METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE PLACEMENT OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS

Abstract

A method for placing electronic components onto a circuit board, comprising the following steps: Placing a component to be placed of a first component type into a starting position; creating a component image of the component to be placed in the starting position; creating a circuit board region image of a circuit board of a first circuit board region type; calculating a travel path for moving the component to be placed into a final position on the circuit board based upon an image overlay of the component image and a previously saved reference component image of a reference component of the first component type, and based upon a previously saved reference travel path of the reference component from a reference starting position into a reference final position on a reference circuit board of the first circuit board region type, and based upon an image overlay of the circuit board region image and a previously saved reference circuit board region image of the reference circuit board; moving the component to be placed along the travel path into the final position.

Claims

1. Method for placing electronic components (14) onto a circuit board (16), comprising the following steps: Placing a component to be placed (14) of a first component type into a starting position; Creating a component image (56) of the component to be placed (14); Creating a circuit board region image (62) of a circuit board (16) of a first circuit board region type; Calculating a travel path for moving the component to be placed (14) from a starting position into a final position on the circuit board (16) based upon an image overlay of the component image (56) and a previously saved reference component image of a reference component (38) of the first component type, and based upon a previously saved reference starting position, a previously saved reference travel path of the reference component (38) from the reference starting position (40) into a reference final position (44) on a reference circuit board (46) of the first circuit board region type, and based upon an image overlay of the circuit board region image (62) and a previously saved reference circuit board region image of the reference circuit board (46); Moving the component to be placed (14) along the travel path into the final position.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a reference component image is created prior to saving the reference component image and the reference starting position (40), and a reference component (38) is placed into the reference starting position (40), wherein the reference component (38) is then moved along the reference travel path from the reference starting position (40) into the reference final position (44) on the reference circuit board (46), and wherein the reference travel path is saved when the reference component (38) arrives at the reference final position (44).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the reference component (38) is moved manually from the reference starting position (40) into the reference final position (44).

4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the calculation of the travel path is performed by means of a coordinate transformation and consists of a rotation and translation of the image overlay of the component image (56) and the reference component image, a rotation and translation of the reference travel path, as well as a rotation and translation of the image overlay of the circuit board region image (62) and the reference circuit board region image.

5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component to be placed (14) is gripped and lifted by a gripping device (26) prior to being moved.

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after the movement, the component to be placed (14) is deposited onto the circuit board (16) into the final position or is dropped into the final position on the circuit board (16).

7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component (14) is placed into the starting position on a glass plate (34).

8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component image (56) and the reference component image are taken of a component bottom side (41).

9. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circuit board region image (62) and the reference circuit board region image are taken of a circuit board top side (47).

10. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component image (56) of the component to be placed (14) and/or the reference component image of the reference component (38) is created in the starting position.

11. Device (10) for placing electronic components, which is designed to perform the method according to at least one of claims 1 through 10, characterized in that the device (10) comprises at least oneand preferably, twocameras (18, 20) designed to create the component image (56), the reference component image, the circuit board region image (62), and the reference circuit board region image, that the device (10) comprises a control unit (22) designed to calculate the travel path, that the control unit (22) comprises a storage unit (24) designed to store the reference component image, the reference starting position (40), the reference travel path, and the reference circuit board region image, and that the device comprises a gripping device (26) for gripping the components to be placed (14).

12. Device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the device (10) comprises a drive unit (28) that is designed to move the gripping device (26) along the travel path.

13. Device (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the gripping device (26) comprises a vacuum-operated, low-pressure gripping device.

14. Device (10) according to at least one of claims 11 through 13, characterized in that the device (10) comprises a glass plate (34) for placing the components (14) into the starting position.

15. Device (10) according to at least one of claims 11 through 14, characterized in that the device (10) comprises a circuit board holder (36) that is designed for the stationary mounting of the circuit boards (16).

Description

[0025] Additional details and advantageous developments are to be taken from the description below, by reference to which the invention is described and explained in more detail.

