Essemtec Premiers New Pick-and-Place System for 3D-MID

Moulded Interconnected Device (MID) applications are the current focus of the automotive and medical device industries. In such products, circuits are directly applied onto the surface of injection moulded plastic parts or are integrated as part of products. In a 3D-MID, SMD components typically are on multiple levels. Essemtec has developed a system that can dispense and place in three dimensions and is capable of placing 3D-MID technology.

The goal of MIDs is to gain design freedom, rationalize the production process and increase environmental protection by reducing the material mix. For maximum room use, MIDs are designed in three dimensions (3D-MID), in which components must be placed in different heights and in different declinations. This enables the functional density in products to be increased.

Essemtec has developed a machine concept for such production based on the highly flexible inline pick-and-place FLX2011-LCV system. The placer is completed by a palette transport system, a five-axis robot and a special dispensing head with two valves.

The free motion robot arm is located in the chassis of the pick-and-place. It grips the 3D-MID module from the transport system and positions it in the required position and declination for dispensing and placement.

The special dispensing head is equipped with two individual touch-less dispensers � one for the precise dispensing of solder paste, the other for the accurate metering of fast curing adhesive. Solder paste is applied to the electrical contact surfaces. Glue is dispensed on other locations to hold the SMD part until the reflow process and to absorb mechanical stress during the product's lifetime.

After dispensing, the SMD components are placed as usual with a vacuum tool. They are picked from feeders, measured and aligned by an optical centering system and then placed to the contact surfaces. Standard components are aligned on-the-fly with a laser system. For BGA, QFN and QFP, a Cognex Vision system is used.

When all SMD parts are in place, the robot arm grips the MID module and handles it to the transport system, which leads it to the reflow process.

The complete production cell is controlled by the pick-and-place, which communicates with the robot and the transport system via an interface. Programming can be done by importing CAD data or by a teach-in process using the video camera integrated in the pick-and-place head.

Essemtec is a worldwide leader in the manufacturer of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) production equipment. Essemtec specializes in high mix production equipment for Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) using Surface Mount Technology.

Essemtec is the only manufacturer to cover the entire production process, from Printers and/or Dispensers, to Pick-and-Place and Soldering equipment. Therefore, customers benefit from unparallel knowledge and the ability to select, from a single source, a complete process solution to meet their requirements.