Operator position adjustable production line machine

A method comprising:

• activating one of a plurality of control stations, at least some of the control stations positioned on different sides of an electronic circuit processing unit integrated into a multiple machine process line that moves electronic circuits in a process direction from either left to right or right to left relative to the activated one of the plurality of control stations of the electronic circuit processing unit wherein the electronic circuit processing unit comprises a conveyor disposed intermediate two opposing sides of the electronic circuit processing unit, a cover that comprises a top and downwardly extending sides and support posts for raising the cover to an open position to provide access to the conveyor from each of the opposing sides and for lowering the cover to a closed position that covers the conveyor;
• controlling an electronic circuit production process via the activated control station of the electronic circuit processing unit wherein the production process comprises heating and then cooling electronic circuits moving in the process direction of the multiple machine process line via the conveyor of the electronic circuit processing unit with the cover of the electronic circuit processing unit in the closed position;
• stopping movement of the conveyor of the electronic circuit processing unit;
• and
• controlling the support posts of the electronic circuit processing unit via the activated control station of the electronic circuit processing unit to extend the support posts vertically to raise the cover to the open position to provide access to the conveyor from each of the two opposing sides of the electronic circuit processing unit.

A processing unit for processing electronic circuits, the processing unit configured for integration into a multiple machine process line that has a process direction, the processing unit comprising:

• an air filter;
• a top that comprises downwardly extending sides;
• a plurality of support posts connected to the top;
• a conveyor disposed intermediate two opposing sides of the processing unit and configured to convey electronic circuits along a long axis of the processing unit in the process direction of the multiple machine process line for heating and then cooling of the electronic circuits, in that order, under the top;
• a central control unit configured to control movement of the conveyor and to control extension of the plurality of support posts to vertically adjust height of the top with respect to the conveyor to provide access to the conveyor from each of the two opposing sides of the processing unit;
• a plurality of control stations configured for selective activation to control the central control unit, at least some of the control stations positioned on different sides of the processing unit, wherein electronic circuits processed by the processing unit move in the process direction of the multiple machine process line, the direction being either left to right or right to left relative to each of the plurality of control stations;
• and
• a plurality of stop buttons configured to control the central control unit to at least stop movement of the conveyor.

An operator position adjustable production line assembly comprising:

• a main unit having a pair of sides, a product path, and a product process cavity;
• a pair of redundant control stations, each control station being positioned on a respective side of said main unit such that said main unit is operable by an operator positioned adjacent to a selectable side of said main unit;
• and
• an air filter coupled to said main unit, said air filter extending along one of said sides of said main unit.