New compact surface mounter features enhanced accuracy and dramatically reduced maintenance

Citation

(2007), "New compact surface mounter features enhanced accuracy and dramatically reduced maintenance", Assembly Automation, Vol. 27 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2007.03327bad.005

New compact surface mounter features enhanced accuracy and dramatically reduced maintenance

New compact surface mounter features enhanced accuracy and dramatically reduced maintenance

Sony Manufacturing Systems Europe has extended its successful range of cellular electronic production equipment with the announcement of a new high-reliability surface mounter (Figure 5) which can place components to an accuracy of ±45mm.

The SI-F130AI high-speed mounter provides a cost-effective pick-and-place solution that enables rapid return-on- investment. The F Series has been proven in Sony's own production facilities and by third parties over an extended period of time.

Figure 5 Sony's new high-reliability surface mounter

“Our ethos is to provide real return- on-investment at every point in the cycle” said Kazuo Ito, UK-based Managing Director of Sony Manufacturing Systems Europe. “At the outset we offer flexible rentals, so that via leasing, our customers can increase their production capacity by 25,900 components per hour (CPH) for just €2,500^* per month. By cutting maintenance requirements we also reduce lifetime cost: the small footprint of our cellular mounters allows us to provide maximum productivity per square metre of factory space”.

Featuring an advanced third generation, Sony developed rotary “planet” head that can move freely in two directions, and with an overlapping process to pre-load components, the SI- F130AI achieves tact times as low as 0.139s. The device also features an ejector system that reduces PCB load/ unload time to zero, further cutting cycle time. The SI-F130AI is only 120cm wide and less than 145cm deep. All Sony chip mounters are designed so that multiple cells can be connected in-line, within a small space, giving full flexibility to meet any low, medium or high mix production and throughput demands.

Equipped with high-speed on-the-fly parts recognition, the SI-F130AI features an image processing system that automatically generates image data for complex new parts. Its compact “cellular” design extends Sony's approach of offering a market-leading combination of speed, placement accuracy, and small footprint, to help create production lines that are flexible and expandable and thus improve cost- performance figures.

To facilitate its customers' advanced manufacturing operations, Sony Manufacturing Systems collaborates with Sony's Financial Services division to provide a range of monthly rental or finance options. These give customers access to the latest technology, whilst managing capital expenses.

Sony Manufacturing Systems has worked closely with its software partner, Sony TiMMS, to offer further integrated hardware/software solutions for customers with more complex data handling and process requirements. The TiMMS system not only provides industry leading mounter optimisation, but also real-time lean manufacturing control between procurement, design, manufacturing and test, improving inventory management and ensuring that their final product is not only completed most cost-effectively, but is fully traceable before and throughout its life cycle.