[0026] The following is shown:

[0027] FIG. 1. A schematic representation of a device according to the invention for placing electronic components onto a circuit board during the so-called teaching;

[0028] FIG. 2. A section of the device according to the invention in accordance with FIG. 1 in a lateral view with a component arranged on a glass plate;

[0029] FIG. 3. A section of the device according to the invention in accordance with FIG. 1 in a lateral view with a circuit board;

[0030] FIG. 4. A schematic representation of the method step for overlaying a component image with a reference component image in accordance with the method according to the invention; and

[0031] FIG. 5. A schematic representation of the method step of overlaying a circuit board region image with a reference circuit board region image in accordance with the method according to the invention.

[0032] FIGS. 1 through 5 are used as a whole for describing a device 10 according to the invention, as well as a method according to the invention. Corresponding components and elements are provided with corresponding reference symbols in the figures.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the device 10 according to the invention for placing electronic components 14 shown in FIG. 2 onto a circuit board 16 shown in FIG. 3 for teaching or the teach-in of the device 10. The device 10 comprises two cameras 18, 20. The device 10 further comprises a control unit 22 with a storage unit 24.

[0034] In addition, the device 10 comprises a gripping device 26 for gripping the components to be placed 14, as well as a drive unit 28 for moving the gripping device 26 along at least three axes. FIG. 1 schematically shows two directions of movement, wherein one direction of movement in a Z direction is indicated by the arrow 30 and wherein a direction of movement in an X or Y direction is indicated by the arrow 32. The drive unit 28 can be controlled by the control unit 22 by means of a data line 29. The gripping device 26 may, for example, comprise a vacuum-operated, low-pressure gripping device.

[0035] The device 10 comprises a glass plate 34 for placing the components 14, as well as a circuit board holder 36 for the stationary mounting of the circuit boards 16. For this purpose, the circuit board holder 36 may, for example, comprise retaining clamps not shown in the figures.

[0036] The device 10 according to the invention functions as follows:

[0037] When components 14 of a first component type are to be placed onto a circuit board 16 of a first circuit board region type, a so-called teaching or teach-in of the device 10 is initially required.

[0038] To this end, a reference component 38 of the first component type is manually placed by a user onto the glass plate 34 into a reference starting position 40, which is indicated as dashed in FIG. 1. In the reference starting position 40, a reference component image of the reference component 38 is then created of a component bottom side 41 by means of the first camera 20.

[0039] Subsequently, the reference component 38 is gripped by the gripping device 26 at a component top side 43 and moved manually by a user by means of the drive unit 28 along a reference travel path, which consists of a rotation and a translation, from the reference starting position 38 into a reference final position 44 on a reference circuit board 46 of the first circuit board region type, and deposited there. The translation is indicated in FIG. 1 by an arrow 42.

[0040] From the reference circuit board 46, which is stationarily mounted in the circuit board holder 36, a reference circuit board region image of the reference circuit board 46 is created of the circuit board top side 47 by means of the second camera 18.

[0041] The reference component image, the reference starting position 40, the reference travel path, as well as the reference circuit board region image, are saved in the storage unit 24 of the control unit 22. This step is also called teaching or teach-in.

[0042] The movement of the reference component 38 from the reference starting position 40 into the reference final position 44, i.e., the reference travel path, includes a rotation of the reference component 38 about a center of rotation 48 in the direction of the arrow 50 until the position 52shown in FIG. 1 with a solid lineof the reference component 38 is reached. The movement of the reference component 38 from the reference starting position 40 into the reference final position 44, i.e., the reference travel path, further includes the translation, exemplified in FIG. 1 by the arrow 42, between the centers of rotation 48. In the reference final position 44, the contact surfaces 52 of the reference component 38 are overlaid with contact surfaces 54 of the reference circuit board 46, such that a mutual contact of the contact surfaces 52, 54 takes place, when the reference component 38 is lowered onto the reference circuit board 46 by means of the drive unit 28.

