Guide to Intelligent Manufacturing Processes for Printed Circuit Boards

Guide to Learning Intelligent Manufacturing Processes for Printed Circuit Boards

Knowledge Review

This learning guide aims to help you understand the PCB production process and its intelligent characteristics as described in the patent document “An Intelligent Manufacturing Process for Printed Circuit Boards”.

I. Overview of Intelligent Manufacturing Process (Refer to Figure 1)

Understand the 15 core steps from raw material storage to final packaging of PCB boards.
Master the names of each step and their order in the entire production chain.

II. Detailed Operations and Intelligent Characteristics of Each Step

Raw Material Management (Steps 1-2):The role of the ERP system in the inbound and outbound of raw materials.
Applications of intelligent warehousing systems, vertical lift forklifts, and AGV transport vehicles in material handling.
The importance of quality inspection during the inbound process.
Board Processing and Inner Layer Production (Steps 3-4):Automation equipment and measuring instruments for cutting (trimming, edge grinding, rounding).
Connection and automation of inner layer processes (pre-treatment, coating, exposure, development, etching, stripping).
The role of online AOI scanners in inner layer quality inspection.
Multilayer Board Integration and Drilling (Steps 5-6):Automation of pre-lamination processes (browning, pre-stacking, layout, hot melting, riveting).
Automation loading and operation of lamination (voltage machine).
Applications of integrated machines for drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and rounding in post-lamination processing.
Automation and inspection in drilling processes using fully automatic drilling machines and X-RAY hole inspection machines.
Surface Treatment and Circuit Production (Steps 7-8):Automation processes for electroplating (copper deposition, continuous copper plating), including the use of robotic arms.
Connection and automation of outer layer circuit processes (pre-treatment, film application, exposure, development, etching, stripping).
Application of online AOI scanners in outer layer circuit quality inspection.
Protective Layer and Marking Production (Steps 9-11):Automation of solder mask processes (pre-treatment, resin plugging, silk screen, tunnel furnace, exposure, development).
Automation of text processes (character printing, high-temperature baking, cooling).
Automation of immersion gold processes (pre-treatment, edge wrapping, immersion gold, post-treatment) and monitoring of precious materials.
Final Shaping and Testing (Steps 12-14):The semi-automated characteristics of shaping (cutting) (partially manual operation, AGV transport).
The role of cleaning machines after shaping.
Automation testing and defect information recording using fully automatic electrical testing machines.
Automated inspection and material transfer in final inspection (fully automatic AVI inspection machines, physical laboratory reliability testing).
Finished Product Packaging (Step 15):Applications of fully automatic packaging machines in sorting, wrapping, bag making, vacuum sealing, filling, sealing, and labeling.

III. Core Capabilities of Intelligent Manufacturing Systems

Production Control System and ERP System:Automatic connection, regulation, optimization of production parameters, and scheduling based on customer delivery dates.
Automation and Robotics Applications:Widespread use of vertical lift forklifts, AGV transport vehicles, and robotic arms in various stages.
Data Management and Visualization:Automatic entry of production status, information export, table generation, and digital presentation.
Monitoring and Maintenance:Online/remote monitoring with cameras, automatic maintenance management of equipment, and automatic fault reporting.
Material Management:Main materials are automatically added, while other materials are added by line personnel.

Quiz Questions

Please briefly answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences:

What are the most significant advantages of this intelligent manufacturing process for printed circuit boards compared to traditional manufacturing processes?
What roles do the ERP system and intelligent warehousing system play in the inbound and outbound of PCB raw materials?
What is the main function of the online AOI scanner mentioned in both inner and outer layer circuit processes?
What tasks does the robotic arm primarily undertake in the lamination process?
What is the role of the X-RAY hole inspection machine in the drilling process? What quality aspects does it inspect?
In the electroplating process, what key quality checks do line personnel need to perform in addition to using automated equipment?
Why is the shaping step described as “single machine operation mode, with automated handling, but the shaping process cannot be automated”?
What important management functions does the production control system have in the entire intelligent manufacturing process?
Besides automated production and intelligent regulation, what characteristics does this process have in information management and monitoring?
How does this intelligent manufacturing process address the issues of “labor shortages” and “increased labor costs” mentioned in the background technology?

