Abstract: A checking system is provided to check the condition of a plurality of storage racks, e.g., the quantity and types of articles in racks in a machine, with the articles being stored along the length of the racks. Rack indicating means is provided in the form of indicia adjacent each of the plurality of racks to identify a plurality of different types or brands of articles. Each of these rack indicating means is subdivided along the length of the respective rack into individual indicating means or indicia, and, as an example, may correspond to the numerical sequence of the respective adjacent article stored in the rack. Interrogation means is cooperable with the indicating means, and this may be a bar code reader to cooperate with bar code indicia to determine data from the rack and individual indicating means. As an example, this may be identifying the particular rack and the sequential number of the articles in the particular track at that instant.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatically determining the position and attitude of a three-dimensional body at a work station by utilizing three cameras each of which generates a non-overlapping plane of image data, including a single target point of the body without the use of structured light. The locations of the target points are determined and processed within a programmed computer together with calibration data relating to the expected position of the body in the work station to provide data relating to the position and attitude of the body with respect to the work station. The resultant data relating to the position and attitude of the body are subsequently transformed into a first set of offset data relating to the difference between the actual and expected positions of the body. The first set of offset data is then transformed into a second set of offset data in the coordinate system of a peripheral device such as a robot, programmable controller, numerically controlled machine, etc.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a commercial deep-fryer cooker as used in preparing fried chicken or other food products. The controller (11), according to the invention, has been designed to control essentially all aspects of the cooking process and includes a number of features which enhance the flexibility of the system, allow it to be operated with greater efficiency and provide increased safeguards against accident or machine malfunction.Among the features provided by the invention is the capability of lengthening or shortening or changing the ending temperature of a cooking cycle without changing the overall cooking cycle. This permits fast changes to be made in a cooking cycle, even while it is in progress.The system also provides protection against a power failure by saving essential data relating to an interrupted cooking cycle so that the cycle can be resumed if the power is restored within a prescribed period of time.

Abstract: There is disclosed a control apparatus for copying machines or the like which have a function of autoresetting operating conditions for the machine to standard conditions upon lapse of a specified period time after the completion of operation of the machine or after a predetermined input procedure and is operable with a key device associated with the machine for permitting the operation of the machine, wherein the control apparatus effects the autoresetting function to immediately reset the operating conditions to the standard conditions when the machine has been brought out of the operation permitted state by the key device, irrespective of lapse of the specified period of time for the autoresetting. When the user withdraws the key device from the machine, the operating conditions change to the standard conditions, thereby efficiently preventing the objection that the machine will subsequently operate under the conditions undesired by the next user.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring vibrations of a machine tool metal-cutting tool insert and interpreting them to promptly detect the initial touch to the workpiece and signal the tool to stop advancing before marring the surface. The signal generated by a sensor such as an accelerometer is preprocessed to eliminate lower frequency machine noise and detect the energy in a higher frequency band, then sampled and analyzed by digital circuitry. In order to avoid false alarms on high amplitude spiky noise pulses generated by traverse operation of the machine tool, the tool touch alarm is delayed longer than the maximum duration of the noise pulses. Two techniques are given to ignore the noise spikes while still detecting the tool touch signal.

Abstract: Accurate dimensional control in ultrasonic welding or upsetting of plastic parts is accomplished by the method and apparatus for monitoring the ultrasonic head displacement and sensing when a predetermined trigger force is applied to the part or parts, turning on the ultrasonic energy at the trigger point and terminating the ultrasonic energy when head displacement from the trigger point reaches an empirically established value, holding the force for a hold time and measuring the maximum displacement value at the end of the hold time, releasing the force when the force returns to the trigger point, measuring the overall displacement, and determining whether the overall displacement is within allowable tolerance values. Weld time and weld energy as well as the overall head displacement are monitored for comparison with preset tolerance values to determine acceptability of the part being processed.

Abstract: In a method and a system for diagnosing a thermal power plant system including a thermal power plant, provided with an automatic power plant control system performing PID control, and a direct digital control system utilizing a control model representing the combination of the plant and the automatic power plant control system and controlling the plant to conduct an optimum control, the automatic power plant control system and the direct digital control system conducting control complementarily: a plant diagnostic model formed of a mathematical model representing the combination of the plant, the automatic power plant control system, the control model and the direct digital control system, is provided and used to determine predicted values of the plant variables; difference between the predicted value of each of the plant variables and the actual value of the same plant variable is determined, and stored thereby to provide a time series of the differences which have been successively determined; whiteness ind

Abstract: Life of a tool used in a machining center having various sorts of tools can be detected by steps that a tool selection code at every execution of NC program is detected and the current-use tool number is stored, the machining distance of each tool is calculated, the machining distance is accumulated per each tool, the cumulative machining distance is compared with predetermined machining life distance to indicate the life of each tool, and then the life of each tool is determined on the basis of a result obtained in the comparing step.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus having a numerical control unit (11), a data input/output circuit for sending and receiving data between a machine (19) and the numerical control unit, a data input unit (13) for entering NC data, a manual data input unit (16) for entering NC data manually, and an operator's pendant (17), wherein there is provided a local control circuit (101), separate from the numerical control unit, for centrally controlling the data input unit, the manual data input unit and the operator's pendant. The local control circuit is connected to the numerical control unit directly through a data transfer line, or through the data input/output circuit.

Abstract: The condition of the cutting tool is monitored during a turning operation and the machine is adjusted to compensate for tool condition. The device is also used as an in-process part inspection system. A probe on the cutting tool-tool holder assembly measures the distance to the freshly cut surface and the probe signal is monitored; when this distance changes indicating tool nose wear, the numerical control is alerted to adjust the tool during the chip-forming operation to compensate for wear. A broken or worn-out tool signal shuts down the machine. After a cutting pass the part is inspected by retracting the cutting tool and running the part program. There is an error in the part when the probe signal and thus the measured distance is not constant.

