JP2001310241A - Machining discriminating device of work - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To discriminate machining of a work without making an operation troublesome or flawing the work. SOLUTION: A color identifying sensor 30 sequentially projects lights (red, green, blue) with a plurality of wavelengths orthogonally to a tooth flank 50a of a gear 50 in order, and detects a received amount of each light regularly reflected from the tooth flank 50a. A measuring unit 40 receives a signal related to the received amount of each light from the color identifying sensor 30, determines whether or not the tooth flank 50a has been machined based on a ratio of the received amounts of respective lights, and thus discriminates whether or not the gear 50 has been machined.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work determination apparatus for detecting an unprocessed work mixed in a processed work and removing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various proposals have been made on a work processing determining apparatus for determining whether or not processing has been performed on a work. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-7235
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 3 (2003), a frame is provided in the middle of a conveying path of a conveyor for transferring a work, and a fixed contact and a slider provided with a movable contact and movable in a direction crossing the conveyor are provided on the frame. After placing the finished reference work between the fixed contact and the movable contact, and bringing each contact into contact with both sides of the reference work, the slider is separated from the work by a predetermined amount, and the slider is moved by the clamp mechanism. A technique has been disclosed in which an unprocessed workpiece is caught between the contacts by a machining allowance by fixing the workpiece and allowing the workpiece to flow between the contacts, thereby making it possible to determine whether the workpiece is unprocessed.

[0003]

However, in the above prior art, the position between the contacts is defined by the reference work, and then the slider must be moved by a predetermined amount and fixed by the clamp mechanism. Is inconvenient.

[0004] In determining whether a workpiece is unprocessed,
There is a possibility that the work contacts the contacts and the work surface of the work may be damaged. In particular, the method cannot be applied to a work requiring the accuracy of the work surface. For example, it is difficult to apply the present invention to a gear or the like that requires a high grinding accuracy on the order of 1 μm as a surface to be processed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a work processing discriminating apparatus capable of performing work processing discrimination without complicating the work and without damaging the work.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining a machining of a workpiece, comprising: a workpiece holding unit for holding a workpiece in a determining unit; A reflection amount detecting means for projecting light onto the processing surface and receiving the projection light reflected on the processing surface to detect a reflection amount of light from the processing surface; and based on a signal from the reflection amount detecting means. Determining means for determining whether the work has been processed or not.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an optical axis of light emission and light reception of the reflection amount detecting means is orthogonal to the surface to be processed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the reflection amount detecting means sequentially projects light of a plurality of different colors on a surface to be processed of the work, and A color identification sensor for sequentially receiving the reflected light from the surface to be processed and detecting a received light amount, wherein the determining means is configured to detect the amount of the reflected light received by the color identification sensor based on a ratio of a received light amount for each color; Is characterized in that it is determined whether or not the surface to be processed has been processed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first to third aspects of the present invention, the work is a gear, and the tooth surface of the gear is a work surface, and the tooth surface is cut, shaved or formed. A work determination device for determining whether or not grinding has been performed, wherein the reflection amount detection unit includes:
A light beam having substantially the same diameter as the height of the tooth surface of the gear is projected on the tooth surface.

In other words, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the work is held in the discriminating section by the work holding means, the light is projected on the work surface of the work by the reflection amount detecting means, and the projection light reflected by the work surface is reflected. And the amount of light reflected from the surface to be processed is detected. The discriminating means determines whether the workpiece has been processed or not yet processed based on the signal from the reflection amount detecting means.

When light is projected and received on the work surface of the work by the reflection amount detecting means, the invention according to claim 2 is arranged such that the light axis of the light emission and light reception of the reflection amount detecting means is set to the work surface of the work. In this case, the reflected light from the work surface of the work is reliably received, and the accuracy of the work determination of the work is improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the reflection amount detecting means is constituted by a color identification sensor, and light of a plurality of different colors is sequentially projected on a surface to be processed of the work, and the color identification sensor is used to detect the reflection of the work. The reflected light from the processing surface is sequentially received to detect the amount of received light. Then, the discriminating means judges whether or not the work surface of the work has been processed based on the ratio of the amount of light received for each color of the reflected light received by the color identification sensor. Is determined.

