Method and apparatus for auto-calibration of a wire bending machine

An automated wire bending machine comprising:

• a bending head comprising a bending surface, a bending die disposed on the bending surface, a servo-controlled bending mechanism rotatable around the bending die, a bending pin disposed on the bending mechanism, the bending pin configured to engage a wire disposed on the bending surface such that rotation of the bending mechanism forms an angle in the wire at the bending die;
• a wire channel aligned with the bending surface and the bending die, wherein the wire channel is configured to receive a wire and to align the wire on the bending surface and adjacent the bending die;
• a wire feeding mechanism configured to feed a wire through the wire channel;
• a camera system comprising a camera and a lens configured with a focal plane fixedly positioned relative to the bending surface such that the focal plane of the lens is substantially parallel with the bending surface;
• a processor device communicably coupled to the camera system, the processor device configured to interpret images captured by the camera system to measure an actual angle formed in a wire while a bent portion of the wire, the actual angle in the wire, and at least part of a straight wire portion fed from the wire feeding mechanism are substantially within the focal plane of the camera system;
• a memory device communicably coupled to the processor device, the memory device configured for storing a calibration value corresponding to the actual angle corresponding to a target angle, wherein the calibration value is collected during a calibration sequence of the automated wire bending machine;
• wherein the processor device is further configured to automatically adjust one or more programmed bend angles associated with a wire part based on the stored calibration value.

An automated wire bending machine comprising:

• a bending head comprising a bending surface, a bending die disposed on the bending surface, a servo-controlled bending mechanism rotatable around the bending die, a bending pin disposed on the bending mechanism, the bending pin configured to engage a wire disposed on the bending surface such that rotation of the bending mechanism forms an angle in the wire at the bending die;
• a wire channel aligned with the bending surface and the bending die, wherein the wire channel is configured to receive a wire and to align the wire on the bending surface and adjacent the bending die;
• a wire feeding mechanism configured to feed a wire through the wire channel;
• a camera system comprising a camera and a lens configured with a focal plane fixedly positioned relative to the bending surface such that the focal plane of the lens is not substantially parallel to the bending surface;
• a processor device communicably coupled to the camera system, the processor device configured to interpret images captured by the camera system to measure an actual angle formed in a wire while a bent portion of the wire, the actual angle in the wire, and at least part of a straight wire portion fed from the wire feeding mechanism are substantially within the focal plane of the camera system;
• a memory device communicably coupled to the processor device, the memory device configured for storing a calibration value corresponding to the actual angle corresponding to a target angle, wherein the calibration value is collected during a calibration sequence of the automated wire bending machine;
• wherein the processor device is further configured to automatically adjust one or more programmed bend angles associated with a wire part based on the stored calibration value.