| CPC G01N 21/8901 (2013.01) [B07C 5/342 (2013.01); B07C 5/36 (2013.01); G01N 21/95 (2013.01); G01N 35/0099 (2013.01); G01N 2201/06113 (2013.01)] | 27 Claims |
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1. A system for automatic inspection of piece parts in a production facility, the system comprising:
a driven production path for serially transporting individual units of the piece parts along a direction of travel;
an alternate conveyance path proximate the production path;
a first optical system for detecting characteristics of the individual units as each progresses on the production path;
a database of standards for each of a plurality of characteristics of the piece parts;
a processor in communication with the first optical system and the database of standards for analyzing the detected characteristics of each of the individual units using the standards for one or more of the plurality of characteristics from the database; and
a piece part diverter assembly intermediate the production path and the alternate conveyance path for selectively diverting ones of the individual units from the production path onto the alternate conveyance path in response to input from the processor having determined that at least one of the standards associated with a respective characteristic has not been met
wherein the alternate conveyance path is above a portion of the production path,
wherein the piece part diverter assembly comprises an elevator system comprising a pneumatic pusher for selectively contacting an underside of an individual unit and elevating the ones of the individual units from the production path to the alternate conveyance path,
wherein the pneumatic pusher comprises a marking system, and
wherein the alternate conveyance path comprises at least one diversion conveyor for returning the selectively diverted ones of the individual units back to the production path.
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