Patent ID: 11932497
Assignee: ATS CORPORATION
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B

Claim 12:
13. A method of inverting workpieces in an automated mass production process, comprising:
a) advancing at least one carrier along a transport track toward a stop position adjacent a workpiece inversion station, the at least one carrier holding a plurality of workpieces;
b) advancing a plurality of end effectors of the workpiece inversion station to an unloading position in electronic synchronization with advancement of the at least one carrier to the stop position to synchronize arrival of the at least one carrier at the stop position with arrival of the end effectors at the unloading position, in which each end effector is in alignment with a corresponding workpiece held by the at least one carrier at the stop position and engages the corresponding workpiece;
c) while the end effectors are in engagement with corresponding workpieces, retracting the end effectors away from the unloading position to unload the workpieces from the at least one carrier and advancing the end effectors to a loading position to load the workpieces back into the at least one carrier; and
d) during (c), rotating each end effector relative to the at least one carrier by 180 degrees to invert the workpieces in electronic synchronization with movement of the end effectors in (c) from the unloading position to the loading position for loading the workpieces back into the at least one carrier when inverted.