Calibration methods for a viscous fluid dispensing system
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsCutler Crowell, III, Payman Tayebi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for calibrating a fluid dispensing system includes the steps of locating an external reference point with an optical sensor, moving a fluid dispenser to the external reference point, dispensing fluid with the fluid dispenser at the external reference point, locating the dispensed fluid with the optical sensor, calculating a distance between the location of the external reference point and the location of the dispensed fluid, determining a correction value based at least in part on the calculated distance, and using the correction value to improve placement accuracy of dispensed fluid.
Claims18
A method for calibrating a fluid dispensing system, the system including a fluid dispenser and an optical sensor, the method comprising:
- (i) locating an external reference point on a substrate with the optical sensor;
- (ii) moving the fluid dispenser to the external reference point;
- (iii) dispensing fluid with the fluid dispenser;
- (iv) locating the dispensed fluid with the optical sensor;
- (v) calculating a distance between the location of the external reference point and the location of the dispensed fluid;
- (vi) determining a correction value based at least in part on the calculated distance;
- and
- (vii) moving the fluid dispenser based on the correction value to improve placement accuracy of dispensed fluid, wherein:
- the substrate further includes at least one additional external reference point,
- steps (i) through (v) are also performed for the at least one additional external reference point,
- determining the correction value comprises determining the correction value based at least in part on a value determined by averaging the calculated distances corresponding to each of the external reference points, and
- each of the external reference points is approached by the fluid dispenser from a different direction.
A method for calibrating a fluid dispensing system, the system including a fluid dispenser and an optical sensor, the method comprising:
- locating a first external reference point positioned on a substrate with the optical sensor;
- moving the fluid dispenser to the first external reference point;
- dispensing first fluid with the fluid dispenser;
- locating the first dispensed fluid with the optical sensor;
- calculating a first distance between the location of the first external reference point and the location of the first dispensed fluid;
- locating a second external reference point positioned on the substrate with the optical sensor;
- moving the fluid dispenser to the second external reference point, wherein the second external reference point is approached by the fluid dispenser from a different direction that the first external reference point;
- dispensing second fluid with the fluid dispenser;
- locating the second dispensed fluid with the optical sensor;
- calculating a second distance between the location of the second external reference point and the location of the second dispensed fluid;
- determining a correction value based at least in part on a value determined by averaging the calculated first distance and the calculated second distance;
- and
- moving the fluid dispenser based on the correction value to improve placement accuracy of dispensed fluid.
A method for calibrating a fluid dispensing system, the system including a fluid dispenser and an optical sensor, the method comprising:
- locating a first external reference point on a substrate with the optical sensor, the first external reference point having a centroid;
- moving the fluid dispenser to the first external reference point;
- dispensing first fluid with the fluid dispenser;
- locating the first dispensed fluid with the optical sensor, the first dispensed fluid having a centroid;
- calculating a first distance between the centroid of the first external reference point and the centroid of the first dispensed fluid;
- locating a second external reference point on the substrate with the optical sensor, the second external reference point having a centroid;
- moving the fluid dispenser to the second external reference point, wherein the second external reference point is approached by the fluid dispenser from a different direction that the first external reference point dispensing second fluid with the fluid dispenser;
- locating the second dispensed fluid with the optical sensor, the second dispensed fluid having a centroid;
- calculating a second distance between the centroid of the second external reference point and the centroid of the second dispensed fluid;
- determining a correction value based at least in part on a value determined by averaging the calculated first distance and the calculated second distance;
- and
- moving the fluid dispenser based on the correction value to improve placement accuracy of dispensed fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.