Abstract: A method and an apparatus for grasping surface mounted devices such as an IC or the like by the hand of the robot and automatically and accurately loading them onto the contact pattern of a printed circuit board by means of an image processor are disclosed. According to this method, a measurement line is provided onto each image pattern of the pin array of the surface mounted device and the array of the contact pattern of the board, so that it may intersect at right angles with the direction of the pattern, and each position of the pin array and the array of the contact pattern is sought from the variation of the brightness on that line. In accordance with the result thus obtained, displacement of the position and that of the rotation over the entire surfaced part and the contact pattern are sought and the operation of the robot is controlled in accordance with that information.

Abstract: After work is performed according to certain working parameters by an automatic work processing apparatus, the just finished work undergoes an imaging operation by use of an imaging apparatus. Outputs from the imaging apparatus are converted into binary values to obtain a line image, which is then analyzed to evaluate the finished work by comparing the binary values to reference values. If the finished work is not satisfactory, then a deviation between the binary and reference values occurs. A control system receives the deviation data and automatically changes some of the working parameters thereby attaining a satisfactory quality of the work.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for grasping surface mounted devices such as an IC or the like by the hand of the robot and automatically and accurately loading them onto the contact pattern of the printed board by use of an image processor are disclosed. According to this method, a measurement line is provided onto each image pattern of the pin array of the surface mounted device and the array of the contact pattern of the board, so that it may intersect at right angles with the direction of the pattern, and each position of the pin array and the array of the contact pattern is sought from the variation of the brightness on that line. In accordance with the result thus obtained, displacement of the position and that of the rotation over the entire surfaced part and the contact pattern are sought and the operation of the robot is controlled in accordance with that information.