How SCARA, Six-Axis, and Cartesian Pick-And-Place Robotics Optimize and Streamline Electronics
more reasons about this, see the DigiKey.com blog, Easy Automation with Omron TM Collaborative Robots. In semiconductor manufacture, cobots from Omron and other makers can prevent the extremely costly contamination of wafers by bridging protect wafer workzones and those serviced by cleanroom personnel. Semiconductor-production grade cobot installations also prevent particulate and lubricant outgassing contamination while complementing manual operations for placing and soldering. Cobots in the semiconductor and electronics industry must have above-average speed capabilities complemented by advanced dynamics and controls to prevent the jarring of thin and therefore delicate wafers. Otherwise, tiny cracks can form. Of course, breakage is far less likely with properly specified cobots than human labor. Automated soldering with cobots is also appropriate where components are being assembled onto especially thin boards and the effects of silicon thermal expansion are a concern. Where cobots are destined to perform this and other assembly tasks, it’s often logical to integrate thermography or other board-inspection equipment onto the EoAT. That speeds error-proofing tasks for higher yields and quality assurance … often at relatively low cost.
Figure 14: KUKA collaborative robots
(cobots) are core to the design of this Infineon ISO3 wafer-processing cleanroom. (Image source: KUKA)
Figure 12: Machine-vision feedback often informs cartesian system responses. Massive onboard processing power, advanced algorithms, and an FPGA let HAWK smart cameras (including the model shown here) achieve real-time trigger response for code reading, verification, inspection, and guidance for 4,000 to 14,000 parts per minute. In fact, this camera is an intermediate solution between complex PC-based cameras and basic industrial smart cameras. (Image source: Omron Automation and Safety)
Figure 15: KUKA cobots in this Infineon cleanroom were expertly integrated, networked, and programmed by mechatronic and automation specialists. (Image source: KUKA)
Figure 10: Cartesian robotics can be fitted with imaging equipment (such as this thermal-imaging camera) for thermography of PCBs produced with laser-assisted bonding techniques. (Image source: Teledyne FLIR )
Just as SCARA and especially six- axis robotics have made increased use of direct-drive torque motors, cartesian robotics have (in designs to serve the semiconductor industry) made increased use of linear motors in recent years. A variety of industry-standard and proprietary motor coils, miniature end positioners, piezo-based adjustment modules, vacuum and cleanroom-rated subsystems, linear bearings, controls, and other innovations complement these direct drives to help cartesian systems output ultra-fine ultra- fast motions. Collaborative robotics in electronics manufacturing Collaborative robots (cobots) have proliferated in the semiconductor industry over the last decade. For
Conclusion Industrial robotics can provide affordable and flexible automation of semiconductor and electronics production. Technical challenges are the
need to satisfy cleanroom ratings, high throughput, and careful handling of exceedingly expensive workpieces. Even so, today’s robotic hardware as well as robotic simulation software and programming have simplified the sizing and selection of cleanroom robotic solutions. Complicating matters is how increasingly fine details on increasingly miniaturized electronics necessitate roboticized assembly processes that follow suit. Robotics have risen to this challenge with motors, mechanical linkages, controls, and networks that allow evermore
advanced capabilities. Complementary technologies such as machine vision and real-time industrial networking have also imparted new capabilities in robotics for manipulating, processing, and assembling high-volume semiconductor production.
Figure 13: Cobots in the HCR-5 series meet ISO-2 cleanroom specifications. (Image source: Hanwha Corp./Momentum)
Figures 11a and 11b: Shown here are tool heads for affixing surface-mount technology (SMT) subcomponents to a board. (Image source: Dreamstime)
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