[0013] Further, when a gear is used as the workpiece, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the surface to be processed is cut,
By projecting a light beam having a diameter substantially equal to the height of the tooth surface of the gear from the reflection amount detecting means to the tooth surface on which shaving or grinding is performed, the rotation position (rotation phase) of the gear is changed. Regardless, the light is reliably projected on the tooth surface as the work surface.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The drawings relate to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the optical axis of the color identification sensor and the gear, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the optical axis of the color identification sensor and the gear,
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the processing determination process, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a shutter driving relationship.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus for determining the machining of a work. In this embodiment, a gear 50 is used as the work.
The gear 50 is already processed by determining whether the tooth surface 50a to be subjected to cutting, shaving or grinding as a surface to be processed is processed or unprocessed. It is determined whether or not there is.

The machining discriminating apparatus 1 includes a hollow shaft portion 11 which inserts a through hole formed in the center of the gear 50 in the discriminating chamber 10 and supports the gear 50 slidably in the axial direction. And a shutter mechanism 20 for moving the gear 50 determined to be processed to the storage unit B while holding the gear 50 supported by the discrimination unit A, and a tooth of the gear 50 held by the discrimination unit A. While projecting light onto the surface 50a,
It controls the shutter mechanism 20, the color identification sensor 30, and the like, and controls the shutter mechanism 20, the color identification sensor 30, and the like. A measuring unit as a discriminating means for discriminating whether or not cutting, shaving or grinding is performed on the tooth surface 50a based on the signal, and discriminating whether the gear 50 has been processed or not. 40.

The hollow shaft portion 11 is horizontally supported via a support portion 12 erected in the discriminating chamber 10. The tip of the shaft portion 11 has a discrimination chamber 1 for inserting and removing the gear 50.
0 faces the opening 10a formed on one side.

The shutter mechanism 20 is disposed below the hollow shaft 11 and near the opening 10a.
A first air cylinder 22 for moving forward / backward along the hollow shaft portion 11 and a second air cylinder for raising / lowering the shutter 21
The air cylinder 23 is provided.

More specifically, the first air cylinder 22 is fixed to the bottom surface in the discriminating chamber 10, and the second air cylinder 23 is attached to the cylinder shaft 22 a of the first air cylinder 22, Cylinder shaft 23 of air cylinder 23
The shutter 21 is attached to a.

The shutter mechanism 20 is operated when the cylinder shaft 22a of the first air cylinder 22 is retracted and the cylinder shaft 23a of the second air cylinder 23 is raised (FIG. 5 (a)).
Reference), the discriminating portion A and the storage portion B are partitioned in the axial direction of the hollow shaft portion 11 via the shutter 21, and the rearward movement of the gear 50 supplied from the opening 10a and inserted through the hollow shaft portion 11 is performed. Function as a work holding means for regulating the pressure. That is, at this time, the front side in the axial direction of the hollow shaft portion 11 partitioned by the shutter 21 is set as the discriminating portion A for the gear 50, and the rear side of the hollow shaft portion 11 is set as the storage portion B of the gear 50 determined to have been processed. You.

Then, in the state of FIG. 5A, the gear 50 is inserted into the hollow shaft portion 11 and brought into contact with the shutter 21.
A first area sensor 26 including a photoelectric switch, a proximity sensor, and the like is installed in the determination chamber 10 to detect that the processed gear 50 as a determination target is set in the determination unit A. The gears 50 determined to have been processed are sequentially stored in the storage section B by the operation of the shutter 21, and it is detected that the number of gears 50 stored in the storage section B reaches a specified number (hereinafter, referred to as "full work"). Therefore, similarly, a second area sensor 27 including a photoelectric switch, a proximity sensor, and the like is provided at a rear end position in the determination room 10.

