Intelligent Manufacturing Process for Printed Circuit Boards

Core Themes and Important Facts:

This patent document details anintelligent manufacturing process for Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), aimed at addressing issues such as labor shortages, high labor costs, low production efficiency, and defect rates in traditional production by enhancing automation, intelligence, informatization, and digitization, ultimately achievingfully automated production, intelligent control, digital presentation, and real-time information sharing.

1. Automated and Intelligent Production Process (Fully Automated Production)

This process encompasses 15 major steps from raw material storage to final product packaging, with each step emphasizing the application and integration of highly automated and intelligent equipment.

• Raw Material Storage (Step 1):
• The ERP system automatically calculates raw material requirements based on orders and generates a table for the purchasing department.
• After passing incoming inspection, the “vertical lift forklift operates on a laid track, storing PCB raw materials in the vertical shelves according to the intelligent storage system’s requirements and inputs relevant information about the PCB raw materials.” Non-conforming products are automatically isolated and suppliers are notified.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring in this step.
• Raw Material Outbound (Step 2):
• Upon receiving instructions from the ERP system, the “vertical lift forklift automatically retrieves PCB raw materials from the vertical shelves by type and places them on AGV transport carts to transport the PCB raw materials to the cutting workshop.”
• Relevant information is automatically sent to the production control system and ERP system.
• Cameras are installed at the connection point between the AGV transport cart and the vertical lift forklift for monitoring.
• Cutting (Step 3):
• The production control system automatically issues instructions, using “robotic arms to grab PCB raw materials and send them into the cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding integrated machine.”
• The equipment automatically imports production parameters and performs cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding according to engineering design requirements.
• “Measurement instruments installed in the equipment automatically detect copper thickness, board thickness, and cutting dimensions.”
• The cut PCB boards are transferred to the inner layer pre-processing via transfer rollers.
• Cameras are installed to monitor the entire operation in this step.
• Inner Layer (Step 4):
• Various devices (pre-processing horizontal line, coating machine, tunnel furnace, dust removal machine, automatic exposure machine, developing machine, etching machine, stripping machine, online AOI scanner) are connected via transfer rollers.
• The online AOI scanner “automatically inspects the quality of inner layer circuits, automatically transferring qualified products to the lamination workshop’s brown oxidation horizontal line, while non-conforming products are automatically placed in the non-conforming area for handling by line personnel.”
• Developing solution, etching solution, stripping solution, etc., are added by an automatic addition system.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring at the etching and online AOI scanning locations.
• Lamination (Step 5):
• The online AOI scanner is connected to the brown oxidation horizontal line, pre-laminating machine, layout machine, hot melt machine, and riveting machine via transfer rollers.
• The riveting machine, voltage machine, and drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding integrated machine are connected via robotic arms.
• The robotic arm “automatically loads and sends the PCB board into the voltage machine to complete the lamination process.”
• The robotic arm grabs and transfers to the drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding integrated machine, which is then sent to the drilling workshop via transfer rollers.
• Measurement instruments are installed inside the drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding integrated machine to automatically measure board thickness, copper thickness, and cutting dimensions.
• The brown oxidation agent is added by an automatic addition system.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring at the pre-laminating machine, layout machine, and voltage machine.
• Drilling (Step 6):
• The drilling, cutting, edge grinding, and corner rounding integrated machine is connected to the fully automatic drilling machine and X-RAY hole inspection machine.
• The production control system automatically imports production parameters, and the fully automatic drilling machine “completes the automatic drilling of through holes in the PCB board.”
• The X-RAY hole inspection machine “automatically inspects hole offset, hole diameter, and quality of blocked holes,” with qualified boards automatically transferred to the electroplating workshop. Non-conforming product information is recorded in the system and isolated.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring in the drilling workshop.
• Electroplating (Step 7):
• The X-RAY hole inspection machine is connected to the horizontal copper plating line, and the vertical continuous copper plating line is connected to the horizontal copper plating line via robotic arms.
