Pick and place machine with improved component pick up inspection
OwnerSteven Case, Paul Haugen +6inventors
InventorsSteven Case, Paul Haugen, David Duquette, David Madsen, David Fishbaine, Lance Fisher, Timothy Badar, Swaminathan Manickam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention improve upon component level inspection performed by pick and place machines. Such improvements include inspecting the pick operation in pick and place machines by collecting images of the pick event inside the machine and identifying errors as they happen. By detecting and displaying this information as it generated on the machine, the operator or machine can take prompt and effective corrective actions.
Claims17
A pick and place machine for assembling a workpiece, the machine comprising:
- a placement head having at least one nozzle for releasably picking up and holding the component;
- a robotic system for generating relative movement between the placement head and the workpiece;
- a image acquisition device disposed to obtain at least one image of a component pick up location;
- and
- an image processing device for analyzing the at least one image generated by the image acquisition device to determines at least one characteristic of the component pick up process.
A pick and place machine for assembly of a workpiece, the machine comprising:
- a placement head having at least one nozzle for releasably holding the component;
- a robotic system for generating relative movement between the placement head and the workpiece;
- a image acquisition system disposed to obtain an image of a pick up location of a component;
- a trigger mechanism disposed to detect the position of the placement head during a pick up cycle;
- and
- wherein the image acquisition system is triggered at selected intervals to generate a sequence of images of the pick up cycle.
A method of picking up a component during a pick and place operation the method comprising:
- capturing an image of a component before it is picked up by a pick and place machine;
- capturing an image of the component at least once after the component is picked up;
- comparing the image acquired before pickup and the image acquired after pick up to determine a characteristic of the pick up operation;
- generating a pick indication based upon the comparison.
A method for programming a pick and place machine to assemble a workpiece the method comprising of:
- acquiring at least one image of a component pick up operation;
- displaying at least one image of a component pick up operation;
- and
- adjusting at least one parameter of the pick and place program using the displayed image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.