Patent ID: 7065892

Claim:
In a parts handling system including a translatable parts-handling device and a vision system that includes an electronic camera, wherein the parts handling system is configured to translate the camera to the vicinity of a part, takes an electronic picture of the part, and, based upon the location of the part extracted from the picture and offset position data indicative of the offset between the camera and parts-handling device, move the parts handling device into position for handling the part, a method of calibrating the vision system to the parts handling device comprising: positioning a camera over a corner of a touch-off block; recording a first set of position data of the corner relative to the position of the camera; moving the parts-handling device into contact with a first surface of the touch-off block; recording a second set of position data indicative of an actual position of the parts-handling device-when in contact with the first surface; and using the second set of position contact data in subsequent parts-handling operations.