Abstract: Before using a load cell to measure a load (nozzle load) arising during relative movement between a suction tube and a pipe of a suction nozzle, the suction nozzle and a metal contact tool are moved towards each other by a set load with the metal contact tool contacting the tip section of the suction tube. When the suction tube and the pipe has moved relatively by set amount due to the suction nozzle and metal contact tool being moved towards each other, the nozzle load of the suction nozzle is measured using the load cell. Nozzle load is measured only for a suction nozzle for which relative movement of the suction tube and the pipe has been confirmed, and nozzle load is measured appropriately without damaging the load sensor.

Abstract: In a palette accommodation device in which a nozzle palette to which a suction nozzle can be installed is stored, a plurality of storage sections (parts on one pair of comb teeth which are positioned at the same height) for storing the nozzle palette, are installed to be aligned in the vertical direction. In addition, a support arm moves in the vertical direction, and moves in the direction of approaching the storage section and in the direction of being separated from the storage section.

Abstract: A mounting head cleaning device is provided with a cleaning fluid supply device which supplies a cleaning fluid which is formed of positive pressure air or an oil mist to an air passage, and a control device which controls operations of a lifting and lowering mechanism and operations of a rotation mechanism, such that a nozzle shaft is lifted and lowered, and the nozzle shaft is rotated around an axial line in synchronization with a lifting and lowering operation of the nozzle shaft in a cleaning process which uses the cleaning fluid supply device.

Abstract: Imaging device is provided with lower lighting device, side lighting device, and camera; light is emitted to suction nozzle from below by the lower lighting device, and light is emitted onto the suction nozzle from a sideways direction by the side lighting device. Light emitted from the lower lighting device arrives at the camera via a first light path (the path between the two dotted lines); light emitted from the side lighting device arrives at the camera via a second light path (the path between the two dotted lines). Further, light emitted from the lower lighting device is blocked by light-blocking blocks so as not to arrive at the camera along the second light path.

Abstract: When performing inspection of a tip of a suction nozzle, the tip of the suction nozzle is imaged, and an opening of the tip of the suction nozzle is identified based on the image data. With the image based on the image data, locations with less than a set brightness level inside a location with the set brightness level and greater is identified as the opening. The identified opening is divided into four regions by boundary lines, and the area of the opening is calculated for each of the regions. Based on the areas calculated for each region, it is determined whether the suction nozzle is good. By determining whether the suction nozzle is good based on the area of the opening for each region, it is possible to reliably determine whether the suction nozzle is good.

Abstract: A measurement device that can improve measurement accuracy and increase the number of times of service of a measurement jig. The measurement device includes a movement control section that positions the measurement jig at an instructed position in the transfer direction, an imaging control section that images the positioned measurement jig by the measurement camera and acquires an image data, an image processing section that calculates an actual position of the measurement jig based on multiple measurement marks which are included in the image data, and an error measurement section that measures a positioning error in the transfer direction due to the driving device based on the instructed position and the actual position.

Abstract: A nozzle drying device is provided, in which a suction nozzle held by a holding chuck is inserted inside a housing, and air is blown towards the suction nozzle by operation of air blow device. A suction pipe of the suction nozzle held by the holding chuck is inserted inside a body tube by the suction pipe being contacted against contacting table. By sliding the suction pipe and the body tube with respect to each other by inserting the suction pipe inside the body tube, liquid is ejected from inside the body tube, and the liquid can be removed by blowing air. Thus, it is possible to appropriately remove liquid that has entered between the suction pipe and the body tube.

Abstract: A nozzle cleaning period management device is provided with a cleaning device that cleans suction nozzles that are used in order to perform vacuum retention of an electronic component, a flow rate measurement device for measuring a flow rate that flows through the suction nozzles, a reduction amount calculation device for calculating a unit flow rate reduction amount of the flow rate of the suction nozzle per a number of times of mounting of electronic components on the basis of a flow rate difference before and after cleaning, which is measured by the flow rate measurement device, and an estimation device for estimating a cleaning period, which subsequently cleans the suction nozzles, on the basis of the unit flow rate reduction amount, which is calculated by the reduction amount calculation device, and a flow rate after cleaning.

Abstract: A nozzle station installation device capable of installing multiple nozzle stations, which hold multiple suction nozzles that are used in an electronic component mounting machine, in a nozzle cleaning device or the like, is provided. The nozzle station installation device is provided with multiple reference bases, and intermediate bases that are provided to be attachable and detachable on each of the multiple reference bases and on which multiple nozzle stations are capable of being placed, positioning sections which position intermediate bases are provided at a common position on the multiple reference bases, a positioning and fixing device that positions and fixes each of the multiple nozzle stations to be attachable and detachable is provided on each of the multiple intermediate bases, and 2D codes are disposed in a fixed positional relationship with the positioning sections in each of the multiple nozzle stations.

Abstract: In a palette accommodation device in which a nozzle palette to which a suction nozzle can be installed is stored, a plurality of storage sections (parts on one pair of comb teeth which are positioned at the same height) for storing the nozzle palette, are installed to be aligned in the vertical direction. In addition, a support arm moves in the vertical direction, and moves in the direction of approaching the storage section and in the direction of being separated from the storage section.

Abstract: A mounting head cleaning device is provided with a cleaning fluid supply device which supplies a cleaning fluid which is formed of positive pressure air or an oil mist to an air passage, and a control device which controls operations of a lifting and lowering mechanism and operations of a rotation mechanism, such that a nozzle shaft is lifted and lowered, and the nozzle shaft is rotated around an axial line in synchronization with a lifting and lowering operation of the nozzle shaft in a cleaning process which uses the cleaning fluid supply device.