Abstract: In facilities having several systems of circulating shelving, because of the multiplicity of parts to be stored the regular use of a data processing system is required. For controlling the systems of circulating shelving by means of the data processing system, suitable control arrangements are used. In such a control arrangement, the signal output (51) of a data station (33) is coupled via an optical coupler (62) to a transmit line (38). The transmit line (38) connects in parallel all similar connections of the data stations of several control arrangements, allowing the interposition of a multiplexer to be dispensed with.

Abstract: Apparatus for the prediction of performance parameters of a proposed machine, in particular, an agricultural machine, includes a keyboard for entry of data in accordance with a set of input parameters useful in the calculation of performance parameters, a display for displaying performance parameters, a memory for storage of data inputted by the keyboard, and a data processor interconnecting the memory and the numerical board for performing mathematical calculations to output values of the performance parameters in response to the inputting of data at the keyboard. Included within the data processor is an analyzer for selecting input parameters specific to a mathematical correlation, a microprocessor for calculating values of intermediary parameters from the inputted data based on patterns of such data, and a synthesizer employing values of selected input parameters and the intermediary parameters to provide mathematical correlation for attaining values of the performance parameters.

Abstract: An orientation and control system for use with robots provides identification, orientation and operating instructions coded indicia on diverse parts, which indicia are viewed by a camera and are digital image processor recognizable, so that the indicia are converted into information for computer control of a robot in utilizing the diverse parts in assembly operations. The present system is useful in assembly operations wherein the parts can be randomly presented, without special orientation or alignment fixtures, to a robot and yet the robot can utilize the parts in a programmed manner to perform the programmed assembly operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for detecting an absolute positional value relating to mechanical movement of a member to be measured from a reference point. The apparatus includes a detecting means with a plurality of detectors having periods which are different from one another. Each detector generates an electric signal having a period corresponding to the movement of the member. The signals are stored in a memory. Then, the absolute value of mechanical movement between one of the detectors and the member is specified by using two values. The first value is derived by multiplying the period of the signal corresponding to the one detector by an integer N. The second value is stored in the memory and corresponds to the one detector's partial movement which is less than one period thereof. The value of the integer is decided by using periods and stored values corresponding to other detectors.

Abstract: A supervisory control system for microprocessor based appliance controls, the supervisory control system incorporating means for detecting dynamic failure of a microprocessor incorporated in the appliance control, means for disabling the high energy circuits in the associated appliance if the microprocessor is not operating in a normal mode and switch means requiring a physical or mechanical operation to enable energization of the high energy circuits of the associated appliance whereby the high energy circuits of the associated appliance are disabled unless at least two predetermined criteria are met.

Abstract: The disclosed machine comprises holding means for holding a drill or other similar tool to be ground, first and second drive means for producing translatory movement of the holding means along rectangularly related directions, third drive means for producing the rotation of the holding means, a plurality of grinding units including grinding motors and wheels for grinding the tool, respective additional drive means for causing feeding movement of the grinding motors to bring the wheels into grinding engagement with the tool, swivel means for swiveling the holding means to present the tool to the respective grinding units, a keyboard for entering numerical dimensional values and parameters for controlling the drive means, a TV tube for displaying the values and parameters, a memory for storing the values and parameters, means for bringing up a series of questionnaire pages on the TV tube to prompt the operator to enter all of the dimensional values and parameters to program the machine, the questionnaires havin

Abstract: A misgrip detection control system for detecting unholding or misgrip of a workpiece from a transfer bar in a press.The system comprises a workpiece memory circuit for storing electrically data indicating whether a workpiece is in position of a corresponding station in the press or not, a workpiece presence/absence checking circuit for detecting the presence or absence of the respective said workpiece by sensors mounted in transfer bars and a misgrip detecting circuit for detecting misgrip of the workpiece by comparison of data from said both circuits.In one preferred embodiment, all of said circuits are constructed by relays.

Abstract: A sampled-data I-PD control apparatus controls an interference multi-input/multi-output process in accordance with an I-PD action. The apparatus comprises an identification signal generator for superposing persistently exciting identification signals on control variables (inputs) of the process, an identifying circuit for identifying a pulse transfer function of the process in accordance with the control variables of the process and controlled variables (outputs) of the process, an S-transfer function calculator for transforming the identified pulse transfer function to an S-transfer function, and a tuning circuit for matching the S-transfer function with that of a process model and for tuning sampled-data I-PD control parameters in accordance with a matching result.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the operation of a process so that desired products are produced at minimum cost. The process has a plurality of process components, with each component having a run status and an idle status. The process has available more than one input and produces more than one output. The process is controlled by a computer which is provided with a mathematical model of the process, which model includes a model of each of its components. The model for each process component includes a logic variable, which logic variable can have only two values, 0 and 1, and which represent the run or idle status of each process component. The computer, when predetermined conditions arise, solves a mixed integer equation to determine the optimum state of the process at a given time to produce the desired outputs, at desired rates and at minimum cost; and, in doing so, determines the value of the logic variable for each component.

Abstract: A multi-sectioned conveyor for receiving serial products from a supply conveyor, inspecting and rejecting out-of-tolerance products and adjustably conveying the products so as to establish a predetermined spacing therebetween, before transferring the products from supporting belts to the individual flights of a pusher member containing conveyor and from which the product flow is synchronized relative to an infeed conveyor to a wrapping station. The feeder comprises a microprocessor controlled, DC driven accumulation, transition and backlog conveyors, along with wrapper driven separation, transfer and infeed conveyors.