Abstract: A method of detecting a position of a lead of an electric component which additionally includes a body from which the lead extends, the method including the steps of illuminating a lengthwise limited portion of the lead, with a light incident thereto in a direction substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the lead, taking an image of the lead, on a side of a free end of the lead, in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the lead, and detecting the position of the lead by processing image data representing the taken image.

Abstract: A novel method and placement system are configured for populating a substrate with an electronic component. The placement system has a substrate holding device for receiving the substrate, a wafer holding device above the substrate holding device serving for receiving a wafer holding frame, and a vacuum forceps holding device arranged above the wafer holding device. The wafer holding frame can receive a complete semiconductor wafer divided into electronic components.

Abstract: An electronic parts mount apparatus for taking out electronic parts from a parts supply section 3by a transfer head 9 and transporting and mounting the electronic parts to and on a board 2 has a board recognition camera 15 moving independently of the transfer head 9 and advancing to and retreating from the board 2 positioned on a transfer passage 1 for picking up an image of the board 2 to detect the position thereof. The image pickup step of the board 2 by the board recognition camera 15 and the parts taking out step in the parts supply section by the transfer head 9 are performed concurrently. Thus, the tact time can be shortened and the electronic parts can be mounted on the board efficiently.

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: In a mounting system where a chip component is mounted by a small component mounting apparatus on paste solder applied onto a board and the mounting state is inspected by a mounting inspection apparatus, and when the mounting inspection apparatus confirms that a chip component is not present, it is firstly confirmed whether or not a mounting trace of a chip component is present on solder, and a mounting nozzle is specified which has mounted a chip component found to be a missing component according to the confirmation result. Thereafter, the confirmation result is transmitted to a controller of the small component mounting apparatus. The controller selects and obtains coping information from a data base based on the confirmation result, and the information is shown on a display.

Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus removes an electronic component supplied to a part feeder in face-up status and mounts it to a board. A flip-chip supplied from a first holding table is removed and flipped over by a take-out head and then delivered to a mounting head, which mounts the component on the board. A die supplied from a second holding table is picked up directly and mounted to the board by the mounting head. This structure allows a single mounting apparatus to perform both die bonding and flip-chip bonding.

Abstract: The present invention features a method whereby the vacuum nozzle of each extendable vacuum spindle in a multi-head component placement machine may be calibrated during component pick/place cycles. Calibration of each vacuum nozzle ensures accurate location of the vacuum nozzle over a component at a component pick station. This is particularly important with extremely small components where a slight misalignment of a vacuum nozzle with a component to be picked could result in a missed pick. Because of the vacuum nozzle inspection and calibration on the fly during the placement cycle, there is no slowdown of the placement machine cycle rate.

Abstract: An electronic-circuit-component mounting system including at least two component mounting units concurrently operated to mount electronic circuit components on a printed-wiring board, wherein a relative position of the two units is obtained from positions of a common calibration mark fixed provided on machine base commonly for the two units, which positions are detected by fiducial-mark cameras of the two units, or obtained from positions of fiducial marks provided on a fiducial board, which positions are detected by the cameras while the fiducial board is located in alignment with component mounting areas of the two units, and wherein positioning errors of the printed-wiring board relative to the two units are calculated on the basis of the obtained relative position of the two units, and positions of at least two fiducial marks provided on the printed-wiring board, which positions are detected by the cameras of the two units.

Abstract: A method for conveying printed circuit boards (PCBs) in a system that includes at least two assembly modules, where each assembly module has multiple conveyors for delivering the PCBs so that while processing some PCBs, other PCBs can bypass particular assembly modules.

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: In an electronic component mounting method in which electronic components are sucked/held by plural respective nozzles provided on a mounting head so as to be mounted on electronic component mounting portions of a board, such a mounting operation is sequentially carried out as to all of the electronic components, in which the electronic components are sucked/held by the plural nozzles; an electronic component sucked/held by one of the plural nozzles is provisionally positioned above one electronic component mounting portion; both this electronic component and the electronic component mounting portion are observed by an observation head which is located between the board and the mounting head; a relative position detecting operation for detecting a relative positional relationship between this electronic component and the electronic component mounting portion is carried out as to all of the electronic components held by the mounting head; and the electronic component is positioned with respect to the electroni

Abstract: A component mounting system includes first to third (pickup, transfer, and placement) stations. A component supplied at a component supply is picked up by a transport head at the pickup station and then transferred to a placement head at the transfer station. The placement head carries the component to the placement station where the component is placed and mounted onto a substrate such as a circuit board. The component, when held by the placement head, is recognized by an imaging device at or in the vicinity of the transfer station.

