Abstract: A welding device includes a frame body, a first movable module, a second movable module, a third movable module, and a welding module. The first movable module is installed on the frame body and movable in a first horizontal direction. The second movable module is installed on the first movable module and movable in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The third movable module is installed on the second movable module and movable in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first and second horizontal directions. The welding module is installed on the third movable module and movable together with the first, second, and third movable modules. The welding module is suspended outside the frame body, and the first movable module is provided in an inner chamber of the frame body to reduce the distance between the welding module and the frame body.

Abstract: A programmable digital machine vision inspection system is disclosed having a programmable automatic feeding system that supplies elements to be inspected, a programmable robot system, a programmable inspection system, a qualified product receiving container, and an unqualified product receiving container. The programmable robot system has a first vision system with an inspection area, and a robot that grips the supplied element and moves the gripped element to and from the inspection area. The programmable inspection system has a second vision system that identifies features of the elements in the inspection area, and determines whether the element is a qualified product based on the identified features. The qualified product receiving container receives identified qualified products from the robot, and the unqualified product receiving container that receives identified unqualified products from the robot.

Abstract: A method for dynamically determining a motion control profile used in controlling motion of an axis of an overhead transport motor so as to be synchronized to the motion of a collating transport motor of an insertion engine used to insert a collation into an envelope when the collating transport motor causes a collating pusher to handoff the collation to an overhead pusher being driven by the overhead transport motor. The motion profile consists of a finite number of segments and repeats after the finite number of segments, the finite number of segments constituting a cycle.

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations and means for transporting articles to be processed serially through the processing stations in a given order, the improvement comprising a central processing station computer, a plurality of peripheral processing stations, each of the peripheral processing stations including a microprocessor, a first data channel serially interconnecting each of the peripheral processing station computers with the central processing station computer, a second data channel connecting each of the peripheral processing station computers directly with the central processing station computers, and a third data channel interconnecting each of the peripheral processing station computers with its next adjacent peripheral processing station computers, each of the channels performing a different data processing operation for controlling the serial processing for transporting articles.

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of peripheral modules and a base module, the base module including a central processor, each of the peripheral modules including a peripheral processor, a serial data link interconnecting each of the processors in a serial manner, the central processor including means for providing a system command signal along the serial link to the first of the peripheral module processors, each the peripheral processor including means responsive to the system command signal for adding thereto a tag, the tag including data representative of the address and configuration of the module, and for passing the system command signal to the next successive module processor, and means for passing the system command signals and tags appended thereto to the base module central processor, the base module central processor including storage means for storing the address and designation data of each the module.

Abstract: In a material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and structure directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprises a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations.

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and means directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprises a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations; the processors of the plurality of stations comprising means responsive to a determined signal from the processor of the base station to the processor of the next succeeding station of the identification data that the respective station has assigned to itself, whereby the processor of the base station receives data from the last of the plurality of stations corresponding t

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, a base material processing station, and apparatus for directing material to be processed serially through the plurality of stations in a given order to the base station; the improvement wherein each of the plurality of stations and the base station comprise a separate data and control processor, and further comprising a communication loop interconnecting the processors of the plurality of stations in the given order to the processor of the base station and interconnecting the processor of the base station to the processor of the first of the plurality of stations.

Abstract: A material processing apparatus for collating and feeding documents, comprising a plurality of document feeding modules, each of the modules including a source of documents, a queuing station, means for feeding documents from the source to the queuing station control means, and sensing means for sensing the position of a document within the module, a data link interconnecting adjacent modules, means for appling a collation signal to the control means for defining a collation operation in the module, the control means responsive to a arrival of documents at the queuing station in accordance with the collation signal for providing a ready signal, first and second modules positioned adjacent one another, the second being in a downstream location from the first module, the second module control means providing to the first module control means its the ready signal indicating the second module is ready to receive the document collation, the first module control means responsive to its ready signal and to the secon

Abstract: A material processing system for collating and feeding documents as collations for insertion into an envelope, comprising first and second feeding modules, and an insertion module, each of the feeding modules including document position sensing means and a controller, each of the feeding module controllers responsive to a first signal for creating a collation of documents and generating a second signal indicative of the collation, the second signal indicating an error condition in the collation when the sensors indicate non compliance with the first signal, means for passing the second signal from each feeding module controller to the insertion module, a rejection station positioned in the insertion module, the insertion module including a base controller, the base controller connected to the feeding module controllers and responsive to a collation error condition in the second signal for activating the reject station and rejecting the collation.

Abstract: A material processing system comprising a plurality of material processing stations, and means for transporting articles to be processed serially through the processing stations in a given order; the improvement wherein each of the processing stations comprises a data and control processing system, and further comprising a communication path interconnecting each the data and control processing system with the data and control processing system of the next preceding and next succeeding material processing station in the given order; each data and control processing system comprising means for controlling material processing at the respective station, means for signaling the data and control processing system of the next previous station that the respective station is ready to receive material to be processed therefrom, and means for directing data to the data control and processing system of the next succeeding station concerning material processing steps that have been taken in the respective station on mater