JP7584306B2 - Electronic component placement machine - Google Patents

Description

This specification relates to a substrate-related operation machine that performs a specific operation on a substrate.

The technology of mass-producing board products by performing substrate-to-board operations on printed circuit boards is becoming widespread. Many substrate-to-board operation machines that perform substrate-to-board operations are equipped with an imaging unit that captures images of position marks attached to the substrate as subjects. The exact position of the substrate can be detected by processing the image data acquired by the imaging unit. The imaging unit is also used to capture images of subjects other than position marks, such as components. Generally, the inside of a substrate-to-board operation machine is not bright enough for imaging, so an illumination unit is also used to irradiate the subject with illumination light in accordance with the imaging operation of the imaging unit. One technical example of a substrate-to-board operation machine equipped with an imaging unit and an illumination unit is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

The electronic component mounting machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first camera and a second camera that can move integrally with the mounting head, a light source that emits a first wavelength light, and an irradiation unit that converts the first wavelength light into a second wavelength light and irradiates the electronic components with the second wavelength light. This is said to enable highly accurate capture of images of subjects such as electronic components.

JP 2013-206910 A

However, in image processing of image data, it may not be possible to properly extract the position marks or parts to be extracted, resulting in an image processing error. There are various causes for image processing errors, one of which is a malfunction of the lighting unit. For example, a malfunction of the light source for illumination, a break in the electric wire that supplies electricity to the light source, or a connector not fitting properly may be considered. However, because it is unclear whether illumination light was being irradiated during the imaging operation of the imaging unit, it is difficult to identify the cause of the image processing error, and it takes time and effort to take measures against the error.

One method of the lighting unit is to provide individual light sources corresponding to each hue of the three primary colors of light, and turn on the light sources according to a command. With this method, if a light source of a hue different from the command is turned on due to incorrect wiring of the electric lines that supply power to the light source, good image data cannot be obtained. As a result, even if an image processing error occurs, it is difficult to determine in a short time that the cause is a malfunction of the lighting unit. Note that the above problems are not limited to the imaging unit that captures the position marks on the board, but also occur when capturing images of components mounted on the board, and may also occur with other imaging units that capture images of other subjects.

Therefore, the problem to be solved in this specification is to provide a substrate-related operating machine that can reliably detect whether or not illumination light has actually been applied when the imaging unit performs an imaging operation.

This specification discloses a substrate-related operation machine that includes an imaging unit that performs imaging operations with a substrate, a tool that performs a predetermined substrate-related operation on the substrate, and at least one of the members handled by the tool as a subject, an illumination unit that turns on and irradiates illumination light onto the subject when the imaging unit performs the imaging operations, and a detection unit that detects at least one of the presence or absence of the illumination light, the brightness of the illumination light, and the hue of the illumination light as a detection target when the imaging unit performs the imaging operations.

In the substrate-related operating machine disclosed in this specification, the detection unit does not indirectly detect the presence or absence of a lighting command or the current flowing through the light source, but rather detects the illumination light itself directly. Therefore, the detection unit can reliably detect whether or not illumination light is actually being emitted when the imaging unit performs an imaging operation.

1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of an electronic component mounting machine (a board-related operation machine according to a first embodiment); 2 is a front view showing a configuration of a portion related to a board camera (imaging unit). FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the arrangement of light sources on the first illumination board as viewed from below. FIG. FIG. 13 is a side view showing the arrangement of light sources on the second illumination board, as seen from the inside of the illumination unit. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a light receiving section of a hue detection sensor; FIG. 11 is a graph showing the spectral sensitivity characteristics of a hue detection sensor; 4 is a diagram showing functional blocks relating to control of a board camera and an illumination unit, and a circuit configuration of the illumination unit. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an operation flow during imaging operation of the board camera. 11 is a timing chart showing a case where the board camera sequentially captures images of a plurality of subjects. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing functional blocks relating to control of a board camera and an illumination unit in the second embodiment.

1. Configuration of electronic component mounting machine 1 (substrate-related operation machine of first embodiment) The configuration of the substrate-related operation machine of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1, taking electronic component mounting machine 1 as an example. In FIG. 1, the direction from the upper left to the lower right is the X-axis direction along which substrate K is transported, the direction from the lower left (rear side) to the upper right (front side) is the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction. Electronic component mounting machine 1 repeatedly performs component mounting work. Electronic component mounting machine 1 is configured by assembling substrate transport device 2, component supply device 3, component transfer device 4, component camera 5, and control device 6 (see FIG. 7) on base 10.