Abstract: Devices and methods of stressing anisotropic conductive elastomer (ACE) sheet material that defines a plurality of electrical pathways through its thickness. The perimeter of the sheet is mechanically gripped, while leaving an interior portion of the sheet free. A surface over which the interior portion of the sheet is to be stretched is provided, and the sheet and the surface are contacted. The sheet and the surface are then relatively moved, to stretch the sheet over the surface, and thereby stress the interior portion of the sheet.

Abstract: A method of placing a component having leads and an alignment indicating fiducial marker is provided. The method includes detecting the alignment of the fiducial marker on the component, comparing the detected fiducial alignment with a predetermined fiducial alignment and placing the component to a substrate when the detected fiducial alignment corresponds to the predetermined fiducial/alignment.

Abstract: The invention provides an electronic component mounting method which improves a work efficiency and enables pickup of electronic components without fail. A component feeding unit mounted with a master tape formed with pickup position indication holes is fixed to an adjusting jig. A recognition camera takes an image of a recognition mark to calculate a center position thereof, moves to a position corresponding to a component pickup position previously stored in a memory portion, and takes an image of the pickup position indication hole provided in the master tape to calculate a component pickup position. Data on a positional relationship between the recognition mark and the pickup position based on a result of this recognition processing are stored in a memory in the component feeding unit. The component feeding units each mounted with a storage tape are fixed to a base of an electronic component mounting apparatus.

Abstract: An optical module for use in an optical device is provided. The module includes an optical component and relative reference mount. The optical component is fixed spacially relative to a registration feature. The registration feature is configured to couple to a fixed reference mount.

Abstract: An electronic component placement machine and an electronic component placement method are disclosed. A takeout and transfer head, provided on rotary chip takeout and transfer mechanism, removes a chip from a feeder and flips it. A placement head receives the flipped chip and places it onto a board. An image of the chip at a pre-centering recognition position is captured during a takeout and transfer operation, during which the takeout and transfer head transfers the chip to the placement head at a receiving position, so as to recognize the position. Based on this positional recognition result, the chip and the placement head are positioned by controlling a placement head driving mechanism. Moreover, the takeout and transfer head is rotated to a position which does not hinder image capturing of the electronic component for placement positioning.

Abstract: A method for mounting parts may include recognizing a particular part feeder where a part to be mounted is contained among a plurality of part feeders, moving a head unit to a position for picking up a part on the part feeder, moving an image sensor installed to be capable of moving to a position close to the particular part feeder, picking up a part from the particular part feeder with a suction nozzle installed at the had unit, moving the head unit to a position above the image sensor, detecting an image of the part held by the suction nozzle, moving the suction nozzle to a printed circuit board from the image sensor, and aligning the part with the printed circuit board while determining and compensating for an error generated when the part is picked up, and mounting the aligned part on the printed circuit board.

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.

Abstract: A method for reducing the impedance of a reference path in a printed circuit board includes forming a printed circuit board having a plurality of conductive layers including first, second, third, and fourth layers. The printed circuit board includes two or more vias interconnecting two or more of the conductive layers. A first via is part of a signal path configured to carry a signal from the first layer to the second layer. A second via is part of a reference path configured to carry said signal from a third layer to a fourth conductive layer. The method further includes embedding an electrical component, such as a capacitor, in the second via between two of the conductive layers.

Abstract: A method of mounting a component on an electrode on a board. Mounting coordinates for mounting the component are calculated. A determination is made of printing positions where solder for the component is situation on the electrode. The printing positions of the solder are stored. Mounting position data for where the component is to be mounted on the solder is prepared based on the previous steps. The component is mounted using the information gathered in the previous steps.

Abstract: A method for utilizing one or more pre-formed underfill compositions in the application of surface mount components, most commonly chip scale packages (CSP's), to substrates for use in electronic devices. The pre-formed underfill of the invention is applied directly to the top and/or sides of the CSP before the reflow process and softens during reflow to flow across the circuit/board gap. One underfill composition utilized for this method comprises a thermoplastic film system that provides a coating on the component that is smooth and non-tacky. The film may be applied selectively to parts of the CSP such that it overhangs the top of the component and upon reflow flows over the edge of the CSP to form a connection with the substrate. A second pre-applied underfill composition or solder paste may be applied as an adhesive to provide sufficient tack in order to hold the electronic assembly together during the assembly process and to serve as a flux to facilitate solder wetting.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase efficiency in review work by appropriately narrowing down review work that verifies shapes of visual defects relating to an enormous amount of defects detected by a visual inspecting apparatus with high sensitivity. In order to appropriately extract defect information from an inspecting apparatus, a filter function and a sampling function are prepared by unitizing the functions. As a result, defects as review targets are narrowed down and extracted automatically using the filter function and the sampling function in combination. In addition, sequencing the filter conditions and the sampling conditions and registering the sequence enables automatic filtering and sampling on the basis of information on a wafer as a review target, and thereby only defect information on the review target is extracted.

