WORKPIECE HOLE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE INSPECTOR

摘要

To determine whether or not all of the required holes have been formed in a multiple-hole workpiece, as by a punch press, the workpiece is placed in an inspection arrangement containing a system of multiple mirrors adapted to reflect a laser beam from a laser beam source through the multiple holes in the workpiece to a laser beam sensor which preferably is electrically connected to an acceptance or rejection indicator or actuator or to the press control system. If all of the holes have been properly punched or otherwise formed, the sensor recognizes that fact and permits the next workpiece to be fed to the press and the inspected workpiece to be conveyed onward as accepted. If, on the other hand r one or more of the holes have not been punched or otherwise formed, the passage of the laser beam is blocked, so that the workpiece is rejected by the sensor and its connected workpiece handling system, and at the same time, the press control system halts the press and prevents the workpiece handling mechanism from supplying another workpiece to the press until the rejection has been overcome. In a modification, the inspector is built into the press equipment itself, whereby the upper and lower dies of the press are provided with the laser beam source and sensors, also with passageways containing the multiple mirrors, and operating similarly as above described. The lower die is also provided with scrap slug disposal passageways for carrying away the slugs punched out of the workpiece placed between the upper and lower dies.