CORFIN AUTOMATION

The RTS-1000™ is a low-cost automated system, designed to provide a high quality solder finish on component leads. The system is suited for processing a wide range of components such as LED, TO, SIP, and power devices. 
Hands-free operation is achieved through the use of a rotary indexing conveyor, with four arms, each of which is equipped with a custom gripper. The precise vertical motions of the indexing conveyor insure uniform solder coating of all devices. 
Devices are fed into the load station via an input slide, which can be equipped with semi- or fully automated handling equipment, or interfaced directly with upstream operations. The components may be handled in strip form, or singulated. For strip operation, an optional excise module can also be incorporated, to shear off the tie bar at the start of the process. Other handling options to adapt the input and output to customer requirements are available on request. 

Typical throughput, based on a 5 second process cycle time, and 50 components per gripper, is 36,000 UPH. A 6 second cycle time will give 30,000 UPH. For increased throughput, optional tooling and handling is available to accommodate a double row of components in each gripper, thereby doubling the output. 

The RTS-1000 system may be specified to run lead-free alloys with little or no equipment modification. To convert existing machines to lead-free requires only a change in solder module to avoid contamination. 

The standard frame and enclosure houses the rotary component conveyor, the wave fluxing module, the wave soldering module, and load / unload stations in a robust, ergonomic package. It is completely enclosed, with glass windows or glass panels on all sides of the system, so the process may be visually monitored and easily accessed. The standard system has a footprint of only 41" x 41" (1041 x 1041 mm), with height of 53.5" (1359 mm), so the floor space requirements are kept to a minimum. 
The system also has glass panels on top, giving good light and visibility in the process area. Stainless steel spill trays facilitate clean-up and maintenance. Exhaust stacks, located on the top of the enclosure, ensure that all fumes are extracted from the process area. 
Operator controls are conveniently located adjacent to the process modules so they can be viewed while adjustments to the controls are being made. The controls include: emergency stop; alarm status indicators; alarm reset; utility controls and indicators; and process controls and indicators. 
Door and window interlocks prevent operators from accessing the interior of the system during processing. The standard door interlock package provides interlocks on all doors covering electrical power cabinets. The standard window interlock package provides interlocks on all windows covering the process chamber. 

ROTARY INDEX CONVEYOR

The rotary conveyor system has four arms, each equipped with a pneumatically actuated vertical shuttle tool fixture. Optional or custom pneumatically actuated gripper tools pick up the components and carry them through all process steps. The conveyor uses a pneumatic indexing table to index through 90o for each cycle. At each index, the conveyor goes through a pneumatically actuated vertical motion, with 3" stroke, taking components through the programmable process cycle at each of the four stations. Typical cycle time for each index is approximately 5 seconds. Cycle times will vary depending on flux and solder dwell times required by the process. 
Gripper tools are equipped with titanium gripper bars, to provide maximum corrosion resistance and prevent solder adhesion. The gripper tooling normally has one rigid reference face, and one compliant face, with the addition of friction surface coating if necessary. This combination provides accurate location of the components and holds them securely during processing. Maximum gripper tool length is 10" (254 mm). The number of components that the tool will hold depends on the size of the device, but typically it will hold 50 of a TO-92 type device. Custom tooling for specialized applications is available on request. 
Throughput will depend on the size of the device, hence the number of parts in the gripper, and also on the process dwell time requirements. Typical cycle time of 5 seconds, and 50 parts per gripper, will give throughput of 36,000 UPH.

LOAD / UNLOAD STATIONS

In the standard configuration, the components are fed into the load station via a single line input transfer mechanism. This can be configured with inclined input, to accept gravity fed singulated parts, or with horizontal input to accept parts in strip or singulated form. The input mechanism can be interfaced with upstream equipment, or with automatic or semi-automatic handling equipment (refer to Handling Options). Parts are held in the load station in the correct orientation for pick up by the gripper tool. The load station can include an optional tie bar shear, to remove the tie bar (bottom rail) from parts fed in strip format. 
At the standard unload station, the processed parts are released into a stainless steel receiving basket.     

