Abstract: An occurrence component lack at a component arrangement position, designated by a mounting program, of a component feed part, which feeds components to be mounted, is determined. Whether a spare component for the lacking component to be mounted is present in a spare component feed area of the component feed part is determined, and supply of the component to be mounted from a designated component arrangement position of the component feed part is switched to supply of the spare component from the spare component feed area.

Abstract: A transfer rack 15 loaded with a seriate number of component supply cassettes 14 to be handled collectively is carried and retained on a truck 61 so that it can be taken in and out of the truck 61. The transfer rack 15 is passed between the truck 61 and a component supply section 8. Thus, the withdrawal of the transfer rack 15 from the component supply section 8 to the truck 61 and the delivery of the transfer rack 15 to the component supply section 8 are executed in a timely manner so as to change the component supply cassettes 14 at the component supply section 8. The transfer rack 15 delivered to the component supply section 8 is positioned by operating an automatic positioning means at the component supply section 8 in a direction in which it is loaded and unloaded and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it is loaded and unloaded.

Abstract: A squeegee unit having a stirring squeegee and a leveling squeegee fixed thereto is rocked with the reciprocating operation of a transfer unit moving mechanism to cause the stirring squeegee and the leveling squeegee to approach the pan surface of a transfer unit on going and returning paths. Consequently, the stirring squeegee stirs a viscous fluid put on the transfer unit on the going path of the transfer unit and the leveling squeegee uniformly flattens the viscous fluid stirred on the going path to have a predetermined thickness on the returning path of the transfer unit, thereby forming a flat viscous fluid transfer surface on the transfer unit. By immersing the terminal portion of the electronic component in the viscous fluid transfer surface, the viscous fluid is transferred to the electronic component and the electronic component is then mounted in a predetermined mounting position.

Abstract: A squeegee unit having a stirring squeegee and a leveling squeegee fixed thereto is rocked with the reciprocating operation of a transfer unit moving mechanism to cause the stirring squeegee and the leveling squeegee to approach the pan surface of a transfer unit on going and returning paths. Consequently, the stirring squeegee stirs a viscous fluid put on the transfer unit on the going path of the transfer unit and the leveling squeegee uniformly flattens the viscous fluid stirred on the going path to have a predetermined thickness on the returning path of the transfer unit, thereby forming a flat viscous fluid transfer surface on the transfer unit. By immersing the terminal portion of the electronic component in the viscous fluid transfer surface, the viscous fluid is transferred to the electronic component and the electronic component is then mounted in a predetermined mounting position.

Abstract: A squeegee unit having a stirring squeegee and a leveling squeegee fixed thereto is rocked with the reciprocating operation of a transfer unit moving mechanism to cause the stirring squeegee and the leveling squeegee to approach the pan surface of a transfer unit on going and returning paths. Consequently, the stirring squeegee stirs a viscous fluid put on the transfer unit on the going path of the transfer unit and the leveling squeegee uniformly flattens the viscous fluid stirred on the going path to have a predetermined thickness on the returning path of the transfer unit, thereby forming a flat viscous fluid transfer surface on the transfer unit. By immersing the terminal portion of the electronic component in the viscous fluid transfer surface, the viscous fluid is transferred to the electronic component and the electronic component is then mounted in a predetermined mounting position.

Abstract: A squeegee unit having a stirring squeegee and a leveling squeegee fixed thereto is rocked with the reciprocating operation of a transfer unit moving mechanism to cause the stirring squeegee and the leveling squeegee to approach the pan surface of a transfer unit on going and returning paths. Consequently, the stirring squeegee stirs a viscous fluid put on the transfer unit on the going path of the transfer unit and the leveling squeegee uniformly flattens the viscous fluid stirred on the going path to have a predetermined thickness on the returning path of the transfer unit, thereby forming a flat viscous fluid transfer surface on the transfer unit. By immersing the terminal portion of the electronic component in the viscous fluid transfer surface, the viscous fluid is transferred to the electronic component and the electronic component is then mounted in a predetermined mounting position.

