Method and an apparatus for the identification of incorrectly oriented parts and/or parts departing from a predetermined master

A method for the identification of respective parts as being at least one of incorrectly oriented parts and parts departing from a user-determined type of master part, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving the respective parts past at least one camera for registering shapes of the respective parts by a conveyor means, given differences from stored master values the respective parts being at least one of identified as being faulty and removed;
• deriving from an image signal of the camera corresponding to the shape of the respective part, several individual criteria including at least one of overall length, overall height area, axial alignment, surface waviness, and position of center of gravity;
• comparing the individual criteria with corresponding individual criteria derived from at least one master part, the at least one master part being able to be learned in a learn mode;
• storing at least one of a corresponding image signal and the individual criteria derived from the at least one master part to be available for comparison to the respective parts during an operating mode;
• selecting in the operating mode one type of master part for comparison with the respective parts, a tolerance being able to be adjusted during the identification of the respective parts as being at least one of incorrectly oriented parts and parts departing from a user-determined type of master part in at least one stage or continuously during the operating mode.