Automatic Part Removal Robotic Apparatus
(Gantry Automated Rework Interface G.A.R.I. 2.0)
Background
In the realm of consumer electronic devices, when a component on a circuit board fails, the entire board typically gets discarded. Aerospace-grade circuit boards, being notably costly to manufacture, often undergo a process called rework, wherein individual components are replaced. Presently, Northrop Grumman conducts all rework manually by technicians. G.A.R.I. 2.0 represents an updated automated solution to a previously scrapped design. This project is designed to eliminate the need for manual intervention in the rework process. Users simply upload the board layout to the software interface, insert the board into the holder, and let G.A.R.I. take over. Employing cutting-edge focused infrared heating technology, G.A.R.I. melts the solder beneath a faulty component, carefully removes it, all while ensuring the safety of surrounding parts with an advanced temperature sensing system. The defective component is then replaced with a new one, resulting in a fully functional, reworked board. G.A.R.I. marks a groundbreaking advancement in automation within the rework industry. This project is in cooperation with UCSB and partnership under a gift with Northrop Grumman located in Redondo Beach, California.
Objective
The key objective of the heating system in G.A.R.I. 2.0 is to locally heat up a specific component on a PCB board to reflow temperature in accordance with a specified reflow curve, without over-heating or heat shocking other nearby components.
Prior, skilled technicians were utilized for this tedious, and highly detail-oriented process which took many hours out of a worker’s day to desolder, and almost surgically remove parts from circuit boards containing micro-sized hardware. This is better known as “reworking” PCB Vacuum pens are tools used to pick up and place small objects, such as electronic components, using a vacuum. They are commonly used in electronics manufacturing and repair. We aim to integrate a specialized vacuum pen system into the GARI 2.0 prototype for PCB reworking. With my prior involvement in integration and electromechanical structures, my goal for this project is to enhance efficiency, precision, and safety in handling electronic components that the previous iteration did not contain.
Testing and Planning / SOP
