A tape feeder is frequently used as a component supply device in a component mounting device. The tape feeder feeds a carrier tape which holds components from a tape reel and pitch-feeds the carrier tape in synchronism with timing for mounting the component. As a reel exchange operation performed when component depletion occurs while the tape feeder is performing mounting operation, a splicing method for splicing carrier tapes with each other has been adopted. In the method, a tail end of a carrier tape already loaded and a head of a new carrier tape are spliced together. Consequently, leading end placing operation for placing the leading end of the new tape on the tape feeder and positioning the tape can thereby be omitted. Accordingly, it is possible to omit a wasteful time caused by stopping a mounting device every time components become depleted. Further, a splice between two carrier tapes is automatically detected at a specific position on the tape feeder, thereby providing the following advantage. That is, automatic detection of the splice can be applied to managing the number of remaining components and managing a component supply history in the component supply, such as prediction of timing at which operation for splicing a current carrier tape to the next carrier tape becomes necessary (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Specifically, in a component supply system using tape feeders, component information about a carrier tape unreeled from an individual tape reel and mounted on a corresponding tape feeder is stored in a component information storage unit in real time. The component information includes, for example, a reel ID code for specifying the carrier tape, the number of remaining components not picked up yet, etc. Data rewriting processing for the stored contents on detection of a splice in the carrier tape as a trigger signal. The data rewriting processing includes, for example, operation for writing data by a reel ID code which specifies a carrier tape to be newly spliced, operation for resetting the number of remaining components, etc. Accordingly, it is possible to automatically perform highly reliable component supply management without inconvenience to a machine operator.