Abstract: The invention is directed to an electronic component mounting apparatus which is applicable to a case in which component feeding devices need not be provided on both sides of a carrying device respectively for reasons of types of electronic components or a setting space and increases an operating rate of a beam to enhance production efficiency. An electronic component mounting apparatus has a carrying device carrying a printed board, a component feeding device supplying electronic components, a pair of beams movable in one direction by drive sources, and mounting heads each having suction nozzles and movable along the beams by drive sources.

Abstract: The invention is directed to performing of an effective checking and aligning operation of component pick-up positions at component feeding units used for manufacturing by performing the operation sequentially at a time. A board recognition camera takes an image of a feeding position of a component feeding unit and the image is displayed being superimposed over a graphic image of a suction nozzle on a CRT. When an operator operates a trackball to move a cursor to an “execute visual alignment” menu and clicks a left button there, the stored image (memory image) becomes movable freely in any direction according to a trackball operation. The stored image (memory image) is moved to match a cross line and an outline of a graphic suction nozzle (component pick-up position) for visual alignment with a component feeding position. Then, the operator clicks both right and left buttons of the trackball to store an alignment value of the position in a RAM.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an unfailing pickup operation of an electronic component from a component storage portion at a seam of storage tapes connected even using a connection tape and prevention of reduction in a pickup rate of an electronic component. A CPU sends a feeding command to a component feeding unit to perform a component feeding operation or the like. Then, when the CPU judges that a connection tape reaches a pickup position, the CPU drives an X axis drive motor and a Y axis drive motor to move a board recognition camera to the pickup position of the feeding unit, the camera takes an image of a storage portion of a storage tape, and a recognition processing device performs recognition processing. A correction value based on a result of this recognition processing is stored in a RAM, and a suction nozzle is moved taking this correction value into account and lowers to pick up an electronic component.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing codec software includes a processor unit operative to execute a test program to read input data from a memory unit, to transform the input data according to transformation conditions by referring to data of the transformation conditions stored in the memory unit, and to generate a plurality of transformed data sets for storage in the memory unit, operative to execute a codec program to perform a plurality of encoding processes in parallel with respect to the plurality of transformed data sets stored in the memory unit to generate a plurality of encoded data sets, and to perform a plurality of decoding processes in parallel with respect to the plurality of encoded data sets to generate a plurality of decoded data sets, and operative to execute the test program to evaluate quality of at least one of the encoded data sets and the decoded data sets.

Abstract: This invention is directed to prevention of reduction of a pickup rate of an electronic component when a component feeding unit is dismounted from a feeder base and mounted back thereon. A CPU sends a feeding command to a component feeding unit feeding an electronic component belonging to a first step number, and drives a servomotor and a drive motor of the feeding unit to perform a component feeding operation and so on. After then, when the CPU judges that the feeding unit is dismounted from the feeder base and mounted back thereon, the CPU drives a X axis drive motor and a Y axis drive motor to move a board recognition camera to the pickup position of the feeding unit, the camera takes an image of a storage portion of a storage tape, and a recognition processing device performs recognition processing to the image.

Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus is configured to adjust a positional relationship between two axes when an error occurs in the positional relationship between the axes when a beam is moved by two drive sources. According to movement of the beam for component picking and mounting operations, linear scale signals from linear scale reading heads are inputted to a Y2 driver and a Y1 driver, respectively. Each of the Y2 driver and the Y1 driver calculates a difference between positions of the drive axes of the beam and controls a moving member of a linear motor based on the difference so as to increase thrust of one drive axis when the one drive axis is in a more backward position than another drive axis and to reduce the thrust of one drive axis when the one drive axis in a more forward position than another drive axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing codec software includes a processor unit operative to execute a test program to read input data from a memory unit, to transform the input data according to transformation conditions by referring to data of the transformation conditions stored in the memory unit, and to generate a plurality of transformed data sets for storage in the memory unit, operative to execute a codec program to perform a plurality of encoding processes in parallel with respect to the plurality of transformed data sets stored in the memory unit to generate a plurality of encoded data sets, and to perform a plurality of decoding processes in parallel with respect to the plurality of encoded data sets to generate a plurality of decoded data sets, and operative to execute the test program to evaluate quality of at least one of the encoded data sets and the decoded data sets.

Abstract: The invention provides a component feeding device where heat generation of a drive circuit is minimized and a printed board mounted with this drive circuit is miniaturized by forming an inexpensive structure using a single microcomputer and by energizing each of the servomotors only when necessary. In a component feeding unit of a dual lane type, a CPU in a microcomputer controls a start of driving of one of servomotors by energizing the servomotor through a drive circuit based on a component feeding signal for one lane outputted from a CPU of an electronic component mounting apparatus, and the CPU in the microcomputer controls one of the servomotors so that the servomotor is not energized when a component feeding signal for another lane is inputted before a predetermine time passes after a delay timer starts timekeeping when receiving a detection signal about rotation of the servomotor by a predetermined amount from an encoder detecting a rotation amount of the servomotor.

