Mechanical Oscillation
Unwanted motion in the robotic assembly arm affects the accuracy and speed of component deposition onto the printed circuit board. This placement head vibration often results from high acceleration rates or worn drive components within the pick and place machine. If left uncorrected, these oscillations lead to misaligned parts or components that are dropped before they reach the substrate.
Positioning Accuracy
Precision assembly requires the component to land within microns of the intended coordinates on the solder paste. Excessive placement head vibration causes the nozzle to shake, which can disturb the solder deposit or shift adjacent parts. Modern machines use active damping and rigid frame designs to minimize the impact of rapid movements.
Regular maintenance and the calibration of the servo motors are required to keep these vibrations within the limits specified by the manufacturer.
Throughput Limitation
Reducing the speed of the machine is a common way to mitigate the effects of mechanical instability. High placement head vibration forces the system to wait for the motion to settle before the vision camera can confirm the part location. This delay reduces the total components per hour the line can achieve.
High speed imaging and accelerometer data help technicians diagnose the source of the resonance.
