the final trim station thus cutting the blank nut to length in a preferred embodiment the first station also includes providing a hole sensor disposed after the final trim station for detecting the presence of the through hole although this could also be located separately from the first station the process may continue with advancing the blank nut past the hole sensor removing the blank nut if a non compliant hole is detected advancing the blank nut into a first hopper second station if a compliant hole is detected it is contemplated that the hole sensor may be a vision system that can detect the presence of the hole and provide feedback to a actuator that can remove a blank nut that does not have the required hole in a second station the blank nuts that make it past the hole sensor may be collected this second station may serve as a loading and or unloading point in the processing line for blank nuts it is contemplated that the blank nuts may represent the finished product and unloaded at the second station as such the blank nuts may be unloaded at this point to conduct derivative operations such as but not limited to plating drilling painting inspecting heat treating annealing de burring and storing after any derivative operation takes place the second station may be used to introduce the u201c modified u201d blank nut back into the processing line the second station may be referred to a first u201c hopper u201d wherein a hopper is commonly defined as a tapering container that discharges its contents at the bottom but should not be limited as such so long as its function is to provide as a loading and.