The substrate transport device 2 is composed of a first guide rail 21, a second guide rail 22, a pair of conveyor belts, and a clamp device 23. The first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22 extend in the X-axis direction across the center of the top of the base 10 and are attached to the base 10 so as to be parallel to each other. Along the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22, a pair of conveyor belts are provided that are spaced apart and parallel to each other. The pair of conveyor belts rotate with the substrate K placed on the conveyor transport surface, and transport the substrate K to and from a mounting position set in the center of the base 10. In addition, a clamp device 23 is provided below the mounting position. The clamp device 23 pushes up the substrate K, clamps it in a horizontal position, and positions it at the mounting position.

The component supply device 3 is removably mounted on the rear side of the electronic component mounting machine 1. The component supply device 3 is configured by arranging a plurality of feeder devices 31 in a row on a device pallet 35. The feeder device 31 comprises a main body 32, a supply reel 33 provided on the rear side of the main body 32, and a component removal section 34 provided on the upper front end of the main body 32. A carrier tape containing a large number of components sealed at a predetermined pitch is wound and held on the supply reel 33. When this carrier tape is fed out at the predetermined pitch, the components are released from their sealed state and fed sequentially into the component removal section 34.

The component transfer device 4 is composed of a pair of Y-axis rails 41, a Y-axis moving table 42, a Y-axis motor 43, an X-axis moving table 44, an X-axis motor 45, a mounting head 46, and a board camera 49. The pair of Y-axis rails 41 are provided from the front of the base 10 to above the component supply device 3 at the rear. The Y-axis moving table 42 is mounted on the pair of Y-axis rails 41. The Y-axis moving table 42 is driven by the Y-axis motor 43 via a ball screw mechanism and moves in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis moving table 44 is mounted on the Y-axis moving table 42. The X-axis moving table 44 is driven by the X-axis motor 45 via a ball screw mechanism and moves in the X-axis direction.

The mounting head 46 is replaceably attached to the rear side of the X-axis moving stage 44. The mounting head 46 has a rotary tool 47 on its underside. Multiple suction nozzles (not shown) are held on the underside of the rotary tool 47. The suction nozzles, which are set to their operating position by the rotation of the rotary tool 47, are driven by the Z-axis motor 48 to move up and down. The suction nozzles perform a suction operation in which they suck up components from the component removal section 34 of the component supply device 3 by supplying negative pressure, and a mounting operation in which they mount the components on the board K by supplying positive pressure.

The board camera 49 is provided alongside the mounting head 46 on the underside of the X-axis moving stage 44. The optical axis AL of the board camera 49 faces vertically downward (see FIG. 2). The board camera 49 captures an image of a position mark attached to the top surface of the board K. The image data acquired by imaging is processed to detect the exact mounting position of the board K. The board camera 49 can also capture an image of the mounting state of the components mounted on the board K. In other words, the board camera 49 captures the position marks of the board K and the components mounted on the board K as its subjects.

An example of the substrate camera 49 is a digital imaging device having an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The substrate camera 49 is a form of imaging unit that performs imaging operations with the substrate K, a tool that performs a specified substrate-related operation on the substrate K, and at least one of the members handled by the tool as the subject.

The component camera 5 is mounted on the top surface of the base 10 between the board transport device 2 and the component supply device 3 with its optical axis facing upward. The component camera 5 captures an image of the component picked up by the suction nozzle to obtain image data. The image data is processed to detect errors in the component's suction posture and deviations in the rotation angle. These detection results are reflected in the mounting operation of the component transfer device 4. An example of the component camera 5 is a digital imaging device having an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS.

The control device 6 holds job data for each type of board K and controls the component mounting work. The job data is data that describes the detailed procedures and methods of the mounting work. The control device 6 transmits various commands to the board transport device 2, the component supply device 3, the component transfer device 4, and the component camera 5. The control device 6 also receives information on the operating status from these devices. There are no particular limitations on the installation position of the control device 6. The control device 6 may be configured as a single computer device, or may be configured with its functions distributed across multiple computer devices.

2. Lighting section 7
Next, the configuration of the illumination unit 7 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 and 7. The illumination unit 7 is turned on to irradiate the subject with illumination light when the board camera 49 (imaging unit) performs an imaging operation. As shown in Fig. 2, the illumination unit 7 is formed in a roughly box shape and is disposed below the board camera 49. The illumination unit 7 has a first illumination board 71, a diffusion plate 72, a second illumination board 73, a half mirror 74, and a power supply unit 75 (see Fig. 7).

