Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning surface mounted optoelectric devices on a printed circuit board are disclosed. An optical transmitter and an optical receiver are added to the surface mounted optoelectric device. Also, a fiber optic cable is embedded within a printed circuit board. The length of the fiber optic cable is at least equivalent to a distance between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver placed on the surface mounted optoelectric device. An orientation of the surface mounted optoelectric device is aligned on the printed circuit board such that an optical signal transmitting from the optical transmitter can be received by the optical receiver via the fiber optic cable.

Abstract: The behavior of a nozzle tip is measured with a jig when the suction nozzle moves vertically and rotatively before the start of production. The nozzle tip displacement is formulated from the results with a component thickness and a mounting angle used as parameters, and the parameters are corrected according to the component thickness and the final mounting angle of the electronic component to be mounted in the production stage.

Abstract: A test strip (209-211) is associated with a circuit board (201-203) to facilitate inspection of the circuit board (201-203) during an assembly process (100). The board (201-203) has a plurality of pads (208) to receive solder paste (400) and electronic parts (600). The pads (208) are electrically coupled such that the received parts (600), once assembled, form an electronic circuit. The strip (209-211) has at least one pad (308, 310), electrically isolated from the pads (208), to receive solder paste (400) and/or parts (600). Inspection of the received solder paste (400) and/or parts (600) of the strip (209-211) indicates the accuracy of the received solder paste (400) and parts (600) on the pads (208) of the board (201-203).

Abstract: An entire contact row of an SMD component is illuminated by a light source direction in the direction of the contact row, and a shadow of the entire contact row is directed by a linear sensor. A shift of the contact row perpendicular to a contact surface formed by the contact row effects a shift of the position of the shadow on the linear sensor and also effects a modification of the expanse of the shadow. By identifying the minimum expanse of the shadow, a criterion for the co-planarity of the contact row derives from the minimum expanse itself and an indicator about the slanting attitude of the component derives from the position having the minimum expanse.

Abstract: A workpiece, on which electrically-conductive balls have been mounted by a mounting machine, is inspected by a camera of an inspecting device. The workpiece has a number of conductive ball-mounting areas arranged in a matrix-like pattern. The camera inspects each of the mounting areas independently with respect to the absence of the conductive ball, the misregistration of the conductive ball and the overload of the conductive balls. The defective workpiece, fed from the inspecting device, is stopped at a repair stage, and the operator effects a repairing operation at this repair stage. A monitor television is provided at the repair stage, and a defect category for each mounting area of the workpiece is displayed on a screen of this monitor television, and the operator effects the repairing operation while viewing this screen. Therefore, the burden of labor on the operator is reduced, and the repairing operation for correcting the mounting error can be effected easily and rapidly.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing plug and the manufacturing method is described. The method comprises providing a baseplate on a bottom surface of a sealed printing chamber. The printed circuit board and a stencil on the baseplate are sequentially mounted on the baseplate. Several cameras are used to align the holes of the printed circuit board and the stencil. A proper amount of preheated paste is printed on the stencil. The sealed printing chamber is adjusted to a first pressure to perform a paste-printing step for filling the hole of the printed circuit board with paste. The sealed printing chamber is adjusted to a second pressure. The sealed printing chamber is adjusted to a third pressure to perform a scraping step for remove redundant paste.

Abstract: A misregistration fidutial structure and method for verifying registration between multiple layers of multi-layer subassembly for an electronic device. A substrate for the subassembly is provided, where a first layer, typically having electrically conductive signal paths, is placed over the substrate. A second layer, typically a soldermask, is placed over the first layer. An aperture is formed in the second layer a predetermined horizontal distance from a conductive signal path in the underlying first layer so that through visual observation one can easily determine whether misregistration is present when any portion of the underlying signal conductive path is observable through the second layer aperture.

