Low Cost Automation Tutorial

#147 Production Technology Improvement Course for Mechanical Designers - 17: Component Alignment Technology

Category : Automation elements technology

February 8, 2013

LCA (Low Cost Automation) for aligning small parts such as capacitors require the following performance characters.

Mounter is not to be stopped←High speed aligning, Zero alignment errors, Zero arts jams, Work damage free

-	The parts feeder component alignment technology has been a mature technology since the industrial automation became popular since early1970s. But miniaturization of the parts to be aligned has increased the difficulty levels of alignment methods.
-	For parts aligning, positional relationship of part's center of gravity and pivot point as well as movement distance of the center of gravity come into play.

Correct orientation,Position requiring re-orientation,State of re-orientation

-	The pivot point movement distance becomes larger but the center of gravity movement distance becomes smaller as the capacitor size becomes smaller, and the re-orientation will be more difficult. Such alignment technology will be the know-how of each manufacturer.