Placement accuracy gauge for electrical components and method of using same

Claim 1

A placement accuracy gauge for checking the accuracy of a machine which positions discrete electrical components on printed circuit boards wherein the machine utilizes a positioning head for releasably gripping the components, the machine effecting movement of the components and printed circuit boards relative to one another both orthogonally and rotationally; the placement accuracy gauge comprising: a substrate of transparent material having grid lines thereon and being dimensioned substantially the same as one of the printed circuit boards processed by the machine, the substrate having a surface divided into first, second and third regions; the grid lines in the first region being positioned in circle divided into segments with each segment having a line therethrough corresponding to a non-standard angle of machine rotation, the grid lines in each segment being parallel and perpendicular to the selected angle line; the second region including an array of grid lines arranged in target areas with each target area including two orthogonal grid lines and two diagonal grid lines with all grid lines intersecting at a common point, the second region further including an array of fiducial points recognizable by the machine; the third region having a plurality of grid lines arranged orthogonally with respect to one another in a rectangular area; whereby when the placement accuracy gauge is placed in the machine and components are placed within the grid areas and held thereto by a layer of adhesive, or the like, and then thereafter the gauge is placed on a light table and the components viewed with respect to the grid areas, it can readily be determined if the components are correctly or incorrectly placed by comparing their positions with respect to the grid areas.

Claim 6

A method of checking the accuracy of a component placement machine for placing components such as electrical components on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, wherein the components are positioned by a rotatable chuck and wherein the machine effects orthogonal movement of the components and printed circuit board with respect to one another so as to position the components on the printed circuit board in accordance with instructions stored in a computer; the method comprising: inserting into the machine in place of a printed circuit board a placement accuracy gauge configured as a transparent plate having grid lines thereon, the grid lines being at specific locations on the surface of the gauge with respect to fiducial indicator means on the gauge; adhering the components to the gauge over the grid lines; and removing the gauge from the machine and placing the gauge on a light table so as to compare the components to the arrays of grid lines visually to determine if the components are properly positioned and oriented on the gauge.

Claim 7

A method of checking the accuracy of a component placement machine for placing components such as electrical components on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, wherein the components are positioned by a rotatable chuck and wherein the machine effects orthogonal movement of the components and printed circuit board with respect to one another so as to position the components on the printed circuit board in accordance with instructions stored in a computer; the method comprising: inserting into the machine in place of a printed circuit board a placement accuracy gauge configured as a transparent plate having grid lines thereon, the grid lines being at specific locations on the surface of the gauge with respect to fiducial indicator means on the gauge; adhering the components to the gauge over the grid lines; and removing the gauge from the machine and placing the gauge on a light table so as to compare the components to the arrays of grid lines visually to determine if the components are properly positioned and oriented on the gauge.