Apparatus having improved cycle time for removing a PC board from a panel

A system having improved cycle time for removing PC boards from a connected panel. In accordance with the present invention, a pair of walking clamps are used to receive a panel from a subsequent processing system, and a movable receiving nest is used to provide the PC boards to a subsequent processing station. The processes of receiving a panel, depaneling the PC board, and delivering the PC boards do not use common components and are able to operate independently and concurrently to reduce idle time in the system and improve the cycle time. The present invention also provides a secondary vacuums which removes debris from the PC boards as the PC boards are being transporting to a subsequent processing system to improve the removal of debris.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to removing PC boards from a panel containing
 the PC boards. More particularly, the present invention relates to
 providing systems for receiving the panel from a feeder system, for
 depaneling the PC boards, and delivering the PC boards to a subsequent
 processing system that operate concurrently. The present invention also
 relates to providing a secondary vacuum to remove debris from the PC
 boards as the PC boards are delivered to the subsequent processing
 station.
 PROBLEM
 In today's society, most electronic devices, such as televisions and
 telephones, have at least one printed circuit board ("PC board") in their
 circuitry. As the use of PC boards in electronic devices has increased, it
 has become necessary to be able to mass produce PC boards in order to mass
 produce the electronic equipment. A common method in the mass production
 of PC boards is to assemble multiple PC boards at one time in a single
 panel. By using a single panel, assembly equipment only has to manipulate
 a single panel to operate on multiple PC boards. This simplifies the
 processes required to produce the PC boards and reduces the time needed to
 produce each PC board.
 Mass production of PC boards in a single panel requires that each
 individual PC board must be removed or depaneled from the panel before the
 individual PC boards can be integrated into the electronic equipment. The
 time needed to depanel individual PC boards from a panel is a critical
 factor in the production time of PC boards. In order to decrease the time
 needed to produce a PC board as well as electronic equipment, it is
 necessary to reduce the time needed to depanel individual PC boards from a
 panel.
 In order to depanel PC boards from a panel, all connections between each
 individual PC board and the panel must be severed. Automated depaneling
 systems are commonly used to sever all of the connections between the
 individual PC boards and a panel. The individual PC boards are then moved
 by the automated depaneling system to a subsequent processing system or to
 a registration element which provides the individual PC boards to the
 subsequent processing system. It is a problem to reduce the time needed to
 depanel all of the individual circuit boards from a panel.
 Depaneling individual PC boards from a panel of PC boards typically
 involves three separate processes in a depaneling system. The three
 processes are delivery of a panel, depaneling individual PC boards from
 the panel, and providing the individual PC boards to a subsequent
 processing system. In a typical depaneling system, the three processes
 occur sequentially. First, the panel is delivered to the depaneling
 system. Second, the individual PC boards are depaneled. Finally, the
 individual PC boards are provided to a subsequent processing system.
 These three operations must be done sequentially because of the physical
 constraints of the depaneling system. A depaneling system typically
 includes a table, a router and a robotic arm. A panel is received by the
 system and placed on the table in a preprogramed or registered position. A
 robotic hand at an end of the robotic arm grips each individual PC board
 in the panel. The router or some other cutting equipment then severs all
 of the connections between each PC board and the panel. After all of the
 connections are severed, the robotic arm moves the individual PC boards to
 a registration nest or a subsequent processing system. The depaneling
 system is not ready to receive a subsequent panel until the robotic arm
 returns and is able to hold the PC boards from the new panel.
 There is a long felt need in the art for a depaneling system having
 improved cycle time to increase the number of circuit boards per unit of
 time produced. This can be achieved by decreasing the idle time of a panel
 delivery system, a depaneling system, and a system for transporting the PC
 boards to a subsequent processing system. One possible method of
 decreasing the idle time of the depaneling system is to provide three
 processes that can operate concurrently. In order to perform the
 operations concurrently, it is necessary to provide a automated depaneling
 system in which each process can operate independently from the other
 processes.