Abstract: There are provided a method and device for generating component mounting data in view of productivity, quality assurance, safety, or the like, when components are mounted onto a mounting target, and a component mounting method and device by which a mounting operation can be performed based on the data. Rules that must be observed, or are desired to be observed, based on various conditions such as mounting apparatus and component information and the like are automatically generated in view of productivity, quality assurance, safety, or the like and can be utilized for generation of component mounting data.

Abstract: An electric-component mounting system including component-mounting devices arranged in an array and each having a component-holding head for holding an electric component, and a head-moving device to move the head, and a substrate-transferring device to move at least one substrate on which electric components are to be mounted, and wherein the substrate-transferring device stops each substrate at at least one stop position which corresponds to at least one of the component-mounting devices and at which operations of the component-mounting devices are concurrently performed on the at least one substrate.

Abstract: A hybrid integrated circuit fabrication method in which an insulating substrate member and its metallic substrate carrier are made to be mating with precision through use of computer controlled machining performed on each member. A combination of disclosed specifically tailored software and commercially available software are used in the method to generate code for controlling a precision milling machine during the fabrication of substrate and substrate carrier members. The method for precision mating of substrate and substrate carrier enable disposition of a precision recess in the substrate carrier and the location of recess pillars and pedestals (the latter being for integrated circuit die mounting use) at any carrier recess location desirable for electrical, thermal or physical strength reasons.

Abstract: A device mounting method capable of efficiently, accurately arraying micro-devices on a circuit board is provided. The method includes a device separating step of separating a plurality of LED chips, which have been arrayed with a specific period on a wafer, into individual LED chips while keeping the arrayed state of the LED chips as it is, a device re-arraying step of handling the individually separated LED chips so as to re-array the LED chips at intervals of a value equivalent to the period multiplied by a specific magnification, and a device transferring step of transferring the re-arrayed LED chips on a mounting board while keeping the re-arrayed state of the LED chips as it is.

Abstract: A mounting device including a plurality of heads, each holding a chip, arranged on a circle, is used to realize accurate and high-speed mounting. A mounting device comprises a plurality of heads with calibration marks, first recognition mechanism fixed in a chip mounting position, and second recognition mechanism fixed in another position. Prior to mounting operation, the first recognition mechanism and the second recognition mechanism recognize and store the positions of the calibration marks of the heads. In mounting operation, the first recognition mechanism recognizes the positions of a substrate and the calibration marks of the heads, whereas the second recognition mechanism recognizes the positions of chips attracted on the heads. The heads are moved vertically to adjust plane to be recognized. The chip and the substrate are aligned according to the position information obtained by the recognition mechanisms, and the chips are mounted.

Abstract: An electric-component mounting system including a component-holding device for holding an electric component, a board-supporting device for supporting a printed-wiring board on which the electric component is mounted, a first relative-movement device operable to move the component-holding device and the board-supporting device relative to each other in a first direction parallel to a surface of the board supported by the board-supporting device, a second relative-movement device operable to move the component-holding device and the board-supporting device relative to each other in a second direction which intersects the surface of the board; and a control device including a positioning portion operable to select one of a plurality of different control targets which is used for the first relative-movement device to establish a predetermined relative position between the component-holding device and the board-supporting device, and wherein the positioning portion selects one of the different control targets, de

Abstract: Disclosed are a component recognizing method and apparatus, and a component mounting method and apparatus, by which components with various heights held by a plurality of nozzles can be recognized continuously. The drive of a head is transmitted to nozzles, with surfaces to be recognized of components being controlled so as to be positioned in a recognizable range during respective recognizing operations of the components, and a continuous recognition is thereby made possible. The adjustment of heights of the surfaces to be recognized during the recognizing operations of the components is achieved by one drive unit and a plurality of drive transmitting units.

Abstract: A component mounting method recognizes reference marks on a printed circuit board and an electronic component, and uses these reference marks to determine a shift between a position of the circuit board and a position of the electronic component. This shift is corrected and then the electronic component is mounted to the printed circuit board such that electrical connecting portions of the circuit board are connected to electrical connecting portions of the electronic component. The reference marks are formed simultaneously with corresponding electrical connecting portions via a mask, such that in order to accurately position the electrical connecting portions, it is only necessary to accurately relatively position the reference marks.