Abstract: A leadless ceramic chip carrier useful in surface mounting of SAW devices includes electrically conductive vias and metalization between input and output bond pads for improved crosstalk suppression between input and output device connections. A protrusion extending from a top layer of a multilayer ceramic carrier provides additional electrical contact to a package seal brazed thereto. The vias are positioned between input and output bond pads and connect the metalized protrusion to package ground pads through contact with multiple metalized layers of the package for enhancing the electrical connection between the package Kovar seal ring and customer accessed ground pads. For further suppression of crosstalk, bond pads within the package for connection to the SAW device are spaced at a greater distance from each other than their corresponding pads on the package bottom surface thus maintaining an optimum spacing for package connection to printed circuit board pads for minimizing thermal mismatch effects.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting electronic components includes a moving rail for moving a substrate back and forth, a plurality of part feeders disposed along a side of the moving rail, a plurality of transfer head guide rails installed in a direction orthogonal to a moving direction of the substrate along the moving rail, and a plurality of transfer heads fitted to each of the transfer head guide rails for picking up, transferring and mounting onto the substrate the electronic components from the part feeders while moving along the transfer head guide rails. In a method of mounting electronic components, the electronic components are picked up from part feeders disposed along a side of the moving rail by a nozzle of the transfer head which moves along the transfer head guide rail disposed orthogonally to the moving rail, transferred and loaded onto a substrate while the substrate is moved along the moving rail.

Abstract: An electrical connector press for connecting an electrical connector to a printed circuit board. The electrical connector has contacts with compliant attachment zones for insertion into holes of the printed circuit board The press comprises a gripping device for holding a housing of the connector, a force measuring device connected to the gripping device a distance measuring device connected to the gripping device; and a controller connected to the gripping device, the force measuring device and the distance measuring device. The controller controls movement of the gripping device towards the printed circuit board. The controller is connected to a memory having data of geometry of the contacts and the data of a desired insertion depth of the contacts into the holes. The controller can determine a distance which the contacts should be inserted into the holes based upon the data in the memory and force sensed by the force measuring device after the compliant attachment zones contact the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for determining the alignment of leads on components. Physical and/or superficial fiducial markers on components are used to distinguishes the alignment of leads on the component. The alignment of fiducial markers on the component are detected. A predetermined fiducial alignment is provided that corresponds to a predetermined lead alignment. The detected fiducial alignment is compared to a predetermined fiducial alignment to determine the lead alignment. When used in conjunction with a pick and place machine, the methods and apparatuses provide a means for verifying and correcting the lead alignment of components prior to placement and attachment to a substrate.

Abstract: A part mounting device for efficiently mounting parts on a multi-sectional board, a mounting method and a storage medium storing a program thereof. In a part mounting process, a nozzle A picking up part A and a nozzle B picking up part B are respectively attached to working heads "a" and "b" based on a mounting pattern read from a parameter table to a memory. The parts A and B are mounted in respective positions A and B of a first childboard according to the mounting pattern. Furthermore, the parts A and B are sequentially mounted on second, third, and fourth childboards by referencing their offset values. After it is determined that there is no other part which can be picked up by the nozzle A or B in the mounting pattern, a nozzle C which picks up the next part C and replaces the nozzle A is attached to the working head "a", while a nozzle D which picks up a part D and replaces the nozzle B is attached to the working head "b".

Abstract: A placement apparatus for co-planar placement of electronic components on a component carrier using a rotational placement arm in which the electronic component is moved between the base or loading position of the placement arm and the near-placement position substantially on a circular path, and in which the component is moved linearly between the near-placement position and the placement position.

Abstract: A magnetic alignment apparatus (20) is provided for aligning a semiconductor die (11) and a packaging substrate (12) to enable aligned mounting therebetween. The alignment apparatus (20) includes a first magnetic device (23) coupled to the die (11) and adapted to generate a first magnetic field (25) oriented relative to a first reference point (26) of the die (11). A second magnetic device (27) is coupled to the substrate (12) and adapted to generate a second magnetic field (28) oriented relative to a second reference point (30) of the substrate (12). The first magnetic field (25) and the second magnetic field (28) cooperate to directionally align the first reference point (26) of the die substantially with the second reference point (30) of the substrate (12).

Abstract: In a method of assembling an electronic component onto a substrate, a fiducial is defined by a solder mask positioned upon the substrate. A fiducial-defining window in the mask has a base of the window completely provided with a material of different light-reflecting quality than the mask surface. This provides for the peripheral edge of the window, i.e. the mask, to be the edge of the fiducial. Windows in the mask which expose terminal pads upon the substrate and fixed in position relative to edges of the fiducial and both these windows and the fiducial are determined by the mask. Surface mount components are then located upon the substrate relative to the window positions and not relative to the terminal pad positions. This process reduces the number of incorrect connections of terminals of components to terminal pads.

