METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE CUTTING AND PLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS ON A MOVING SUBSTRATE

A method and apparatus for selectively providing predetermined segments (28) of web material (22) comprises a supplying mechanism (20) for providing the web material. A first sensing mechanism (24) detects a reference marker (28) on the web material to generate at least one reference marker datum which is associated with a selected web segment (28). A separating mechanism (35) includes a sensor mechanism (75) for providing at least one separation datum, and divides the web material along a separation region during a production of the web segment. A phase regulating mechanism controls a relative phasing between the reference marker detected by the first sensing mechanism and the dividing by the separating mechanism. The phasing is conducted with respect to a set reference value. An assembling mechanism (34) places the web segment (28) onto a substrate (36), and a second sensing mechanism (40, 84) separately detects a location of the separation region relative to the reference marker to generate at least one location datum which is in correspondence with the separation datum. A location correlating mechanism generates at least one comparison datum associated with a web segment, and a data processing mechanism (45) evaluates the comparison datum to generate an updated set reference value. A reference regulating mechanism selectively adjusts the phase regulating mechanism to incorporate the updated set reference value.