Optimizing feeder arrangement of a PCB assembly machine for multiple boards

In a high-mixed production environment, printed circuit board manufacturers face the challenge of frequent setups which involve rearranging the feeders on the machines. To reduce the setup cost, different boards can be assembled with a common feeder arrangement. This paper focuses on the optimization problems arising in this situation. Decisions are to be made on how different component feeders are arranged on the machine considering the structure of different boards, and the component placement sequence for each board. While the feeder arrangement problem and the placement sequencing problems can be solved iteratively for the sake of simplicity, these problems should be solved simultaneously so that an optimal solution can be found. This has been verified for the sequential pick-and-place machine by mathematical models established and computational experiments conducted in this research. Future research should incorporate different machine types and allow for feeder duplicates on the feeder carrier.