Abstract: A method of reconfiguring a production line for fabricating printed circuit board assemblies to achieve maximum efficiency and maximum flexibility is disclosed. The production line has one or more placement stations (16, 18, 20), a reflow oven (22), a conveyor (24) and a controller (30). The controller communicates with the various components (placement stations, reflow oven, conveyor) of the production line to transfer information related to the state of assembly of some of the printed circuit board assemblies (15, 17, 19) that are being processed. The controller also communicates information related to the status of the various other stations. The operational functionality of one or more of the placement stations, the reflow oven, or the conveyor is altered in response to the communication by the controller. Other remaining modules continue operation unaltered during this step of dynamic reconfiguration.

Abstract: A feeder system (1) for supplying electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system has a two storage hoppers (2a,2b) respective storage outlets (6a,6b), There is a pick up location (3) and a passage (4) provides communication between the storage outlets (6a,6b) and the pick up location (3). A first fluid jet outlet 31 associated with storage outlets (6a,6b) provides fluid blasts to agitate components (20) the hoppers (2a,2b). A second fluid jet outlet (32) associated provides fluid blasts to propel the components (20) towards the pick up location (3).

Abstract: A feeder (1) has a hopper (2) for storing components (20) and a pick up location (3) for supplying the components to a pick-and-place machine (not shown). A channel (4) provides communication between the hopper (2) and pick up location (3). The channel (4) has an upwardly inclined portion (5) which is upwardly inclined towards the pick up location (3) and there are controlled air jet nozzles (14,6) for providing pulsed air jets to push the components (20) up the inclined portion (5) and towards the pick up location (3). The pick up location (3) has a movable stopper (30) that moves to a feed position when one of the components (20) is fed to the pick up location 3, and that moves to a pick position, prior to the pick and place machine picking up the component (20) at the pick location (3).

Abstract: A workstation (1) in an assembly line for placing components onto workpieces is associated with a conveyor (3) for conveying the workpieces into and out of workstation (1). A component placer (6) places components from a component feeder (5) onto the workpieces. Controller (4) controls conveyor (3) and component placer (6) and determines placement operations for a workpiece. Information may be provided by a preceding workstation to controller (4) to determine the operations. When an idle status signal from a subsequent workstation is received, controller (4) determines information on how much of the operations have been executed or unexecuted by workstation (1). This information, associated with the workpiece, is then provided to the subsequent workstation when the workpiece is conveyed to the subsequent workstation. Thereafter, workstation (1) provides an idle status signal to the preceding workstation to request for another workpiece.

Abstract: A feeder system (1) and method supplies electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system (1) has a hopper (2) coupled by a passage (4) to a pickup location (3). The electrical components (20) are provided by air blasts to a first air outlet (6a) associated with the hopper (2) to agitate the components (20). Air blasts are concurrently supplied to a second and third air outlets (6b, 6c) located in the passage (6b) to thereby retain at least some of the components (20) therebetween. The third air outlet (6c) is disposed between the pickup location (3) and the second air outlet (6b) and in use an air blast from said third air outlet (6c) is effected immediately before an air blast from said second outlet (6b) is effected.

Abstract: An oven (100) for reflowing circuit board assemblies (102). Air is pumped into a heating chamber (104) from which the air is then communicated through one or more apertures (112) in a panel (114) to a reflow chamber (106). A conveyor track (108) conveys the assemblies (102) through the reflow chamber (106). In use, the oven turbulates the air sufficient to vibrate components on the assemblies (102) and, thereby, realigns components inadvertently displaced off pads of the assemblies (102).

Abstract: A conveyor system with a preceding conveyor (2) and a conveyor (3). The conveyor (3) has a plurality of board supports (8) for conveying circuit boards (4,5) having different widths. The board supports (8) are provided with abutment members (16) of which some coact with complementary abutment members (17). The board supports (8) are coupled to a continuous flexible member in the form of a chain (15) and are adjustable to vary a distance (20) between the abutment members (16) and the complementary abutment members (17). The board supports (8) are set by a setting actuator (6) based on widths of the circuit boards (4,5). A resetting actuator resets the board supports (8) after conveying the circuit boards (4,5). Additional embodiments of the board supports (8) include telescopic members and guides.

Abstract: A hopper (20) with a bias member (21) for coacting with a catch (12) for a sliding door (11) on a cartridge (10). Catch (12) has two abutments (13,14) for abutting with bias member (21). When cartridge (10) is inserted into hopper (20), bias member (21) abuts a bottom surface (15) of abutment (13) to force sliding door (11) to open and thereby create an outlet (18). Outlet (18) is on the bottom of cartridge (10) and allows transfer of components (23) into a receiving portion (22) of hopper (20). When cartridge (10) is removed from hopper (20), bias member (21) abuts a top surface (16) of abutment (13) to force sliding door (11) to close and thereby stop the transfer of components (23).

Abstract: An indicator system (1) having a plurality of hoppers (2) for supplying electrical components (20) to respective dispensing locations. There are actuators (9) associated with the hoppers (2), the actuators (9) being movable during the dispensing. There is a sensor (13) selectively actuatable by some of the actuators (9) when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below a desired number or threshold level. The system (1) also has a visual indicator (14) coupled to the sensor (13) to provide a warning signal indicative of when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below the desired number.

Abstract: A differential thickness stencil (14') integrally formed from two sieves (601 and 602) having different thicknesses (701 and 702) for a two-stage solder printing process for printing the solder mask for a fine-pitch component alongside that of a larger component. The differential thickness stencil (14') includes a first sieve (602) having at least one through-hole (142) of a first height (702) from a top surface portion (722) of the stencil to the bottom surface (714) of the stencil. This first sieve (702) has at least one inverted well (742) having an opening on the bottom surface (744) and having a second height (746) lower than the first height (702) starting from the bottom surface (714) to an underside ceiling (746) of the top surface of the stencil.

Abstract: A flexible metal squeegee blade (500) includes a plurality of grooved portions (502) etched on a rectangular metal blade plane (504) to provide for greater flexibility at the grooved portions (502) of the blade.