The color discriminating sensor 30 includes a light projecting unit 3 for projecting light onto the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 held by the discriminating unit A.
0a and a light receiving unit 30b that receives the projection light reflected from the tooth surface 50a.

More specifically, three light-emitting elements (not shown) each composed of, for example, a light-emitting diode are provided inside the light projecting section 30a. These light emitting elements emit light of different wavelengths (for example, red, green, and blue light), and the light emitted from each light emitting element reaches the light projecting unit 30a with an equal optical path length. Is emitted. Here, the diameter of the light beam emitted from the light projecting unit 30a is set substantially equal to the height of the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50.

On the other hand, a light receiving element (not shown) made up of, for example, a photodiode is disposed inside the light receiving section 30b, and measures the amount of reflected light received from the light receiving section 30b.

Here, the optical axis of the light receiving section 30b is
0a is set parallel to the optical axis. The color identification sensor 30 is supported above the inside of the discriminating chamber 10 via the holder 31 so that the optical axis direction can be adjusted. And holder 3
By adjusting 1, the optical axes of the light projecting unit 30a and the light receiving unit 30b are orthogonal to the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50. That is, by adjusting the holder 31, the optical axes of light emission and light reception of the color identification sensor 30 are set so as to be along the meshing action line of the gear 50 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The measuring unit 40 performs overall control of the processing discriminating apparatus 1 and is constituted by a microcomputer or the like, and performs cutting, shaving or grinding on the tooth surface 50 a based on a signal from the color identification sensor 30. It has a function as a discriminating means for discriminating whether or not processing has been performed, and discriminating whether the gear 50 has been processed or not.

On the input side of the measuring unit 40,
The light receiving sides (light receiving elements) of the second area sensors 26 and 27 and the color identification sensor 30 are connected. Also, on the output side of the measuring unit 40, the first and second air cylinders 22,
By switching the air to be supplied to each air cylinder 23,
An electromagnetic switching valve (not shown) for switching the operations of the color sensors 2 and 23 and a light emitting side (light emitting element) of the color identification sensor 30 are connected.

Further, on the output side of the measuring unit 40,
A display unit 41 for notifying a worker of a determination result or the like by the processing determination device 1 is connected. The display unit 41 informs the operator of the discrimination result and the like for the gear 50 by, for example, lamp display, and detects that the work supply instruction lamp 41a which instructs the operator to supply the gear 50 and the unprocessed gear 50 are detected. Raw indication lamp 41 to notify the worker
b, and a full work display lamp 41c for notifying the worker that the processed gear 50 has become full work in the storage section B.

By the way, the wavelength of the projection light is
If the wavelength is larger than the unevenness of the tooth surface 50a, the light is irregularly reflected. That is, when the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 is unprocessed, the unevenness of the tooth surface 50a is larger than the wavelength of the projection light, and the projection light is irregularly reflected. When the tooth surface 50a is already processed, the unevenness of the tooth surface 50a is not reflected. And the projection light is specularly reflected. For this reason, it is possible to accurately determine whether the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 has been processed or unprocessed based on the ratio of the amount of received light.

Here, in the color identification sensor 30 in which the optical axes of the light projecting unit 30a and the light receiving unit 30b are set parallel to each other, and the optical axes of the light projecting unit 30a and the light receiving unit 30b are orthogonal to the tooth surface 50a. When the light of each color (each wavelength) is sequentially projected on the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50, the ratio of the amount of light received for each color of the reflected light received by the light receiving unit 30b (that is, the projected light of each color is transmitted from the tooth surface 50a) Specular reflection ratio) is the tooth surface 5
0a, depending on the roughness.