The first illumination board 71 is arranged horizontally under the illumination unit 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the first illumination board 71 is formed in the shape of a ring-shaped plate with an imaging hole 711 in the center. The downward optical axis AL of the board camera 49 passes through the imaging hole 711 and reaches the board K below. Therefore, the first illumination board 71 does not interfere with the imaging field of view of the board camera 49. The first illumination board 71 has eight light sources of each of the three primary colors of light, namely red light sources L1R (marked with a circle in FIG. 3), green light sources L1G (marked with a double circle), and blue light sources L1B (marked with a cross).

The red light source L1R emits red illumination light downward. Similarly, the green light source L1G emits green illumination light downward, and the blue light source L1B emits blue illumination light downward. The eight red light sources L1R, green light sources L1G, and blue light sources L1B are arranged so that they are dispersed and mixed together so that there is no bias in the hues of the illumination light. The red light source L1R, green light source L1G, and blue light source L1B can be, but are not limited to, LED light sources that are turned on when powered on.

The diffuser plate 72 is disposed parallel to the first illumination board 71 while being spaced below the first illumination board 71. The diffuser plate 72 is formed in a ring-shaped plate shape with a central hole of approximately the same size as the imaging hole 711 of the first illumination board 71, and has a thickness greater than that of the first illumination board 71. The diffuser plate 72 diffuses the illumination light emitted from the red light source L1R, green light source L1G, and blue light source L1B by expanding the direction of travel within a certain angle A1 from the downward direction. This makes the brightness of the illumination light roughly uniform at various points on the upper surface of the board K.

The second lighting board 73 is disposed perpendicularly to one side of the lighting unit 7. As shown in FIG. 4, the second lighting board 73 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The second lighting board 73 has five red light sources L2R (marked with a circle in FIG. 4), five green light sources L2G (marked with a double circle), and five blue light sources L2B (marked with a cross) facing inward.

The red light source L2R irradiates red illumination light horizontally. Similarly, the green light source L2G irradiates green illumination light horizontally, and the blue light source L2B irradiates blue illumination light horizontally. The five red light sources L2R, five green light sources L2G, and five blue light sources L2B are arranged so that they are dispersed and mixed together so that there is no bias in the hues of the illumination light. The red light sources L2R, the green light sources L2G, and the blue light sources L2B may be the same as the light sources of the first illumination board 71, or they may be different.

The half mirror 74 is installed at a 45° inclination angle at a position at the same height as the second illumination board 73 inside the illumination unit 7. The half mirror 74 reflects the illumination light that is horizontally incident from the second illumination board 73 and directs it downward toward the substrate K (see arrow A2 in FIG. 2). The half mirror 74 also transmits the light that is reflected by the substrate K and directed upward, allowing it to reach the substrate camera 49 (see arrow A3 in FIG. 2).

The circuit configuration of the illumination unit 7 is shown in FIG. 7. As shown in the figure, the eight red light sources L1R of the first illumination board 71 are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the first R switch S1R. Similarly, the eight green light sources L1G are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the first G switch S1G. Furthermore, the eight blue light sources L1B are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the first B switch S1B.

The five red light sources L2R of the second lighting board 73 are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the second R switch S2R. Similarly, the five green light sources L2G are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the second G switch S2G. Furthermore, the five blue light sources L2B are connected in series and connected to the power supply unit 75 via the second B switch S2B. The six switches mentioned above can be, but are not limited to, semiconductor switches or electromagnetic relays.

As described above, the power supply unit 75 is connected to six systems of light source circuits that can be energized individually. Since multiple light sources are connected in series in each system, when one light source fails or has a disconnection fault, all of the series-connected light sources are turned off. Therefore, when a fault occurs, the decrease in brightness of the illumination light is significant, making it easy to detect the fault. In contrast, in a configuration in which multiple light sources are connected in parallel, a faulty light source is turned off, but non-faulty light sources remain lit normally. For this reason, the decrease in brightness of the illumination light is slight, making it difficult to detect a fault.

Here, the magnitude of the current that equalizes the brightness of each light source differs depending on the hue of the light source. For example, the magnitude of the current that obtains a predetermined brightness is 100 mA for the red light source L1R of the first lighting board 71, 350 mA for the green light source L1G, and 200 mA for the blue light source L1B. The output voltage of each system of the power supply unit 75 is adjusted in advance so that such currents can be obtained. As with the first lighting board 71, the output voltage of each system of the power supply unit 75 is adjusted in advance for the second lighting board 73 so that the brightness of the red light source L2R, green light source L2G, and blue light source L2B is equal.

