System and method of marking materials for automated processing

A system for processing a material along a processing dimension based on a marked feature location, comprising:

• an optical measuring device including a light source that sends light along an optical path, and a light detector that receives light from the optical path;
• a marking station that orients the material so that the optical path is substantially parallel to the processing dimension of the material;
• a processor operatively connected to the optical measuring device, wherein interruption of the optical path at the feature location reflects light from the feature location to the detector, thereby allowing the device and the processor to measure the feature location and send the feature location to the processor;
• and
• a positioner assembly controlled by the processor and configured to position the material relative to a modifying device based on the feature location.

A method for marking a feature location along a processing axis of a material, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting light along an optical path with an optical measuring device that includes a light source to transmit the light and a light detector to receive light from the optical path;
• orienting the material in a marking station so that the optical path is substantially parallel to the processing axis of the material;
• and
• marking a feature location of the material by reflecting the light at a point along the optical path corresponding to the feature location, to the detector,
• acquiring timing data relating to the time it takes light to travel along the optical path, and
• inputting the timing data to a processor to determine position of the feature location.

A system for marking material comprising

• a marking station,
• a material altering device downstream from the marking station,
• a light source oriented to case a beam along a processing direction at the marking station,
• a detector configured to receive light from the source, and capable of generating data indicative of a location of a beam interruption along the processing direction, and communicating the data to a processor that relates the location of the beam interruption to a location on the material for processing by the material altering device.