Precision cutting

Citation

Rigelsford, J. (2004), "Precision cutting", Assembly Automation, Vol. 24 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2004.03324aad.011

Precision cutting

Precision cutting

Keywords: Patents, Cutting

Applicant: Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering, USAPatent number: US6,619,168Publication date: 16 September 2003Title: Method and apparatus for automatic precision cutting of graphics areas from sheets

An improved method and apparatus for automatic cutting of graphics areas from a sheet of material are described. The graphics areas have a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect to a subset of initial-position/orientation-determining marks located on one side of the graphics area. The method involves placing the sheet on a sheet-receiving surface and attempting to sense the subset in the field of view of a main sensor. When the subset is not in an expected location, the coordinate region of the subset on the sheet- receiving surface is automatically determined and the main sensor is automatically repositioned to the coordinate region such that the subset is within its field of view. Finally, the position and orientation of the sheet and approximate positions of the plurality of marks are determined based on sensing the subset, and thereafter their precise positions are sensed to guide cutting operations.

This method allows the sensing of the registration marks to occur rapidly with a minimum of manual intervention and cutting (or other narrow-path-processing) to occur precisely, whether or not two-dimensional distortion of the sheet is present prior to cutting.