WAVE FLUXING MODULE

The fluxing module has a wave flux pot constructed of PVC. The height of the flux wave is adjusted by a thumb wheel potentiometer, which controls a variable-speed D.C. motor pump. Air knives are used to remove excess flux, thereby eliminating solder splash and solder balls during the soldering process. A drain is provided, as is overflow protection. This allows for speedy clean-up at the end of the work schedule, or rapid changeover if more than one type of flux is being used. This module can accommodate all standard flux types. 

SOLDER MODULES

The solder module has a stainless steel solder pot. The solder pot rolls in and out by means of a lead screw to facilitate position adjustment and access for maintenance. A positive stop ensures repeatability when returning to the operating position. The pot has a thermally protected D.C. motor driven pump, which provides precise wave height control in the solder nozzle, adjustable via thumbwheel potentiometer. Standard or optional custom designed wave nozzles are available. 
The module is equipped with a digital temperature controller with high and low temperature alarms (audible and visual). A low solder level alarm is also standard. The system uses two non-contact heaters, which uniformly heat the walls of the pot, thereby minimizing the danger of an eruption during the warm-up phase. Corfin's dual chamber pot is designed to draw solder from the base of the pot, eliminating dross recirculation through the wave. 

AUTO FLUX FEED / LEVEL CONTROL

A flux reservoir bottle is housed in the base of the machine, with a pump that feeds the fresh flux to the main fluxer tank. A level sensor in the tank provides the signal to the pump, ensuring that the flux is maintained at the correct operating level. The bottle is easily accessed through the doors in the base for quick and clean changeover.

FLUX HEATER SYSTEM 

A Teflon sheathed immersion heater in the fluxer tank allows the flux to be heated to increase its chemical activity. The heater is controlled by a digital temperature controller with a water-jacketed thermocouple located in the flux. The flux tank is fabricated in CPVC when equipped with the heater option.

FLUX DENSITY CONTROLLER 

The flux density control system automatically adds the necessary amount of flux or thinner to maintain the specific gravity setpoint, as well as the correct liquid level in the flux tank. The fresh flux and thinner containers are housed in the base of the machine, with pumps that feed flux or thinner to the main fluxer tank, as directed by the flux density controller. The FDC unit also has a built-in temperature sensor, with a compensation feature to ensure correct density at different operating temperatures. 
The flux density controller incorporates the features of the Auto Flux Feed / Level Control option.        

SOLDER MODULE INERTING SYSTEM 

The solder pot may be equipped with an inert gas enclosure around the solder wave, with stainless steel gas diffusers that provide a non-turbulent protective gas cover over the wave. The controlled atmosphere reduces dross formation on the solder wave, promotes wetting and ensures uniform solder coverage of the component leads. 
The process of solder coating component leads is greatly enhanced by the inerting process, with the virtual elimination of icicles and flags. A stainless steel shroud that covers the rear of the solder pot, including the pump area, is injected with inert gas to reduce the formation of dross and black powder from the pump shaft. Consumption of solder and maintenance times are greatly reduced by the addition of the inerting option.  

HIGH TEMPERATURE SOLDER TREATMENT

For certain alloys and processes, higher than normal operating temperatures are required. A specially treated stainless steel solder pot, pump and nozzle assembly are available for operating temperatures in excess of 650°F (343°C). This option is also required if lead-free alloys are used in the process.  

SINGLE GRIPPER TITANIUM TOOLING

Each of the four tools has a pneumatic actuator, with a single set of titanium gripper bars. Titanium fingers attached to the bars can be customized depending on the type of component being processed. The gripper tools attach to the four vertical shuttles mounted on the rotary conveyor. 
For non-standard applications, special tooling can be quoted on request. 

