Cyberoptics Corporation

Namir Sayegh

John D Gaida

Lance K Fisher

An x-y robotic motion control system includes a controller, a first rail and a second rail spaced from the first rail wherein the first and second rails are substantially parallel to one another. A gantry has a first end movable along the first rail and a second end movable along the second rail. A payload is movable along the gantry and a position sensor is movable along the gantry with the payload. A first encoder is configured to detect the first end of the gantry with respect to the first rail, and a second encoder is configured to detect the second end of the gantry with respect to the second rail. The position sensor and the first and second encoders are coupled to the controller, which calculates a position of the payload as a function of signals from the position sensor and the first and second encoders.

Gantry position tracking using redundant position sensors

A single housing sensor includes a detector in the housing receiving light from a light source. A detector in the housing provides an output representative of a profile of a component which is rotatably mounted on a nozzle of the pick and place machine. The sensor also includes a receiving circuit in the housing coupled to an encoder in the pick and place machine, the encoder providing an output representative of the rotational position of the nozzle to the sensor. Computing circuitry in the sensor computes a correction signal representative of the pick-up offset of the component and of the orientation angle of the component. The correction signal is computed from the motor encoder data and from a plurality of images of the shadow of the component, each image collected at a rotational angle, &thgr;, of the nozzle. A UART serially sends the correction signal to the pick and place machine, for use in placing the component precisely onto a printed circuit board.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Namir Sayegh