Detailed Explanation of the Placement Head Structure of Hanwha's Surface Mount Technology (SMT) placement machine
Everyone knows that the placement machine is the most core equipment on the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) production line, but what about the placement head? Those are the "hands" and "eyes" of the entire machine. It directly determines whether you stick it quickly, accurately and steadily. Today, let's specifically talk about Hanwha's surface mount technology (formerly known as Samsung's surface mount technology). What does its placement head look like, how does it work, and what key technologies are hidden inside?
Don't worry. We won't talk about those complicated and overwhelming terms. Let's just make it clear in the most down-to-earth way.
I. What is a placement head? What's it for?
The Placement Head, also known as the placement head in English, is simply the actuator used by the surface mount technology (SMT) machine to "attach components". It is responsible for bringing the suction nozzle to the feeder to suck up the components, and then quickly moving it to the target position on the PCB board to accurately place the components.
It should not only be able to "hold on" but also "release accurately". So what makes Hanwha's mounting head so impressive? It is fast, stable, accurate, flexible in changing ports, and adaptable to a wide variety of components.
The basic structure of Hanwha mounting heads
Ii. Basic Structure of Hanwha Mounting Heads
Hanwha's surface mount technology (SMT) placement machines come in several mainstream configurations, including high-speed placement heads, multi-functional placement heads, and precision placement heads, depending on different models and application scenarios. However, their basic structures are similar and mainly consist of the following parts:
1. X/Y/Z three-axis control module
Just like the "shoulders, arms and wrists" of a robotic arm, it is responsible for controlling the precise movement of the mounting head in the three directions of forward and backward, left and right, and up and down, ensuring that each movement can be accurately positioned and the landing point is neither off nor off.
In Hanwha machines, the Z-axis is particularly important - it controls the up and down movements of the suction nozzle. The Z-axis has high precision and stable mounting force, making it less likely to damage components.
2. R-axis rotation system
This part is somewhat like the "wrist" of the mounting head, which can rotate freely 360 degrees. For instance, when pasting irregular-shaped components, ics, and QFNS, which cannot be randomly rotated, the R-axis has to be used to adjust the orientation to ensure that each component is placed on the PCB board at the correct Angle.
3. Nozzle seat & Nozzle replacement structure
There are usually multiple Nozzle sockets on the mounting head, such as the common 4-head, 6-head, and 8-head mounting heads, and each head can independently suck components.
The remarkable feature of Hanwha's surface mount technology (SMT) placement machine lies in its support for an automatic nozzle changing system. During operation, the machine will automatically replace the appropriate nozzles based on the type of components. When multiple varieties are mixed and pasted like this, there is no need to stop the machine for manual replacement, and the efficiency has been greatly improved.
4. Vacuum system
The placement head has to rely on negative pressure (vacuum) to lift the components. Hanwha machines are highly accurate in vacuum detection. For instance, when picking up components, if they are picked up off-center, crooked or not picked up at all, it will automatically alarm or remove them to prevent missing parts or misalignment during mounting.
This system may seem unremarkable at first glance, but whether it adheres steadily or not and whether the components will fall off all depend on whether it makes mistakes in the "suction" step.
5. Visual Identity System (Camera + Lighting)
The mounting head also integrates a "visual system", which is equivalent to its eyes. Hanwha's mounting heads usually include:
- Top/Bottom Camera: Identify the orientation of components and the position of pins;
- Flight photography function: Directly take photos for recognition while the placement head is moving at high speed, saving a lot of time.
- Precise positioning function: Ensures that the component can automatically correct its posture even if the Angle is slightly off during suction.
This part directly determines the mounting accuracy, especially when mounting high-demand components such as BGA, QFP, and irregular devices, the vision system serves as the ballast stone.
Iii. Functional Differences among Different Mounting Heads
The configuration of the placement head may vary slightly depending on the model of Hanwha machines (such as SM485, SM471, and Decan series)
- High-speed placement heads: Generally 8-nozzle or 10-nozzle, specifically designed for standard devices such as 0402 and 0603, prioritizing speed.
- Multi-functional placement head: It has fewer ports (such as 4 ports), but is compatible with more components and is suitable for the placement of irregular-shaped parts and ics.
- Precision placement head: Focusing on ultra-small components and precision QFP, it is a bit slower but has extremely high accuracy.
How to configure the production line depends on whether your production line focuses on production capacity or precision.
Iv. Matters to Note When Using the mounting Head in Daily Life
Although the structure of the placement head is rather complex, if the following points can be followed in daily maintenance, the failure rate can be effectively reduced
- Check the suction nozzle every day to see if it is clogged or worn. The suction nozzle is a consumable, so don't be reluctant to replace it.
- Pay attention to the monitoring of vacuum suction force. Some old machines may have insufficient negative pressure.
- Regularly clean the visual system lenses to prevent dust from interfering with recognition accuracy.
- The placement head should not hit the board. The height of the Z-axis setting should be adjusted in advance.
- Pay attention to the synchronization of the nozzle model corresponding to the table when changing the wire to prevent the wrong components from being attached.
V. The Role of the Placement Head in the Entire Production Process
The placement head is not an independent component. It, along with the feeder, PCB platform, vision system, and control software, is a core member of a complete closed-loop system.
To improve the yield rate, reduce flying parts and avoid rework, apart from adjusting the software parameters accurately, the health of the placement head is really crucial. It is not as prone to failure as a servo motor, but a minor issue can affect the rhythm of the entire production line.
A few random thoughts at the end (but very practical)
Often, we think that the slowness of the equipment is due to software or program issues. In fact, the problem lies in the aging and lack of maintenance of the placement head, the clogging of the suction nozzle, and the pressure loss of the vacuum system, which are minor issues that hold back the progress.
In essence, the placement head is the "working arm" of the surface mount technology (SMT) machine. Only by taking good care of this "hand" can we do the job well, improve efficiency and maintain accuracy.
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