Universal box build

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating consumer electronics using a Universal Box Build (UBB) are disclosed herein. The method may include entering specifications of a product comprised of a printed circuit board (PCB), additional components (such as Central Processing Units (CPUs), memory modules, and heatsinks) into a chassis module, inserting a set of required components in the UBB, and generating the PCB assembly based on the entered specifications, wherein a robot is operatively connected to the interface module to automatically generate a product assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming consumer electronics using a Universal Box Build (UBB), the method comprising:
 inserting into the UBB a set of printed circuit board (PCB) components;   inserting into the UBB a PCB;   entering specifications of a product recipe using an interface module, wherein the product recipe includes instructions to assemble a PCB product assembly; and   forming the PCB product assembly based on the entered specifications of the product recipe using the set of PCB components, wherein   the set of PCB components are used to populate the PCB, and   a robot is operatively connected to the interface module to automatically form the PCB product assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein entering specifications of a product recipe using the interface module are input by a user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the PCB into the UBB is included in the instructions of the product recipe. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UBB further comprises a kitting tray, and the kitting tray comprises the set of PCB components used to populate the PCB product assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the set of PCB components includes at least one of a heatsink, a CPU, a CPU cover, and a memory module. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UBB further comprises a tool box having a plurality of tools, wherein each tool of the plurality of tools is configured to add at least a specific component of the set of PCB components to the PCB. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of tools includes at least one of a heatsink gripper, an inertia resistant screw bit, a memory modules gripper, a central processing unit (CPU) gripper, a mother board (MB) gripper, an original design manufacturer (ODM) MB gripper, a citrix MB gripper, a CPU cover gripper, and a CPU socket latch. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the robot comprises a robotic arm configured to pick up the plurality of tools. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the UBB further comprises a tool changer configured to engage with the robotic arm and facilitate attachment of the plurality of tools to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein forming the PCB product assembly further includes picking up the plurality of tools by the robot arm, one tool at a time based on the entered specifications of the product recipe. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming the PCB product assembly further includes moving of the robotic arm to the kitting tray to obtain a component of the set of PCB components corresponding to a tool of the plurality of tools, and placing the component on the PCB based on the entered specifications of the product recipe. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the PCB product assembly further includes attaching the set of PCB components to the PCB using a screw tool based on the entered specifications of the product recipe. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PCB is coupled with a product chassis, and the product chassis and the PCB are located on a top surface of a rolling cart. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein entering specifications of a product recipe using the interface module further includes instructions to insert the rolling cart into the UBB prior to forming the PCB product assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein upon formation of the PCB product assembly, the rolling cart comprising the PCB product assembly slides out from the UBB. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising data recording ability using at least a sensor of a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of sensors is at least one of a sensor of torque applied on screws, a sensor of force applied when placing a component of the set of PCB components onto the PCB, a sensor to sense deflection of the PCB, a sensor to indicate presence of a part, and a sensor to sense incoming of each component of the set of PCB components. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein recorded data is transmitted to a manufacturing execution system.