• The production control system automatically imports production parameters.
• The robotic arm “loads the PCB board into the hanging basket and transports it to the vertical continuous copper plating line to automatically complete the PCB board electroplating process.”
• Line personnel take the first piece for micro-slicing quality analysis, and qualified products are transferred to the outer layer circuit workshop.
• The required additives are added by an automatic addition system.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring in the electroplating workshop.
• Outer Layer Circuit (Step 8):
• The vertical continuous copper plating line is connected to the outer layer circuit pre-processing horizontal line via robotic arms, and subsequent devices are connected via transfer rollers.
• The production control system automatically imports production parameters, automatically completing the PCB board outer layer circuit process.
• The online AOI scanner “automatically inspects the quality of outer layer circuits, automatically transferring qualified products to the solder mask workshop, while non-conforming products are automatically placed in the non-conforming area for handling by line personnel.”
• The required additives are added by an automatic addition system.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring at the automatic film laminating machine, automatic exposure machine, and online AOI scanner.
• Solder Mask (Step 9):
• The online AOI scanner is connected to the solder mask pre-processing horizontal line, fully automatic resin plug hole machine, fully automatic screen printer, tunnel furnace, fully automatic exposure machine, and developing machine via transfer rollers.
• The production control system automatically senses the model and imports production parameters, automatically completing the solder mask process.
• The required additives are added by an automatic addition system.
• Cameras are installed for key monitoring at the fully automatic screen printer and fully automatic exposure machine.
• Text (Step 10):
• The solder mask developing machine is connected to the fully automatic character printer, tunnel furnace, and cooling fan via transfer rollers.
• The production control system automatically senses the model and imports production parameters to perform “automatic character printing,” followed by automatic high-temperature baking and cooling.
• The entire text workshop is monitored by cameras.
• Gold Plating (Step 11):
• The cooling fan is connected to the pre-processing horizontal line, automatic edge wrapping machine, horizontal gold plating line, and post-processing horizontal line via transfer rollers.
• The production control system automatically senses the model and imports production parameters, automatically completing the pre-processing, automatic edge wrapping, gold plating, and post-processing processes.
• The required additives are added by an automatic addition system.
• Due to the use of precious metals, “cameras need to be installed in various small areas to monitor the production situation in each small area.”
• Shaping (Step 12):
• The gold plating post-processing horizontal line is connected to the AGV transport cart, and the connection is completed via robotic arms.
• The AGV transport cart completes transportation between the gold plating post-processing horizontal line and the shaping machine, and between the shaping machine and the cleaning machine horizontal line.
• The AGV transport cart is automatically dispatched by the production control system to transport PCB boards to multiple shaping machines.
• “Shaping operators retrieve the corresponding model data for single machine operations,” completing the shaping.
• The AGV transport cart transfers the PCB boards to the cleaning machine horizontal line, where robotic arms pick them up one by one and send them into the cleaning machine.
• In this process, “the transportation process is automated, while the shaping process cannot be automated.”
• Electrical Testing (Step 13):
• The shaping cleaning machine horizontal line is connected to the fully automatic electrical testing machine.
• The robotic arm receives the PCB board and “places it in the test machine cavity for automatic testing,” with qualified products transferred to the final inspection workshop.
• Non-conforming products are automatically isolated, and defect information is recorded in the system.
• The test fixtures are replaced and set up by line personnel.
• Cameras are installed for monitoring in this step.
• Final Inspection (Step 14):
• The fully automatic AVI inspection machine is connected to the fully automatic testing machine via transfer rollers.
• The fully automatic AVI inspection machine “automatically inspects the appearance quality, with qualified products transported to the packaging area by AGV transport carts.”
• Line personnel take samples to the physical laboratory for product reliability testing, with qualified products transported to the packaging workshop by AGV transport carts.
• Packaging (Step 15):
• The physical laboratory is connected to the packaging workshop via AGV transport carts.
• The AGV transport cart transports qualified products to the fully automatic packaging machine, “where the fully automatic packaging machine automatically completes sorting, wrapping, bag making, vacuuming, filling, sealing, and labeling, packaging the PCB boards into boxes for delivery to the finished product warehouse.”

