System, GUI and method for editing step and repeat operation instructions in a machine vision inspection system

A machine vision inspection system comprising:

• an imaging portion,
• a stage for holding one or more workpieces in a field of view of the imaging portion,
• graphical user interface (GUI), and
• a control portion including:
• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• a run mode configured to be operable to execute a previously created part program to perform automatic imaging and/or inspection operations on workpiece(s), according to a run mode of execution;
• a learn mode configured to be operable to receive user input to control operations of the machine vision inspection system and record associated part program instructions corresponding to the controlled operations in order to create a part program;
• an editing portion operable to edit part program instructions in the learn mode, the editing portion including an editing interface portion displayable in the GUI;
• a step and repeat loop generator configured to be operable to generate and define, in the learn mode, a step-and-repeat programming element in a part program, the defined step-and-repeat programming element defining a repeated operation block of inspection instructions to be executed N times at N defined locations in an array of workpiece features in the machine vision inspection system, N being an integer greater than 1;
• and
• a step and repeat loop converter configured to be operable to provide step and repeat conversion operations directed to a defined step-and-repeat programming element, wherein the conversion operations comprise:
• automatically replicating the inspection instructions defined in the repeated operation block of the defined step-and-repeat programming element to generate N independently-editable code blocks each including an independently-editable substantial replication of the inspection instructions defined in the repeated operation block, each of the independently-editable code blocks to be executed at a respective location corresponding to one of the N defined locations,
• automatically providing a representation of the N independently-editable code blocks in the editing interface portion of the GUI, each of the N code block representations including an editable representation of operations included in its replicated instance of the repeated operation block, and
• eliminating the defined step-and-repeat programming element as an editable element in the editing interface portion of the GUI.