3. Hue detection sensor 8
Next, the hue detection sensor 8 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The hue detection sensor 8 is one form of a detection unit that detects at least one of the presence or absence of illumination light, the brightness of illumination light, and the hue of illumination light as a detection target when the imaging unit performs an imaging operation. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the hue detection sensor 8 is provided facing downward in one corner of the lower surface of the first illumination board 71.

The hue detection sensor 8 detects at least one of the presence or absence of illumination light and the brightness of the illumination light for each hue of the illumination light. In the first embodiment, the hue detection sensor 8 detects light reflected when the illumination light is incident on the substrate K. Without being limited to this, the hue detection sensor 8 may detect illumination light that is directly incident, or may detect illumination light that is incident via an optical device such as a reflector.

As shown in FIG. 5, the hue detection sensor 8 has a light receiving section 81 consisting of 81 (=9×9) light receiving elements. The light receiving elements are 27 red light receiving elements 82R (marked with a square in FIG. 5) that are highly sensitive to red, 27 green light receiving elements 82G (marked with a double square) that are highly sensitive to green, and 27 blue light receiving elements 82B (marked with a square plus a cross) that are highly sensitive to blue. Each light receiving element can be a photodiode, but is not limited to this. The 27 red light receiving elements 82R, green light receiving elements 82G, and blue light receiving elements 82B are arranged so that they are dispersed and mixed together to prevent bias in detection sensitivity.

As shown in the solid line graph W1 of the spectral sensitivity characteristics in FIG. 6, the red light receiving element 82R has a maximum sensitivity to a wavelength of 615 nm, which corresponds to red. As shown in the dashed line graph W2, the green light receiving element 82G has a maximum sensitivity to a wavelength of 540 nm, which corresponds to green. Furthermore, as shown in the dashed line graph W3, the blue light receiving element 82B has a maximum sensitivity to a wavelength of 465 nm, which corresponds to blue.

The hue detection sensor 8 can be switched between high and low sensitivity modes. In high sensitivity mode, all light receiving elements are used, and in low sensitivity mode, the central nine (=3 x 3) light receiving elements are used (range R1 in Figure 5). In the first embodiment, the high sensitivity mode is always set. The hue detection sensor 8 simultaneously measures red, green, and blue, and amplifies the output of the light receiving elements to obtain a detection signal for each hue. The hue detection sensor 8 further converts the detection signal into a 12-bit (4096-level) red detection signal DR, green detection signal DG, and blue detection signal DB, and outputs them serially.

The hue detection sensor 8 can therefore quantitatively detect the brightness of the illumination light for each hue of the illumination light. The hue detection sensor 8 may also detect the presence or absence of illumination light for each hue by comparing a specified value for determining the presence or absence of illumination light with the magnitude of the detection signal. For example, the "Color Sensor S9706" manufactured by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. can be used as the hue detection sensor 8.

4. Control configuration related to the board camera 49 (imaging section) Next, the control configuration related to the board camera 49 (imaging section) will be described with reference to Fig. 7. As shown in the figure, an imaging control section 61 and an illumination control section 62 are provided below the control device 6. When the board camera 49 performs an imaging operation, the control device 6 instructs the imaging control section 61 on imaging conditions and illumination conditions suitable for the type of board K and the subject. Alternatively, the control device 6 may transmit information regarding the type of board K and the subject to the imaging control section 61, and the imaging control section 61 may determine the imaging conditions and illumination conditions by itself based on the received information.

For example, the shutter speed, which is one of the imaging conditions, is set to be variable depending on the type of board K and the subject. In this case, the lighting duration, which is one of the illumination conditions of the illumination unit 7, is set to be variable depending on the length of the shutter speed. The imaging control unit 61 controls the imaging operation of the board camera 49 using the imaging conditions instructed by the control device 6. The imaging control unit 61 also transmits the illumination conditions instructed by the control device 6 to the illumination control unit 62. The illumination control unit 62 individually controls the opening and closing of the first R switch S1R, the first G switch S1G, the first B switch S1B, the second R switch S2R, the second G switch S2G, and the second B switch S2B based on the instructed illumination conditions.

To add to the procedure of the actual imaging operation, the control device 6 determines the subject when the board K is carried in, and instructs the imaging and lighting conditions to the imaging control unit 61. Next, the control device 6 moves the board camera 49 above the subject to prepare for imaging. When preparations are complete, the control device 6 transmits an imaging command C1 to the imaging control unit 61. The imaging control unit 61, which has received the imaging command C1, transmits an illumination command C2, which instructs the type of light source to be turned on and the timing of turning it on, to the illumination control unit 62, while outputting an imaging trigger TG to the board camera 49. The illumination control unit 62 performs control to close at least one switch at the indicated lighting timing. As a result, at least one system of light source is turned on, and illumination light is irradiated onto the subject. At the same time, the board camera 49, to which the imaging trigger TG has been input, performs imaging operation under illuminated conditions.

