Robots and Automation in Electronics Manufacturing
FANUC, a leading robot manufacturer in Japan, has a 22-factory complex where they use the ‘lights-out’ manufacturing concept to build their products - with very little or no human intervention. Using this approach, FANUC utilizes its automated industrial robots to create over 22,000 new robots per month for customers such as Apple, Tesla, and other companies.
Other manufactures are adopting this ‘lights out’ manufacturing concept — referred to as such because robots can work without lights, HVAC, coffee breaks, days off and other conditions that human workers require.
Today, automated robots have great potential in electronics manufacturing, and are applicable to almost any stage of the entire production cycle. Typical application areas include component fabrication, pick and place, assembling miniature components on PCBs, applying adhesives, inspections, testing, packing and more.
Why automate electronics manufacturing
Electronics manufacturing is increasingly becoming complex as the size of components and circuits continue to shrink. High component density, small pitches, multiple layers, and small and delicate parts that require precise placement are just a few of the issues manufacturers encounter when building products.
Such issues are likely to introduce challenges that can slow down the assembly and testing of products. Also, the delicate nature of the circuits requires extra care, but even with this, there is a likelihood of errors, wastage, and inefficiencies. As competition increases and demand for new features and products grow, manufacturers need to look for innovative and efficient ways.
Generally, automation improves the processes and quality of products while lowering operational and production costs. When implemented well, this translates to lower production costs and manufacturers can pass this benefit to their customers.
Robotic automation applies to almost all the stages in the electronics production cycle. Among the major areas are the material and component handling, assembly lines, etching, inspections, testing, and more. Since most of these are repetitive tests, the robots can reduce the labor costs significantly by cutting on the number of employees while increasing the production times and reducing errors and wastage.
Handling delicate components
Using sensors and other technologies, the robots can pick and precise place components, build subassemblies, connectors, display screens, and other delicate parts. Other automated tasks include handling and accurately populating and coating the PCBs, applying sealants, adhesives in addition to inspecting and testing the boards and complete systems.
Generally, the automated robots also support miniaturization since they can handle much smaller components safely, place them precisely even where humans cannot do manually or would take much longer time to do so.
Assembling electronics boards
During the pick and place activities, the robots rely on high-resolution cameras for vision with the ability to see and confirm the physical features of the components. They then use force sensors on the robotic arms to ensure that they only apply the necessary pressure when handling and fitting the parts on the PCB. With vision and flexible arms, the robots can do most of the physical work, just like human beings, more efficiently, and faster.
Automated inspections and testing
The increasing circuit complexity has driven the demand for automated inspections and testing up. Usually, testing today’s circuits that have high component densities and tight spaces in addition to large ICs with invisible pins and contacts is almost impossible with the naked eye. To overcome these challenges, manufacturers are turning to automated testing.
Typical approaches include the use of automated optical inspections (AOI), automated x-ray inspections (AXI), and more. Robots with arm-mounted cameras can visually inspect electronics assemblies to ensure correct component alignment, soldering, and other physical features.
Besides the optical inspections, there are automatic electrical tests, such as the robotic flying probe to verify connections and confirm that the circuits work as expected. Further, automated robotic arms with attached IR cameras can check a powered board for hot spots and other thermal related issues.
One of the main benefits of using automation is the ability of the robotic test equipment to access tight spaces while eliminating human factors. This reduces risks of accidental component damage, electric shocks, or burns. It is also more precise and accurate for repeat tests, especially if verifying that the problem a fix or repair.
Other than the normal electronic component and circuit tests, the robots are very effective when testing touch screens and other responsive surfaces that are increasingly becoming common in electronics. One benefit of using automated robots for such functional testing it the ability to apply consistent pressure on the same spot and duration for every test cycle.
Automated packing
The automated packaging improves consistency, speed, efficiency and space utilization. Also, it reduces potential damages such as breakages likely to occur due to mishandling or human error. It also reduces the risks of damage to the sensitive components and assemblies by stray electrostatic fields.
Benefits of automated robots in the electronics industry
Automated manufacturing delivers a wide range of cost, quality, flexibility and safety benefits. Unlike human beings, the can repeat the same task consistently without getting tired, requiring breaks or making errors. Also, automation helps to extend the operating time, hence increase productivity.
Robots are always consistent in the way they perform their tasks and this gives them the ability to produce electronic assemblies that are identical and high quality. Further, automation increases production while reducing manufacturing defects, material wastage and returns.
Most robotic arms are flexible, lightweight, and easy to deploy and adapt to multiple application requirements. Consequently, manufacturers do not have to change the layout of the production lines, hence saving time and space.
Other than improving production and precision, automated robots reduce safety risks significantly. This is especially so when they perform tasks that would otherwise require the employees to get very close to machinery or in hazardous environments.
Trends in automation and robots
Demand for automation and robots in electronics manufacturing have been on the increase. Currently, it accounts for about 22% of the total robot shipments — only second to the automobile industry (at 33%) which has been the major consumers for a long time. With this trend, the electronics industry is likely to replace the automobile and become the largest market for industrial and collaborative robots.
As prices continue to drop, small and medium companies are increasingly automating their processes. The availability of the right and inexpensive technical skills to implement, integrate, operate and maintain automation and robotic systems is also encouraging.
Other things supporting the adoption of the technologies include;
Flexibility and ease of integration with existing systems
Today, the flexibility, easy programming and ability to adapt to new product designs or requirements is enabling electronics manufacturers to automate most of the manual tasks. The smarter robots and automation solutions do not require replacing when product design changes -only reprograming and changing a few parts such as arms.
Today’s robots are more flexible hence allowing the manufacturers to use them to perform a wide range of different tasks, optimize the workflows and increase capacity without relying on the expensive fixed automation models.
Ability to handle complex tasks
Using AI and sensors allow robots and automated machines to learn and adapt to do different jobs. And cope with a task to task variability. They can also adapt to changes in the environment. The robot generates data that can also help operators to fine-tune and to enhance maximum productivity, efficiency, and optimization. Modern automated robots can perform delicate and complex jobs with precision.
While some robots can only handle a specific task at a time, some can multitask, such that they perform several different functions hence increasing speed and saving on space requirements.
Adding IoT into automated factories and floor spaces will enable manufacturers to also monitor the systems, conditions and maintenance requirements, hence identify optimization opportunities to further improve their operations.
Collaborative robots working alongside people
The robots use sensors to determine possible collisions and avoid them by slowing down or changing their path. This allows manufacturers to use robots to perform certain tasks in manual assembly lines which can be useful for small companies that cannot afford or do not want to deploy fully integrated systems.
Potential job losses
As the robots increasingly perform most of the tasks previously done manually, the workforce of the future will have smaller human workers than the way it is today. For example, Philips electric razor manufacturing plant in the Netherlands has robots that outnumber human workers by 14 to 1.
Since automation and robots can perform a wide range of repetitive tasks better and faster, their adoption means several job losses. Even in countries like China, which is a manufacturing hub due to cheap labor, most factories have replaced half of their workforce with robots. This trend is likely to continue as more manufacturers automate their operations.
Automation and robots in the electronic manufacturing industry can replace human workers and perform a wide range of tasks — quickly and more efficiently. Today, the robots are performing activities such as semiconductor manufacturing, packaging, pick and place, soldering, and visual and physical testing, packaging and more.
The automated robotic systems are also ideal in the manufacture of today’s sophisticated electronic devices and products. Features such as force sensing, vision, and proximity sensors as well as automation software give the robots the ability to perform repetitive, delicate and sensitive tasks that require handling of normal and fragile devices with precision.
