Method and system for populating printed circuit boards and computer program product for carrying out the method

A method for populating printed circuit boards by means of a pick-and-place line, a plurality of set-up families with associated set-ups , a plurality of printed circuit board types being assigned to each set-up family and a plurality of component types being assigned to each associated set-up, wherein a printed circuit board of a printed circuit board type in a set-up family is populated by means of components of the component types in the set-up on the pick-and-place line, and stocks of components of the component types in a set-up being able to be provided by means of set-up tables on the pick-and-place line, the method comprising:

• detecting the plurality of printed circuit board types, the plurality of printed circuit boards of which are intended to be populated with components of associated component types;
• assigning the detected printed circuit board types to a predetermined number of set-up families;
• and
• optimizing the assignment with respect to a predetermined criterion;
• wherein:
• each printed circuit board type is assigned an order number which indicates how many population orders are present for the printed circuit board type for populating on the pick-and-place line in a predetermined planning horizon, and the criterion comprising maximizing a sum of the order numbers as far as possible;
• or a quantity of the plurality of printed circuit boards to be populated being assigned to each printed circuit board type, and the criterion comprising maximizing a sum of the quantities, which are populated by means of all set-ups on the pick-and-place line, as far as possible,
• or a quantity of the plurality of printed circuit boards to be populated and a population time which is needed to populate a printed circuit board of the printed circuit board type on the pick-and-place line being assigned to each printed circuit board type, and the criterion comprising maximizing the population time, which is needed to populate all printed circuit boards of all printed circuit board types, as far as possible;
• wherein the optimization is carried out in such a manner that the component types in the set-ups of all set-up families are divided among set-up tables such that at least one constant set-up table can remain on the pick-and-place line over all set-ups, one of the set-ups is provided on the pick-and-place line, and the plurality of printed circuit boards of a printed circuit board type assigned to the set-up family of the set-up are populated on the pick-and-place line.