Page 270 - Robot Builders Source Book - Gordon McComb

258 Feeding and Orientation Devices

FIGURE 7.31 Classification of flat
items to be oriented (see text for
further explanation).

Class VI includes items possessing one plane of symmetry and in addition L = B.
Eight different positions can be obtained after the first orientation. To bring the part
into the desired orientation, two rotations around the X- and Z-axes are also required.
However, this time the rotation angles around both axes maybe 90°, 180°, or 270°. Tri-
angular parts having approximately equal sides also belong to this class. Here, the rota-
tion angles needed for orientation depend on the angles of the triangle. These latter
two classes are relatively difficult to orient automatically and require sophisticated
methods. The design of an orientation device is a kind of art. Usually, the designer gives
an idea of how to solve the specific problem, while the craftsman finds the correct pro-
portions, dimensions, and sometimes principles of the devices. There is no substitute
for the craftsman's skills, experience, and intuition in the field of automatic orientation.
TEAM LRN