IMPROVED LASER ALIGN SENSOR FOR POSITIONING COMPONENTS

摘要

A sensor (184) for sensing placement information of a component (18) to be placed by a pick and place machine (150) is disclosed. The sensor (184) includes a plurality of light sources (12, 14) each of which is disposed to direct illumination at different angles of incidence upon the component (18). Each source (12, 14) is further adapted to generate light based upon an energization signal. Source control electronics (38) are provided and coupled to the plurality of light sources (12, 14) to successively provide energization signals to each source (12, 14). A detector (24) is disposed within the sensor (184) relative to the plurality of sources (12, 14) to receive at least one shadow (20, 22) of the component (18), and provide data at a detector output indicative of the shadow (20, 22) imaged while the component (18) is rotated.