Abstract: A component-lack advance notice method, a component-lack advance notice apparatus, and a component mounting apparatus including the component-lack advance notice apparatus, wherein a producible count determination part and advance notice parts are provided, so that an advance notice time from an advance notice of a lack of components to an actual occurrence of a lack of components is set beforehand. The producible count determination part obtains each advance notice remaining count of components to be supplied within the advance notice time from each component feed part on the basis of the advance notice time, and notifies a lack of components in advance on the basis of the advance notice remaining count.

Abstract: Image data of various kinds of components and component text data required for mounting of components, e.g., shapes, dimensions, packing forms, colors, and the like of the components, are stored in a storage medium in a manner to be read out as part of a component electronic catalog. The storage medium is used to make a search for components on a screen and automatically read out necessary component text data. The component electronic catalog can be used not only to search for components on a screen, similar to a conventional component electronic catalog, but to automatically read out component text data so as to automatically form mounting data for components to be mounted which are selected through the screen search.

Abstract: A transfer rack 15 loaded with a seriate number of component supply cassettes 14 to be handled collectively is carried and retained on a truck 61 so that it can be taken in and out of the truck 61. The transfer rack 15 is passed between the truck 61 and a component supply section 8. Thus, the withdrawal of the transfer rack 15 from the component supply section 8 to the truck 61 and the delivery of the transfer rack 15 to the component supply section 8 are executed in a timely manner so as to change the component supply cassettes 14 at the component supply section 8. The transfer rack 15 delivered to the component supply section 8 is positioned by operating an automatic positioning means at the component supply section 8 in a direction in which it is loaded and unloaded and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it is loaded and unloaded.

Abstract: There are provided a method and apparatus of component mounting capable of avoiding damages caused by production operations with the component holder having debris on it. If it is determined at the detecting step of component holding condition (#104) that a component (3) is held by a component holder (14) in improper condition for mounting, the component holder (14) releases such a component (3) into the collecting box (23)(#112), and skips pick up operation at the next round of pick up station (15). The component holder (14) is then subjected to confirming whether any debris exists by using, preferably, a condition sensor (17)(#114), and the component holder (14) picks up a new component (3) (#103) if it is confirmed that no debris exists. If debris is found at the confirming step, production operations are stopped (#116), or warning is generated. After the maintenance of the component holder (14) is completed, production operations are restarted.

Abstract: A method of positioning an electronic component, such as a BGA component, with respect to a mounting head. The BGA component is positioned through positional detection of a reference mark and inspection, and the positional correction is executed by checking the holding posture. Through inspection using the reference mark as a reference position, the dropout, dislocation, shortage of solder amount of the solder bumps of the component are subjected to a quality check (S4). If of normal quality, the component is moved closer to the mounting position of the printed board on a mounting table by a mounting head (S5). A recognition mark in the target mounting position of the printed board is confirmed and recognized (S6). By determining the mounting position through mounting position detection and component inspection result, the mounting position is corrected (S7) and the height of the mounting head is controlled and mounted (S8).

Abstract: A transfer rack 15 loaded with a seriate number of component supply cassettes 14 to be handled collectively is carried and retained on a truck 61 so that it can be taken in and out of the truck 61. The transfer rack 15 is passed between the truck 61 and a component supply section 8. Thus, the withdrawal of the transfer rack 15 from the component supply section 8 to the truck 61 and the delivery of the transfer rack 15 to the component supply section 8 are executed in a timely manner so as to change the component supply cassettes 14 at the component supply section 8. The transfer rack 15 delivered to the component supply section 8 is positioned by operating an automatic positioning means at the component supply section 8 in a direction in which it is loaded and unloaded and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it is loaded and unloaded.

Abstract: A component lack at a component arrangement position designated by a mounting program at a component feed part which feeds components to be mounted is detected, whether a spare component for the lacking component to be mounted is present in a spare component feed area (16s) of the component feed part is detected, and the supply of the component to be mounted from the designated component arrangement position in the component feed part is switched to the supply of the spare component from the spare component feed area.