[0043] To automatically place a component to be placed 14 of the first component type onto a circuit board 16 of the first circuit board region type, after the teaching or teach-in, a component 14 of the first component type is again placed onto the glass plate 34 into a starting position by a user, as shown in FIG. 2. Subsequently, a component image of the component bottom side 41 is created by means of the first camera 20.

[0044] Furthermore, a circuit board 16 of the first circuit board region type is stationarily mounted on the circuit board holder 38, and, as shown in FIG. 3, a circuit board region image of the circuit board 16 of the first circuit board region type is created of the circuit board top side 47.

[0045] Subsequently, a travel path for moving the component to be placed 14 from the starting position into a final position on the circuit board 16 is calculated. This calculation is carried out based upon an image overlayshown schematically in FIG. 4of the component image in the starting position and the previously saved reference component image in the previously saved reference starting position 40.

[0046] The calculation of the travel path is further carried out based upon the previously saved reference travel path of the reference component 38 from the reference starting position 40 into the reference final position 44 on the reference circuit board 46 of the first circuit board region type, which consists of the translation along the arrow 42, as well as the rotation about the center of rotation 48 in the direction of the arrow 50.

[0047] In addition, the calculation of the travel path is carried out based upon an image overlayshown schematically in FIG. 5of the circuit board region image and the previously saved reference circuit board region image.

[0048] In FIG. 4, a component image 56 of a component 14 to be placed is schematically shown as dot-dashed. On the basis of an image overlay, which is based upon a known image recognition method, a movement consisting of a rotation and a translation is performed.

[0049] The center of rotation 48 of the component image 56 is initially overlaid with the center of rotation 48 of the reference component image by a translation, which is indicated by an arrow 57. This intermediate step is shown as dotted in FIG. 4 and is indicated by the reference symbol 58. Subsequently, a rotation about the center of rotation 48 in the direction of the arrow 60 is performed until the component image 56 and the reference component image are precisely overlaid in the reference starting position 40. This situation is indicated with a solid line in FIG. 4.

[0050] FIG. 5 in turn shows an analogous overlay of a circuit board region image 62 with the previously saved reference circuit board region image, which is also based upon the known image recognition method. Likewise, a movement consisting of a rotation and a translation is performed.

[0051] In this respect, FIG. 5 shows the circuit board region image 62 of a circuit board 16 of the first circuit board region type, which is schematically shown as dot-dashed. A center of rotation 64 of the circuit board region image 62 is initially overlaid with the center of rotation 48 of the reference circuit board region image. This overlay takes place by means of a translation, which is indicated by an arrow 66. This intermediate step is shown as dotted in FIG. 5 and is indicated by the reference symbol 68. Subsequently, a rotation about the center of rotation 64 in the direction of an arrow 70 is performed until the circuit board region image 62 and the reference circuit board region image are precisely overlaid. This situation is shown with a solid line in FIG. 5 and indicated by the reference symbol 72.

[0052] The calculation of the travel path is finally performed by means of a coordinate transformation and consists of a rotation and translation of the image overlay of the component image 56 with the reference component image, a rotation and translation of the reference travel path, as well as a rotation and translation of the image overlay of the circuit board region image 62 with the reference circuit board region image.

[0053] After calculating the travel path, the circuit board 16 is gripped at the starting position by the gripping device 26 and moved along the travel path in the X/Y direction into the final position on the circuit board 16 by means of the drive unit 28, which is controlled by the control unit 22, and lowered in the Z direction onto the circuit board 16.

[0054] Because the image overlay is respectively carried out between a component image 56 and a reference component image of an identical component type, as well as between a circuit board region image 62 and a reference circuit board region image of an identical circuit board region type, external interference with the image overlay can be minimized, whereby an automatic placement of the component 14 onto the circuit board 16 is possible in an easy and precise manner.