Abstract: Imaging device is provided with lower lighting device, side lighting device, and camera; light is emitted to suction nozzle from below by the lower lighting device, and light is emitted onto the suction nozzle from a sideways direction by the side lighting device. Light emitted from the lower lighting device arrives at the camera via a first light path (the path between the two dotted lines); light emitted from the side lighting device arrives at the camera via a second light path (the path between the two dotted lines). Further, light emitted from the lower lighting device is blocked by light-blocking blocks so as not to arrive at the camera along the second light path.

Abstract: An inspection method of a suction nozzle. Air flow rates that flow in multiple reference pipes that have different sectional areas are measured. A proportionality factor between air flow rates and sectional areas of the reference pipes is calculated based on the measured air flow rates of the multiple reference pipes, and the sectional areas of the multiple reference pipes. An air flow rate in a suction nozzle that is an inspection target is measured. The sectional area of the suction nozzle is calculated based on the air flow rate of the suction nozzle and the calculated proportionality factor. The sectional area of the suction nozzle calculated in this manner is substantially fixed even when the pressure of air supplied from an air source fluctuates. The sectional area of the suction nozzle is proportional to the air flow rate that flows in an inner portion of the suction nozzle.

Abstract: Before using a load cell to measure a load (nozzle load) arising during relative movement between a suction tube and a pipe of a suction nozzle, the suction nozzle and a metal contact tool are moved towards each other by a set load with the metal contact tool contacting the tip section of the suction tube. When the suction tube and the pipe has moved relatively by set amount due to the suction nozzle and metal contact tool being moved towards each other, the nozzle load of the suction nozzle is measured using the load cell. Nozzle load is measured only for a suction nozzle for which relative movement of the suction tube and the pipe has been confirmed, and nozzle load is measured appropriately without damaging the load sensor.

Abstract: A nozzle cleaning device for cleaning suction nozzle 62, wherein the jetting direction of water jetted towards the tip section of the suction nozzle is changed by a tapered second internal surface 374 of socket 370. Accordingly, for example, not only is it possible to appropriately remove items adhering to the lower surface of the tip of the suction nozzle, it is possible to remove items adhering to the side surfaces of the tip of the suction nozzle by applying water. The suction nozzle is cleaned while being supported by nozzle pallet 152; after the suction nozzle is cleaned, the suction nozzle is held by a holding tool and removed from the nozzle pallet. Accordingly, the suction nozzle removed from the nozzle pallet is individually dried by the nozzle drying device. Thus, it is possible to appropriately dry the suction nozzle after cleaning.

Abstract: A nozzle cleaning period management device is provided with a cleaning device that cleans suction nozzles that are used in order to perform vacuum retention of an electronic component, a flow rate measurement device for measuring a flow rate that flows through the suction nozzles, a reduction amount calculation device for calculating a unit flow rate reduction amount of the flow rate of the suction nozzle per a number of times of mounting of electronic components on the basis of a flow rate difference before and after cleaning, which is measured by the flow rate measurement device, and an estimation device for estimating a cleaning period, which subsequently cleans the suction nozzles, on the basis of the unit flow rate reduction amount, which is calculated by the reduction amount calculation device, and a flow rate after cleaning.

Abstract: A circuit-substrate-related-operation performing apparatus for performing a circuit-substrate-related operation which is an operation on a circuit substrate, including: a plurality of heads including at least one work head and at least one detection head; a head holding device configured to hold, at a holding portion thereof, one of the plurality of heads; a moving device configured to move the head holding device; a head stock device in which the plurality of heads are stocked; and a controller configured to control the circuit-substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, wherein the controller includes a head attachment control portion configured to control the moving device and the head holding device such that the head holding device is moved to a set position which is set with respect to the head stock device and such that an arbitrary one of the plurality of heads is held by the head holding device.

Abstract: An image taking system including: (a) a lighting device capable of changing a light emission time to various time length values; (b) an image taking device configured to take an image of a subject portion while light is being emitted by the lighting device; (c) a subject-portion moving device configured to move the subject portion relative to the image taking device, and capable of changing a movement velocity of the subject portion relative to the image taking device, to various velocity values; and (d) a control device configured, during movement of the subject portion by the subject-portion moving device, to cause the lighting device to emit the light for one of the time length values as the light emission time and to cause the image taking device to take the image, and is configured to control the movement velocity, such that an amount of the movement of the subject portion for the above-described one of the time length values is not larger than a predetermined movement amount.

Abstract: When a detection-target subject is imaged with an image pickup device having line-defect pixels, the detection-target subject is imaged, with the image pickup device or the detection-target subject rotated at a predetermined angle so that the edge of one side of the detection-target subject is not parallel to each of horizontal and vertical scanning lines of the image pickup device, and a gray-scale image is captured by a control apparatus. In the gray-scale image, the luminance of each of the line-defect pixels is corrected by interpolation with luminances of pixels adjacent to both sides of the line-defect pixel. The gray-scale image is subjected to sub-pixel processing to detect the edge of the detection-target subject. When the detection-target subject is a component in a rectangular shape, rotation is made so that four sides are not parallel to each of the horizontal and vertical scanning lines of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A circuit-substrate-related-operation performing apparatus for performing a circuit-substrate-related operation which is an operation on a circuit substrate, including: a plurality of heads including at least one work head and at least one detection head; a head holding device configured to hold, at a holding portion thereof, one of the plurality of heads; a moving device configured to move the head holding device; a head stock device in which the plurality of heads are stocked; and a controller configured to control the circuit-substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, wherein the controller includes a head attachment control portion configured to control the moving device and the head holding device such that the head holding device is moved to a set position which is set with respect to the head stock device and such that an arbitrary one of the plurality of heads is held by the head holding device.