Abstract: Image data of various kinds of components and component text data required for mounting of components, e.g., shapes, dimensions, packing forms, colors, and the like of the components, are stored in a storage medium in a manner to be read out as part of a component electronic catalog. The storage medium is used to make a search for components on a screen and automatically read out necessary component text data. The component electronic catalog can be used not only to search for components on a screen, similar to a conventional component electronic catalog, but to automatically read out component text data so as to automatically form mounting data for components to be mounted which are selected through the screen search.

Abstract: High-speed high-reliability component supplying method and mounting method is obtained by checking whether or not a component is the regular component to be mounted through a component type detecting process by means of component arrangement data having a plurality of substitute component type names of components which can be mounted in the proper position of a component supply section and a detection section and a comparing and deciding process.

Abstract: This invention provides an electronic component mounting method capable of effectively utilizing a self-alignment effect even if a mounting interval of electronic components is small. This method includes the steps of detecting a printing position of a solder paste on the circuit board and mounting an electronic component. This invention further provides apparatus, devices, and system using the method. When a solder paste on a circuit board having a land formed thereon is printed and an electronic component is mounted, the printing position of the solder paste of the circuit board is detected by a printing position detecting device included in an inspecting apparatus. Then, the electronic component is mounted by using the detected printing position of the solder paste as a reference by an electronic component mounting apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic component, such as a BGA component, and a method of positioning with respect to a mounting head the component. The BGA component is positioned through positional detection of a reference mark and inspection, and the positional correction is executed by checking the holding posture. Through the inspection using the reference mark as a reference position, the dropout, dislocation, shortage of solder amount of the solder bumps of the component are subject to a quality check (S4). If of normal quality, the component is moved closer to the mounting-position of the printed board on a mounting table by a mounting head (S5). A recognition mark in the target mounting position of the printed board is confirmed and recognized (S6). By determining the mounting position through mounting position detection and component inspection result, the mounting position is corrected (S7) and the height of the mounting head is controlled and the component is mounted (S8).

Abstract: The number of recognition operations for the circuit-formed substrate (14) as a whole is reduced by concurrently recognizing a bad mark (23) and an individual substrate mark (22) in the course of a recognition process of a single or a plurality of individual substrate(s) (16) provided by sectioning the circuit-formed substrate (14) The results of the recognition of the inclination and dislocation of the circuit-formed substrate (14) are used to control the position of the substrate-recognition camera (15) which recognizes the individual substrate (15), thereby reducing the rate of occurrence of recognition errors. When a component of the recognition marks (21) or (22) is captured within the visual field (31) of the substrate-recognition camera (15), the position of the recognized marks (21) or (22) is specified, and such a mark is again recognized, and thus, the occurrence of recognition error can be inhibited.

Abstract: A squeegee unit having a stirring squeegee and a leveling squeegee fixed thereto is rocked with the reciprocating operation of a transfer unit moving mechanism to cause the stirring squeegee and the leveling squeegee to approach the pan surface of a transfer unit on going and returning paths. Consequently, the stirring squeegee stirs a viscous fluid put on the transfer unit on the going path of the transfer unit and the leveling squeegee uniformly flattens the viscous fluid stirred on the going path to have a predetermined thickness on the returning path of the transfer unit, thereby forming a flat viscous fluid transfer surface on the transfer unit. By immersing the terminal portion of the electronic component in the viscous fluid transfer surface, the viscous fluid is transferred to the electronic component and the electronic component is then mounted in a predetermined mounting position.

Abstract: A component mounting method and a component mounting apparatus for picking up an electronic component, positioning the electronic component on a circuit substrate and mounting the electronic component to the circuit substrate are adapted to perform an idling operation during a pause of component mounting operation, thereby eliminating any degradation of the component mounting accuracy due to temperature changes.