Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and a method thereof which can detect a displacement amount of a cutting tool with respect to a workpiece with high accuracy and can correct a processing position with high accuracy. Accordingly, a turret gauge 46 is comprised of an invar body 47 and a gauge main body 48 with a different thermal expansion coefficient. A point A of the gauge main body 48 and a leading edge 47A of the invar body are imaged in a state of viewing the whole thereof at a time of an initialization and a calibration cycle (CS), and a temperature of the gauge main body 48 is detected by comparing each image data. Furthermore, the length between the point A and a point B of the gauge main body 48 at the time of the CS is obtained based on the image data. The actual length is compared with a theoretical length between the point A and the point B at a temperature of the gauge main body 48 at the time of the CS, and consideration is given to the comparison.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and a method thereof which can detect a displacement amount of a cutting tool with respect to a workpiece with high accuracy and can correct a processing position with high accuracy. Accordingly, a turret gauge 46 is comprised of an invar body 47 and a gauge main body 48 with a different thermal expansion coefficient. A point A of the gauge main body 48 and a leading edge 47A of the invar body are imaged in a state of viewing the whole thereof at a time of an initialization and a calibration cycle (CS), and a temperature of the gauge main body 48 is detected by comparing each image data. Furthermore, the length between the point A and a point B of the gauge main body 48 at the time of the CS is obtained based on the image data. The actual length is compared with a theoretical length between the point A and the point B at a temperature of the gauge main body 48 at the time of the CS, and consideration is given to the comparison.

Abstract: An electronic-component holding apparatus and an electronic-component mounting system each of which assures that a nozzle head holding a plurality of suction nozzles is easily attached to, and detached from, a head holding member, are provided. A suction surface of a head holding member is held in close contact with a to-be-sucked surface of a revolver head so as to define a head-related negative-pressure chamber that holds the revolver head by utilizing suction. The revolver head is revolved, and moved upward and downward, with the head holding member.

Abstract: An electronic-component holding apparatus, an electronic-component mounting system, and an electronic-component mounting method each of which assures that a nozzle head holding at least one suction nozzle is easily attached to, and detached from, a head holding member, are provided. A suction surface 130 of a head holding member 52 is held in close contact with a to-be-sucked surface 200 of a revolver head 56, so as to define a head-related negative-pressure chamber 204 that holds the revolver head 56 by utilizing suction based on a negative pressure. The revolver head 56 is rotated, and moved upward and downward, with the head holding member 52. The revolver head 56 has twelve suction nozzles 212 and twelve valve devices 264.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus for mounted electronic components in a component mounting apparatus is provided with camera means capable of placing within its sight a whole printed board. The camera means picks up a first image for the whole printed board which does not have any electronic component mounted thereon. Those but some left of the electronic components to be mounted are then mounted on the printed board. The camera means then picks up a second image for the whole printed board on which those but some left of the electronic components have been mounted.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a coplanarity of a plurality of leads of an electronic component that laterally extend from a main body thereof, including a holding device which holds the main body of the electronic component at an upper surface of the main body, an image taking device which faces the electronic component held by the holding device and has an optical axis that is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to a plane containing a bottom surface of the main body such that in a direction from the image taking device toward the main body, the optical axis goes down in a direction from the upper surface to the bottom surface, a background forming device which is provided on one of opposite sides of the electronic component that is opposite to the other side thereof on which the image taking device is provided, and which forms a background having an optical characteristic different from an optical characteristic of the leads, and an image processing device which processes an image of respective end port

Abstract: A method of sequentially mounting, on a printed-wiring board supported by a board supporting device, a plurality of electric components which are sucked and held by respective ends of a plurality of suction nozzles which are supported by a rotatable body such that the suction nozzles are provided along a circle whose center is located on an axis line of the rotatable body and such that each of the suction nozzles is not rotatable relative to the rotatable body and is movable relative to the body in a direction parallel to the axis line of the body, the rotatable body being attached to a movable member which is movable to an arbitrary position on a movement plane parallel to the printed-wiring board supported by the board supporting device, such that the rotatable body is rotatable about the axis line thereof perpendicular to the movement plane.

Abstract: A method of changing a width of a variable-width substrate conveyor including a feeding device for feeding a circuit substrate along the guide rails, a pair of guide rails having guide surfaces for guiding the circuit substrate being fed by the feeding device, in a longitudinal direction of the guide rails, and a width changing device for moving the guide rails relative to each other toward or away from each other, to change a distance between the guide rails, wherein an image-taking device is operated to take an image of a portion of at least one of the guide rails, and the width changing device is controlled on the basis of the image taken by the image-taking device.

