Vision-based centering station

Automotive Industries, March, 2004

ATR-Strothmann has announced the development of a vision-based centering station designed to replace traditional mechanical centering systems. Based upon a mechanically simple design, the new vision-based system uses a camera and control system to compare the actual position of the blanks to the desired in-die position and then determines the appropriate motion path required by the feeders to properly align the blanks prior to entering the press. The system can be designed to work with single or two non-attached blanks. Depending on the size and number of the blanks, a single or dual telescoping shuttle feeder--equipped with a rotate axis--will pick-up, re-orient and load the blank or blanks into the die space in one motion. ATR-Strothmann, www.atrsi.com or www.strothmann.com.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]