US Patent:
20030110610, Jun 19, 2003
Inventors:
David Duquette - Minneapolis MN, US
Paul Haugen - Bloomington MN, US
David Fishbaine - Minnetonka MN, US
John Gaida - Victoria MN, US
David Madsen - Lakeland MN, US
Theodore Dale - Minneapolis MN, US
Todd Liberty - Apple Valley MN, US
Brant Buchika - Minnetonka MN, US
Scott Roth - Newburyport MA, US
Thomas Bushman - Marblehead MA, US
International Classification:
B23Q017/00
US Classification:
029/407090, 029/720000, 029/743000
Abstract:
Improved component placement inspection and verification is performed by a pick and place machine. Improvements include stereovision imaging of the intended placement location; enhanced illumination to facilitate the provision of relatively high-power illumination in the restricted space near the placement nozzle(s); optics to allow image acquisition device to view the placement location from an angle relative to a plane of the placement location, thereby reducing the possibility of such images being obstructed by the component; techniques for rapidly acquiring images with commercially available CCD arrays such that acquisition of before and after images does not substantially impact system throughput; and image processing techniques to provide component inspection and verification information.