An Automatic Adjustment System for VCR Magnetic Heads on Cylinder Units

To eliminate the requirement for skilled workers in Video cassette recorder (VCR) cylinder assembly lines, an automatic adjustment system for VCR magnetic heads on a rotating cylinder unit has been newly developed. The reconstructed image quality is strongly affected by magnetic head setting errors, such as; ( I ) Setting angle error for two symmetrically positioned head. (2) Rotational angle error for every individual head, in regard to a setting screw axis. (3) Error in the distances head tips protrude from a cylinder edge. The pertinent technical features for the system are high speed and highly accurate image processing algorithms, to determine head positions using interferometric head images and very precise mechanisms and algorithms to adjust head positions, even when head slipping and elastic deformations occur. Adjustment speed for the system is 30 seclunit. One machine corresponds to three skilled operators in total productivity.