Abstract: The invention is directed to quick adjustment of a positional relationship between two axes when an error occurs in the positional relationship between the axes when a beam is moved by two drive sources. According to movement of the beam for component picking and mounting operations, linear scale signals (outputs relating to positions of one drive axis and another drive axes) from linear scale reading heads are inputted to a Y2 driver and a Y1 driver respectively.

Abstract: When an electronic component is recognized to be improper and the CPU detects that a “component recognition monitoring navigation mode” is set for a component feeding unit feeding the component, the “component recognition monitoring navigation mode” is activated to shift to an adjustment mode and an operator decides whether or not the picked-up component is to be discharged by visually examining a component recognition image displayed on a CRT. When the judgment of the component as improper is correct upon the visual examination of the operator, the picked-up component is discarded and a picking-up operation is repeated. When the judgment is not correct, the component is not discarded, the illuminating condition is adjusted for the component and the component library data is corrected. After this correction, if linked, a component recognition test is executed and the library informing is performed.

Abstract: When both first and second preferred nozzles are set up as valid, and both nozzles are stored in a nozzle stocker, the replacement with the recommended nozzle stored in the stocker is made and a CPU controls the operation based on control data. When both are set up as valid, but only the second preferred nozzle, not the first preferred nozzle, is stored in the stocker, the CPU 20 recognizes which nozzle is available by using nozzle positioning data stored in a RAM, and then the replacement with an alternative nozzle is made, and the CPU controls the operation according to the control data of the alternative nozzle.

Abstract: The invention is directed to performing of an effective checking and aligning operation of component pick-up positions at component feeding units used for manufacturing by performing the operation sequentially at a time. A board recognition camera takes an image of a feeding position of a component feeding unit and the image is displayed being superimposed over a graphic image of a suction nozzle on a CRT. When an operator operates a trackball to move a cursor to an “execute visual alignment” menu and clicks a left button there, the stored image (memory image) becomes movable freely in any direction according to a trackball operation. The stored image (memory image) is moved to match a cross line and an outline of a graphic suction nozzle (component pick-up position) for visual alignment with a component feeding position. Then, the operator clicks both right and left buttons of the trackball to store an alignment value of the position in a RAM.

Abstract: There are provided a method and device for correcting a camera position, and a dummy component for use in camera position correction. A board-sensing camera for sensing a position of a circuit board is caused to take an image of a dummy component in an attitude-fixed state in a first coordinate system peculiar to a board-sensing camera. A component-sensing camera for sensing a position of an electronic component to be mounted on the circuit board is caused to take an image of the dummy component in an attitude-fixed state in a second coordinate system peculiar to a component-sensing camera. An amount of deviation of a center of the dummy component from a sensing center of the board-sensing camera and an amount of deviation of the center of the dummy component from a sensing center of the component-sensing camera are calculated from results of the taking of the image of the dummy component by the board-sensing camera and results of the taking of the image of the dummy component by the component-sensing camera.

Abstract: A pallet-storing block of an electronic component-mounting apparatus stores a plurality of pallets each carrying thereon a tray containing a large number of electronic components. A desired pallet selected from the pallets is moved along a transfer path, in a manner such that the desired pallet is advanced to be introduced into a pickup area which extends to cover almost all of the transfer path or withdrawn from the pickup area into the pallet-storing block. Desired electronic components are sequentially picked up from the desired pallet introduced into the pickup area and mounted on a circuit board. The desired pallet is moved to a desired position within the pickup area.

Abstract: This invention enables the designation of alternative nozzle along with the designation of recommended nozzle. Also, this invention enables the independent set-up and registration of the data on the control during component handling for each nozzle. When both the first and second preferred nozzles are set up as valid, and both nozzles are stored in the nozzle stocker 17, the replacement with the recommended nozzle stored in the stocker 17 is made and the CPU 20 controls the operation based on the “control data (the first preferred nozzle)”. When both are set up as valid, but only the second preferred nozzle, not the first preferred nozzle, is stored in the stocker 17, the CPU 20 recognizes which nozzle is available by using the nozzle positioning data stored in RAM 22, and then the replacement with the alternative nozzle (the second preferred nozzle) is made, and the CPU 20 controls the operation according to the “control data (the second preferred nozzle)” of the alternative nozzle.

Abstract: There are provided a component suction site-teaching system and method for an electronic component-mounting apparatus including a vacuum nozzle having a nozzle end face for picking up an electronic component thereat by vacuum. The vacuum nozzle is moved in directions of X axis and Y axis. An image of the electronic component set at a pickup position is taken. A graphical image of the nozzle end face of the vacuum nozzle is created from shape data of the vacuum nozzle. The image of the electronic component taken by the image taking means and the graphical image of the nozzle end face created by the image creating means, are displayed on a screen such that the graphical image of the nozzle end face is superimposed on the image of the electronic component.

Abstract: A pallet-storing block of an electronic component-mounting apparatus stores a plurality of pallets each carrying thereon a tray containing a large number of electronic components. A desired pallet selected from the pallets is moved along a transfer path, in a manner such that the desired pallet is advanced to be introduced into a pickup area which extends to cover almost all of the transfer path or withdrawn from the pickup area into the pallet-storing block. Desired electronic components are sequentially picked up from the desired pallet introduced into the pickup area and mounted on a circuit board. The desired pallet is moved to a desired position within the pickup area.