Apparatuses and methods for operating at least two tools

A method of operating at least two tools at a first and a second processing area, comprising the step of:

• allocating a respective tool at the first and the second processing areas for a number of machining locations, wherein first components carried by a component web are conveyed along a component track through the first and the second processing areas, wherein
• the number of tools is less than the number of machining locations at the first and the second processing areas, wherein
• the component track includes a number of partial paths corresponding to the number of machining locations, and the steps of:
• configuring the tool to mount respective second components to respective first components at the machining location at the first and the second processing areas, wherein the tool includes a component supply for the second components and a receptacle for the component supply;
• configuring a control unit to move in response to a conveying movement of the component web along the component track,
• position the tool at one or more of the machining locations at the first and the second processing areas, wherein the tool has a needle or a laser, and wherein the receptacle is positioned in at least one of a x-direction, a y-direction and a rotational direction and
• actuate the tool for mounting a first or second component at the respective machining location so that at the first processing area, selected first components conveyed along a first partial path on the component track, and selected first components conveyed on the component web along a second partial path are machined by the tool at the first processing area, and
• in the second area,
• selected first components are conveyed on the component web along a third partial path, and
• the first components that are conveyed along the component web and are not machined at the first processing area, are machined by the tool at the second processing area.

An apparatus for operating at least two tools at a first and a second processing area, wherein

• a number of machining locations are assigned to a respective tool at the first and the second processing areas, wherein first components carried by a component web are conveyed along a component track through the first and the second processing areas, wherein
• the number of tools in the apparatus is greater than the number of machining locations at the first and the second processing areas, wherein the component track includes a number of partial paths corresponding to the number of machining locations, wherein
• the tool at the first and the second processing areas is adapted to attach respective second components to respective first components at each associated machining location at the first and the second processing areas, wherein the tool includes a component supply for the second components and a receptacle for the component supply, and wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a control unit adapted, in response to a conveying movement of the component web along the track, to
• position the tool and the associated receptacle at one or more of the machining locations at the first and the second processing areas, wherein the tool has a needle or a laser, and wherein the positioning includes moving the receptacle in at least one of a x-direction, a y-direction and a rotational direction and
• actuate the tool to mount a first or second component at the respective machining location such that
• in the first processing area,
• selected first components are conveyed along a first partial path on the component track, and
• selected first components conveyed along a second partial path on the component track are machined by the tool at the first processing area, and
• in the second processing area,
• selected first components are conveyed along a third partial path on the component track, and
• the first components that are conveyed on the component web along the second partial path, and are not machined at the first processing area, are machined by the tool at the second processing area.