Component to multi-track feeder assignment and board sequencing for printed circuit board assembly

Proper planning of multi-track feeders in the printed circuit board (PCB) assembly can increase the capacity of surface mount machines and reduce feeder changeovers. This paper describes a methodology for developing a process plan to minimize the feeder setups in multi-track feeder systems. Two problems are investigated: component to multi-track feeder assignment and PCB sequencing. The assignment problem is formulated as a multi-dimension symmetric assignment problem with an integer-programming model. The objective is to maximize the total similarity of the component assignment. The PCB sequencing problem is solved in three stages: component and PCB grouping, intra- and inter-group PCB sequencing, and feeder setup planning. The interrelationship between the assignment and the sequencing problems is also investigated.