Abstract: Method for fabricating thermally cooled electronic cards. A card of any kind is covered with a rigid heat sink shaped to fit the card and is attached thereto. The heat sink is formed in such a way that it fits as closely as possible the shape of the printed circuit. The printed circuit has components on one or both faces so that it is possible to increase the surface thermal coupling between the sink and the board. An optical sensor using a laser beam may be used.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for aligning fine pitch electrical components and for solder paste stenciling includes a template for aligning an electrical component and for aligning a solder stencil. The template has a window with shelves on opposite sides. Tape is adhered to the shelves across the window and is used to secure the template to the desired location on the printed circuit board. The template also includes upright tabs that engage notches in the edges of the stencil for aligning the stencil. A two headed vacuum lifting device is used to lift an aligned component and an aligned stencil from the template. With the template removed from the printed circuit board, the stencil is replaced in the aligned position for solder application. The stencil is removed and the electrical component is placed for soldering.

Abstract: An electronic components mounting machine comprising an actuator(7), whereby electronic components are mounted on a substrate, a camera(5) whereby coordinates of recognition marks formed on the substrate at four places at least, are detected, a controller(6) whereby actuator(7) is controlled, a mounting data table(9) wherein information on mounting coordinates and mounting angles of electronic components to be mounted is stored, and a correction data table(10) wherein information on correction values to be applied to the mounting coordinates and mounting angles in reference to the substrate, on which the electronic components are mounted, is stored, and characterized in that the correction data table(10) stores information on correction values for each respective cell, which is formed by dividing the substrate into a plurality of small sections according to a specified rule in reference to the coordinates of recognition marks detected by the camera(5), thus enabling to mount each respective electronic compone

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board wherein printed circuit boards are laminated by accurate in positional alignment. A first supporting means for supporting a first printed circuit board is provided on a lower table 11 and second supporting means for supporting a second printed circuit board P2 is provided thereover. One end of the lower table is supported by a first movement means equipped with an XY table mechanism and another end thereof is supported by a Y table mechanism and second movement means for enabling an X-directional free sliding movement. The positions of respective marks m and n on the printed circuit boards are imaged by imaging means. The printed circuit boards are relatively moved by the movement means and the positional error thereof is corrected based on image processing. The first and second printed circuit boards are then secured together.

Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus for determining whether or not a nozzle replacement operation is successfully performed. A horizontal array of nozzles are accommodated in the holder in a nozzle stocker, and a light emitting device and a light receiving device are arranged so that the light path between both runs above the nozzles. The nozzle stocker is arranged in a travel path of a feeding head. The nozzle mount of the feeding head returns a used nozzle into the holder or mounts a new nozzle thereon. When any nozzle remains lifted from the holder intercepting the light path, a returning operation of the used nozzle is determined to be a failure. When a nozzle replacement is performed, its success or failure is reliably determined by detecting a intercepting height of light and release height of light by the nozzle and nozzle mount, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting electronic components in which mounting positions are determined by observing identification marks A, B, C and D on a substrate with a camera. The electronic components are mounted on the substrate by correcting programmed data according to the result of the determination of the mounting positions. Correction values are obtained for coordinates of the mounting position with reference to each of a plurality of combinations of any three positions (e.g. A, B and C) selected among the at least four positions of the identification marks A, B, C and D based on coordinate data of the three selected positions before and after deformation (one based on the design data and the other based on the data determined during mounting process). A correction of the programmed data for coordinates of the mounting position is made using a positional correction value, which is a mean value of the correction values.

Abstract: A template for aligning a rework tool head and a substrate (such as a printed circuit board) for the accurate placement of a ball grid array package on the substrate with the head, prior to soldering the package to the substrate. The template has a top formed to attach the template to the head in a reproducible position and an indicator rigidly connected to the top to align the template to a feature on the substrate. In one embodiment, the template has a top side formed to mimic the top of the ball grid array package and a bottom side rigidly connected to the top side and formed to show the placement of the balls on the bottom of the ball grid array package in reference to the top of the ball grid array package.

Abstract: A suction head has a plurality of suction units. The respective suction units have spaces each connected with a vacuum pump through a first valve. A sensor observes works on a substrate to inspect whether or not a bad mark is marked on the works. The spaces are separated from one another so that only the spaces corresponding to works of good quality with no bad mark are vacuum-evacuated so as to vacuum-suck conductive balls, while preventing the space corresponding to defective work or works with the bad mark from being vacuum-evacuated by closing a first valve so as to cancel the mounting of the conductive balls.

Abstract: The head of a pick and place system for removing IC parts from a tray and inserting them into a burn-in board (BIB) includes one or more sensors which detect light reflected from a part picked up from a tray and outputs a signal which can be analyzed to determine if the part is improperly seated in the head (misprecised) or improperly inserted into the socket of a BIB (misinserted).

