High Throughput Thin Material Post-Etch Punches he OPTILINE PE ATP 1000, 3000 and 5000 all offer thin material capability by incorporating a linear motor transport device with two vacuum grippers to hold the panel while moving into the punch. The ATP 1000 and ATP 3000 are both manually loaded and roughly located by the operator on a pre-positioning table at the front of the machine.The ATP 5000 is a completely automatic machinewhich requires no operator to run panel loaders and stackers. Changing panel sizes (moving the punch and dies to the correct position) is normally done by hand with the aid of a special adjustment tool for safety and speed. In the ATP 3000 and 5000 panel size selection is automatic. The panel size desired is either typed in the keyboard or in the case of the ATP 5000 it is automatically input by the optional in-line panel measuring device. ATP 1000 & 3000 Features of the ATP 1000 and 3000 1. Pre-alignment Station To increase the speed of the machine and eliminate the need to crowd panels off of two panel edges, a pre-alignment station has been added to the machine. This station is a table which extends from the front of the machine with two low magnification cameras mounted on a movable rail. The cameras are set to the same panel size as the primary cameras in the machine. The operator then locates the panel under the cameras on the pre-alignment table and pushes the start button. The panel is transported from the pre-alignment table into the machine by a linear motor vacuum gripper feed device. To insure safe and fast transporting of the panel, the table becomes an air table while the panel is moving. 2. Innerlayer Transport System The Automatic Feed provided on the machine is designed to feed thin core (.002"/ 0.05mm thick) The conventional belt drive system is replaced with a gripper system which actually grabs the leading edge of the innerlayer and pulls it into the machine. Once in the machine, the innerlayer is released and the gripper returns to the pre-alignment position. The innerlayer is positioned and punched and another set of grippers carries the innerlayer out the back to an offload station. By gripping the innerlayer and lifting it we can easily feed the thin core without bending or otherwise damaging the innerlayer. The innerlayer also moves on an air cushion to assist transport. 3. Innerlayer Alignment System All the Optiline PE-ATP machines utilize the same vision, algorithms and positioning system as the standard Optiline PE. Two fiducial marks which are part of the etched image are used to locate the innerlayer with respect tothe punch. Two digital video cameras are usedto recognize the targets in the field of view and to feed accurate digital information about their precise location to the positioning system. The microprocessor directs a rotary "X," "Y" table to on the innerlayer to preset "null points" within the video system. Any deviation in target location due to dimensional changes in the material is averaged and the system splits the difference automatically. On completion of the stage movements, the punch automatically cycles. 4. Full (Multiple Position) Die Blocks The bottom die block contains all the die positions to accommodate the panel sizes covered by the machine (up to 24"x 28" in a standard OPE-ATP) This design serves a duaI purpose. In the ATP-3000 and 5000 where the setting of the panel size tooling is automatic, the Full Die Block eliminates the need to move the bottom die blocks. Since the machine is designed to transport thin core down to .002" thick any openings or voids in the bottom table can cause feeding problems. The Full Die Block provides a flat continuous surface designed to help transport thin core down to (0.002" / 0.05mm thick) eliminating any openings or voids in the bottom table which can cause feeding problems. 5. Series 5000 Console- is included as standard on all the ATP machines and is built into each machine, eliminating a separate console. Industry demands for total quality management (TQM) utilizing statistical process control have initiated the additional option of a more powerful computer system to the Optiline PE. This enables major enhancements to the OPE which eliminate any operator intervention and provide statistical process control and spread data collection. The features of the Series 5000 console are: a. Automatic Target Acquisition - This feature eliminates the need for the operator to set the electronic cross hair to establish the machine reference to the tooling. The Series 5000 automatically calculates the reference zero from the tooled reference position and assigns it as the null point. b. Automatic Sensitivity - As part of a run setup, on the standard Series 3000 console, the operatoris required to place the first panel into the punch and manually set the sensitivity to achieve the best image for the target being processed. The Series 5000 does this automatically with the added benefit of being capable of resetting the sensitivity if the target varies slightly. It accomplishes this by averaging the sensitivity of the first three panels and using this average to set the machine sensitivity. Every panel is then run by comparing its specific sensitivity setting to the average. If a greater than l0% variation exists in any panel, the sensitivity is set for that panel. The sensitivity is then reset and each subsequent panel will again be compared to the original average. With this feature, target visual noise and target bleed through are ignored increasing panel to panel repeatability. c. Statistical Process Control - the statistical package on the Series 5000 concols provides a graphic representation ofthe actual target positions (SPREAD) in relationship to the high and low tolerance limits selected for run. This information is recorded and down-loaded to the hard drive. It can be retrieved by various programmed parameters or fields which are filled in by the operator during the initial job setup. These fields are: Part Number, Job Number, Panel Size, Operator and Date. ATP 5000 Special Features of the ATP 5000 1. Panel Pre-Positioning Station Modifications have been made to ease the feeding of thin material and to hold the material flat while being positioned and punched. A specially designed thin material crowd station at the front of the machine accepts innerlayers from a feeder or incoming conveyor line. The innerlayer is pushed to the center of the station where it is then transported to the video pre-alignment section by the innerlayer transport system. 2. Video Pre-alignment Station The automatic video pre-alignment station utilizes two CCD cameras and an "X," "Y," "Ø" positioning system. The cameras are low magnification which allows a large field of view for rough alignment of the innerlayer. The panel is picked up by the innerlayer transport system and accurately moved to the base machine for final positioning and punching of the panel. 3. Automatic Punch Block Adjustment The bottom die block assembly will be extended to include all the panel sizes which are required. The block will include multiple die positions as well as a master reference target. The top punch block is single position and moves automatically to the correct panel size. The panel size information is fed to the machine via operator input* at the console. The punches and cameras are automatically positioned by stepping motors to the correct panel size. Once in approximate position, the block is mechanically located by automatically inserting a precision ground pin into the jig ground location specific to that panel size. This combination of motor positioning and tooled mechanical fit gives quick changeover, but still assures positional accuracy. * Optional Automatic Panel Measuring Station An automatic panel measuring device can be added to the conveyor/ crowder section of the ATP 5000. As the panel passes from the conveyor section to the crowder section, a light bar sensor measures the length of the panel (X) and a separator sensor measures the width (Y). The sensors send the information to the unit and a determination is made as to which, if any, punch blocks need to be moved to a new position. This feature eliminates the need for an operator to input the panel size and allows the machine to process different panel sizes without shutting down the line. This feature automatically sets the panel pre-positioning station, the punch block positions, the camera positions and the pick and place locations on the material transport system. Home | About Us | Staff | Directions | Products | News | Trade Shows | Literature | Employment | Contact Us © 2002 Multiline Technology

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