How to troubleshoot the error reported by the machine after splicing tape? | Shenzhen Kanghongjin Electronics Co., Ltd.

Materials
18 Apr

How to troubleshoot the error reported by the machine after splicing tape?

In SMT production, it is a common problem for the placement machine to report an error after receiving the material, which is usually related to the quality of the material receiving, the matching of the feeding system or the equipment parameter settings. The following are systematic troubleshooting steps, combining the key points of the material receiving operation with the equipment operation logic, to help quickly locate and solve the problem:

1. Preliminary judgment of error types and related links

1.1 Identify error codes and categories
Feeder errors (such as "Feeder Error" and "Tape Feed Error"):
Mostly caused by tape conveying jams, undetected positioning holes, breakage or offset at the material connection.
Component identification errors (such as "Component Missing" and "Position Deviation"):
The component may fall or block identification due to component position offset after material connection or non-attachment of the covering film.
Hardware abnormality errors (such as "Sensor Alarm" and "Jamming"):
Usually, sensor alarms are triggered by abnormal thickness at the material connection (too thick tape) and misalignment of positioning holes.
1.2. Quickly locate the problem link
Observe the timing of the error:
When the tape is feeding: focus on checking the alignment of the positioning holes at the material connection, the thickness of the tape, and the tension of the feeder.
When the component is sucked: check whether the component is offset after the material connection and whether the covering film is lifted up to block the component.
Random errors during continuous operation: This may be due to hidden defects at the splice (such as insufficient adhesive strength, which gradually comes off during operation).

2. Special inspection of splice quality

Appearance and basic inspection of splices
Positioning hole alignment:
Visually check whether the carrier tape positioning hole and the tape positioning hole at the splice are completely overlapped (allowable error ≤0.1mm). Misalignment may cause the feeder gear to fail to engage, triggering an "abnormal feed" error.
Use a ruler to align the edge of the tape and observe whether the carrier tape is offset in a straight line before and after the splice (offset > 0.5mm can easily cause sensor misjudgment).
Tape bonding status:
Press the edges on both sides of the splice to confirm that there is no warping or bubbles (unbonded edges may hook equipment components during transportation).
Check whether the cover film is completely attached to the tape to avoid the cover film being folded and causing the component to be misjudged as "missing".
Mechanical properties test
Tensile test: Manually pull the joint lightly (simulate the maximum tensile force of the equipment, usually 5-10N). If it is detached or obviously shifted, it means that the adhesive force is insufficient or the mechanical lock is not fastened.
Bending test: Fold the joint repeatedly 3-5 times to observe whether cracks or delamination occur (inferior tape is prone to break due to insufficient toughness).
3. Material tape thickness consistency
Use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the joint (including carrier tape + tape + cover film) and compare it with the original material tape thickness:
Thickness difference > 0.2mm may trigger the "abnormal material tape thickness" sensor alarm of the feeder (especially precision equipment such as FUJI NXT, Samsung SM482).
If the edge of the tape exceeds the width of the carrier tape by too much (such as protrusion on one side > 1mm), it may get stuck on the rail when passing the rail.

3. Check the compatibility of the feeding system

Check the adaptability of the feeder
Match the feeder type:
Confirm that the width of the material belt after splicing matches the feeder slot (such as 8mm, 12mm, 16mm, etc.). The width of the splicing tape is too wide, which may cause the slot to fail to close.
The splicing belt with a mechanical lock (such as a copper buckle) needs to be aligned with the lock slot of the feeder, otherwise the feed gear may be stuck.
Feeder tension adjustment:
If the material belt is loose after splicing (insufficient tension), resulting in poor meshing between the positioning hole and the gear, the feeder tension knob can be adjusted clockwise (test run after adjusting 1/4 turn each time).
Excessive tension may break the splice, and the real-time tension value needs to be checked through the equipment monitoring software (refer to the equipment manual standard, such as the recommended tension of Panasonic CM series is 3-5N).
Sensor trigger logic verification
Positioning hole sensor:
Manually turn the feeder to observe whether the positioning hole at the material connection point passes through the sensor to trigger the signal (the sensor can be checked with a multimeter). If it is not triggered, it may be due to the offset of the hole position or the tape blocking the sensor window.
Component presence sensor (through-beam/reflective):
If the cover film is not flat after the material connection, the sensor may misjudge "component missing". A small piece of transparent tape can be attached above the component at the material connection point to fix the cover film.

4. Equipment parameter and program matching check

1. Material tape parameter setting
Enter the SMT programming interface and confirm that the following parameters are consistent with the material tape after the material connection:
Positioning hole spacing (Pitch): For example, the standard spacing of 8mm material tape is 4mm. If the actual spacing changes due to misalignment during the material connection, it needs to be manually corrected.
Material tape feeding length: If the carrier tape is offset after the material connection, the feeding length error may be > 0.5mm, triggering the "position deviation" alarm.
Component coordinate compensation: If the material connection causes the overall position of the component to shift (such as the X/Y direction deviation > 0.3mm), the compensation value needs to be added to the program.
2. Visual recognition system calibration
For high-precision placement machines (such as DEK, Yamaha YSM series), visual recognition may fail due to slight changes in the component angle or position after the material connection:
Manually take a picture of the component image at the material connection point to check whether the mark point is clear and the component outline is complete (the cover film may be lifted and block the mark point).
If the recognition fails multiple times, the "strict recognition" function can be temporarily turned off (reducing the tolerance range) to test whether it is caused by the material connection accuracy problem.

5. Step-by-step trial operation and elimination method

1. Single-step operation test
In the "manual mode" of the placement machine, perform the "material tape feeding → component suction → placement" action one by one, and observe the state of the material connection point when it passes through the feeder, rail, and sensor:
Is there a jamming sound during feeding (the edge of the tape may scratch the rail).
Is the nozzle offset during suction (the carrier tape may be offset, causing the component position to be incorrect).
2. Positioning problem by replacement method
Replace the type of splicing tape: If errors are frequently reported when using double-sided tape for splicing, replace it with a splicing tape with a mechanical lock (such as a copper buckle + single-sided tape combination) to verify whether the adhesive force is insufficient.
Replace the feeder/station: Move the spliced material roll to another feeder or device. If the error disappears, it means that the original feeder is aging (such as gear wear, sensor failure).
Compare with the original tape: Run with the original unspliced material roll. If no error is reported, confirm that the problem lies in the splicing link (such as improper operation, wrong tape selection).

6. Systematic troubleshooting process

Quickly locate the error type (feeding/identification/hardware) → 2. Check the quality of the material connection foundation (alignment, bonding, thickness) → 3. Verify the feeding system adaptation (feeder, sensor, tension) → 4. Calibrate equipment parameters and procedures (hole spacing, feed length, coordinate compensation) → 5. Replace the method to narrow down the scope of the problem (tape, feeder, equipment).

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