A management system (component mounting system) which manages component information from an identification code which is attached to a component reel which houses electronic components (components) includes a recognizer (batch recognition reader, code reader) which scans the identification code and recognizes a code which is recorded in the identification code, information decoders which decode at least any one of item name information, order information, serial number, number of components, and vendor information from the recognized code, and a storage unit (recognition storage unit, terminal storage unit, and main storage unit) which stores each item of decoded information. In a case in which each item of information is divided into a plurality of identification codes and recorded on the component reel, each item of the information which is decoded from all of the identification codes is associated with the identification code thereof and stored in the storage unit.

A positioning device is adapted for positioning a tool at a setpoint position on a flat substrate in an X-Y plane, the tool exerting a process force in its axial direction perpendicularly onto the substrate. The tool includes a multicomponent force sensor to measure unwanted process-force components in the lateral direction. The setpoint position of the tool is correctable by the positioning device such that the lateral process-force components are minimized.

An apparatus for handling microelectronic devices comprises a pick arm having a pick surface configured for receiving a microelectronic device thereon, drives for moving the pick arm and reorienting the pick surface in the X, Y and Z planes and about a horizontal rotational axis and a vertical rotational axis, and a sensor device carried by the pick arm and configured to detect at least one of at least one magnitude of force and at least one location of force applied between the pick surface and a structure contacted by the pick surface or a structure and a microelectronic device carried on the pick surface.

In an electronic component mounting system, when a change in a recipe (setting data) for a control computer are input in any one of a plurality of circuit board working machines, such as component mounting machines, the control computer reports changed content to a host computer. The host computer, which receives the report, updates the data, which is stored in the DB server, based on the changed content of the recipe. The control computer, which receives input of the change in the recipe, executes a process in which only the partial data, which is updated by the host computer, is acquired among the data items, which are stored in the DB server.

A system and method for measuring a distance to a target work surface to precisely position a tool assembly coupled to an actuator. The method includes measuring a distance to a work surface using a distance sensor, moving the tool assembly into an approach position, the approach position being adjacent to a location on the work surface. The tool assembly is then moved from the approach position to the location on the work surface pursuant to a soft landing procedure. The soft landing procedure may include determining that the tool assembly has moved into soft contact with the target work surface. Methods also include topologically mapping a work surface, comparing map data to predefined data, and adjusting a positioning routine. Additionally, methods include optimizing actuator movements to timely measure distances from a distance sensor to a location on a work surface with minimal actuator movement.

A positioning device is adapted for positioning a tool at a setpoint position on a flat substrate in an X-Y plane, the tool exerting a process force in its axial direction perpendicularly onto the substrate. The tool includes a multicomponent force sensor to measure unwanted process-force components in the lateral direction. The setpoint position of the tool is correctable by the positioning device such that the lateral process-force components are minimized.

The image processing device displays, on a display, a virtual screen obtained by viewing, from above, an aggregate board in which multiple unit boards having a common component configuration are arranged. A control section of the image processing device uses one unit board at a predetermined position among the multiple unit boards as a reference unit board, generates a detailed image in which respective components are arranged on the unit board based on positional information of all components to be mounted on the unit boards, for the reference unit board, generates a simplified image obtained by simplifying the unit board, for a non-reference unit board other than the reference unit board among the multiple unit boards, and displays a simple virtual screen displaying the detailed image at a position of the reference unit board and the simplified image at a position of the non-reference unit board as the virtual screen.

Apparatuses and methods for operating at least two tools in a first and at least a second processing area, wherein in each processing area a number of machining locations is assigned to the tool by which first components carried by a component web are conveyed along a track through the first and the at least second processing area, wherein the total number of tools in the apparatus is less than the number of machining locations in each processing area, wherein the track comprises a number of partial paths corresponding to the number of machining locations, wherein the tool of each processing area is adapted such as to couple respective second components to respective first components at each associated machining location in its processing area, and wherein the apparatus comprises a control unit adapted to operate in response to a conveying movement of the component web along the track.

Proposed is a method for controlling a boat carrier/substrate strip type solder ball placement system that allows solder ball mounting processes for a boat carrier type of a material and a substrate strip type of a material to be all performed in one system. In specific, the method allows the components or operation setting of the system to be automatically controlled according to the types of materials loaded on a magazine, thereby performing solder ball mounting processes for the two types of materials with high speed and high accuracy. In more specific, the method allows a component applied only to the solder ball mounting process for the boat carrier type of material and a component applied to the solder ball mounting process for the substrate strip type of material to be integrated with each other as a single component in the process of mounting the solder balls on the material on-loaded, thereby making it possible to perform the solder ball mounting processes for the two different types of materials in one system.

A work management system is applied to a work area in which a predetermined work is executed by a worker and a robot. The work management system includes a control section configured to control the robot such that a specified operation set in advance is included in an operation by the robot executing the predetermined work, an information acquisition section configured to acquire work information indicating a presence or absence of the specified operation in at least one of an execution result and an execution process of the predetermined work, and an identification section configured to identify whether a work subject of the predetermined work is the worker or the robot based on the work information acquired by the information acquisition section.