Abstract: Methods of making improved electronic systems and circuits boards, and more specifically to methods of making improved electronic systems and circuits boards using heat-resistant composite materials.

Abstract: The electronic components, provided with a series of contact pins, are picked up out of a feed unit (50) by a pickup-and-insertion head (20) which travels along the Y axis to above a table (12) on which is mounted the printed circuit board, and which can travel along the X axis. The series of contact pins are pushed into the corresponding holes in the board after a visual inspection of the position of the contact pins and holes has been carried out. This visual inspection is carried out by a camera (70) which is fixed-mounted between the feed unit and the table (12), and by a camera (80) which is mounted in the vicinity of the head (20) and which can travel with said head.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic parts mounting method in which it is possible to avoid a pick-up mistake for electronic parts (chips) in simultaneously picking up the chips respectively stored in juxtaposed parts feeders by a plurality of nozzles provided to a transfer head. Nozzle position data of first, second and third nozzles 9a, 9b and 9c are beforehand obtained by a first camera, and pick-up positions of the chips in parts feeders 4 are obtained by a second camera. After picking up respectively the chips in the parts feeders 4 by the nozzles 9a to 9c it is judged whether or not there would be caused the pick-up mistake. When it is judged there is caused no pick-up mistake, a transfer head is moved to a position above a board and each of the chips is mounted to the board.

Abstract: In a method of assembling an electronic component onto a substrate, a fiducial is defined by a solder mask positioned upon the substrate. A fiducial-defining window in the mask has a base of the window completely provided with a material of different light-reflecting quality than the mask surface. This provides for the peripheral edge of the window, i.e. the mask, to be the edge of the fiducial. Windows in the mask which expose terminal pads upon the substrate and fixed in position relative to edges of the fiducial and both these windows and the fiducial are determined by the mask. Surface mount components are then located upon the substrate relative to the window positions and not relative to the terminal pad positions. This process reduces the number of incorrect connections of terminals of components to terminal pads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of packaging an electronic component, which permits improvement of mounting accuracy of various components against non-uniform deformation of the printed circuit board, and simplification of the correcting operation. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of dividing the printed circuit board c to be placed on the packaging section m into a plurality of prescribed areas c1 . . . , determining a reference origin a1 . . . for mounting the electronic component for each of the plurality of areas, setting the resultant coordinates in the control means 1, measuring a reference origin for each of the plurality of areas by means of detecting means prior to packaging, calculating and setting a correction origin for each area through the control means 1 on the basis of this measurement, controlling the mounting head 2 individually for each area, and mounting the prescribed electronic component.

Abstract: In a tape lead bonding system, lead frames (3) are moved on a tape substrate (2) from a first station, where a first camera (12) takes an image of one half of one lead frame, to the next station, where a second camera (16) takes an image of the second half of the lead frame, while, at the same time, the first half of the next lead frame is being imaged by the first cameras(12). Both images of the particular lead frame (3) are then inspected by an inspection computer (15) before that lead frame reaches a bonding station so that bonding of a semiconductor die (21) to the lead frame (3) can be halted if a defect in the lead frame (3) is found. The system operates at the speed of the bonding unit (22), with out requiring the system to be slowed down to allow a full inspection of each lead frame (3) before the bonding step.

Abstract: A method is for making a chip package of a type including a carrier and a chip connected thereto using optical alignment techniques. One method includes the steps of: providing a transparent film having chip alignment and carrier alignment indicia thereon, optically detecting the chip through the transparent film and aligning the transparent film and the chip based upon the chip alignment indicia. Similarly, the method may include optically detecting the carrier through the transparent film and aligning the transparent film and the carrier based upon the carrier alignment indicia. In addition, the method further includes securing the chip, transparent film and carrier together, such as by providing a thermoplastic transparent film which may heated for adhesively securing the components. The transparent film may be a transparent z-axis conductive film, or a dielectric transparent film.