2. Production Control and Information Management System

The core of this process lies in its intelligent production control system and ERP system.

• System Linkage and Control:
• “The processes from Step (1) to (15) are automatically linked and controlled by the production control system and ERP system, optimizing production parameters based on testing results.”
• The production control system connects to the ERP system, “automatically completing production scheduling according to customer delivery dates.”
• Digital Information Presentation:
• “All production information is automatically generated into tables and presented in digital form.”
• Production status is entered into the production control system, “allowing relevant production information to be exported at any time and anywhere, automatically generating tables in digital form for managers and decision-makers to understand the company’s operational status.”
• Monitoring and Remote Management:
• “Key control areas of each process are equipped with cameras for online and remote monitoring.”
• “Monitoring data is presented in real-time on monitoring screens for each process, achieving online monitoring.”
• “Using a remote monitoring app, managers and decision-makers can view company operations on their phones anytime, anywhere.”
• Equipment Maintenance and Fault Reporting:
• “The production control system has automatic equipment maintenance management and fault reporting functions.”
• “The production control system automatically prompts maintenance personnel to maintain and service production equipment that has faults or has reached the maintenance cycle in the display window.”

3. Industry Pain Points Addressed and Benefits Delivered

• Background Issues:
• “Printed circuit boards are the providers of electrical connections for electronic components. As industrial levels continue to develop, the demand for labor in enterprises increases, highlighting the issue of ‘labor shortages,’ which also raises labor costs for enterprises.”
• Although existing enterprises have partially achieved automation, such as “using automatic board loading and unloading machines to replace manual labor at horizontal production positions, online AOI scanners to replace manual visual inspections, and AGV transport carts to replace manual transportation,” this does not mean that intelligent manufacturing has been achieved, as a large number of production operators, quality inspectors, and management personnel are still needed to complete the remaining work.
• Benefits of the Invention:
• “This invention achieves intelligent production from the raw material storage, outbound, processing, packaging, to shipping processes of PCB boards.”
• Through full-process automation and system linkage, it realizes “fully automated production, intelligent connection and control between devices, and real-time sharing of information in digital form.”
• This will help “reduce labor costs, improve production efficiency, and lower defect rates.”

Conclusion:

This invention patent from Ji’an Mankun Technology Co., Ltd. demonstrates a highly integrated and intelligent PCB manufacturing process. Its core lies in integrating the **Production Control System (PCS)** andEnterprise Resource Planning System (ERP)** throughout the 15 steps of the production chain, achieving:

1. End-to-End Automation: From intelligent storage and inbound/outbound of raw materials to robotic operations, automatic transportation, automatic parameter import and adjustment at each production stage, and finally to intelligent packaging, minimizing human intervention.
2. Real-Time Data Driven: Automatic detection of product quality through measurement instruments, online AOI scanners, X-RAY hole inspection machines, etc., and automatic optimization of production parameters based on testing results. All production information is generated in real-time in digital form, facilitating management and decision-making.
3. Comprehensive Monitoring and Management: Online and remote monitoring through cameras allows managers to grasp production status anytime, anywhere. Additionally, the system has automatic equipment maintenance and fault reporting functions to ensure stable operation of the production line.
4. On-Demand Production Scheduling: The ERP system automatically schedules production based on customer delivery dates, improving production efficiency and response speed.

The promotion and application of this process will significantly enhance the intelligence level of PCB manufacturing enterprises, effectively address labor challenges, reduce operational costs, and improve product quality and market competitiveness, serving as a concrete practice in response to the “Industry 4.0” and “Made in China 2025” strategies.