Abstract: A method of detecting a positioning error of an electric component with respect to a suction nozzle by which the electric component is held by suction under a negative pressure, wherein image data representative of images of the suction nozzle and a dog disposed near the suction nozzle are processed to obtain a relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog, a second image-taking step of taking an image of said electric component held by said suction nozzle and an image of said dog, and the positioning error of the electric component with respect to the suction nozzle is obtained on the basis of image data representative of images of the electric component and the dog, and the obtained relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog. Also disclosed in a method of mounting the electric component on a circuit substrate, on the basis of the obtained positioning error of the electric component.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a positioning error of an electric component with respect to a suction nozzle by which the electric component is held by suction under a negative pressure, wherein image data representative of images of the suction nozzle and a dog disposed near the suction nozzle are processed to obtain a relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog, a second image-taking step of taking an image of the electric component held by the suction nozzle and an image of the dog, and the positioning error of the electric component with respect to the suction nozzle is obtained on the basis of image data representative of images of the electric component and the dog, and the obtained relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for mounting the electric component on a circuit substrate, on the basis of the obtained positioning error of the electric component.

Abstract: An electric-component mounting system, including a board supporting device, a movable member, a main moving device which moves the movable member, a rotatable body attached to the movable member, a rotatable-body rotating device which rotates the rotatable body, suction nozzles supported by the rotatable body along a circle whose center is located on an axis line of the rotatable body, such that each suction nozzle is not rotatable relative to the body and is movable relative to the body in a direction parallel to the axis line, an engaging member rotatable relative to the rotatable body about the axis line, movable relative to the body in the direction parallel to the axis line, and including a nozzle-engaging portion engageable with one suction nozzle, an engaging-member rotating device which rotates the engaging member to two rotation phases of the rotatable body at each of which the nozzle-engaging portion is engageable with one suction nozzle, an engaging-member moving device which moves the engaging mem

Abstract: An electric-component mounting system, including a board supporting device, a movable member, a main moving device which moves the movable member, a rotatable body attached to the movable member, a rotatable-body rotating device which rotates the rotatable body, suction nozzles supported by the rotatable body along a circle whose center is located on an axis line of the rotatable body, such that each suction nozzle is not rotatable relative to the body and is movable relative to the body in a direction parallel to the axis line, an engaging member rotatable relative to the rotatable body about the axis line, movable relative to the body in the direction parallel to the axis line, and including a nozzle-engaging portion engageable with one suction nozzle, an engaging-member rotating device which rotates the engaging member to two rotation phases of the rotatable body at each of which the nozzle-engaging portion is engageable with one suction nozzle, an engaging-member moving device which moves the engaging mem

Abstract: A method of processing batches of object-part-image data representing object-part images which are taken by one or more image-taking devices from parts of an object, respectively, and thereby obtaining one or more optical characteristic values of the object, the object-part images imaging the parts of the object such that a first object-part image images a first part and a second object-part image images a second part adjacent to the first part in the object and includes an overlapping portion imaging a portion of the first part, each of the batches of object-part-image data including optical characteristic values respectively associated with physical positions, and thereby defining a corresponding one of physical screens, the method including the steps of designating at least one virtual position on a virtual screen corresponding to the parts of the object, modifying, based on predetermined modifying data, the at least one virtual position on the virtual screen, and thereby determining at least one physical

Abstract: A method of measuring an accuracy with which an electric-component mounting system mounts one or more electric components on a circuit substrate, the electric-component mounting system including one or more component holders for holding the electric component or components, a substrate supporting device for supporting the circuit substrate, a first image-taking device for taking an image of at least a portion of the electric component held by the component holder, and a second image-taking for taking an image of at least a portion of the circuit substrate supported by the substrate supporting device, the method including the step of measuring, with the electric-component mounting system, at least one positional error of one of the component holder, the first image-taking device and the second image-taking device relative to one or each of the others of the component holder and the first and second image-taking devices.

Abstract: A method of changing a width of a variable-width substrate conveyor including a feeding device for feeding a circuit substrate along the guide rails, a pair of guide rails having guide surfaces for guiding the circuit substrate being fed by the feeding device, in a longitudinal direction of the guide rails, and a width changing device for moving the guide rails relative to each other toward or away from each other, to change a distance between the guide rails, wherein an image-taking device is operated to take an image of a portion of at least one of the guide rails, and the width changing device is controlled on the basis of the image taken by the image-taking device.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a coplanarity of a plurality of leads of an electronic component that laterally extend from a main body thereof, including a holding device which holds the main body of the electronic component at an upper surface of the main body, an image taking device which faces the electronic component held by the holding device and has an optical axis that is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to a plane containing a bottom surface of the main body such that in a direction from the image taking device toward the main body, the optical axis goes down in a direction from the upper surface to the bottom surface, a background forming device which is provided on one of opposite sides of the electronic component that is opposite to the other side thereof on which the image taking device is provided, and which forms a background having an optical characteristic different from an optical characteristic of the leads, and an image processing device which processes an image of respective end port

Abstract: A method of detecting a positioning error of an electric component with respect to a suction nozzle by which the electric component is held by suction under a negative pressure, wherein image data representative of images of the suction nozzle and a dog disposed near the suction nozzle are processed to obtain a relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog, a second image-taking step of taking an image of said electric component held by said suction nozzle and an image of said dog, and the positioning error of the electric component with respect to the suction nozzle is obtained on the basis of image data representative of images of the electric component and the dog, and the obtained relative position between the suction nozzle and the dog. Also disclosed in a method of mounting the electric component on a circuit substrate, on the basis of the obtained positioning error of the electric component.