Visual Recognition Fault Solution: Hanwha Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Camera System Maintenance and Calibration (Here

Anyone involved in SMT knows that the "eyes" of the surface mount technology (SMT) placement machine - the visual system - is truly a crucial part. Once a minor issue occurs, it can result in a few pieces of material being misaligned at best, and at worst, the entire board being scrapped and the yield rate plummeting significantly. Especially for Hanwha (formerly Samsung) surface mount technology (SMT) machines, they are fast, but if the visual system "blinks and dozes off" and is not adjusted properly, you will have to fight with material throwing, misalignment, and recognition failure every day.

Today, let's talk about how to fix and adjust the visual recognition system of Hanwha's surface mount technology (SMT) machine when it malfunctions, and how to quickly troubleshoot without disrupting the production pace.

Visual recognition, in essence, is when a surface mount technology (SMT) machine "sees" components, PCBS, and MARK points through a camera, and then decides how to pick up and place them. If you "can't see clearly", "see wrongly" or simply "can't see at all", then something is wrong.

• The camera suddenly failed to recognize (common error codes: Vision NG, No image, Pattern not found);
• The MARK point recognition failed, and the machine directly triggered an alarm.
• After suction, the identification failed and the material was frequently thrown away.
• The placement misalignment is obvious, especially on IC and QFN components.
• The camera image shows visual abnormalities such as blurriness, color cast, stripes, and vignetting.

These problems, to put it mildly, are due to a dirty camera; to put it more seriously, they might be caused by a faulty hardware or a deviation in software parameters.

Hanwha surface mount camera system

Don't shout to change the camera right away. Don't be in a hurry! Experience tells us that 80% of visual recognition malfunctions are not actually "broken", but rather "dirty" or "mistuned".

1. 1. Check if your "eyes" are clean

   The simplest and most straightforward step is to first check if the lenses of the upper and lower cameras are dirty.

   • Gently wipe the lens with an alcohol swab, especially the upper and lower camera parts.
   • Be careful not to apply too much force, as the lenses may become blurred.
   • Take a clean piece of white paper and do a visual test to confirm if the image is clear.

   This operation may seem insignificant, but many times it's just the dust at work. Just clean it up and it will be restored.

2. 2. Have the software parameters been "lost"?

   Cameras are not always "automatically smart". Sometimes, when the program is mistakenly operated, the machine loses power, or the mainboard time drifts, it is easy to confuse the alignment parameters, exposure time, and light source intensity.

   Key inspection points
   • Exposure value and light source Settings: Check if the light source (white light/red light) is turned on and if the brightness is appropriate.
   • MARK point Settings: Confirm whether the MARK shape type and gray scale range parameters are set incorrectly;
   • Mounting offset value: Check if anyone has recently changed the default offset compensation, resulting in incorrect mounting.

   When necessary, you can call the factory default parameters, recalibrate once, and test again to see.

If the software is fine and the camera has been cleaned, but it still doesn't work, then we'll have to continue checking the hardware.

1. 1. Is the power supply voltage stable

   In some factories, the voltage is unstable. Once high-power equipment is installed and the voltage drops, the camera screen will directly flicker or go black. Measure the supply voltage with a multimeter to confirm if there is any abnormal fluctuation.

2. 2. Is the camera connection cable loose?

   Sometimes, the camera cable may get loosened due to machine vibration or during maintenance, especially for older models. If the cable has poor contact, problems will occur with the picture.

   • Check the data cable interface, unplug it and reinsert it.
   • If possible, replace the spare camera cable for testing.
3. 3. Is the camera module itself damaged?

   If all the above checks have been done but problems keep recurring, it might really be a problem with the camera itself.

   • Use the swap method: Swap the current camera with other cameras at normal working positions to see if the fault shifts accordingly.
   • If it still breaks after being replaced, then confirm that this camera is indeed broken and needs to be replaced or sent back to the factory for repair.

Hanwha surface mount Technology (SMT) machine camera calibration

Many people get a bit flustered when they hear "visual tuning", but in fact, if you follow the steps, it's not difficult.

• Find the standard MARK position on the PCB;
• Adjust the light source to a clear and high-contrast state;
• Set parameters such as MARK diameter and gray scale range;
• Use the "Recognition Test" function to repeatedly confirm the recognition rate to ensure that the accuracy rate remains stable at over 95%.

The failure of the suction nozzle recognition is most likely due to the fact that the components sucked up are too small in type, reflective, crooked or placed in the wrong material tray.

• Try to enable the "dual Identification" function;
• Fine-tune the alignment using the "Offset Compensation" function;
• Some components can have their angles corrected with suction nozzles or be fed on trays instead.

• Take a screenshot of the camera screen for comparison: old screen vs. new screen, and the recognition difference can be immediately seen.
• Set an automatic cleaning reminder: Clean the lens once a week, and the stability will be directly enhanced.
• Prepare a set of default recognition parameters: when someone misconfigures the parameters, quickly restore them with one click.
• Create a "night inspection" program: Have night shift workers quickly scan the visual system every night, and the problems will be reduced by half the next day.

There's really no need to panic if the camera system of the surface mount technology (SMT) machine malfunctions. As long as you have a systematic troubleshooting process and a little on-site experience, 90% of the problems can be solved.

Especially the vision system of Hanwha's surface mount technology (SMT) placement machines is actually quite stable in the industry. As long as you maintain them frequently, avoid random movements, and do not adjust parameters based on intuition, major problems are unlikely to occur.

Remember this: The speed of surface mount technology is the "legs", while the visual system is the "eyes". If you can't see clearly, no matter how fast you are, it's all in vain.

If your factory is currently using Hanwha models, it is recommended that you directly print this article and stick it on the operation console so that mechanics, adjustors, and operators can all take a look. This can really save you a lot of detours.