JPH082632B2 - Position aligning method and device for printed material in screen printing - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for aligning a position of an object to be printed in screen printing and an apparatus therefor.

"Problems to be Solved by Prior Art and Present Invention" Various alignment modes have been conventionally considered for alignment relating to the printing position of a printing medium in screen printing.

When the emphasis is placed on simplicity and speed, it is conceivable to perform position alignment at the printing station and perform printing immediately after position alignment. Also, when considering printing precision and mediocrity. In many cases, a method of separating the matching part and the printing station is adopted. The present invention is premised on the latter case, and more simply and easily aligns a predetermined printing position with respect to a printing medium on an alignment table, and
It is intended to be done quickly.

Various methods have been proposed for aligning the printing medium at a position separated from the printing station.
Among them, since it is relatively advantageous in terms of accuracy and speed, a matching method using a solid-state image sensor represented by a CCD camera and a computer system in combination has been widely adopted.

In the case of this kind of alignment method, it is necessary to match the print origin, which stores the positional relationship that should be a basic conflict for the printing process, with the reference mark at the predetermined position on the printing medium. Each lot changes, it is often necessary to calculate and determine the positional relationship that should become a collision from the beginning by a predetermined learning method, and the size and shape of the printing material to be processed are maintained almost constant. Regardless of the lot unit, there is a problem in that so-called multi-volume small-volume production processes such as printed circuit board production processes, in which many different lots are printed continuously, lack rapidness. Is. In other words, the annoyance of having to determine the positional relationship that should be a conflict for each lot from the beginning by calculation according to a fixed learning method may not be able to support continuous automatic printing processing at the printing station. That is.

"Means for Solving Problems" The present invention basically employs the alignment method in a printing station disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 59-114664 by the applicant of the present application as means for specifying a printing origin, and In order to solve the problems found in the prior art, the center point of the matching table is set as a specific point, and the x-axis, y-axis, and θ that should be the basic opposition for the printing process based on the specific point. The printing origin, which stores the positional relationship on the axis in advance, is set in the computer, and the reference point of the CCD camera that recognizes this origin is located on a specific point on the alignment table and at a position separated by a certain distance from this specific point. It automatically approaches the printed material with the reference mark and automatically searches until it substantially matches the reference mark, and after the search, it stops at that position, is fixed, and is subsequently carried in. Standard mark of printed material Adjustment for accurate matching with the camera is performed by moving the matching table with respect to the reference point of the CCD camera as a means for solving the problem.

[Operation] According to the present invention, the print origin is stored in the computer, which stores the positional relationship that should serve as a basic collision for the print processing from the specific point of the matching table, and the origin is recognized.
The reference point of the CCD camera is movably arranged, and a reference mark is added to the printing material at a point that has a fixed positional relationship from a specific point on the alignment table to recognize the printing origin that should be a basic conflict. Since the reference point of the CCD camera automatically searched for the reference mark until it almost matched the reference mark of the printing medium, and after the search, the reference mark was automatically stopped and fixed. Not only those in lots, but also those of different lots with different sizes and shapes, if the printing object is located on a specific point of the alignment table, the reference mark is within the area of the reference point of the CCD camera. Accurate matching between the reference point of the CCD camera and the reference mark of the printing medium can be easily achieved by moving the alignment table to the reference point of the fixed CCD camera and adjusting it. To do.

Therefore, although there is a restriction that it is within the range of the amount of movement of the reference point of the CCD camera set in advance, it is possible to quickly respond to lots of different sizes and shapes within a considerable range. The annoyance of having to perform the process of specifying the positional relationship which should be a basic imperative for the printing process from the beginning every time when is changed.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below based on an apparatus for carrying out the present invention.

The printing origin X, which should be a basic conflict for the printing process at the printing station, has the central point of the matching table 1 as the specific point P and the specific point P of the CCD camera 2a.
The positional relationship on the x-axis, y-axis, and θ-axis in relation to a ', that is, the coordinate system of each is comprehensively stored and set in the computer CP. Of the matching table 1 of the printing medium M with respect to the printing medium M which is located on the specific point P and has a mark B to serve as a reference at a portion having a fixed positional relationship from the specific point P.
It is the basic impetus for identifying the desired position above.

Printing origin X that memorizes the positional relationship that should serve as a basic opposition
Are all recognized at the reference point A of the CCD camera 2a mounted on the CCD camera unit 2 arranged so as to be movable on the alignment table 1 in the x-axis and y-axis directions. Then this CCD
The reference point A of the camera automatically approaches the printing medium M located on the specific point P of the alignment table 1, and the reference mark B is automatically searched. In this exploration process,
In the present invention, in consideration of simplicity, the reference mark B of the material M to be printed is additionally provided near the side edge portion 3 of the material M to be printed and at a position facing the reference point A of the CCD camera. This reference mark B
However, as described above, it is added to a certain portion based on the specific point P of the matching table 1.

