Flexible part feeder: manipulating parts on conveyer belt by active fence

This paper defines a novel approach in application of part orienting on conveyer belt utilizing active fence (AF) with embedded sensory system. The application system requirements and limitation are presented and a novel stateless orienting algorithm is developed. The algorithm incorporates the part-AF frictional aspects, part motion behavior (rolling) while being pushed by AF and uncertainties in the system. The controller of AF incorporating the sensor information was developed and experimental result is given. Furthermore, an initial algorithm for orienting randomly oriented parts using an AF is proposed for orienting a simple object