Vision-guided alignment method

A method for using an instrument to perform an operation on an article, the article including a plurality of fiducial marks and a set of features, comprising:

• a) positioning the article in proximity to a digital imaging system;
• b) using the digital imaging system to capture a digital image of at least a portion of the article that includes the set of features and the plurality of fiducial marks;
• c) automatically analyzing the captured digital image to determine positions of the plurality of fiducial marks and the set of features within the captured digital image;
• d) determining spatial relationships between the determined positions of the plurality of fiducial marks and the determined positions of the set of features in the captured digital image;
• e) positioning the article in proximity to the instrument;
• f) using a fiducial sensing system to sense positions of the plurality of fiducial marks;
• g) determining predicted positions of the features responsive to the determined positions of the plurality of fiducial marks and the determined positions of the set of features in the captured digital image and the sensed positions of the plurality of fiducial marks;
• h) adjusting a position of the instrument or the article responsive to the predicted positions of the features;
• and
• i) controlling the instrument to perform the operation on the article.