Abstract: A chip mounting apparatus capable of permitting a chip mounting operation to be executed at an increased speed and ensuring continuous running of the apparatus over a long period of time. The apparatus includes a chip observing camera mounted on the side of a chip mounting head, a lighting unit mounted on the side of the chip mounting head to light a background of a chip held on a chip suction nozzle of the head, a reflection unit mounted on the side of the chip mounting head to input an image of the chip to the chip observing camera, feeder and stocker sections each adapted to replaceably held a chip storage package therein, and a package replacement mechanism for carrying out replacement of the chip storage package between both sections.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the productivity and accuracy of mounting electronic components on a substrate. The mounting apparatus includes a line-sensor for image recognition, a carriage head 20 having plural nozzles 21a, 21b and 21c aligned along a predetermined axis. The carriage head 20 is transferred along the direction of the aligned nozzles and above the line-sensor 33 of a recognition member 30. The line-sensor 33 takes images in sequence of the electronic components (chip) vacuum chucked by each nozzle 21a, 21b and 21c in order to recognize positions of the chips 12. Then, based on the recognition results, position deviations of the chips 12 with regard to X, Y and .theta. directions are compensated, and the chips 12 are mounted onto specified coordinate spots of substrate 3. The recognition member 30 includes an adjusting means of rotation angle for crossing the longitudinal direction of line-sensor 33 with the transferring direction of nozzles 21a, 21b and 21c at right angles.

Abstract: A method for supporting a printed board. Includes a first step of conveying to a specified position by a conveying a printed board having a first reference hole and a second reference hole device a for setting a position and posture thereof. A second step stops the conveyed printed board at the specified position with a stop member. A third step inserts a first reference pin provided at the specified position into the first reference hole of the stopped printed board. A fourth step inserts a second reference pin into the second reference hole of the printed board. The second reference pin is movable in parallel to a mounting surface of the printed board and in any arbitrary direction relative to the first reference pin. A fifth step pinches the printed board to hold the position and posture thereof of a holding device with the first reference pin and the second reference pin both inserted.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an electronic part template corresponding to an electronic part that is to be placed on a substrate includes capturing an image of the electronic part, calculating a dimension of the electronic part from the image, and adjusting the electronic part template according to the dimension. This dynamic adjustment of the electronic part template helps to reduce excessive rejection rates due to slight mechanical differences among functionally equivalent electronic parts supplied by different suppliers.

Abstract: An "on-the-fly" component registration system comprises a two-dimensional imaging camera carried by a component placement nozzle platform in turn carried by a positioning gantry. A reflective surface located on or adjacent to a workpiece on which a component is to be placed allows the camera to image by reflection therefrom the component held by the component placement nozzle and an associated machine vision system to determine position correction information (e.g., .DELTA.x, .DELTA.y and .DELTA..theta.) therefrom while the component placement nozzle platform is traveling on the positioning gantry from a component supply station, by the reflective surface, on the way to a component placement target position on the workpiece.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for mounting components on a substrate in an accurate location. The components are presented in the sensing station at successive positions to determine the optimum position for their determination and this optimum position is preset into the apparatus and all like components are subsequently measured only in that optimum position.

Abstract: A component mounting apparatus and method for mounting components on to-be-mounted positions of works, includes a carrying device for continuously and successively carrying the works in a working area, and a first component-mounting device for picking up one component from component supply units in a first component supply section and mounting the picked-up component on the to-be-mounted position of one of the works being continuously and successively carried in the work area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for mounting chips exactly on a PCB without making a camera coordinate system coincide with a table coordinate system of a rotary-type chip mount system. The process comprises the steps of reading positional difference and angular difference between a camera coordinate system and a table coordinate system as values in the camera coordinate system by means of a jig nozzle, transforming the values to those of the table coordinate system, and using the transformed values as compensation data when mounting chips on PCB.

Abstract: A component handling device that is adapted to provide determination of a component picked up by a pickup device by different recognition methods depending upon the size of the component picked up. One recognition method employs a light source and a receptor and is carried by the mounting head. The other device includes a fixed camera and the light source is carried either by the mounting head and/or fixed relative to the camera.

Abstract: Electronic parts are mounted onto a substrate. A parts supply device holds a plurality of electronic parts and moves to be positioned at a predetermined parts take-out position. The parts supply device includes a readable and writable memory for storing data indicative of the plurality of electronic parts held therein. A reading device reads the data stored in the readable and writable memory provided in the parts supply device when the parts supply device moves relative to the reading device to the predetermined parts take-out position. The electronic part is extracted from the parts supply device position at the predetermined parts take-out position and mounted on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of locating a socket on a printed circuit board which includes the steps of fabricating a plurality of pads and one or more fiducials on the upper surface of the printed circuit board, optically aligning a drill with the fiducial, and then drilling a socket hole through the printed circuit board at the location defined by the fiducial. A peg of the socket is inserted into the socket hole to align the socket with the printed circuit board. Alternatively, a method for locating holes on a printed circuit board includes the steps of forming a master tooling hole through the printed circuit board, locating a fiducial on the printed circuit board using the master tooling hole as a guide, focusing on the fiducial with an optically alignable drill, thereby aligning the drill, and then drilling a hole through the printed circuit board using the aligned drill.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simple and economic optical system for mutually positioning SMD components having connecting leads and the corresponding pads on pad carrying members with the object of bringing the connecting leads and pads together in one plane through translation or rotation, of positioning them and fixing them. The optical system utilizes a beam splitter, so that it is possible to observe simultaneously with the human eye the spaces in front of and behind the beam splitter. For considerations of robustness the semi-transparent mirror used to this end is evaporated on a transparent substrate which has a finite thickness. A substrate having finite thickness leads to an apparent displacement of the space behind the substrate relative to the space in front of the substrate. The invention relates to the compensation of this displacement by the installation of a compensation plate having identical optical properties in the space over the semi-transparent mirror on the substrate.