 A second problem in depaneling systems is defective PC boards caused by the
 ineffective removal of excess debris from the PC boards. Debris remaining
 on a PC board can cause a short in the circuitry of the board or other
 elements of a circuit containing the PC board or can cause misalignment of
 the PC board with connectors inside a device. The excess debris must be
 removed to prevent such defects.
 One method for removing excess debris is to remove the debris using a
 vacuum during the severing of connections between the PC board and the
 panel. As of the connections between the individual PC boards and a panel
 are being severed by the depaneling system, a vacuum inside the depaneling
 is then moved across the PC boards. Excess debris remaining on the PC
 boards is removed by the vacuum. However, the vacuum is not always
 successful in removing all of the excess debris from the PC board. One
 reason for the ineffectiveness of the vacuum is the physical constraints
 of the depaneling system which may prohibit the movement of the vacuum
 across the entirety of each individual PC board. There is a need for a
 method for improving the removal of excess debris from PC boards removed
 from a panel.
 SOLUTION
 The above and other problems are solved and an advance in the arts is made
 by the provision of a depaneling system having walking clamps for
 receiving a panel from a feeder system; a movable registration nest for
 removing individual PC boards from a depaneling subsystem and for
 providing the PC board to a subsequent processing system; and a secondary
 vacuum for removing excess debris from PC boards removed from the
 depaneler. Cycle time of a automated depaneling system and removal of
 excess waste from PC boards is improved by the present invention. In
 accordance with the present invention, a subsystem for receiving a panel
 from a feeder, the depaneling subsystem for removing the PC boards from
 the panel, and a subsystem for removing the PC boards from the depaneler
 and providing the boards to a subsequent processing system may operate
 independently. This improves cycle time since each subsystem may perform
 its function concurrently with the other two subsystems and idle time of
 each subsystem is reduced. The three subsystems are able to operate
 concurrently because the three subsystems do not share common elements. A
 first subsystem does not have to wait for a common element in a second
 subsystem to complete a task before the common element is available to
 perform a task in the first system. Additionally, the present invention
 provides a secondary vacuum to remove excess debris from a PC board after
 the PC board has been removed from a panel.
 In accordance with the present invention, a subsystem for receiving a panel
 in a depaneling system is provided by a pair of walking clamps. A first
 walking clamp and a second walking clamp are juxtaposed to each other and
 are spaced apart to allow the first walking clamp to clamp to a first side
 of a panel and the second walking clamp to clamp to a second side of the
 panel. A pneumatic motor moves the first and the second walking clamps
 linearly along a defined path between a feeder system and a depaneler.
 The first walking clamp starts in a first position proximate the feeder
 system such as a cartridge, and clamps a first corner on a first side of a
 panel from the feeder system. The pneumatic motor moves the first walking
 clamp toward the depaneler to a second position pulling the panel out of
 the cartridge. The second walking clamp starts in a first position along a
 second side the panel when the first walking clamp is in the second
 position and clamps the second side of the panel. The first walking clamp
 releases the first corner of the panel after the second walking clamp has
 clamped the second side of the panel. The second walking clamp is then
 moved toward the depaneler to a second position proximate the depaneler.
 The first walking clamp is then moved toward the depaneler to a position
 along the first side of the panel across from the second walking clamp and
 clamps the first side of the panel. The panel is held in place by the
 first and second walking clamps until the depaneling system is in a ready
 state to receive the panel from the walking clamps.
 When the depaneling system is in a ready state, the first walking clamp
 releases the first side of the panel and moves to the first position to
 receive a subsequent panel. A third walking clamp from inside the
 depaneling system is moved along the first side of the panel, and clamps
 the first side of the panel. Sensors on the third walking clamp are used
 to adjust the position of the panel and to register the position of the
 panel for the depaneling subsystem. The third clamp moves the panel into
 the depaneler which removes the PC boards from the panel. The second
 walking clamp releases the second side of the panel when the third walking
 clamp from the depaneling system clamps the first side of the panel and
 moves to the first position of the second walking clamp to clamp to a
 subsequent panel.
