High-speed RFID circuit placement method and device
A high-speed machine and method for placing an RFID circuit onto an electrical component includes separating an RFID circuit from a web of RFID circuits, and placing the RFID circuit onto an electrical component with a placing device. The separating includes directing the RFID circuit onto a transfer drum of the placement device and separably coupling the RFID circuit to the transfer drum. According to one method, a separator device separates and directs chips or interposers onto a placement device. According to another method, chips or interposers are tested before being separated from a web, and if good, are separated from the web, directed onto a placement device, and placed on an electrical component. If defective, the chips or interposers are not directed onto a placement device and are removed by a scrap web removal device.
1. A method of placing an RFID circuit onto an electrical component, the method comprising:
separating an RFID circuit from a web of RFID circuits using a punch member to punch the RFID circuit from the web; and
placing the RFID circuit onto an electrical component with a placement device;
wherein the separating includes: severing the RFID circuit from the web of RFID circuits; separably coupling the RFID circuit to a punch member by applying a vacuum to the RFID circuit via a vacuum port in the punch member; directing the RFID circuit onto a transfer drum of the placement device using the punch member; and separably coupling the RFID circuit to the transfer drum; and wherein the placing includes transferring the RFID circuit onto the electrical component with the transfer drum.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer drum is stationary when the RFID circuit is separably coupled thereto.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating the RFID circuit from the web of RFID circuits includes cutting the RFID circuit from the web of RFID circuits.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating the RFID circuit from the web of RFID circuits includes punching the RFID circuit using the placement device as an anvil.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the placing the RFID circuit onto an electrical component includes rotating the transfer drum.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one RFID circuit includes an RFID interposer that includes interposer leads mounted to an RFID chip.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separably coupling the RFID circuit to the punch member while directing the RFID circuit onto the transfer drum of the placement device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the punch member is configured to engage the web of RFID circuits against the transfer drum, using the transfer drum as an anvil.
9. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vacuum is applied to the circuit during the directing.
10. A method of placing an RFID circuit onto an electrical component, the method comprising:
separating an RFID circuit from a web of RFID circuits that includes using a punch member to punch the RFID circuit from the web; and
placing the RFID circuit onto an electrical component with a placement device;
wherein the separating includes: severing the RFID circuit from the web of RFID circuits; separably coupling the RFID circuit to the punch member by applying a vacuum to the circuit via a vacuum port in the punch member; directing the RFID circuit onto a transfer drum of the placement device using the punch member; and separably coupling the RFID circuit to the transfer drum; and
wherein the transfer drum is stationary when the RFID) circuit is separably coupled thereto.