Offline Laser Line

From "batch to batch"

Realizing the complete process from batch to batch was the objective of a new Rommel development. The system is a combination of new and individually designed, but internally connected machines for pre-marking of printed circuit boards - an entirely new innovation now available on the market from Rommel. The technical solutions are groundbreaking developments in the areas of marking, PCB handling and vision.

Current systems

Existing systems on the market are either inline marking systems at the beginning of a production line or offline marking stations with an own line concept. Inline marking at the beginning of a production process means that every board in every line needs to be marked individually during the production process. This marking concept requires a marking system in every single line and is therefore the most reliable but also the most expensive solution.

Offline marking with an additional marking line that feeds more than one production line is another approach which is cheaper because only one laser is needed, but more likely to cause errors: pre-marking of batches and homogeneous sorting is more difficult because the packaging has to be removed first and the batch division is done manually at the end of the line. This may result in mistakes and in the worst case loosing of complete batches.

New approach

The ultimate goal is the combination of several machines to create a system which is able to mark homogeneous batches offline. Therefore Rommel developed a closed line system which ensures that the batch of boards remains the same. The system has a software batch control functionality which permanently monitors the status of very board.

Every batch package furthermore contains a label with information such as PCB type, manufacturer, manufacturing place and the amount of PCBs. After scanning of the label the line controller stores the information and passes it on to the MES system as well as the process machines in order to automatically start the corresponding programs.

Scanning

Batches are loaded into the system in stack-form. The newly developed scanning station WL 500 ID-PI checks the correct direction of the batch and verifies via optical check whether the PCB can be released for the respective production order.  

Buffering

To guarantee a highly self-sufficient workflow Rommel developed and integrated a buffer system for whole batches. All batches are separated mechanically. The LiFo principle with its 8 separate buffer areas allows the preliminary setup and execution with minimum personnel.

De-stacking

After buffering of the batches the boards are processed to the newly designed de-stacking station. This system is developed for highest throughput. It separates the boards via vacuum and handles their subsequent transport into the laser marking unit. After successful marking a similar system re-stacks the boards and handles the batch transport to the output buffer. The buffer can be emptied as required, which eliminates the requirement of permanent operator supervision.

Laser marking

The laser marking station is an enhanced version of Rommel’s CO2 laser marking system WL 700 LC which is the fastest inline laser marking machine available world-wide. The enhanced version realizes short cycle times and very high accuracy thanks to its two-sided lasers. The integrated RGB lights, an innovation in the area of inline-vision, allow adjustment of light intensity and color to realize the best contrast irrespective of the PCB’s color.

With this complete solution Rommel can offer a process configuration for pre-marking of printed circuit boards with the highest level of security. Application areas of the new offline laser line include SMD production, warehouses, production planning, as well as the incoming goods department.