DUAL GRIPPER TITANIUM TOOLING

For increased throughput, each tool is equipped with a dual set of gripper bars, allowing two rows of components to be processed simultaneously. 

STRIP FEEDER MODULE

This feeder automatically feeds strips one by one from a loading buffer into the load station via a horizontal in-line input track. The feeder is synchronized with the rotary conveyor, to automatically present a strip of components at each index cycle. The strip feeder is available in single format, to operate with single gripper tooling; or in dual format, when the machine is equipped with the dual gripper tooling. 

VIBRATORY INPUT TRACK

For direct in-line feed of singulated components into the load station, a vibratory input track is available. The input track can be interfaced with customer's upstream production equipment, or fitted with automatic or semi-automatic handlers to feed components from tubes or trays. 

VIBRATORY OUTPUT TRACK

After processing, instead of releasing singulated components into the bulk basket, the components are released onto a vibratory track that feeds them in-line to the downstream process, or into tube or tray handling equipment. 

WATER SLIDE OUTPUT

The water slide is an angled PVC half-pipe, into which the components are dropped at the unload station. Water is fed into the top of the slide via a flow control valve and carries the components to the output end. The components can be unloaded into mesh baskets, or directly into a downstream cleaning system. 

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TUBE HANDLER

INPUT/ 2 POSITION STAR INDEX 

This option provides semi-automatic feeding from tubes into the input slide to the load station (or into the optional Vibratory Input Track). The operator places two full tubes into the star-index loader. The loader is then moved in line with the input slide to the load station and the tube empties. When the first tube is empty the operator manually moves the star indexer to position 2, and while this tube empties replaces the first tube with a full one. This operation is repeated as each tube empties. 

SEMI-AUTOMATIC TUBE HANDLER  

OUTPUT/ 2 POSITION SHUTTLE   

If the Vibratory Output Track option is selected, this output shuttle may be selected to provide semi-automatic offloading of the components back into tubes. When one tube is filled, the operator switches the shuttle to an empty tube. While the second tube is filling, the first is removed and replaced with an empty tube, and the process repeated. 

ADDITIONAL INSERT SETS

The star index loader and unload shuttle come equipped with a set of inserts (4), dedicated to a tube/component type. To change over to a different tube/component type requires only changing the inserts, supplied as a set of four.  

STANDARD AUTOMATIC LOAD END TUBE HANDLER

The standard automatic load end tube handler has a vertical tube stack; accommodates approximately 40 tubes, depending on tube dimensions. The tubes are automatically brought in line with an input slide and the components are pushed out by pneumatic actuator for pick up by the main rotary conveyor. The empty tube is then ejected to an output bin and a full unit brought into position. Operation is fully automatic, with continuous feed operation possible as long as tube stack is kept loaded. 
Check with Corfin to make sure your tubes and components are compatible with the handler. Special modifications may be quoted if required.        

TIE BAR SHEAR

Components that are fed into the load station in strip form may have the tie bar (bottom rail) removed prior to processing. The optional tie bar shear cuts off the tie bar while the strip is in the load station, prior to the components being removed in the gripper tooling. Removing the tie bar allows the ends of the leads to be soldered, avoiding exposing any bare lead metal, and greatly reducing the consumption of solder. 
The tie bar shear is available in single format, to operate with single gripper tooling; or in dual format, when the machine is equipped with the dual gripper tooling.         

Audio and visual alarms are standard on the system to monitor the levels and temperature in each module and report any fault conditions. The operator may stop the audible alarm using the alarm reset button, however the visual alarm will continue until the fault condition is corrected. 
If the conveyor is stopped for any reason while processing components, the entire conveyor assembly automatically lifts clear of the process modules, eliminating the potential for thermal or chemical damage to any components that are in process. 
An exhaust system with interlock ensures that all process fumes are evacuated from the machine. 
Door and window interlocks protect the operator from electrical hazards and from moving parts in the process chamber.