Abstract: A ball grid array electronic package is attached to a substrate by means of solder balls and solder paste. Connection is made between a contact on the ball grid array and a solder ball by means of a first joining medium, such as a solder paste. Connection is made between a solder ball and a contact arranged on the substrate by means of a second joining medium. The contact arranged on the substrate is substantially quadrilateral in shape, and preferably substantially square in shape. Connection to the substrate, e.g., using round solder balls, is much more easily detected, e.g., by x-ray, than when using round pads, especially those having a smaller diameter than the balls.

Abstract: There is provided a plurality of component mounting apparatuses for sucking a plurality of components by a mounting head section and successively mounting the components onto a board located at a board positioning section. The component mounting apparatuses are arranged in parallel to one another, and a board transfer path is provided so that it penetrates the component mounting apparatuses. Even when the number of components to be mounted onto the board increases, the components are mounted on the component supply tables of the component mounting apparatuses as distributed thereto, and therefore, the whole apparatus is not dimensionally increased. The component supply tables are fixedly installed so as to become free of vibration, and the mounting head section executes the suction and the mounting of the plurality of components. Therefore, the component mounting operation speed can be remarkably increased.

Abstract: For implementing a method of mounting electronic components, and an apparatus therefor, which has a much reduced tact time, the nozzles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e and 3f are kept in holes 5 provided in a straight line row in nozzle stocker 4 in the order of use sequence. When the type of electronic components to be mounted on a circuit board changes, transfer head 1 has to go to a place above the nozzle stocker 4 to replace the nozzle. In the invented mounting method, and mounting apparatus, the transfer head 1 is required to move only to a place above the next nozzle 3b after returning the used nozzle 3a to a hole 5. Thus the stroke L of transfer head 1 needed for the nozzle exchange is significantly reduced, and the nozzle may be replaced within a short time.

Abstract: In an electric-component mounting system including an illuminating device including a light source which emits a light for illuminating an object, a camera which takes an image of the object, and a processing and controlling device which includes a data processing portion that processes image data representing the image of the object taken by the camera, at least one of the camera and the illuminating device includes a brightness controlling device which controls a brightness of an image taken by the camera, and the processing and controlling device includes a brightness detecting portion which detects a brightness of at least a portion of the image of the object taken by the camera, and a control-parameter varying portion which varies, based on the brightness detected by the brightness detecting portion, at least one control parameter of the brightness controlling device so that a brightness of at least a portion of an image taken by the camera is equal to a preset brightness.

Abstract: A method and a device for producing large-area planar wave guide structures is described. A planar substrate is provided with channel-shaped structures and the channel-shaped structures are filled with a wave guide material. The channel-shaped structures are introduced sequentially into the substrate by a stamping tool, the substrate and the stamping tool are moved relative to one another. Therefore, it is easy and inexpensive to apply precise wave guide structures to surfaces of any desired size.

Abstract: A component mounting method for picking up an electronic component, positioning the electronic component on a circuit substrate and mounting the electronic component to the circuit substrate 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.

Abstract: An offset measuring mechanism and method used in a bonding apparatus, in which the object plane of a position detection camera is set on a hypothetical bonding working plane, and the image of imaging elements within the imaging plane is projected onto a bonding working plane. Furthermore, the tip end of a bonding tool is aligned with the bonding working plane. The object plane of the offset measuring camera is set on the bonding working plane, and the image on the bonding working plane is projected onto the imaging elements of the imaging plane of the offset measuring camera. The imaging elements detect the projected image of the imaging elements of the position detection camera or the image of the tip end of the bonding tool and output this data to the image position measuring part or tool position measuring section of the control block.

Abstract: A method of detecting a position of a rotation axis of a suction nozzle of an electric-component mounting apparatus, the suction nozzle holding, by suction, an electric component, and being rotated about the rotation axis thereof to rotate the electric component held thereby, so that the electric component rotated is mounted on a component-mounting surface of a circuit substrate, the method including the step of detecting, on a position-detecting plane including the component-mounting surface of the circuit substrate, the position of the rotation axis of the suction nozzle.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes each of which includes a carrier tape and holds a plurality of electric components in a lengthwise direction of the carrier tape, and supplying, from the each electric-component tape, the electric components, one by one, to an object device, the apparatus including a feeding device which feeds a first electric-component tape in a lengthwise direction thereof, and a connection-portion detecting device which detects a connection portion where a terminal end portion of the first electric-component tape being fed by the feeding device is connected to an initial end portion of a second electric-component tape.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a modular electrical circuit includes the steps of pre-manufacturing a plurality of components having fine features such as resistors, capacitors, inductances, and conductors formed on a dielectric substrate. The pre-manufactured components are laminated each to the other in a predetermined order. Each pre-manufactured component includes one or more electrical elements of the same type coupled each to the other by conducting lines. Each dielectric substrate includes through vias filled with the conductive material which serve for cross-coupling of the elements of neighboring components. Position of the passive elements, as well as conductive lines and through vias, are pre-designed to allow precise coordination between the elements of different components in the multi-layered modular electrical circuit.

