Orientation apparatus and method for disk shaped parts

A high speed orientation apparatus for disk-shaped objects (16) includes upper and lower turntables (12,48) operated to provide constant angular orientation of the disk-shaped objects (16). An automatic supply means (14) supplies disk-shaped objects (16) to one of a plurality of disk receiving stations (20,22,24,26) located on the upper turntable (12). The upper turntable (12) and the lower turntable (48), which also includes disk receiving stations (40,42,44,46), are attached to a rotating means (50) such that the disk receiving stations (40,42,44,46) of the lower table (48) are directly underneath the disk receiving stations (20,22,24,26) of the upper table (12) and both the upper and lower turntables (12,48) rotate at the same speed. The plurality of disk receiving stations include operable disk retention means (34) for holding and releasing a disk-shaped object (16). An inspection and control device (28) adjacent to the upper turntable (12) determines by inspection the angular orientation of each of the disk-shaped objects (16) and controls each of the operable disk retention means (34) so that the disk-shaped objects (16) are rotated to a predetermined angular orientation by the upper turntable (12) and transferred to the lower turntable (48). The disk-receiving stations (40,42,44,46) of the