Apparatus and method for processing electronic components
AssigneeFico B.V.
InventorsJohannes Lambertus Geradus Maria Venrooij, Adrianus Henricus Ignatius Maria Verkuijlen
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for processing electronic components, such as semi-conductor products, comprising at least two processing stations, at least one supply/discharge position for electronic components, a robot arm with engaging means for engaging the electronic components for displacing electronic components between the supply/discharge position and the processing stations, and a control for actuating the robot arm and the processing stations. The invention also relates to an assembly of at least two such apparatuses and to a method for processing electronic components which can be performed by means of the apparatus according to the invention.
Claims19
Apparatus (1,8) for processing electronic components, such as semi-conductor products, comprising:
- at least two processing stations (3,12,14,15),
- at least one supply/discharge position (7,16,17) for electronic components,
- a robot arm (5,10) with engaging means (6,11) for engaging, the electronic components for displacing electronic components between the supply/discharge position (7,16,17) and the processing stations (3), and
- a control for actuating the robot arm (5,10) and the processing stations (3,12,14,15). characterized in that the processing stations (3,12,14,15) comprise at least one encapsulating station (3) for enclosing electronic components with encapsulating material in a mould, the device (1,8) comprises at least one supply position (13) for encapsulating material, and the robot arm (5,10) with engaging means (6,11) is also adapted to displace encapsulating material from the supply position (13) to the encapsulating station (3).
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one of the processing stations (3,12,14,15) is a supply, detection, pre-heating, pellet load. degating or discharge station.
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the apparatus (1,8) comprises a replacing station for automatically replacing the engaging means (6,11) coupled to a robot arm (5,10).
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the control is adapted to displace the robot arm (5,10) along a processing station (3,12,14,15) in indexed manner.
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the robot arm (5,10) is provided with a sensor for detecting component data.
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the engaging means (6,11) of the robot arm (5,10) are provided with a plurality of grippers placed at a mutual distance.
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the supply/discharge position (7,16,17) for electronic components is adapted to receive a product carrier for electronic components.
Apparatus (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the apparatus (1,8) is given a modular structure such that processing stations (3,12,14,15) can be added respectively removed as desired.
Assembly of at least two apparatuses (1,8) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the robot arms (5,10) of the apparatuses (1,8) have at least partially overlapping areas of operation.
Method for processing electronic components, such as semi-conductor products, by engaging electronic components at a supply position (7,16,17) for electronic components by means of a robot arm (5,10), passing with the robot arm (5,10) along at least two processing stations (3,12,14,15) for processing of the electronic components and subsequently displacing the processed electronic components to a discharge position (7,16,17) for electronic components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.