Abstract: A bump bonding unit is disclosed including a novel storage, transport, and feed system for allocating trays that hold IC chips to various operations of the bump bonding unit. The bump bonding unit includes fist and second tray storage and feed apparatuses that transport trays from empty stacks to full stacks and vice versa, and a transfer head for picking up an IC chip without a bump formed thereon and moving the IC chip to a bump formation location, and for picking up the IC chip with the bump formed thereon and moving the IC chip to a storage location. The bump bonding unit also includes a bump forming unit for forming the bump on the IC chip. Each tray storage apparatus includes a carrier that moves vertically to position a stack of trays, a tray receiver that cooperates with the carrier to support a lowermost tray in the respective stack of trays, and tray holder to support and release a tray supported by the tray receiver.

Abstract: A component feeder including a rotary mechanism 31 which is mounted on a turning mechanism 17 for turning the suction nozzle 3 and causes the suction nozzle 3 to rotate around its axis line A, a detector 7 for detecting an amount of displacement the component 2 in rotating direction around the axis line A of the suction nozzle 3, and a controller 32 which controls the suction nozzle 3 such as to rotate at a necessary angle around its axis line A before picking up the component 2 in accordance with displacement of the component 2 in rotating direction around the axis line A.

Abstract: The component (2) is first brought into point or line contact with the sheet (3) so as to avoid entrapment of air therebetween. The contact area between the component and the sheet is then gradually spread until the entire bottom surface of the component is adhered to the sheet.

Abstract: In a flip-chip mounting equipment, there is provided an IC removal device by which ICs (4) which have been recognized to be removed in error in spite of their faultlessness can be removed in a manner such that they are lined up in a row without being scratched on the surface and without incurring electrostatic destruction. Also the device allows an easy visual checking of the ICs with the objective of reuse. The device comprises a glass plate (2) for carrying ICs (4) and a mechanism for rotating this glass plate (2) at fixed angles, whereby if a recognition error occurs, a bonding head (1) with an IC (4) sucked thereby is moved to an IC removal position on the glass plate (2) and is then lowered until the IC (4) contacts the glass plate (2), thereby removing the IC (4). As a result, the ICs (4) can be lined up in a row without being scratched on the surface and without incurring electrostatic destruction, allowing an easy visual checking of the ICs with the objective of reuse.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing a solder paste to a printed circuit board with use of a screen mask plate and a squeegee. The apparatus includes a device for moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate at a first moving speed in a direction to be separated from the other of them after printing of the solder paste and until the moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate reaches a plate-separation position which is a position immediately before the screen mask plate and the printed circuit board are completely separated from each other, and a controller for changing the first moving speed to a second moving speed higher than the first moving speed when the moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate reaches the plate-separation position.

Abstract: A method for printing a solder paste to a printed circuit board with use of a screen mask plate and a squeegee, the method includes steps of moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate at a first moving speed in a direction to be separated from the other of them after printing of the solder paste and until the moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate reaches a plate-separation position which is a position immediately before the screen mask plate and the printed circuit board are completely separated from each other, and changing the first moving speed to a second moving speed higher than the first moving speed when the moving one of the printed circuit board and the screen mask plate reaches the plate-separation position.

Abstract: A reflow apparatus includes a reflow furnace. A transfer device holds and transfers printed circuit boards with to-be-reflowed electronic components thereon from an inlet to an outlet of the furnace within the furnace. A plurality of adjusting/circulating sections separate an ambient gas for heating the printed circuit boards into predetermined temperature regions in the furnace in which the ambient gas is circulated in a heated state. A feed port is formed in the furnace to feed the ambient gas into the furnace under pressure. Residence parts each provided between adjacent adjusting/circulating sections regulate the amount of the ambient gas when the ambient gas, after having been sent to and heated in the adjusting/circulating section adjacent to the feed port, is circulated and sequentially moved to the adjusting/circulating sections at the inlet or the outlet and finally flows out through the inlet or outlet into atmosphere.

Abstract: A wire clamping device which is used to clamp bonding wire in the wire bonding of electronic components comprising: a fixed arm; a movable arm that is positioned so that the end of the fixed arm faces the and of the movable arm with a suitable gap, the movable arm being capable of bending so that the end of the movable arm approaches the end of the fixed arm; and a piezoelectric element that is attached to the movable arm which bends the movable arm by mechanical deformation of the piezoelectric device in order to clamp wire between the end of the movable arm and the end of the fixed arm. A wire clamping method for clamping bonding wire comprising bending a movable arm toward a fixed arm during wire bonding of electronic components by means of mechanical deformation of a piezoelectric element, the deformation being generated by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element.