The imaging trigger TG described above is input and output using a hardware contact, without communication. The imaging command C1 and the lighting command C2 may be transmitted using communication, or may be transmitted using a hardware contact like the imaging trigger TG.

The lighting control unit 62 includes the function of an abnormality determination unit 63. The abnormality determination unit 63 receives a red detection signal DR, a green detection signal DG, and a blue detection signal DB from the hue detection sensor 8. The abnormality determination unit 63 determines an abnormality in at least one of the lighting unit 7 and the hue detection sensor 8 based on the detection result of the hue detection sensor 8. In the first embodiment, in order to detect an abnormality in the lighting unit 7, the hue detection sensor 8, which is far more reliable than the lighting unit 7, is used. Therefore, the abnormality determination unit 63 mainly determines an abnormality in the lighting unit 7.

There are various variations in the method of abnormality determination by the abnormality determination unit 63. For example, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the brightness of the detected illumination light is normal when it is within a specified range, and determines that there is an abnormality in the illumination unit 7 in other cases. In this way, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect abnormalities such as the illumination unit 7 not turning on, or the deterioration of the brightness of the light source due to aging of the illumination unit 7.

Furthermore, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect incorrect wiring of the electric lines that supply electricity to the light sources of the illumination unit 7. In detail, as described above, by supplying 100 mA to the red light source L1R of the first illumination board 71 and 350 mA to the green light source L1G, the brightness of both light sources becomes equal. However, there are cases where the electric lines are incorrectly wired so that they are swapped, or where the connectors connecting the electric lines are incorrectly mated. In these cases, the red light source L1R is supplied with 350 mA and becomes brighter than the specified range. On the other hand, the green light source L1G is supplied with 100 mA and becomes darker than the specified range. Therefore, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect abnormalities in the brightness of each hue of the illumination light caused by incorrect wiring, even when all three light sources are turned on.

It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the light sources of one or more hues of the illumination unit 7 are turned on in accordance with a command that specifies the hue of the illumination light. In this configuration, the abnormality determination unit 63 detects a first abnormality in which there is no illumination light of a hue that matches the command, or the brightness of the illumination light of a hue that matches the command is outside of a specified range that indicates a lighting state. Furthermore, the abnormality determination unit 63 detects a second abnormality in which there is illumination light of a hue that does not match the command, or the brightness of the illumination light of a hue that does not match the command is within a specified range that indicates a lighting state. In these cases, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect an abnormality in the decrease in brightness due to aging of the light source of the illumination unit 7, or incorrect wiring of the electric lines of the illumination unit 7.

Furthermore, a configuration can be adopted in which a light source of one type of hue of the illumination unit 7 is turned on in accordance with a command specifying one hue of the illumination light. In this configuration, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that the illumination unit 7 is normal when there is illumination light of a hue that matches the command and there is no illumination light of a hue that does not match the command, and determines that there is an abnormality in the illumination unit 7 in other cases. In this case, the abnormality determination unit 63 can detect an abnormality such as non-lighting of the illumination unit 7 or incorrect wiring of the electric line of the illumination unit 7 based on the presence or absence of illumination light for each hue, without using the quantitative brightness of the illumination light.

When an abnormality is detected, the abnormality determination unit 63 may perform at least one of the following: a notification operation to notify the operator of the abnormality and a stop operation to stop the work on the board. The notification operation may use an alarm lamp or alarm sound, or send an email to the operator's mobile terminal to notify the operator of the abnormality. There is also concern that an abnormality may cause a decrease in the quality of image data and a decrease in the processing accuracy of image processing. Therefore, it is preferable that the abnormality determination unit 63 stop the component mounting work when an abnormality is detected.

5. Operation of electronic component mounting machine 1 Next, the operation of electronic component mounting machine 1, mainly the imaging operation of board camera 49, will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Note that, among the operations of electronic component mounting machine 1, the conveying operation of board K by board conveying device 2, the supplying operation of components by component supplying device 3, and the suction and mounting operation of components by component transfer device 4 are performed in the same manner as in the conventional technology, and therefore their description will be omitted. In the following description, it is assumed that imaging control unit 61 turns on each of the six light source circuits of illumination unit 7 to cause board camera 49 to perform six imaging operations, synthesizes the six image data obtained, and then performs image processing.