 The depaneling subsystem of the present invention depanels the PC boards in
 the following manner. The third walking clamp moves the panel into a
 proper position in the depaneling subsystem. The panel is held in place by
 the third walking clamp and a clamp on the opposing side of the panel. A
 robotic hand attached to a robotic arm grips each PC board in the panel. A
 router then severs all of the connections between the PC boards and the
 panels allowing debris to fall away from the PC boards as the PC boards
 are held in place by the robotic hand. A primary vacuum in the depaneling
 subsystem removes excess debris from the PC boards as the router severs
 the connections.
 After each PC board has been depaneled from a panel, the PC boards must be
 removed from the depaneling subsystem and provided to a subsequent
 processing system. In accordance with the present invention, a movable
 receiving nest removes the PC boards from the depaneler and provides the
 depaneled PC boards to a subsequent processing system. The movable
 receiving nest receives the PC boards in the depaneling subsystem instead
 of having the robotic arm move the PC boards to a receiving nest outside
 the depaneling system. This allows the depaneling subsystem to receive a
 subsequent board after the movable nest receives the PC boards.
 The movable receiving nest operates in the following manner. After all of
 the connections between the panel and PC boards have been severed, the
 movable receiving nest is moved to a first position under the severed PC
 boards in the depaneling subsystem by a servo motor. The robotic hand then
 places each PC board into a separate compartment in the movable receiving
 nest. The servo motor then moves the movable receiving nest from the first
 position to a second position outside of the depaneling subsystem. A
 subsequent processing system then retrieves the PC boards from the movable
 receiving nest at the second position.
 As the movable receiving nest is being moved from the first position to the
 second position, a secondary vacuum removes excess debris from the PC
 boards. A secondary vacuum is positioned over a path of the movable
 receiving nest between the first and second positions. As the movable
 receiving nest moves from the first to the second position, the movable
 receiving nest moves through a head of a the secondary vacuum. Any excess
 debris remaining on the PC boards is removed by the secondary vacuum.
 These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to
 those skilled in the art upon a reading of the detailed description below
 in combination with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
 Panel of PC Boards--FIG.1
 FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary panel 100 containing four PC boards 101.
 Panel 101 is representative of a panel used in the present invention and
 in no way limits the type of panel or PC board which may be depaneled by
 the present invention Slots 105 and tabs 104 define the edges of PC boards
 101. Tabs 104 connect PC boards 101 to panel 100 and are cut during the
 depaneling process to liberate PC boards 101 from panel 100. Registration
 holes 106 in each PC board 101 are used to grip PC board 101 as described
 below. Frame 103 is the material of panel 100 that hold PC boards 101
 together as one panel 100. Slots 109 define the edges of PC board 101 and
 are used by grippers in system 100 to hold PC boards 101. After tabs 104
 are cut the material of frame 103 becomes debris. Although panel 100 is
 described with four panels 101, it is understood that panel 100 can have
 any number of PC boards that are arranged on panel 100 in any
 configuration. The actual number and configuration of PC boards 101 on
 panel 100 is a design choice left to the maker of the panel.
 A Preferred Exemplary Embodiment of a Depaneling System in Accordance With
 the Present Invention--FIG. 2
 FIG. 2 illustrates an assembled view of all of the sub-systems of
 depaneling system 200 on a table 206. FIGS. 3-9 illustrate isolated views
 of the subsystems of depaneling system 200 in accordance with the present
 invention. In general, depaneling system 200 operates in the following
 manner. A panel 100 is received by a staging subsystem 202 and delivered
 to a depaneling system 203 by a process described below and illustrated in
 FIGS. 3-6. Depaneling system 203 severs all of the connections between
 panel 100 and PC boards 101. Depaneling system 203 is described below and
 illustrated in FIG. 7. After all of the connections have been severed by
 depaneling system 203, movable receiving nest 240 receives PC boards 101
 from depaneling system 203 and moves PC boards 101 to a registration
 subsystem 204. Movable receiving nest 240 is illustrated in FIG. 8 and the
 process for moving movable receiving nest 240 is described below.
 Registration subsystem 204 delivers PC boards 101 to a subsequent
 processing system (not shown). Registration subsystem 204 is illustrated
 in FIG. 9 and described below.
 All of the processes performed by the subsystems of depaneling system 200
 are controlled by controller 201. Controller 201 is a general purpose
 programmable computer such as an IBM personal computer capable of
 executing a series of instructions for operating each subsystem stored in
 a memory. Signals are transmitted between staging subsystem 202 and
 controller 201 via paths 218 and 219, between depaneling subsystem 203 and
 controller 201 via path 227, and between registration subsystem 204 and
 controller 201 via path 246.
 Staging Subsystem 202--FIGS. 3-6
 FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the various positions of the components of staging
 subsystem 202 during the process of receiving panel 100 from a previous
 processing system (not shown) and delivering panel 100 to depaneling
 subsystem 203. Unlike the prior art, subsystem 202 operates independently
 of depaneling subsystem 203. This allows staging subsystem 202 to be
 receiving and delivering another panel 100 as depaneling subsystem 200 is
 severing the connections between PC boards 101 and the prior panel 100.
 As illustrated in FIG. 3-6, staging subsystem 202 is comprised of a first
 walking clamp 210 and a second walking clamp 211. Walking clamps 210 and
 211 are juxtaposed from each other and are spaced so that a panel 100 fits
 between the clamps. A groove is defined between the upper clamping member
 213 and the clamping 212 of each walking clamp 210-211. One side of panel
 100 fits into the groove. Pneumatic motors (not shown) cause upper
 clamping member 213 and lower clamping member 212 to open and close in
 response to signals from controller 201 in order to clamp and release a
 panel 101.
 First walking clamp 210 is slidably affixed to guide 217. A pneumatic motor
 (not shown) moves first walking clamp 210 along guide 217 in response to
 signals from controller 201. Second walking clamp 211 is slidably affixed
 to guide 216. A pneumatic motor (not shown) moves second walking clamp 212
 along guide 216 in response to signals received from controller 201.
 FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the positions in which controller 201 places first
 walking clamp 210 and second walking clamp 211 to receive panel 101 and
 deliver panel 101 to depaneling subsystem 203. First, staging subsystem
 202 must receive panel 101 from a previous processing station (not shown)
 such as a cartridge containing multiple panels 101FIG. 3 illustrates the
 position 300 in which first and second clamping means are placed by
 controller 201 in order to receive panel 101.
 In first position 300, first walking clamp 210 is at a first end of guide
 217 and second walking clamp 211 is at a first end of guide 216. Guides
 216 and guide 217 are near a first end of table 206. This allows first
 walking clamp 210 and second walking clamp 211 to overhang table 206. The
 previous processing station (not shown) positions panel 100 so that a
 first corner of a first side of panel 100 is inserted inside the groove of
 first walking clamp 210. Controller 201 then signals upper clamping member
 213 and lower clamping member 212 of first walking clamp 210 to close and
 clamp panel 101.
 FIG. 4 illustrates a second position 400 of staging system 202. Controller
 201 signals the pneumatic motor (not shown) to move first walking clamp
 210 along guide 217 to second position 400 after panel 101 has been
 clamped by first walking clamp 210. The moving of first walking clamp 210
 causes panel 100 to move to a position where a second side of panel 100 is
 inside the grove of second walking clamp 211. After the second side of
 panel 100 is fully inside the grove of second walking clamp 211,
 controller 201 signals a pneumatic motor (not shown) to close upper
 clamping member 213 and lower clamping member 212 of second walking clamp
 211 in order to clamp panel 100. Controller 201 then signals the upper and
 lower clamping members of first walking clamp 210 to open and release
 panel 101
 FIG. 5 illustrates a third position 500 of staging system 202. First
 walking clamp 210 and second walking clamp 211 are moved to third position
 500 in response to second walking clamp clamping panel 100. After panel
 100 is clamped by second walking clamp 211, controller 201 signals a
 pneumatic motor (not shown) to move second walking clamp 211 to a second
 end of guide 216. At the second end of guide 216, second walking clamp 211
 is proximate depaneling subsystem 213. After second walking clamp 211 is
 moved, controller 201 signals the pneumatic motor (not shown) to move
 first walking clamp 210 to a second end of guide 217 as shown in FIG. 5.
 This places the first side of panel 100 inside the groove of first walking
 clamp 211. Controller 201 then signals a pneumatic motor (not shown) to
 close upper clamping member 213 and lowerclamping member 212 of first
 walking clamp 210 in order to clamp the first side of panel 100. First
 walking clamp 210 and second walking clamp 210 hold panel 100 in position
 500 until depaneling subsystem 203 is ready for panel 100.
 When controller 201 receives a signal indicating that depaneling subsystem
 203 is in ready state and able to receive another panel 100, controller
 201 moves first walking clamp 210, second walking clamp 211, and third
 walking clamp 228 from depaneling subsystem 203 to position 600
 illustrated in FIG. 6. First, controller 201 signals the pneumatic motors
 (not shown) to open upper clamping member 213 and lower clamping member
 212 of first walking clamp 210 in order to release panel 100 and
 deenergizes the pneumatic motor (not shown) for moving first walking clamp
 210. Signals are then sent to servo motor 262 to move the third walking
 clamp 228 along lead screw 260 to a first end of lead screw 260. As third
 wiking clamp 228 moves along side panel 100, first walking clamp 210 is
 displaced by third walking clamp 228 and moved to a first position along
 guide 217. When third walking clamp 228 is at the first end of lead screw
 260, the first side of panel 100 is in the groove of third walking clamp
 228. Controller 201 signals a pneumatic motor (not shown) to close upper
 clamping member 213 and lower clamping member 212 of third walking clamp
 228.
 After third walking clamp 228 is along side panel 100 and panel 100 is in
 the groove of walking clamp 228, a registration process is performed. FIG.
 10 illustrates the components of walking clamp 228 inside groove 1000. As
 panel 100 slide inside groove 1000, optical sensor 1020 scans for a middle
 opening 102 in panel 100. After the middle opening 102 is sensed under
 optical sensor 1020, walking clamp 228 is moved in a programed motion in
 order to align middle registration pin 1002 and the middle opening 102 of
 panel 100. This also aligns registration pins 1001 and 1003 with openings
 102 on opposing ends of panel 100. After registration pins 1001-1003 are
 aligned with openings 102, controller 201 signals a pneumatic motor to
 close upper clamping member 212 and lower clamping member 213.
 Registration pins 1001-1003 go through openings 102 and into receiving
 apertures 1011-1013 to hold panel 100 in a known position to allow
 depaneling subsystem 203 to sever the connections between panel 100 and PC
 boards 101.
 After third walking clamp 228 clamps to panel 100, controller 201 then
 signals the pneumatic motors (not shown) to open upper clamping member 213
 and lower clamping member 212 of second walking clamp 211 to release panel
 100. After second walking clamp 211 has released panel 100, controller 201
 signals the servo motor 261 to move third walking clamp 228 to a second
 end of lead screw 260 inside depaneling subsystem 203. This moves the
 second side of panel 100 into the groove of a clamp 229. A signal is then
 sent to pneumatic motor (not shown) to close upper clamping member 213 and
 lower clamping member 212 of clamp 229 in order to secure panel 100 in
 place during the depaneling process. Controller 201 then signals the
 pneumatic motor (not shown) to move second walking clamp 211 to a first
 end of guide 216 to wait for a subsequent panel.
 Depaneling Subsystem 203--FIG. 7
 The components of depaneling subsystem 203 are illustrated in FIG. 7.
 Router assembly 700 is mounted below table 206. Depaneler arm assembly 220
 and pick and place arm assembly 290 are positioned on top of table 206.
 Router assembly 700 can move in all three axes. Pneumatic cylinder 710
 operates in response to signals from controller 201 to move router head
 715 up and down along the z axis. Motor 711 turns lead screw 712 in
 response to signals from controller 201 in order to cause router head 715
 to along the x axis. Router head 715, motor 711 and lead screw 712 are
 mounted on frame 716. Motor 713 is connected to a lead screw (not shown)
 to move frame 716 and router head 715 along a y-axis in response to
 signals from controller 201.
 In order for router 702 to cut all of the tabs 104 to depanel the PC
 boards, panel 100 is clamped into place by third walking clamp 228 and
 clamp 229 over an opening 299 as illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also shows
 Depaneler arm assembly 220 on top of table 204. A base 224 is connected to
 guides 222 of depaneler arm assembly 220. A pneumatic cylinder 221 moves
 base 224 up and down along guides 222 responsive to signals from
 controller 201. Hand 226 extends out from base 224 over opening 299.
 Grippers 225 on the bottom of hand 226 has fingers 298 extending downwards
 towards opening 299.
 When panel 100 is clamped into place controller 201 signals pneumatic
 cylinder 221 to move base 224 downwards towards opening 299. Fingers 298
 of each gripper 225 are received by slots 109 on opposing sides of PC
 boards 101 to hold PC boards 101 in place after tabs 104 have been cut.
 Controller 201 signals routing assembly 700 to move in a programmed
 sequence to allow router 502 to cut all tabs 104 connecting PC board 101
 to panel 101. As router 702 is cutting tabs 104, a primary vacuum (not
 shown) is moved over PC board 101 to remove debris caused by the cutting.
 After all of the tabs 104 have been cut, controller 201 signals pneumatic
 cylinder 221 to move base 224 up guides 222. This moves grippers 225
 holding PC boards 101 upward. Controller 201 transmits signals to the
 upper clamping members 213 and lower clamping members 212 of third walking
 clamp 228 to open and release panel 100 and to servo 261 to move third
 walking clamp 228 to receive another panel 100. After third walking clamp
 is moved, upper clamping member 212 and lower clamping member 213 of clamp
 229 are opened and frame 103 is allowed to fall through opening 299. As
 third walking clamp 228 moves to receive another panel 100, movable
 receiving nest 240 receives the depaneled PC boards 101.
 Movable Receiving nest 240--FIG. 8
 FIG. 8 illustrates movable receiving nest 240 in a position 800 inside
 depaneling subsystem 203 to receive PC board 101 from grippers 225. Each
 compartment 241 in movable receiving nest 240 receives one PC board 101.
 Movable receiving nest 240 is mounted on platform 244. Platform 244 is, in
 turn, slidably mounted on lead screw 243. Motor 245 receives signals from
 controller 201 to turn lead screw 243 to move platform 244 between a first
 end and a second end of lead screw 243 which moves movable receiving nest
 240 between position 800 and a position inside the registration subsystem
 204 (depicted in FIG. 2).
 Movable receiving nest 240 transports PC boards 101 from depaneling
 subsystem 203 to registration subsystem 204 in the following manner.
 Movable receiving nest 240 begins in the position depicted in FIG. 2.
 After third walking clamp 228 moves to receive another panel 100,
 controller 201 signals motor 245 to turn lead screw 243 to move movable
 receiving nest 240 into depaneling subsystem 203 directly under robotic
 hand 226 as illustrated in FIG. 8. After movable receiving nest 240 is in
 position 800, controller 201 signals pneumatic cylinder 221 to move hand
 226 downwards by moving base 224 down guides 222. When grippers 225 of
 hand 226 reach a point that PC boards 101 are inside compartments 241,
 controller 201 signals pneumatic cylinder 221 to stop. The pneumatic
 motors (not shown) controlling fingers 298 of grippers 226 are then
 signaled by controller 201 to open. The openings of fingers 298 releases
 PC boards 101 into compartments 241. Controller 201 then signals pneumatic
 cylinder 221 to move base 224 upward to move grippers 225 out of movable
 receiving nest 240.
 After grippers 225 have moved out of compartments 241, controller 201
 signals motor 245 to turn lead screw 243 and move movable receiving nest
 240 from the position 800 depicted in FIG. 8 to the position illustrated
 in FIG. 1. Depaneling subsystem 203 is then ready to receive and depanel
 another panel 100.
 Movable receiving nest 240 passes through vacuum head 233 of secondary
 vacuum (not shown) as movable receiving nest 240 moves from position 800
 to the position depicted in FIG. 1. Vacuum head 233 is substantially a
 cubic block with a substantially cubic opening 233 along it x-axis to
 allow receiving nest 240 to pass through head 233. Groove 233 allows the
 platform 244 to pass through vacuum head 233. An opening (not shown) the
 inside of vacuum head 233 is connected to tube 232 to provide an inlet for
 the secondary vacuum.
 Controller 201 activates the secondary vacuum (not shown) that is connected
 to vacuum head 230 via tube 232 as movable receiving nest 240 passes
 through vacuum head 233. The secondary vacuum removes excess debris from
 PC boards 101 by causing air to flow into the secondary vacuum carrying
 the debris. After all of compartments 241 have passed through vacuum head
 233, controller 201 signals the secondary vacuum to deactivate.
 After movable receiving nest 240 has moved into registration subsystem 204,
 PC boards 101 are removed from movable receiving nest 240 by pick and
 place arm 291. FIG. 9 illustrates the components of registration subsystem
 204.
 Registration Subsystem 205--FIG. 9
 FIG. 9 is a detailed view of registration subsystem 204 shown in FIG. 2. In
 FIG. 9, pick and place arm assembly 290 is illustrated in detail. Platform
 295 spans from first leg 293 to second leg 294. First leg 293 and 294 are
 slidably mounted on guides 902 of rails 903. A pneumatic motor (not shown)
 moves first leg 293 and second leg 294 along guides 902. Base 297 is
 slidably mounted on platform 295 and is moved along platform 295 by a
 motor (not shown). Robotic hand 291 is attached to the bottom of base 297.
 Fingers 292 on robotic hand protrude downward from hand 291. Each finger
 292 has pins (not shown) which are mated with holes 106 in PC boards 101
 to grip PC boards 101.
 Registration subsystem 204 provides PC boards 101 to a subsequent
 processing system in the following manner. After movable receiving nest
 240 moves to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, controller 201 signals
 the pneumatic motor (not shown) to slide pick and place arm assembly along
 guides 902 to a position directly over movable receiving nest 240. Robotic
 hand 291 is then lowered by controller 201 to place the pins (not shown)
 of fingers 292 into the hole 106 of the PC boards 101 in compartments 241.
 Fingers 292 are then signaled to grip PC boards 101 and robotic hand 291
 is raised by controller 201. Controller 201 then signals a motor (not
 shown) to move base 297 along platform 295 to position over receiving
 slots 906. Controller 201 lowers robotic hand 291 to cause PC boards 101
 to be lowered into the receiving slots 906. Fingers 292 are then signaled
 to release PC boards 101. Controller 201 repeats this process until all of
 PC boards 201 are removed from movable receiving nest 240. After all PC
 boards 101 are removed from compartments 241, movable receiving nest 240
 is ready to receive more PC boards 101 from depaneling subsystem 203.
 SUMMARY
 The above disclosed invention provides three subsystems that operate
 independently from one another. This allows each subsystem to perform its
 function independently from the functions of the other subsystems. The
 idle time of each system is decreased by the independent functions which
 in turn improves cycle time for system 100 to depanel PC boards 101. The
 above detailed description is a description of one possible exemplary
 embodiment of a system having improved cycle time for depaneling PC
 boards. It is envisioned that one skilled in the art can and will design a
 system for depaneling PC boards that infringes the present invention as
 claimed below either literally or through the Doctrine of Equivalents.