The reference point A of the CCD camera is the specific point P of the alignment table 1 until the CCD camera unit 2 captures the side edge 3 of the printing medium M by the operation of the pulse motor PM ₁ and the ball screw 4.
After that, the reference mark B added in the vicinity of the side edge portion 3 is captured while finely moving in the x-axis and y-axis directions.

As described above, the reference point A of the CCD camera can be moved along with the movement of the CCD camera unit 2, and the movement is performed by using the pulse motors PM ₁ and PM ₂ included in the CCD camera unit ₂ as a driving source. ing.

Further, the reference point A of the CCD camera is arranged so as to face the two side edge portions 3 of the printing medium M. This means that the reference mark B of the printing medium M is the two side edge portions. Therefore, the pulse motor PM ₁ , which is the drive source of the camera unit 2 equipped with the CCD camera 2a,
PM _{2 is} also provided in each CCD camera unit 2 for the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction.

In this way, setting the reference mark B of the printing medium M on the alignment table 1 in the vicinity of the two side edge portions 3 makes it possible to accurately set the reference mark B of the printing medium M and the reference point A of the CCD camera. This is because it is necessary as a collision when the matching table 1 is moved in the θ-axis direction in order to realize such matching.

The position of the printing medium M carried into the alignment table 1 is regulated so that it is always located on the specific point P of the alignment table 1.

The material M to be printed has only to be positioned on the specific point P of the matching table 1. This means that the basic impediment that determines the predetermined positional relationship for printing is based on the specific point P. This is because the reference point A of the CCD camera that recognizes the printing origin X, which is the basic impediment, has the reference mark B of the printing medium M added with reference to the specific point P. This is because the search is performed automatically, and as a result, the reference point A of the CCD camera that recognizes the print origin X as a basic collision that determines the positional relationship to be printed.
However, as long as the printing medium M is located on the specific point P of the matching table 1, the printing process can be performed on printing substrates M of different lots having different sizes and shapes. It will be possible to respond quickly without disturbing the continuity.

When the reference point A of the CCD camera catches the side edge 3 of the material M to be printed and then the reference mark B is caught in the area, the CCD camera unit 2 is automatically stopped by the operation of the automatic braking mechanism 5, Matching table 1 at that position
However, the important thing here is CC
The CCD camera unit 2 itself has a sensor for detecting that the reference point A of the D camera has caught the reference mark B of the printing medium M, and an automatic brake mechanism 5 that operates via a computer in response to a command from this sensor. It is that.

The automatic braking mechanism 5 stops at a predetermined position,
The reference mark B of the material M to be printed, which is carried onto the alignment table 1 with respect to the reference point A of the fixed CCD camera, exactly coincides with the reference point A, or coincides with the reference point A. As shown in the table, the matching table 1 is x-matched by a computer which has been set in advance in response to the detection signal from the CCD camera 2 for the accurate matching of the substantially matched ones.
It is realized by moving in the axis, y-axis, or θ-axis direction.

As described above, to automatically fix the reference point A of the CCD camera at a predetermined position by the automatic brake mechanism 5 that operates in conjunction with the sensor is to specify the position while adjusting the predetermined position and then artificially Obviously, it is more advantageous in terms of speed as compared with the conventional specification in which the position is fixed by using an appropriate means.

In the present invention, with reference to the specific point P of the matching table 1, the reference point A of the CCD camera that can be equated with the basic collision that defines the positional relationship to be printed and the target point on the specific point P are identified. Matching with the reference mark B of the print body M is realized by the interlocking action of the sensor including the CCD camera 2 that detects various states and the computer's operation which operates by receiving signals from these sensors. Of course there is.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are schematic views of an apparatus for realizing the method of the present invention, which is equipped with a CCD camera 2, pulse motors PM ₁ and PM ₂ , an automatic braking mechanism 5, and the like.
Two CCD camera units 2 are provided above the alignment table 1 so as to face a specific point P of the table, and a reference mark B is additionally provided in the vicinity of the two side edge portions 3 of the material M to be printed. In order to automatically search for the reference point A of the CCD camera, the side edge portion 3 of the printing medium M is moved by moving in the y-axis direction, that is, the direction of the origin P of the alignment table 1 by the calculation activity of the computer.
Is first captured, and then the reference mark B is captured by moving in the x-axis and y-axis directions (see FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b)).

