APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AND SORTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES RECEIVED IN TRAYS

摘要

tAn integrated circuit (IC) device test handler which is adaptable to receive various customer tray configurations, e.g. JEDEC trays, and automatically test the ICs within. The test handler comprises a test unit, a sort unit and a pack unit. The test unit comprises a customer tray magazine input area, a tray transporter, a thermostat chamber with a test manipulator, and a customer tray magazine output area. A tray transporter moves the trays to a test area where the trays can be accessed by a pair of test manipulators comprising a rotary element provided with a plurality of suction captures. The rotary elements pick IC devices from customer trays and transfer them to test sockets of a test header where the IC devices are tested. The test manipulator area is located within the thermostat chamber to simulate certain environmental conditions. The tested ICs are removed from the test sockets by the same pick and place elements and returned to the customer trays waiting in the test area. The tray transporter moves the customer trays with tested ICs to the output tray magazine. The sort unit comprises at least one customer tray magazine input area, a sort manipulator, a reversible tray transporter, and at least one tray magazine output area. The sort manipulator picks from the tray tested ICs of one sort group and places them on a gravity rail. The ICs slide down the gravity rail into the pack unit. The pack unit comprises at least one customer tray input magazine, a tray transporter, a pack manipulator, and a customer tray output magazine. The tray transporter moves an empty tray from the input magazine to the pack manipulator. The pack manipulator takes a row of sorted ICs from the gravity rail and places ICs into the empty tray until the tray is filled with tested ICs of one sort. The filled tray is moved by the tray transporter to the output tray magazine where they are collected. When all the ICs of one sort group are packed in the trays, the controller prompts the operator to free the output of the sort unit.