Abstract: A component transfer apparatus is provided. The component transfer apparatus comprises a pick and place machine having a component feed source and a movable pick head having access to the component feed source. A component alignment detector is directed toward the component feed source and a controller is coupled to the component alignment detector. The controller contains instructions which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to compare the detected component alignment with a known component alignment.

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 circuit board pallet with an improved securement pin and component positioning arms is disclosed. The improved pin of the present invention is cylindrical pin with an enlarged head. A countersunk hole is drilled in the bottom of the pallet to accommodate the pin. The pin is inserted into the countersunk hole and secured with a high-temperature epoxy resin. The epoxy holds the pin securely in place and keeps the pin from moving up or down. The present invention also comprises at least one arm affixed at one end to a swivel joint. The swivel joint allows the arm to rotate about a vertical axis. The upper portion of the swivel joint is hinged such that the arm can rotate about a horizontal axis. The combination of movement about the horizontal and vertical axis allows the arm to be positioned at any point over the pallet.

Abstract: A method for packaging an image sensor includes the steps of: providing a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; mounting a frame layer to the upper surface of the substrate to form a chamber together with the substrate; mounting a photosensitive chip to the upper surface of the substrate and within the chamber, and electrically connecting the photosensitive chip to the substrate; mounting a transparent layer to the frame layer with a B-stage adhesive applied therebetween; pre-baking the B-stage adhesive to slightly adhere the transparent layer to the frame layer; testing the image sensor to determine whether the image sensor is passed or failed; and post-baking the passed image sensor to completely cure the B-stage adhesive so that the transparent layer is firmly adhered to the frame layer.

Abstract: In a bonding method in which two display panels 7A, 7B are held by the two panel holding portions 31a, 31b provided on the panel support table 31 positioned by the XY? table 30 so as to position the first pressure bonding head 25A and the second pressure bonding head 25B for conducting pressure bonding individually, according to the result of positional detection of the camera 37 and the recognizing portion 65, the display panel 7A is positioned to the first pressure bonding head and an object of pressure bonding is bonded by pressure. In this pressure bonding step, under the condition that a state of holding the display panel 7A is released, the display panel 7B is positioned to the second pressure bonding head 25B.

Abstract: A component mounting method including carrying in a circuit board to a component mounting position and carrying out the circuit board after component-mounting operation. The component mounting operation includes sucking up the component from the component feed section and moving the component to the mounting position, and mounting the component on a specified site of the circuit board. Also, a remaining-component discarding operation is performed to discard a component which remains at the suction nozzle during a specified time period following the component-mounting operation while the component mounting operation is stopped.

Abstract: A component mounter which picks up components from two or more tape feeders aligned in a component feeder carriage, and mounts them a board. Suction nozzles for vacuum-holding components are disposed on the transfer head at a predetermined basic pitch in the X direction (tape feeders alignment direction) to form a nozzle line. Two or more nozzle lines are aligned in the Y direction (perpendicular to the X direction). These suction nozzles pick up two or more components from the tape feeders simultaneously, enabling to reduce the space required for installing the mounter and making the mounter more compact. Increased feasibility of simultaneous pickup of several components also improves mounting efficiency.

Abstract: A parts mounting method employing a suction section having a plurality of suction nozzles is provided. The suction section is moved to a parts supply section in which a plurality of parts are suctioned by the suction nozzles at the same time. The parts are then mounted onto a board. The suction nozzles are divided into groups: a first group having a shift amount within an allowable range in which simultaneous suction is possible; and a second group having a shift amount outside the allowable range in which simultaneous suction is possible. The parts are then sucked at the same time for each of the groups.

Abstract: A wiring board provided with a first terminal, a connector provided with a second terminal, and a camera module provided with a third terminal are provided. The first terminal and the second terminal are soldered to mount the connector on the wiring board. The camera module is mounted on the connector to electrically connect the second terminal with the third terminal.