Abstract: For flip-chip mounting of a component with its contact surface on the contact surface of substrate, the component or the substrate is held at the free end of a lever arm which pivots around an axis, and the other part is held on a support. In a beam path between an optical device, especially a viewing device, and the contact surfaces of the two parts, a semireflecting mirror is provided to provide images of the two contact surfaces simultaneously in the optical viewing device. A first point on the one contact surface, a second point on the other contact surface, a third point on the mirror surface, and the pivot axis of the lever arm form the corners of a square. The beam path between the optical device and the semireflecting mirror is a beam path parallel to the optical axis of the optical device, the beam striking the mirror at an angle of approximately 45.degree..

Abstract: In order to determine the position and/or to check the separation of the leads (A) of components (B), a direct shadow of the region of the leads at one side of the component is generated on the photosensitive surface of a local resolution optoelectronic transducer (W4). If in each case one shadow is generated successively from two different directions, the coplanarity of the leads (A) may also be checked. Preferably, the local resolution optoelectronic transducer (W4) and the light sources for casting the shadow are directly secured to the equipping head (BK4). By integrating the determination system into the equipping head, the lead position can be determined and the separation and coplanarity of the leads can be checked without delay.

Abstract: A method for superimposing an image of an optoelectric component on a substrate with the use of a single camera. Specifically, the camera looks through a transparent alignment tool that is holding the component, to the substrate below it, thus allowing both the component and the substrate to be seen together by the camera. The alignment tool and substrate are adjusted to precisely align the two and then are brought together while being seen by the camera. On laser chips, the chip is energized while on the glass alignment tool to produce a laser spot that is superimposed on the visible light image via a series of lenses and mirrors.

Abstract: A method and device for placing a component on an elongate, strip-shaped support which is provided with indexing holes and with a repetitive pattern, the positions of the patterns relative to indexing holes situated near an imaging device and positioned by means of pins being determined by means of this imaging device, after which the positions of the patterns relative to a component placement device are calculated, and subsequently a component is placed on a pattern in a desired position.

Abstract: A printed circuit board is made by producing recesses and/or holes in an electric insulating substrate by laser ablation. The recesses correspond to a desired pattern of conductor structures and/or holes. Conductive material is then deposited on substantially an entire face of the substrate. Conductive material is then removed from the substrate outside the desired pattern of conductor structures and/or holes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically supplying surface mount chip components from a bulk feeder and placing the chip components on a substrate. The apparatus includes a base frame, a substrate feeding mechanism, a placement head, and a placement head positioning system. The substrate feeding mechanism delivers substrates to a component receiving position on the base frame. The placement head is translationally movable with respect to the base frame and includes a component supplying and placing mechanism, to supply components and place components on a substrate in a desired location. The component supplying and placing mechanism includes a component transfer mechanism, a component feeder, and a vacuum spindle. The transfer mechanism includes a rotatable wheel with a plurality of component holding compartments, a plurality of angularly disposed stations, and a drive mechanism for sequentially moving the compartments to at least a component receiving station and a component delivery station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating known good semiconductor dice are provided. The method includes the steps of: testing the gross functionality of dice contained on a semiconductor wafer; sawing the wafer to singulate a die; and then testing the die by assembly in a carrier having an interconnect adapted to establish electrical communication between the bond pads on the die and external test circuitry. The interconnect for the carrier can be formed using different contact technologies including: thick film contact members on a rigid substrate; self-limiting contact members on a silicon substrate; or microbump contact members with a textured surface. During assembly of the carrier, the die and interconnect are optically aligned and placed into contact with a predetermined contact force. This establishes an electrical connection between the contact members on the interconnect and the bond pads of the die.