In the figure, PM ₁ is a pulse motor as a drive source in the y-axis direction of the CCD camera unit 2, and PM ₂ is a pulse motor for moving in the x-axis direction, as described above. Also PM
₃ is a pulse motor for moving the matching table 1 in the y-axis direction, PM ₄ is a pulse motor for moving in the x-axis direction, and PM ₅ is a pulse motor for moving in the θ-axis direction.

As described above, in the apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention, the CCD camera unit 2 is movably arranged on the alignment table 1, and the alignment table 1 is arranged in the x-axis direction, y.
Pulse motor that is the drive source in the axial and θ-axis directions
Although it has a three-layer structure consisting of three stages each having PM ₃ , PM ₄ , and PM ₅ , it is needless to say that the structure is not limited to such a structure. The reference point A of the CCD camera that recognizes the print origin X, which is the basic impediment for the printing process.
Automatically searches for the reference mark B so as to at least approximately match the reference mark B of the printing medium M located on the specific point P of the alignment table 1, and then automatically stops and fixes after the search. Any structure may be used as long as accurate matching with the reference mark B of the material M to be subsequently carried in is realized by moving the alignment table 1.

"Effects of the Present Invention" Since the present invention is configured as described above, the positional relationship of the printing medium to be printed is such that the printing medium is located on a specific point of the alignment table and the reference mark is CC.
D As long as the reference point of the camera is added within the range in which it can be moved, even if it is the material to be printed in different lots with different sizes and shapes, the positional relationship to be printed is specified for each lot. The learning method eliminates the need to recalculate and specify from the beginning, and a faster processing can be expected as compared with the conventional position matching method.

Further, in particular, in a printing process of a variety of small-lot production type such as a printed circuit board, highly accurate position alignment can be performed more quickly and easily without impairing the continuous and automatic printing process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are reference points of a CCD camera. It is a schematic explanatory drawing about the matching process of the reference mark of a to-be-printed body. 1 …… Alignment table, 2 …… CCD camera unit, 2a …… CCD camera, 2a ′ …… Specific portion of CCD camera, 3 …… Side edge of printed material, 5 …… Automatic braking mechanism, A …… reference point of the CCD camera, the reference marks B ...... printing material, M ...... printing substrate, P ...... specific point, PM ₁ ~PM ₅ ...... pulse motor, X ...... printing origin.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a screen printing process in which a printing medium that has been position-aligned on an alignment table is transferred to a printing station for printing, a center point of the alignment table is set as a specific point, and the specific point and the alignment table can be moved. The positional relationship on the x-axis, y-axis, and θ-axis, which should serve as the basic collision for the printing process in relation to the specific part of the CCD camera that is arranged, sets the printing origin X stored in advance in the computer. The reference point A of the CCD camera that recognizes the origin X is located on a specific point of the alignment table, and the reference mark B is automatically added to the printing material with a reference mark B at a point having a fixed positional relationship from the specific point. The reference mark B of the printing medium that is approached and automatically searched until it substantially matches the reference mark B, then stops and is fixed at that position after the reference mark B is searched, and is subsequently carried in.
The method for aligning the position of the printing medium in screen printing is characterized in that the alignment table is moved with respect to the reference point A of the CCD camera to make an accurate match with. 2. A reference mark B on the printing medium is attached near the side edge of the printing medium facing the reference point A of the CCD camera, and the CCD
The reference point A of the camera first catches the side edge of the printing material on the alignment table, and then automatically searches until it substantially matches the reference mark B, and after the search, it stops by the automatic braking mechanism and cannot move. The method for aligning an object to be printed in screen printing according to claim 1, wherein 3. A printing origin in which a positional relationship on the x-axis, y-axis, and θ-axis, which should be a basic collision for printing processing in relation to a specific point of a matching table and a specific portion of a CCD camera, is stored in advance. X
Is set in the computer, a CCD camera unit equipped with a reference point A of the CCD camera that recognizes the origin X, a drive source for moving in the x-axis and y-axis directions, and an automatic braking mechanism The reference point A of the CCD camera, which is disposed above, is located on a specific point of the alignment table, and a reference mark B is automatically provided to a printing object having a reference mark B at a point having a fixed positional relationship from this specific point. It automatically searches until it approaches and almost matches with the reference mark B, and after the search, it automatically stops at that position and fixes it, and at the same time, the alignment table that describes the material to be loaded is displayed on the x-axis, y An aligning device for a printing material in screen printing, which is movable in the axis and θ directions.