (S16), and the production of one substrate is completed, and S14 to S16 are repeated to sequentially produce the second and subsequent substrates.

As an application of the present invention, a temporal change in print paste characteristics (a change in viscosity due to the rolling of the print paste 9) is predicted, and printing condition parameters such as a squeegee speed and a plate separation speed for each printed circuit board are automatically determined. It can be changed.

In the above description, the printing paste has been described as being printed on the substrate. However, it goes without saying that the printing paste contains cream solder.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the information (model number, characteristics, etc.) of the print paste stored in the print paste container in advance is read before the substrate production, and the printing condition setting is automatically performed. As a result, it is possible to shorten the time for setting the printing conditions and to eliminate the variation in the set values by the operator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a screen printing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a conventional screen printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a conventional embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printed material (substrate) 2 Positioning stage 3 Positioning stage elevating drive means 4 Screen plate 5a Left squeegee 5b Right squeegee 6 Squeegee elevating drive means 7 Recognition camera 8 Squeegee horizontal reciprocating drive means 9 Printing paste 10 Barcode 11 Printing paste container 12 Barcode recognition unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A screen printing method in which, after a printed circuit board is brought into contact with a screen plate at a predetermined position, a printing paste supplied on the screen plate is transferred from the opening of the screen plate to the printed circuit board with a squeegee. At
An information input step of reading print paste information from a barcode provided on the print paste container, a search step of collating the read information with library information in which print paste information is stored in advance, and automatically setting print condition parameters based on the print paste information Screen printing method comprising: 2. The screen printing method according to claim 1, wherein the information input step inputs a catalog value of print paste characteristics. 3. The screen printing method according to claim 1, wherein the information input step inputs an actually measured value of the print paste characteristic. 4. The screen printing method according to claim 1, wherein the library information includes information on temporal changes in print paste characteristics. 5. A screen printing method in which, after a printed circuit board is brought into contact with a screen plate at a predetermined position, a printing paste supplied on the screen plate is transferred to the printed circuit board through an opening of the screen plate by a squeegee. At
An information input step of reading print paste information from a barcode provided on the print paste container; a search step of collating the read information with library information in which print paste information has been stored in advance; Is not accumulated,
A screen printing method comprising: a selection step of selecting a print paste having the closest print paste characteristics from library information; and a setting step of automatically setting print condition parameters based on the print paste information. 6. A screen printing apparatus for bringing a printed board into contact with a screen plate at a predetermined position, and then transferring a printing paste supplied on the screen plate to a printed board through an opening of the screen plate with a squeegee. At
Information input means for reading print paste information from a barcode provided on the print paste container, search means for checking the read information against library information in which print paste information has been stored in advance, and automatic setting of print condition parameters based on the print paste information A screen printing apparatus comprising: