Abstract:
A component placement machine for assembling at least one component on to at least one printed circuit board (PCB) is provided. The component placement machine comprises at least one head configured for picking a component from at least one feeder and placing the picked component on to a PCB of a first PCB product. The component placement machine also includes at least one feeder bank system separate from the head, wherein the feeder system includes a first feeder bank and a second feeder bank and a positioning system for moving both the entire first feeder bank and the entire second feeder bank in both a horizontal X direction and a perpendicular horizontal Y direction, wherein the feeder bank system is configured to enable a setup of a second PCB product on the component placement machine while the component placement machine assembles the PCB of the first PCB product. The entire first feeder bank and the entire second feeder bank of the at least one feeder bank system are each movably located on said component placement machine independently from each other, so that movement of the entire first feeder bank occurs while said component placement machine uses the second feeder bank to assemble said printed circuit board of said first printed circuit board product.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assembling printed circuit boards (PCB). More particularly the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for changing from assembling PCBs of one type to assembling PCBs of another type quickly and cost effectively. 
     2. Related Art 
     Current product changeover processes on common PCB assembly lines typically utilize feeder bank carts and off-line setup tables and stations to prepare feeders for the next PCB for production on an assembly line. This feeder preparation is done in parallel (i.e. at the same time) with the assembly line production that is currently producing a different PCB and usually in order to reduce the changeover time from one PCB product to the next. By way of non-limiting example,  FIG. 1  depicts three common operational areas for a typical PCB assembly site: component warehouse/crib  100 , offline feeder setup area  200 , and production line  300 . Component warehouse  100  may be generally understood to be the storage area for the components for eventual assembly onto the various PCBs. Offline feeder setup area  200  may be generally understood to be a staging area where components are organized and loaded onto feeders and then placed on feeder bank carts. Production line  300  often comprises a screen printer, one or more component placement machines, an oven, and/or other peripherals. 
       FIG. 2  depicts typical steps that may be involved in a common product changeover process  400  for changing from one product to a next product on a production line, such as production line  300 . Once production begins on a first product, step  401 , setup and preparation, step  402 , often begins in an offline feeder setup area, such as offline feeder setup area  200 . To perform the setup and preparation in offline feeder setup area  200 , step  402 , components for the second product are typically retrieved from a component warehouse  100 , or other storage area, and delivered to an offline feeder setup area, such as offline feeder setup area  200 . The retrieved components are usually loaded onto feeders, and the feeders are then commonly placed into slots on to a feeder bank cart. Validation that the correct component is loaded on the correct feeder and that the correct feeder is located in the correct slot for the second product may occur when the feeders are in the offline feeder setup area  200 . Once production of the first product completes, step  403 , the remaining setup for the production of the second product generally begins. Accordingly, the feeders associated with the first product are typically removed from a pick and place PCB component assembly machine, or series of pick and place component placement machines in the production line  300 , step  404 , and board support pins, or other PCB support means, are often arranged in the machine(s) if needed, step  405 . Additionally, the nozzle configuration may commonly be updated and nozzle maintenance may be performed, step  406 . Moreover, the feeder bank carts, having been prepared in an offline feeder setup area, such as offline feeder setup area  200 , may be brought to a production line, such as production line  300 , and may be mounted and often validated on the machine, step  407 . The production of the second product may then begin, step  408 . 
     When the process of loading and validating at an offline feeder setup area  200  for the second product, is done concurrently and in parallel with the production of the first product at production line  300 , the overall changeover time (the time production line  300  is not running a product) may be minimized to the time necessitated to: remove the first product feeder banks, step  404 , arrange the board support pins, or other support mechanisms if necessary, step  405 , possibly maintain/setup nozzles, step  406 , and potentially mounting and/or validating the second product feeder banks, step  407 . This changeover time incorporates unnecessary non-production time. 
     Floor space requirements and hardware costs are significant for procedures associated with common product changeover processes, such as non-limiting exemplary product changeover process  400 . For every assembly machine in a production line, such as production line  300 , a duplicate set of feeder carts is often required along with floor space to support offline feeder setup area  200 , wherein the floor space often accommodates storage tables, setup stations, feeder storage carts, and/or other peripheral components. This equates to unnecessary floor space and a substantial amount of peripherals to support a typical production line  300 . 
     Accordingly a need exists for a method that overcomes at least one of the aforementioned, and/or other, deficiencies in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an apparatus and a product changeover method using said apparatus for improving the time and cost required to change from one PCB product to another PCB product produced on a PCB assembly line. 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides a component placement machine for assembling at least one component on to at least one printed circuit board, said component placement machine comprising: at least one head configured for picking said component from at least one feeder and placing said picked component on to a printed circuit board of a first printed circuit board product; and at least one feeder/nozzle bank system, wherein said feeder/bank system is configured to enable a setup of a second printed circuit board product on said component placement machine while said component placement machine assembles said printed circuit board of said first printed circuit board product. 
     A second aspect of the present invention provides a component placement machine feeder/nozzle bank system comprising: at least one feeder bank removably attachable to the component placement machine; and a positioning system configured for facilitating movement of said feeder bank as attached to the component placement machine. 
     A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for product changeover on a production line, the method comprising: retrieving at least one component from a component warehouse; delivering said component directly to at least one pick and place machine in said production line; and preparing said pick and place machine to run a second product while said pick and place machine is running a first product. 
     The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of various embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic embodiment of common printed circuit board assembly operational areas; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart of an embodiment of a common product changeover process of the related art; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a top schematic view of an embodiment of a feeder bank system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a top schematic view of an embodiment of a component placement machine including a feeder bank system; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a first phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a second phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a third phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a fourth phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  depicts a fifth phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  depicts a sixth phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  depicts a seventh phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 12  depicts a flowchart of an embodiment of the product changeover process, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc. and are disclosed simply as an example of an embodiment. The features and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings. 
     As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     Embodiments of a product changeover apparatus of the present invention may utilize a feeder bank design that allows for the preparation for production of a second product on component placement machine, wherein the preparation is done concurrently and in parallel with the production of a first product on machine. Accordingly, the present invention may reduce the need for an off-line feeder setup area, such as off-line feeder setup area  200 , and the requirement for storage tables, setup stations, feeder bank carts, and other peripherals, thereby resulting in a significant savings in floor space and capital investment for the customer and reduces the overall changeover time. 
     Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 3  depicts a top schematic view of a feeder/nozzle bank system  500  comprising banks  510 A and  510 B mounted on a positioning system comprising X axis and Y axis linear guides  518  and  516 . Furthermore, mounted on the underside of banks  510 A and  510 B may be guide blocks (not shown) that may ride on the Y axis linear guides  516  which may allow banks  510 A and  510 B to move in the Y direction. Additionally, the Y axis linear guides  516  may be mounted to guide blocks  520  which may ride on X axis linear guides  518  which in turn may allow banks  510 A and  510 B to move in the X direction. Thus feeder/nozzle bank system  500  permits independent movement in the X and Y direction of banks  510 A and  510 B. The X axis linear guides  518  may be aligned substantially parallel with respect to each other. Moreover, the X axis linear guides  518  may be movable with respect to each other so that the substantially perpendicular distance between the guides may be increased or diminished. While, as embodied in  FIG. 3 , two X axis linear guides  518  are depicted, those in the art should recognize that a single X axis linear guide  518  may be utilized in conjunction with a single Y axis linear guide corresponding to a bank  510 . Still further, it should be recognized that more than two X axis linear guides  518  may be provided and may be operable with a bank  510  to facilitate movement in a direction X. In further addition, those in the art should recognize that while the banks  510 A and  510 B are depicted as being operably connected to the Y axis linear guides  516  via guide blocks  520 , roller bearings, linear slots, and/or other connection means may be provided to facilitate movement in accordance with the operable objectives of the present invention. 
     The banks  510 A and  510 B may each be located in one of three positions: a first position in which a bank  510 A and/or  510 B may be accessible to an operator; a second position in which a bank  510 A, and/or  510 B may be located at least partially within a component placement machine, such as component placement machine  600 , wherein the bank  510 A and/or  510 B may or may not be accessible by a head, such as head  612  (see  FIG. 4 ) for picking components; and, a third position in which a bank  510 A and/or  510 B may be located at least partially within a component placement machine, such as component placement machine  600  (see  FIG. 4 ), and is accessible by a head  612  for picking components. Various positions relative to operation of feeder banks  510 A and/or  510 B will be described in greater detail in continued reference to  FIG. 3  and with additional reference to  FIGS. 4-11 . 
     A bank  510  may comprise one or more feeder slots  512 . Feeder slots  512  help locate feeders onto a bank  510 . Although the feeders slots  512  are depicted as being arrayed horizontally, additional configurations for arranging feeders may be employed in a bank  510 . Moreover banks  510 A and  510 B may also comprise nozzle changers  514 A and  514 B. A nozzle changer  514  may further comprise removable trays for storage of nozzles. Furthermore, the nozzle changers  514 A and  514 B themselves may be removable from the banks  510 A and  510 B. 
     With further reference to the drawings,  FIG. 4  depicts a top schematic view of an embodiment of a component placement machine  600  including a feeder/nozzle bank system  500 . Component placement machine  600  may comprise heads  612  for picking components from feeders mounted in feeder slots  512  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) and operable with feeder banks  510 A and  510 B and placing the components onto a PCB  614 . The operable configuration of feeder/nozzle bank system  500  may be such that when component placement machine  600  is assembling PCB  614  utilizing bank  510 A for a first product, an operator may move bank  510 B to a first position  540  that facilitates operator access to begin setup for a second product. The setup involving bank  510 B may occur while the component placement machine  600  is assembling a first product PCB  614  utilizing electronic components pertinent to bank  510 A. 
       FIGS. 5-11  show the possible movement of banks  510 A and  510 B during an embodiment of the product changeover process and method of using the product changeover apparatus including a component placement machine  600  having a feeder/nozzle bank system  500 . Although banks  510 A and  510 B are depicted as being provided in symmetrical pairs on opposite sides of a component placement machine  600 , those in the are should recognize that various banks  510  may be located at any operable position on either side of the component placement machine  600 . In  FIG. 5 , a first phase of an embodiment of the product changeover process is depicted. The machine  600  may begin production of the first product such that all banks  510 A and  510 B are located either in a second position  550  or a third position  560  within machine  600 . As depicted, banks  510 B are located in a second position  550  and banks  510 A are located in a third position  560 . However, those in the are should appreciate that various banks  510  may be located in various positions  540 ,  550 ,  560 . Accordingly, while one side of a component placement machine may have a bank  510 B located in a second position  550  and a bank  510 A located in a third position  560 , the other side of the machine may have a bank  510 C, (not shown but used for example) located in a first position  540  (see  FIG. 6 ) and another bank  510 D (also not shown but used for example) located in a third position  560 . Thus the type of banks  510  and corresponding position  540 - 560  of the banks  510  may differ from one side of a component placement machine  600  to another and need not be symmetrical. However, for purposes of description, symmetry is depicted with respect to  FIGS. 4-11 . 
     Once production on the first product begins, the operator may move bank  510 B to a first position  540  for ready component access by a head  612 , as schematically depicted in  FIG. 6 , and begin the process of mounting and/or validating feeders on to bank  510 B in preparation for production of a second product. In addition, the operator may update the nozzle configuration of various nozzles in nozzle changer  514  of bank  510 B and perform any required nozzle maintenance. Once bank  510 B is prepared and physically setup for the second product, the operator may move bank  510 B from the first position  540  back to a second position  550  at least partially within component placement machine  600 , such movement as depicted by the direction arrow label provided in  FIG. 7 . Upon completion of the first product, or when otherwise desired and directed, the operator may move bank  510 A from a third position  560  to a second position  550 , such movement as depicted by the direction arrow label provided in  FIG. 8 . While the banks  510 A and  510 B are split apart (not shown in  FIG. 8 , but implied via the direction arrow label of  FIG. 8 ; such split configuration shown, however, in  FIG. 9 ), board support pins or other PCB support means for the second product may be arranged because, inter alia, the pins or other support means may be more readily assessable by an operator when the banks  510 A and  510 B are each located in a second position  550 . Accordingly, both banks  510 A and  510 B may be located in a second position  550  at the same time, wherein the second position  550  may be generally located toward either of the opposite ends of the X axis linear guides (referenced particularly in  FIG. 3 ). 
     With the feeder bank  510 A maneuvered out of the third position  560  and into a second position  550 , the operator may move bank  510 B from the second position  550  (see the direction arrow label shown in  FIG. 9 ) to the third position, as depicted in  FIG. 10 , at which point production of the second product may begin or a production of the first product may resume, wherein such resumed production of the first product may then include the pick and placing of components contained in bank  510 B. Where a component placement machine  600  includes a head, such as head  612  shown in  FIG. 4 , having capability to access a bank  510  located in a second position  550 , it may be possible for the head of the machine  600  to pick components from feeders residing in banks  510 , wherein the banks  510  may be located in either a second  550  or a third position  560 . For example, one PCB product assembly may include components from feeders located in four different feeder banks  510 , wherein two of the four feeder banks  510  are each located at a second position  550  on one side of a component placement machine  600  and the other two of the four feeder banks  510  are located on another side of the component placement machine  600  each located at a third position  560 . Furthermore, with the bank  510 A located in a second position  550 , as depicted in  FIG. 10 , the operator may then also move bank  510 A at least partially outside of machine  600  to a first position  540 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , for preparation and setup of another product. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-11  of the drawings, additional reference to  FIG. 12  depicts a flowchart of an embodiment of a product changeover process  700 . The steps involved in product changeover process  700  may be employed for changing from one product to another product on production line, such as production line  300 , depicted in  FIG. 1 . Once production begins on a first product, step  701 , setup may begin on production line  300  for a second product step  702 . Retrieved components from a component warehouse  100  for the second product may be delivered to one or more PCB assembly machines  600  in production line  300 . An operator may load the retrieved components on to feeders, place the feeders into feeder slots  512  on bank  510 B located at a first position  540  and may, if required, validate that the correct components are loaded on to the correct feeders and that the correct feeders are located in the correct slots for the second product. Additionally, the operator may update the nozzle configuration for the second product and perform any necessary nozzle maintenance. Furthermore, the operator may move bank  510 B to a second position  550  completing step  702 . The remaining setup for the production of the second product may begin when production of the first product completes, step  703 . In the product changeover process  700 , the remaining setup of the second product may entail moving bank  510 A to a second position  550 , step  704  and arranging the board support pins within component placement machine  600 , step  705 . Moreover, the operator may also move bank  510 B to a third position  560 , step  706 . The production of the second product then may then begin, step  707 , and the operator may move bank  510 A to a first position  540  in preparation for repeating portions of the process  700  and setting up feeder bank  510 A for uninterrupted production of further PCB products. 
     As pertaining to the product changeover process  700  described above, the number of changeover steps, between the completion of the first product to the start of the second product, may not necessarily include the validation of the feeder banks, nor the setup and maintenance of the nozzles as this may be done in parallel with the production of the first product. This parallel setup and/or maintenance may reduce the amount of time production line  300  is not producing a product. In addition, the delivery of the retrieved components directly to production line  300  reduces the need for offline feeder setup area  200  as well as the typical feeder carts necessary to move the retrieved components from the offline feeder setup area  200  to the production line  300 , thereby reducing floor space requirements and hardware costs. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.