Apparatus and method for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods

A method for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods, the method comprising:

• a) arranging, with a first conveying device, a single piece good on a first side surface on a support surface of an optically transparent turntable, the support surface extending in an X and Y direction, wherein the turntable cooperates with a rotary drive coupled to a control device, and which turntable is rotatable about an axis of rotation extending in a Z direction extending orthogonally to the X and Y directions, and wherein the X direction corresponds to a longitudinal axis and the Y direction corresponds to a transverse axis of an apparatus;
• b) scanning the first side surface and detecting the X, Y dimensions of the piece good resting on the support surface with a first optical reading device arranged below the turntable in the Z direction, and determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the first side surface;
• c) scanning a second side surface facing a second reading device, which second side surface is designed orthogonally to the first side surface, and detecting a Z dimension of the piece good resting on the support surface with a second optical reading device, and if no identifier is detected on the first side surface, determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the second side surface;
• d) rotating the turntable so that a next side surface, which is perpendicular to the first side surface, faces the second optical reading device, if no identifier is detected, wherein the next side surface is scanned with the second reading device, and determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the next side surface;
• e) repeating step d) until one of three next side surfaces are scanned and an identifier is detected;
• f) removing the piece good from the turntable and sending the piece good for further use if no identifier was detected in step e);
• g) determining, by a control device when an identifier and all dimensions of the resting piece good are detected, a storage location in a storage area arranged downstream of the turntable based on one of the detected dimensions and the detected identifier;
• and,
• h) gripping the piece good with a gripping device of a second conveying device after determining the storage location and moved to the storage location, whereby the gripping device is moveable in any of the X, Y and Z directions.

A method for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods, the method comprising:

• arranging, with a first conveying device, a single piece good on a first side surface on a support surface of an optically transparent turntable rotatable about an axis of rotation extending orthogonally to the support surface, the support surface corresponding to a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis of an apparatus;
• scanning the first side surface and detecting longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the piece good resting on the support surface with a first optical reading device arranged below the turntable;
• determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the first side surface;
• scanning a second side surface facing a second optical reading device, the second side surface orthogonal to the first side surface;
• detecting a height dimension of the piece good resting on the support surface with the second optical reading device;
• determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the second side surface;
• rotating the turntable so that a next side surface perpendicular to the first side surface faces the second optical reading device, if no identifier is detected, wherein the next side surface is scanned with the second reading device;
• determining whether an identifier is detected during the scanning of the next side surface;
• repeating the preceding two steps until one of three next side surfaces are scanned and an identifier is detected;
• removing the piece good from the turntable and sending the piece good for further use if no identifier is detected;
• determining, by a control device, when an identifier and all dimensions of the resting piece good are detected, a storage location in a storage area arranged downstream of the turntable based on one of the detected dimensions and the detected identifier;
• and,
• gripping the piece good with a gripping device of a second conveying device after determining the storage location and moving the piece good to the storage location, whereby the gripping device is moveable in any of longitudinal, transverse and orthogonal directions.