Therefore, when the gear 50 is set in the discriminating section A, the measuring unit 40 drives the light emitting side of the color identification sensor 30 to sequentially project red, green, and blue light to the gear 50, and Signals relating to the amount of received light of each reflected light are sequentially input from the light receiving side, and the ratio of the projection light of each color being specularly reflected from the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 (hereinafter, referred to as "mirror reflection ratio").
Ask for. The measurement unit 40 stores in advance a ratio (hereinafter, referred to as a “reference specular reflection ratio”) in which each light is specularly reflected when the red, green, and blue light is projected onto the tooth surface 50 a of the processed gear 50. The measuring unit 40 determines whether the gear 50 has been processed or not, by comparing the specular reflection ratio with the reference specular reflection ratio.
Then, as a result of the determination, the gear 50 set in the determination unit A
If is already processed, the shutter mechanism 20 is driven to move the gear 50 to the storage section B.

Hereinafter, the processing determination processing in the processing determination apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the measuring unit 40 performs step S1.
As an initial setting, as shown in FIG. 5A, the cylinder shaft 22a of the first air cylinder 22 is retracted, and the cylinder shaft 23a of the second air cylinder 23 is raised. The discrimination section A is set to be able to hold the gear 50.

Next, the process proceeds to step S2, where the display unit 41
The work supply instruction lamp 41a is turned on, and the hollow shaft portion 1 is turned on.
The operator is instructed to set the gear 50 on the discriminating section A on 1. Here, in the present embodiment, the setting of the gear 50 in the discriminating portion A is performed manually, and the operator inserts the gear 50 into the hollow shaft portion 11 through the opening 10 a and contacts the shutter 21. Press it in until

In the following step S3, a signal from the first area sensor 26 is input, and it is determined whether or not the gear 50 has been set in the determination unit A. Then, the gear 50
Is set, the process proceeds to step S4. If the gear 50 is not set in the discriminating unit A, the process returns to step S2, and the supply instruction of the gear 50 to the operator is continued.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not cutting, shaving, grinding, or the like is performed on the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 set in the determination unit A, and whether the gear 50 has been processed is determined. It is determined whether it is processing.

That is, the measuring unit 40 drives the color identification sensor 30 to change the color of the red,
In addition to sequentially projecting green and blue light, a signal related to the amount of received light reflected from the tooth surface 50a to the light receiving unit 30b is sequentially read, and the ratio of the amount of received light of each color specularly reflected from the tooth surface 50a (mirror surface). Reflection ratio). Then, the specular reflection ratio is compared with a reference specular reflection ratio corresponding to the processed tooth surface stored in advance in the measurement unit 40, and if they match within a preset range, the gear 50 is processed. It is determined that the process has been completed, and the process proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, if they do not match, the gear 50 is determined to be unprocessed and the process proceeds to step S5.

If the gear 50 is unprocessed, in step S5, the unprocessed display lamp 41b of the display unit 41 is turned on to notify the operator that the gear 50 is unprocessed, and The operator is urged to take out the gear 50 from the discriminating chamber 10, and in a subsequent step S 6, a signal is input from the first area sensor 26 to determine whether or not the unprocessed gear 50 has been taken out from the discriminating unit A. to decide. When the gear 50 is still set in the discriminating section A, the processing of steps S5 and S6 is continued,
Is returned to step S2.

On the other hand, if the gear 50 has already been machined in step S4, the operation proceeds to step S7, where steps S7 to S7 are performed.
By the processing of S10, the processed gears 50 are moved from the discriminating section A to the storage section B, and the processed gears 50 are sequentially stored in the storage section B until the processed gears 50 reach the specified number. That is, in step S7, the shutter 21 is lowered by lowering the cylinder shaft 23a of the second air cylinder 23 (see FIG. 5).
(B)), the first air cylinder 22 in step S8.
The shutter 21 is advanced by advancing the cylinder shaft 22a (see FIG. 5C). Then, in step S9, the second
By raising the cylinder shaft 23a of the air cylinder 23 and raising the shutter 21 (see FIG. 5D), the shutter 21 is turned forward of the gear 50. Then, in step S10, the cylinder shaft 2 of the first air cylinder 22
The gear 50 is moved to the storage section B by retracting the shutter 21 by retracting the shutter 2a.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S11, where the discriminating room 1
The signal from the second area sensor 27 installed at the rear end position in the position 0 is input, and the gears 50 determined to have been processed are sequentially stored in the storage section B by the operation of the shutter 21,
It is determined whether or not the storage section B has become full work. If the number of gears 50 stored in the storage section B has not reached the specified number and is not a full work, the process returns to step S2,
The processes of steps S2 to S11 are repeatedly executed until the storage unit B becomes full work by the group of gears 50 whose storage unit B has been processed.

