Methods and apparatus for assembling permutations of elements into or onto articles

摘要

Various permutations of plugs (13) are inserted in keying holes (12) formed in a connector 10 secured to an edge of a printed circuit board (11). A carrier nest (16) is loaded with a permutation array of plugs (13) at a load station (20), advanced to an insert station where the array is checked, and then advanced to an unload station (22) where a group of insert pins act through carrier nest holes (17) to seat the plugs in the connector holes (12). At the inspect station, checks are made for missing plugs and plugs in wrong holes. If plugs in wrong holes are detected, the plugs are dumped from the carrier nest and a new array of plugs are loaded into the carrier nest (16). If a missing plug is detected, the carrier nest is returned to the load station and a plug is loaded into the proper nest hole (17).