Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing a liquid or viscous material onto a substrate are disclosed herein. One exemplary method of positioning an applicator of a dispensing system to apply a liquid or viscous material to an electronic substrate includes generating a two-dimensional image of the electronic substrate using a camera communicatively connected to the dispensing system. Based on the two-dimensional image of the electronic substrate, a first set of one or more sub-regions of the electronic substrate having one or more components that protrude above the surface of the electronic substrate is identified. The method further includes using height information relating to the one or more sub-regions having the one or more components to determine a control program for the dispensing system to position the applicator relative to the electronic substrate and dispense the liquid or viscous material onto the electronic substrate.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing system and a method of controlling a fluid dispensing system are disclosed. The fluid dispensing system includes a source of a fluid, a dispensing nozzle, and a spray system. The spray system supplies fluid from the source of fluid to the dispensing nozzle using system parameters for the spray system. The spray system and dispensing nozzle are configured to dispense the fluid as a stream or spray as an actual fluid pattern according to one or more first system parameters that are intended to produce a first fluid pattern. A camera is configured to capture one or more images of the actual fluid pattern dispensed from the dispensing nozzle. A controller is operatively connected to the spray system and the camera.

Abstract: System and methods for calibrating a coating system are disclosed. Initially, a material is dispensed using an applicator of the coating system for a predetermined time period. A characteristic of the dispensing of the material for the predetermined time period is then determined. The characteristic of the dispensing of the material is compared to a predetermined range and it is determined that the characteristic of the dispensing of the material is outside of the predetermined range. In response, a velocity of the applicator, a pulse rate of the applicator, a temperature of the material, a pressure of the material supplied to the applicator, or a fan width of the applicator is adjusted to change the characteristic of the dispensing of the material.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing system and a method of controlling a fluid dispensing system are disclosed. The fluid dispensing system includes a source of a fluid, a dispensing nozzle, and a spray system. The spray system supplies fluid from the source of fluid to the dispensing nozzle using system parameters for the spray system. The spray system and dispensing nozzle are configured to dispense the fluid as a stream or spray as an actual fluid pattern according to one or more first system parameters that are intended to produce a first fluid pattern. A camera is configured to capture one or more images of the actual fluid pattern dispensed from the dispensing nozzle. A controller is operatively connected to the spray system and the camera.

Abstract: System and methods for calibrating a coating system are disclosed. Initially, a material is dispensed using an applicator of the coating system for a predetermined time period. A characteristic of the dispensing of the material for the predetermined time period is then determined. The characteristic of the dispensing of the material is compared to a predetermined range and it is determined that the characteristic of the dispensing of the material is outside of the predetermined range. In response, a velocity of the applicator, a pulse rate of the applicator, a temperature of the material, a pressure of the material supplied to the applicator, or a fan width of the applicator is adjusted to change the characteristic of the dispensing of the material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing a liquid or viscous material onto a substrate are disclosed herein. One exemplary method of positioning an applicator of a dispensing system to apply a liquid or viscous material to an electronic substrate includes generating a two-dimensional image of the electronic substrate using a camera communicatively connected to the dispensing system. Based on the two-dimensional image of the electronic substrate, a first set of one or more sub-regions of the electronic substrate having one or more components that protrude above the surface of the electronic substrate is identified. The method further includes using height information relating to the one or more sub-regions having the one or more components to determine a control program for the dispensing system to position the applicator relative to the electronic substrate and dispense the liquid or viscous material onto the electronic substrate.

Abstract: System and methods for applying a liquid coating to a substrate are disclosed herein. One exemplary method includes a flow control routine in which the velocity of an applicator, or other parameter affecting the amount of material applied to the substrate, is iteratively adjusted. The amount of the adjustment performed in each iteration is tracked. When the sum of the adjustments by the flow control routine exceeds a predetermined threshold, a fan width control routine is initiated in which the fan width of the stream of material applied by the applicator is adjusted.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots are controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying liquid coating materials to a substrate, such as an electronic component or circuit board. A control system of a coating system controls an applicator and a robot moving the applicator to apply the liquid coating material to the substrate in accordance with the information contained in a coating program. The control system determines a volume of liquid coating material actually dispensed onto the substrate during the coating program, and compares the dispensed volume to a desired dispensed volume of liquid coating material to produce an error signal representing the difference between the calculated and desired volume values. The control system uses the error signal to change the dispensed volume of liquid coating material on a subsequent substrate by a future coating program.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying liquid coating materials to a substrate, such as an electronic component or circuit board. A control system of a coating system controls an applicator and a robot moving the applicator to apply the liquid coating material to the substrate in accordance with the information contained in a coating program. The control system determines a volume of liquid coating material actually dispensed onto the substrate during the coating program, and compares the dispensed volume to a desired dispensed volume of liquid coating material to produce an error signal representing the difference between the calculated and desired volume values. The control system uses the error signal to change the dispensed volume of liquid coating material on a subsequent substrate by a future coating program.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying liquid coating materials to a substrate, such as an electronic component or circuit board. A control system (18, 24, 26) of a coating system (10) controls an applicator (16) and a robot (14) moving the applicator (16) to apply the liquid coating material to the substrate (12) in accordance with the information contained in a coating program. The control system (18, 24, 26) determines a volume of liquid coating material actually dispensed onto the substrate (12) during the coating program, and compares the dispensed volume to a desired dispensed volume of liquid coating material to produce an error signal representing the difference between the calculated and desired volume values. The control system (18, 24, 26) uses the error signal to change the dispensed volume of liquid coating material on a subsequent substrate by a future coating program.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for correcting for wear of links of a conveyor belt, resulting in inaccurate triggering based, on encoder pulses, of events downstream from a part registration sensor. The wear causes lengthening of the links, which the invention measures in an average sense and to within an accuracy limited by the rate of encoder pulses. An adaptive trigger then uses an inferred, approximate length for each link to refigure when to trigger downstream events.