In step S1 of FIG. 8, the control device 6 determines that one or more of the position marks on the board K or the components mounted on the board K are to be the subject. In the next step S2, the control device 6 instructs the imaging control unit 61 on imaging conditions and lighting conditions suitable for the type of board K and the subject. The imaging control unit 61 sets imaging conditions such as the shutter speed of the board camera 49 based on the instruction. Also, the lighting control unit 62 sets lighting conditions such as the lighting duration of the lighting unit 7 based on the instruction. The lighting sequence of the six light source circuits of the lighting unit 7 is fixed and instructed in advance.

In the next step S3, the control device 6 moves the board camera 49 above the subject. Step S3 can be executed in parallel with step S2. In the next step S4, the control device 6 transmits an imaging command C1 to the imaging control unit 61, which commands six imaging operations collectively. The imaging control unit 61, which has received the imaging command C1, outputs an imaging trigger TG to the board camera 49 while transmitting an illumination command C2 to the illumination control unit 62. The illumination control unit 62, which has received the illumination command C2, controls to close the first R switch S1R the first time. As a result, the board camera 49, to which the imaging trigger TG has been input, performs imaging operations under conditions illuminated by the eight red light sources L1R.

In the next step S5, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the illumination unit 7. Specifically, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not the light source of the illumination unit 7 is properly turned on based on the command to turn on the red light source L1R. That is, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that there is an abnormality when the red detection signal DR of the hue detection sensor 8 exceeds a specified value for determining the presence or absence of illumination light, and the green detection signal DG and the blue detection signal DB are equal to or less than the specified value. The abnormality determination unit 63 also determines that there is an abnormality in other cases. If there is no abnormality, the abnormality determination unit 63 advances the operation flow to step S6, and if there is an abnormality, the operation flow branches to step S7. In step S7 when there is an abnormality, the abnormality determination unit 63 performs a notification operation to notify of the abnormality and a stop operation to stop the mounting work of the components. At this time, the electronic component mounting machine 1 stops.

In step S6, if no abnormality is found, the imaging control unit 61 determines whether six imaging operations have been completed. Since only one imaging operation has been completed in the first step S6, the operation flow returns to step S4. In step S4 for the second time, the imaging control unit 61 outputs the imaging trigger TG toward the board camera 49 while sending an illumination command C2 to the illumination control unit 62. The illumination control unit 62 controls to close the first G switch S1G for the second time. As a result, the board camera 49 performs imaging operations under conditions illuminated by eight green light sources L1G.

In the second step S5, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the illumination unit 7. Specifically, based on a command to turn on the green light source L1G, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that there is a normal state if the green detection signal DG of the hue detection sensor 8 exceeds a specified value and the red detection signal DR and the blue detection signal DB are equal to or lower than a specified value, and determines that there is an abnormality otherwise.

If no abnormality is determined, the loop consisting of steps S4 to S6 is repeated six times. That is, in the third to sixth step S4, the first B switch S1B, the second R switch S2R, the second G switch S2G, and the second B switch S2B are closed in order and individually in the lighting unit 7, and the board camera 49 performs an image capture operation under each lighting condition. In addition, in the third to sixth step S5, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that there is a normal state if the detection signal of the hue that matches the command exceeds a specified value and the detection signal of the hue that does not match the command is equal to or less than the specified value, and determines that there is an abnormality otherwise.

When step S6 is reached for the sixth time without any abnormality occurring, six imaging operations have been completed, and the operation flow proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the imaging control unit 61 combines the six image data acquired in each step S4, and then performs image processing. This allows a position mark to be extracted, and the mounting position of the board K to be accurately determined. Alternatively, a component is extracted, and the quality of its mounting state is inspected. This completes one cycle of the operation flow, and steps S1 and onward are repeated for the next subject.

Here, step S8 of the operation flow can be executed in parallel with steps S1 to S6 of the next cycle. More specifically, the horizontal axis in FIG. 9 represents the passage of time t, and the four bar graphs show the breakdown of each operation time for the four subjects. As shown in the figure, it takes time T1 to move the board camera 49, and time T2 to perform six imaging operations. In addition, it takes time T3 to combine the six image data and process the images. Time T3 is approximately equal to the sum of time T1 and time T2.

Then, the board camera 49 can start moving toward the second subject when the imaging operation for the first subject is completed. This allows the time T3 for image processing for the first subject to overlap with the time T1 for movement of the board camera 49 toward the second subject and the time T2 for the imaging operation. Similarly, the time T3 for image processing for the second subject to overlap with the time T1 for movement of the board camera 49 toward the third subject and the time T2 for the imaging operation. In other words, the electronic component mounting machine 1 can increase production efficiency by overlapping the image processing of the first subject with the imaging operation of the second subject.