Then, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
When the full work is detected by the signal from the area sensor 27, the process proceeds from step S11 to step S12, in which the cylinder shaft 23a of the second air cylinder 23 is lowered to lower the shutter 21 (see FIG. 5B). ).

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S13, where the display unit 4
The full work display lamp 41c is turned on, and the storage section B
Is informed to the operator, the operator is prompted to take out the gear 50 in the storage section B from the discriminating chamber 10, and the process is terminated.

In the present embodiment, the gear 50 stocked in the discriminating chamber 10 is artificially removed, and as shown by a dashed line in FIG.
0a, one end of the carburizing rod 60 is connected to the hollow portion 11 of the hollow shaft portion 11.
a, and by moving the gears 50 on the carburizing rod 60, the processed gears 50 stocked in the storage section B are simultaneously taken out.

In this embodiment, the processing is determined by projecting light onto the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 and determining whether the gear 50 has been processed or unprocessed based on the reflection from the tooth surface 50a as the surface to be processed. Since the discrimination is performed, it is possible to perform the processing discrimination in a non-contact manner, and it can be realized without damaging the surface to be processed which requires accuracy. In addition, the worker can use the hollow shaft 11
It is only necessary to insert the gear 50 into the discrimination section A and position the gear in the discriminating section A, and the operation can be significantly simplified.

Furthermore, since the processing of the work can be realized in a non-contact manner by utilizing the reflection of light to determine the processing of the work, it is rich in versatility and excellent in durability, maintainability and operability.

Further, by setting the optical axes of light emission and light reception by the color identification sensor 30 to be orthogonal to the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50, it is possible to accurately detect the amount of light reflected from the tooth surface 50a. And high detection accuracy is obtained.

Further, in performing the processing determination for the gear 50, a plurality of lights having different colors, that is, lights having different wavelengths are sequentially projected from the color identification sensor 30 to the tooth surface 50a of the gear 50 in a direction orthogonal to the tooth surface. In order to determine whether the gear 50 is processed or unprocessed based on the ratio of the amount of received light of each reflected light, the color identification sensor 30 determines whether the gear 50 is processed or not.
, And the area on the tooth surface 50a on which the light is projected can be realized without being affected by the distance, and high discrimination accuracy can be obtained.

Further, when performing the machining determination for the gear 50, the color identification sensor 30 detects the tooth surface 50 a of the gear 50 from the tooth surface 50 a to be subjected to cutting, shaving, grinding, or the like as the surface to be processed. By projecting a light beam having substantially the same diameter as the height onto the tooth surface 50a, light can be reliably transmitted to the tooth surface 50a as a work surface regardless of the rotational position (rotation phase) of the gear 50 set in the discriminating section A. The projection can be performed, and the discrimination accuracy can be further improved.

It should be noted that, without departing from the gist of the present invention,
Various changes are possible, for example, in the present embodiment,
Targeting gears as an example of processing judgment for a workpiece,
The example in which light is projected on the tooth surface with the tooth surface of the gear as the surface to be processed and processing is determined based on the amount of reflected light has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. I can do it.

Further, in this embodiment, the reflection amount detecting means is constituted by the color identification sensor, and a plurality of colors of light are projected on the surface to be processed, and the reflection of the workpiece is determined based on the ratio of the reflection amount of each color from the surface to be processed. Although the processing determination is performed, the present invention is not limited to this, and various types of reflection amount detecting means can be adopted. Alternatively, a single color light is simply projected onto the surface to be processed, and the workpiece is determined based on the reflection amount. It is needless to say that the present invention is also applied to the case where the processing discrimination is performed.

