Durable cable management for electronics production positioning systems

• What was needed: e-skin® flat, E6, T3 Series e-chains® as harnessed readychain systems
• Requirements: Continuous operation of the system 24 hours a day, seven days a week requires high availability; low vibration and low abrasion are crucial for a trouble-free and flawless manufacturing process
• Industry: Microelectronics
• Success for the customer: e-chains from the E6 and E3 product range are suitable for cleanroom, operate smoothly, making them very quiet, low-vibration and virtually completely free from wear; the pre-fitted readychain systems considerably reduce the project planning and pre-assembly work for the customer.

In the production of smartphone circuit boards, a significant increase in throughput is now possible thanks to a specialized laser-based imaging system. At the same time, manufacturing costs are substantially reduced — both decisive advantages in the mass production of electronic devices.

Jenaer Antriebstechnik GmbH supplies these imaging and laser structuring systems, which are later integrated as mechatronic subsystems into the respective die systems.

Today, approximately 140 printed circuit boards (PCBs) can be exposed per hour. A single overall circuit board, known as a panel, contains multiple individual circuit boards with different functions and is later used to assemble at least 30 smartphones. The continuous operation of these systems places considerable demands on all machine components. The highly complex facilities run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making unplanned downtime extremely costly and unacceptable. Although the actual production environment is not particularly harsh, the long service life requires robust and highly reliable components throughout the entire subsystem.

The exposure table is a central component of the system. Measuring 27 × 27 inches, it is loaded with PCBs, which are then exposed to light. The table is subsequently lowered, transported to the rear, and unloaded, while a second table is being prepared in parallel. Once unloaded, the exposure process begins again.

For the scanning process, it is essential that movement is completely smooth and jerk-free to prevent any interference during PCB printing. This places strict requirements on the energy supply solution, which must operate with absolute consistency and very low noise levels. In addition to a uniform motion profile and smooth operation, minimal vibration and low abrasion are critical to ensuring a reliable, disturbance-free manufacturing process.

Completely pre-assembled energy supply systems from igus® are used, including strain relief, connectors, guide troughs, and mounting plates. These cable carriers safely guide the drive cables, measuring system cables, compressed air lines, and other media within the positioning unit. Their main advantage lies in the significant reduction of project planning effort and, above all, assembly time and costs.

On the Y-axis, two extremely quiet E6 Series e‑chains® range demonstrate their performance over a travel length of approximately 2 meters. On the Z-axis, a highly flexible T3 Series e‑chain® proves its efficiency over a length of just under 400 mm. Both systems are suitable for production under cleanroom conditions, which also apply during the exposure of printed circuit boards. For this reason, abrasion must be reduced to an absolute minimum.

The E6 e‑chain® system is characterized by exceptionally low noise and low vibration, making it an ideal match for the low-vibration drive concept of the linear motors used in this application. It minimizes the polygon effect that can occur during the rolling motion of the e‑chain®. Because the permissible deviation between target and actual position is limited to a maximum of 2 µm, absolutely uniform and smooth motion is essential. In this application, all cables are guided safely along the Y-axis with an inner height of 40 mm and a bend radius of 63 mm.

The T3 e‑chain® system is used on the Z-axis. It also offers smooth, low-noise operation, combined with particularly easy assembly. The side bands, which snap together, replace conventional pin-and-bore connections and prevent relative movement between the chain joints. This design results in extremely low wear and virtually no abrasion, making the system suitable for cleanroom use. The novel geometry of the t-band design further reduces the polygon effect during operation. As a result, the system runs very smoothly and harmoniously, with minimal vibration and noise. Due to its low dead weight, this solution is especially well suited for applications with relatively low fill weights and short travel distances.