Note that, unlike the above description, a first modified example is possible in which the board camera 49 performs three imaging operations for each hue. That is, the red light source L1R and the red light source L2R can be turned on simultaneously in the first imaging operation of the board camera 49, the green light source L1G and the green light source L2G can be turned on simultaneously in the second imaging operation, and the blue light source L1B and the blue light source L2B can be turned on simultaneously in the third imaging operation. In this case, the imaging control unit 61 combines the three acquired image data and then performs image processing.

A second modified example is possible in which all light sources of the first illumination board 71 are turned on simultaneously to cause the board camera 49 to perform an imaging operation, and then all light sources of the second illumination board 73 are turned on simultaneously to cause the board camera 49 to perform an imaging operation. In this case, the imaging control unit 61 combines the two acquired image data and then performs image processing. Furthermore, a third modified example is possible in which all light sources of the illumination unit 7 are turned on simultaneously to cause the board camera 49 to perform one imaging operation.

In each of the modified examples, the abnormality determination unit 63 can identify the hue of the light source that did not light up. In the first and third modified examples, the abnormality determination unit 63 can identify which of the six light source circuits of the illumination unit 7 has failed, based on the degree of decrease in the brightness of the illumination light. For example, when the red detection signal DR drops to about 62% (= 8/(8 + 5)) of the normal level, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that five red light sources L2R have failed. In addition, when the red detection signal DR drops to about 38% (= 5/(8 + 5)) of the normal level, the abnormality determination unit 63 determines that eight red light sources L1R have failed.

In the electronic component mounting machine 1 (substrate-related work machine of the embodiment), the hue detection sensor 8 directly detects the illumination light itself, rather than indirectly detecting the presence or absence of a lighting command or the current flowing through the light source. Therefore, the hue detection sensor 8 can reliably detect whether the illumination light is actually irradiated when the board camera 49 (imaging unit) performs an imaging operation. In addition, the abnormality determination unit 63 can determine various abnormalities that may occur in the illumination unit 7 based on the detection results of the hue detection sensor 8. Furthermore, the detection results of the hue detection sensor 8 and the determination results of the abnormality determination unit 63 are referenced when an image processing error occurs, and are very useful for identifying the cause of the error and considering countermeasures.

6. Second embodiment Next, the electronic component mounting machine 1 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10, focusing mainly on the differences from the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the main hardware configuration of the electronic component mounting machine 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment, but differs in that the illumination control unit 62 includes the function of the adjustment unit 64.

Based on the brightness of the illumination light detected by the hue detection sensor 8, the adjustment unit 64 adjusts the output voltage of the power supply unit 75 to compensate for changes in the brightness of the illumination light. A specific example will be described below. As the illumination unit 7 is used over time, for example, the red light source L1R deteriorates and the brightness of the illumination light gradually decreases. The degree of decrease in the brightness of the illumination light is quantitatively detected by the hue detection sensor 8. Based on the quantitative detection results of the hue detection sensor 8, the adjustment unit 64 adjusts the output voltage of the power supply unit 75 higher, thereby returning the illumination light of the red light source L1R to its original brightness.

Furthermore, if the brightness of the illumination light of the red light source L1R is still insufficient after the adjustment, the adjustment unit 64 can readjust the output voltage of the power supply unit 75 to be higher to optimize the brightness of the illumination light. On the other hand, if the illumination light of the red light source L1R becomes too bright, the adjustment unit 64 can readjust the output voltage of the power supply unit 75 to be lower to optimize the brightness of the illumination light. In other words, the adjustment unit 64 can maintain the brightness of the illumination light of the red light source L1R with high accuracy for a long period of time by performing feedback control. The adjustment unit 64 can perform the above-mentioned adjustment based on the detection result of the hue detection sensor 8 during the imaging operation of the board camera 49. The adjustment unit 64 can also control the illumination unit 7 to be turned on by utilizing free time, etc., regardless of the imaging operation of the board camera 49, and adjust the brightness of the illumination light.

7. Applications and Modifications of the Embodiments The substrate-related operation machine of the embodiment is not limited to electronic component mounting machine 1, and may be a substrate-related operation machine other than electronic component mounting machine 1 that is equipped with substrate camera 49. Moreover, instead of substrate camera 49, an imaging unit that acquires inspection image data in a substrate inspection machine, or an imaging unit that images the state of the squeegee or mask of a solder printer may be the subject of the present invention.