Further, in this embodiment, in order to improve the detection accuracy, the light emitting and receiving optical axes are orthogonal to the processing surface, but the light emitting and receiving optical axes are not necessarily orthogonal to the processing surface. It is not necessary, and even in this case, it belongs to the category of the present invention.

[0052]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the work is held on the discriminating section by the work holding means, and light is projected onto the work surface of the work by the reflection amount detecting means and the work is processed. The projection light reflected by the surface is received, and the amount of light reflected from the surface to be processed is detected. Then, the discrimination means determines whether the work has been processed or not, based on a signal from the reflection amount detection means, so that it is possible to realize the processing discrimination on the work in a non-contact manner, and to perform processing on the workpiece which requires accuracy. Processing determination can be made without damaging the surface. Further, the operator only needs to set the work on the discriminating section, and the work can be significantly simplified.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the reflection amount detecting means emits light and receives light on the work surface of the work, the light axis of the light emission and light reception of the reflection amount detecting means is set to the position of the work receiving light. Since it is perpendicular to the processing surface, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, the reflection amount detecting means can accurately receive the reflected light from the processing surface of the work, and the processing determination accuracy for the work can be improved. Has an effect.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the reflection amount detecting means is constituted by a color identification sensor, and light of a plurality of different colors is sequentially projected on the surface to be processed of the work, and the color identification sensor detects the reflection of the work. The reflected light from the processing surface is sequentially received to detect the amount of received light. Then, the discriminating means determines whether or not the work surface of the work has been processed based on the ratio of the amount of light received for each color of the reflected light received by the color identification sensor, and determines whether the work has been processed or not. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention, it depends on the distance from the color identification sensor to the work surface of the work, the area of the work surface on which light is projected, and the like. This has the effect of achieving high machining discrimination accuracy.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a gear is used as a workpiece, cutting is performed as a work surface.
4. A light beam having substantially the same diameter as the height of the tooth surface of the gear is projected from the reflection amount detecting means to the tooth surface on which shaving or grinding is performed. In addition to the effects of the present invention, it is possible to reliably project light onto a tooth surface as a surface to be processed irrespective of the rotational position (rotation phase) of the gear held by the discriminating section, thereby further improving discrimination accuracy. Having.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a workpiece processing determination device.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an optical axis and a gear of a color identification sensor.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an optical axis and a gear of a color identification sensor.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a processing determination process;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a driving relationship of a shutter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing discrimination apparatus 20 Shutter mechanism part (work holding means) 30 Color identification sensor (reflection amount detecting means) 40 Measurement unit (discrimination means) 50 Work (gear) 50a Tooth surface (worked surface) A discrimination part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A work holding means for holding a work in a discriminating portion, a light projecting light onto a work surface of the work held by the discriminating portion, and a light receiving a projection light reflected by the work surface to receive the light. Reflection amount detection means for detecting the reflection amount of light from the object, and determination means for determining whether the workpiece is processed or unprocessed based on a signal from the reflection amount detection means. Characteristic work processing determination device. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an optical axis of light emission and light reception of said reflection amount detecting means is orthogonal to said surface to be processed. 3. The reflection amount detecting means sequentially projects light of a plurality of different colors on a surface to be processed of the work,
A color identification sensor for sequentially receiving reflected light from the surface to be processed and detecting an amount of received light, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the amount of reflected light received by the color identification sensor based on a ratio of an amount of received light for each color. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus determines whether or not the surface of the workpiece has been processed. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work is a gear, and the tooth surface of the gear is a work surface, and the work determination device determines whether the tooth surface has been cut, shaved, or ground. 4. The work according to claim 1, wherein said reflection amount detecting means projects a light beam having a diameter substantially equal to a height of a tooth surface of said gear onto said tooth surface. Discriminator.