Sequence placement planning for high‐speed PCB assembly machine Available to Purchase

In order to handle high and rapid production demands, printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers have employed high‐speed surface mount machines into their assembly lines. These machines have abilities of fast component placements, but provide challenges for process engineers to optimise the component placement sequences and feeder arrangements via effective planning. A computer program was developed based on operating concepts using genetic algorithm, to solve for various component placement sequencing planning of the high‐speed chipshooter. Genetic algorithms are a class of general purpose search methods based on the concepts of genetic evolution and survival of the fittest. The program provides information on component placement sequences and feeder arrangements for optimal assembly times. Initial tests have shown that the size of the parent space affects the convergence of the solutions during iterations. Finally, comparisons of results have shown improvement over those previously obtained by other researchers.