Furthermore, one of the first lighting board 71 and the second lighting board 73 may be omitted. Also, the lighting unit 7 may be configured with a single light source, and the light receiving sensor replacing the hue detection sensor 8 may be a simple configuration that detects whether the lighting unit 7 is turned on or not. Also, the abnormality determination unit 63 may be configured to be inactive under normal circumstances and to operate only when an image processing error occurs in the imaging control unit 61, thereby contributing to identifying the cause of the error. The configurations and operations of the first and second embodiments can be applied and modified in various other ways.

1: Electronic component placement machine 2: Board transport device 3: Component supply device 4: Component transfer device 49: Board camera 5: Component camera 6: Control device 61: Imaging control unit 62: Lighting control unit 63: Abnormality determination unit 64: Adjustment unit 7: Illumination unit 71: First illumination board 72: Diffuser 73: Second illumination board 74: Half mirror 75: Power supply unit 8: Hue detection sensor 81: Light receiving unit K: Board L1R: Red light source L1G: Green light source L1B: Blue light source L2R: Red light source L2G: Green light source L2B: Blue light source C1: Imaging command C2: Illumination command TG: Imaging trigger

Claims (6)

an imaging unit that performs an imaging operation with at least one of a board, a tool that performs an operation of mounting components on the board, and a member handled by the tool as a subject;
an illumination unit that is turned on to irradiate the subject with illumination light when the imaging unit performs the imaging operation;
a detection unit that detects at least one of the presence or absence of the illumination light, the brightness of the illumination light, and the hue of the illumination light as a detection target when the imaging unit performs the imaging operation ,
The illumination unit includes:
a red light source having a red hue of the illumination light, a green light source having a green hue of the illumination light, and a blue light source having a blue hue of the illumination light,
each time the imaging unit performs the imaging operation, one of the red light source, the green light source, and the blue light source is turned on in accordance with a command that designates one hue of the illumination light;
The detection unit is
a hue-based detection sensor that detects at least one of the presence or absence of the illumination light and the brightness of the illumination light for each hue of the illumination light;
detecting the presence of said illumination light of a hue that conforms to said command and the absence of said illumination light of a hue that does not conform to said command;
Electronic component placement machine. an imaging unit that performs an imaging operation with at least one of a board, a tool that performs an operation of mounting components on the board, and a member handled by the tool as a subject;
an illumination unit that is turned on to irradiate the subject with illumination light when the imaging unit performs the imaging operation;
a detection unit that detects at least one of the presence or absence of the illumination light, the brightness of the illumination light, and the hue of the illumination light as a detection target when the imaging unit performs the imaging operation;
an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality in at least one of the illumination unit and the detection unit based on a detection result of the detection unit ,
the illumination unit has a plurality of types of light sources having different hues of the illumination light, and each time the imaging unit performs the imaging operation, one or more of the plurality of types of light sources are turned on in accordance with a command that specifies a hue of the illumination light,
the detection unit is a hue-specific detection sensor that detects at least one of the presence or absence of the illumination light and the brightness of the illumination light for each hue of the illumination light,
The abnormality determination unit, based on a detection result of the hue detection sensor,
A first abnormality in which the illumination light of a hue corresponding to the command is not present or the brightness of the illumination light of a hue corresponding to the command is outside a specified range representing a lighting state; and
determining at least one of the following second abnormalities: that the illumination light has a hue that does not match the command, or that the brightness of the illumination light has a hue that does not match the command and is within a specified range that indicates a lighting state;
Electronic component placement machine. the illumination unit has a red light source whose illumination light has a red hue, a green light source whose illumination light has a green hue, and a blue light source whose illumination light has a blue hue, and each time the imaging unit performs the imaging operation, one of the red light source, the green light source, and the blue light source is turned on in accordance with the command specifying one hue of the illumination light,
the abnormality determination unit determines that the illumination unit is normal when the illumination light has a hue that matches the command and the illumination light has a hue that does not match the command based on a detection result of the hue-specific detection sensor, and determines that the illumination unit is abnormal in other cases.
3. The electronic component mounting machine according to claim 2 . 4. The electronic component mounting machine according to claim 2 , wherein the abnormality determination unit, when determining that an abnormality has occurred, performs at least one of a notification operation for notifying the abnormality and an interruption operation for interrupting the mounting of the components . 5. The electronic component mounting machine according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination unit has a plurality of light sources electrically connected in series and turned on when energized. The detection unit detects the brightness of the illumination light,
the electronic component mounting machine includes an adjustment unit that adjusts the illumination unit based on the detected brightness of the illumination light so as to compensate for a change in brightness of the illumination light.
The electronic component mounting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

Images