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The Magazine Handler — A Critical Production Choice By Ed Sullivan
C
hoosing the right magazine handlers can significantly im- prove throughput and accuracy
in the processing of microelectronic components. Sometimes making a decision
about what may be considered “ancil- lary” production equipment can make an enormous difference to the bottom line and product quality. The choice of magazine unloading and loading han- dlers is often such a momentous deci- sion. The efficient and accurate han- dling of semiconductor and microelec- tronic components can make a signifi- cant difference in the quality and cost of assembly, particularly in high-pro- duction environments. Consisting of single or multiple
parts, Micro Electronic packages are conveyed in process carriers, such as Auer boats or other tray- like de- vices. The magazines involved may be composed of various materials in a variety of dimensions, depending on the requirements of the component “packages” process carrier it is in- tended to transport. When it comes to high-volume
operations such as die attachment, wire bonding, sealing, surface treat- ing and assembly procedures for a multitude of microelectronic compo- nentry— parts that are conveyed via process carriers loaded into maga- zines — the right magazine handling
system can substantially increase production yield and throughput as well as save on costs. The basic advantages of maga-
zine handlers are three-fold: reduced contamination, reduced cost of opera- tors providing manual labor, and in- crease quality of product due to the avoidance of human interference or error. And when the best magazine handler design is applied, those advan- tages can be amplified dramatically. While there is a variety of mag-
azine handler (a.k.a. magazine loader/unloader) designs available, they essentially perform the same basic function: to automatically re- move unprocessed devices or compo- nents from loaded “magazines” onto a manufacturing line or processing cell, and then feed the processed components back into empty maga- zines for transport to the next pro- duction procedure. Likewise, the handlers to un-
load and load magazines are avail- able in a broad range of designs, and the variables in magazine handler design features and capabilities can have a direct bearing on potential benefits such as optimal yield and re- duced operator intervention.
Design simplicity The design simplicity of maga-
zine handlers can be a major virtue in
We can provide what you need.
microelectronics production, leading to greater system reliability, improved productivity and ease of integration. “One of the most important fac-
tors in choosing a magazine handler is simplicity of design,” says Alexan- der Komposch, Head of Package and Process Development at Infineon Technologies NA (Morgan Hill, CA). Komposch’s division is a high-volume manufacturer of RF power transis- tors used in large quantities by cell phone base stations. Manufacturing millions of units
yearly is challenging because the pro- duction of RF power transistors re- quires a very high degree of consisten- cy. The magazine handler has an im- pact on meeting that challenge suc- cessfully. “Simplicity of design guar- antees ease of operation and manufac- turing robustness,” Komposch ex- plains. “In the past, we have worked with highly sophisticated designers who are top-notch in wire bonding, a critical capability in the manufacture of RF transistor products. Yet, when it came to developing a magazine han- dler, they tended to over-design what should be a fairly simple process, over- complicating it to the point that the handler was unreliable and had to be removed from the production line after a short time.” The magazine handlers that Infi-
neon standardized on at its Morgan Hill RF-power operation was a design engineered and manufactured by Martek Automation (Murrieta, CA). A leader in the development of automat- ed material handling and assembly equipment, Martek was selected eight years ago by Infineon’s Morgan Hill operation to supply both unloading and loading magazine handlers.
Low Maintenance Byproducts of design simplicity
are low maintenance and unsched- uled downtime, both of which direct- ly affect the bottom line. Many OEMs who incorporate
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magazine handlers in their systems insist that those handlers — whether off-the-shelf or customized — require little maintenance. They not only want to avoid unnecessary mainte- nance trips to the field, but also do not want their primary systems, such as wire bonding equipment, to suffer downtime due to maintenance re- quirements of the magazine handlers. “Essentially, companies that use
magazine handlers want them to do what they need them to do, and to pro- vide reliable performance,” says Mark Netherland, President of Martek Au- tomation. “If they are well designed and built, a high-quality magazine handler will perform accurately and consistently for a long time. Some of our customers have been getting con- tinuously reliable performance from our handlers for 20 years.” Infineon’s Komposch agrees.
“The only part on our magazine han- dlers that requires replacement is the pinch roller, which is a simple sil- icone wheel,” he explains. “This is important to us because in 24/7 pro- duction you don’t want to have down-
time, and the reliability of our maga- zine handler is essential to the avoid- ance of that problem.”
Consistency of Alignment Alignments are critical when in-
corporating magazine handlers into a microelectronics production line. Un- fortunately, some handlers are built using designs and materials based on cost savings and not ruggedness. These systems can become misaligned when simply brushed by an operator. “I believe that magazine handlers with welded steel frames, such as the Martek models, provide stability that protects alignment,” Komposch says. “This is very important because maga- zine handlers are not typically an- chored; it is free-standing equipment that maintains alignment by standing on its own weight. That ensures it will remain in-line with a conveyor system of any type of production equipment.” “Some people don’t understand
why these models are made so heavy,” adds Netherland. “But if you have them at the beginning or end of a pro- duction cell, and somebody comes around and leans on one of them, you don’t want them to lose alignment; you want them to be heavy and sturdy; that’s a very good feature.”
Capacity and Flexibility The capacity of a magazine han-
dler to carry the optimum number of magazines has a direct correlation to throughput and productivity. Also, the ability to carry non-standard magazine sizes and accommodate special carriers or materials can be of acute importance when choosing magazine handler. “One of the things I like most
about the Martek handlers is that they can handle the highest amount of magazines,” says Komposch. “We are able to have up to eight maga- zines on the input and output sides, while most competitors’ handlers were able to deliver only four. Also, the handlers we use have the ability to carry two rows, which also im- proves the speed of throughput.” Komposch also values the mag-
azine handler’s capability to detect the next magazine and Auer boat or other carrier, and to detect the loca- tion of an empty slot. “There are no rules about how
many Auer boats you need to have in one magazine, how many magazines you have to have in it, which posi- tions you need to have,” he adds. “It is a very simple mechanism that al- ways finds the next slot for providing you an Auer boat or an empty slot to receive an Auer boat. So, it’s a very independent, simple design that minimizes the amount of moving parts needed to provide you with the exact thing you need. It always has an Auer boat available for the pro-
cessing equipment, when needed.” Contact: Martek Automation,
38415 Innovation Court, Murrieta, CA 92562 % 951-304-0541 fax: 909- 496-0582 E-mail: sales@martekau-
tomation.com Web:
www.martekautomation.com r
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