Quiz Answers

The most significant advantage of this intelligent manufacturing process is the realization of fully intelligent production from raw material storage to finished product packaging. It achieves automatic connection and regulation through the production control system and ERP system, and can automatically optimize production parameters based on testing results, significantly reducing labor costs and defect rates.
The ERP system automatically calculates the raw material requirements for PCB boards based on order demands and transmits this information to the purchasing department and intelligent warehousing system. The intelligent warehousing system, in turn, controls vertical lift forklifts and AGV vehicles to store, retrieve, and transport raw materials according to ERP instructions, while sending relevant information to the production control system and ERP system.
The main function of the online AOI scanner in both inner and outer layer circuit processes is to automatically detect the quality of the circuits, such as open or short circuits in the inner layer or defects in the outer layer. It can automatically identify qualified products and transfer them to the next process while placing unqualified products in a designated area for handling.
In the lamination process, the robotic arm is primarily used to connect the automatic riveting machine, voltage machine, and integrated machines for drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and rounding. It is responsible for automatically loading the PCB boards into the voltage machine for lamination and subsequently retrieving and transferring them to subsequent equipment for processing.
In the drilling process, the role of the X-RAY hole inspection machine is to perform automatic hole inspection. It mainly checks for hole offset, hole diameter, and blockage quality, ensuring the accuracy and quality of the drilling.
In the electroplating process, in addition to automated equipment, line personnel need to take the first product for micro-slicing analysis to check the quality of the electroplating in detail. If unqualified products are found, line personnel will handle and rework them.
The shaping step is partially unable to be automated because the patent states that “shaping operators retrieve the corresponding model data for single machine operation”. This means that while material handling (via AGV vehicles and robotic arms) is automated, the actual shaping (cutting) operation still requires manual intervention or assistance, and cannot be fully automated.
The production control system has several important management functions, including automatic connection and regulation of each process, optimization of production parameters based on testing results, and automatic scheduling based on customer delivery dates. Additionally, it can record production status, generate digital reports, and provide automatic maintenance management and fault reporting functions for equipment.
In terms of information management, all production information can be automatically generated into digital tables and presented in real-time, allowing managers and decision-makers to understand the operational status of the enterprise at any time. In terms of monitoring, surveillance cameras are installed in all major sections, enabling online monitoring of production status and remote viewing through a remote monitoring app.
This intelligent manufacturing process addresses the issues of “labor shortages” and “increased labor costs” by widely adopting automated equipment (such as robotic arms and AGV transport vehicles) and intelligent systems (such as production control systems and intelligent warehousing systems) to replace a large amount of manual labor, thereby reducing the demand for labor and mitigating the impact of labor shortages. Additionally, automated production directly reduces the labor costs for enterprises.

Thesis Format Issues

Detail how the production control system in “An Intelligent Manufacturing Process for Printed Circuit Boards” runs through and optimizes each stage of PCB production, and explain its capabilities for “automatic connection, regulation” and “optimization of production parameters” with specific steps.
Analyze how this intelligent manufacturing process effectively addresses the industry challenges of “labor shortages” and “increased labor costs” through automated equipment, intelligent systems, and data visualization, and discuss its contributions to improving production efficiency and product quality.
Compare the “fully automated production process” described in this patent with the “higher level of automated production methods” mentioned in the background technology, and identify the innovations of this invention in achieving true “intelligent manufacturing”.
Quality control is crucial in the PCB manufacturing process. Please explain in detail how this intelligent manufacturing process utilizes automated inspection equipment and systems to ensure product quality in key stages such as inner layer, drilling, outer layer circuits, electrical testing, and final inspection, as well as the mechanisms for handling defective products.
From the perspective of system integration, discuss how the ERP system, intelligent warehousing system, and production control system work together in this PCB intelligent manufacturing process. Analyze the benefits of this integration for material management, production scheduling, and information sharing.

Glossary of Keywords

PCB Board (PCB board): Printed Circuit Board, abbreviated as PCB, is the provider of electrical connections for electronic components.
Intelligent Manufacturing Process (Intelligent manufacturing process):Utilizes advanced technology to achieve automation, intelligence, informatization, and digitization of the production process.
ERP System (ERP system):Enterprise Resource Planning system, used for integrated management of various business processes within an enterprise.
Intelligent Warehousing System (Intelligent warehousing system):A system for automated management of warehouse materials, including inbound, outbound, and storage.
Vertical Lift Forklift (Vertical lift forklift):An automated forklift that operates on tracks for material storage and retrieval on multi-level shelves.
AGV Transport Vehicle (AGV transport vehicle):Automated guided vehicle used for automated material transport.
Production Control System (Production control system):The core control system responsible for automatic connection, regulation, parameter optimization, and fault reporting of the production process.
Material Cutting/Blanking (Material cutting/Blanking):The first step in PCB production, involving cutting, edge grinding, and rounding of raw materials.
Inner Layer (Inner layer):The process of producing the internal circuits of the PCB.
Lamination (Lamination):The process of bonding multiple layers of PCB boards together.
Drilling (Drilling):The process of drilling through holes in the PCB board.
Electroplating (Electroplating):The process of forming conductive copper layers on the walls and surface of the PCB board, including copper deposition and copper plating.
Outer Layer Circuit (Outer layer circuit):The process of producing the external circuits of the PCB.
Solder Mask (Solder mask):A protective layer applied to the surface of the PCB board to prevent solder short circuits.
Legend/Silkscreen (Legend/Silkscreen):The printing of component identifiers, model numbers, and other text information on the PCB board.
Immersion Gold (Immersion Gold):A surface treatment process that forms a thin layer of gold on pads to enhance solderability.
Forming/Routing (Forming/Routing):The final shaping process of the PCB board, such as cutting and milling edges.
Electrical Test (Electrical test):The process of testing the electrical performance of the PCB board to check for open or short circuits.
Final Inspection (Final inspection):The final appearance and reliability inspection of the PCB board.
Packaging (Packaging):The final packaging of qualified PCB boards.
Robot Arm (Robot arm):An automated device used for grabbing, placing, and transporting PCB boards.
Online AOI Scanning Machine (Online AOI scanning machine):An automatic optical inspection device used to detect defects in PCB board circuits.
X-RAY Hole Inspection Machine (X-RAY hole inspection machine):A device that uses X-rays to inspect the quality of drilled holes.
Automatic Adding System (Automatic adding system):A system for automatically replenishing materials or chemicals needed during production.
Digital Presentation (Digital presentation):Clearly displaying production information in digital and tabular forms.
Remote Monitoring APP (Remote monitoring APP):A mobile application that allows remote viewing of production status.
Production Parameters (Production parameters):Various set values that control the operation of production equipment and process quality.