1, 2, 3 – Quickly Picking the Box
When it comes to
automation solutions, there are two wishes at the top of every company’s list:
An increase in productivity and less strenuous work for the employees. Georg
Fischer in Herzogenburg (Austria) has put both into practice – the versatile
PLB robot guidance system from SICK facilitates a robot to overtake the heavy-duty
work, and thanks to the speed of PLB, also does this in a highly efficient
manner. Identifying, gripping, picking – this is how fast and reliable
bin-picking is done.
Randomly
oriented metallic parts in a box – locating them in a fast and reliable manner
is the task set the PLB system from SICK.
Inventors, model builders
and home improvers are familiar with the following: One is looking for a
certain part or tool – either in a more or less chaotic arrangement on the
workbench, on shelves or in cupboards, which somehow seem to be connected to a
hidden dimension. Sometimes, things seem to disappear into thin air. “Desk
jockeys” who have to search for and find important documents between other
sheets of paper know what we are talking about. And when one does finally find
what one was looking for, the following sentence might have been uttered at
some time or other: “Keeping things tidy is for dummies. The genius, however,
is able to master chaos.” In an automated facility for the handling of heavy
exhaust manifolds at Georg Fischer, this genius is called PLB – the robot
guidance system from SICK.
Identifying,
gripping, picking
When
it comes to depositing parts on the trolley, the PLB system guides the robot.
Georg Fischer (GF) is
among the world’s leading suppliers of cast iron and cast light metal parts for
the engine, the chassis as well as the body of commercial and passenger
vehicles. This requires more than just dexterity – for the handling of exhaust
manifolds, the company from Herzogenburg relies on the PLB robot guidance system
from SICK.
The task at GF: The
manifolds must be picked from a bin and placed on a trolley – a monotonous and
taxing duty, as the parts would have to otherwise be moved manually. The
challenge: The cast parts are randomly oriented in the boxes, which makes
reliable identification and accurate localization a must for automated picking
– which is not a problem for the precision work of the PLB system.
Localization
of parts in bins
Developed for the exact
determination of the position of components in bins and boxes, the PLB system
is especially used for applications in which parts need to be localized and
individually entered into the production processes. As is the case, for
example, in the handling of both unfinished and completed cast parts or forgings.
These are often transported between processing stops in collective bins. And in
the course of the assembly processes, “picking the bin” is also sometimes
indispensable – for example when parts and/or components are to be removed from
material boxes or palettes.
Taught
in an instant
The
conditions in the casting house are best described as harsh – the molten metal
is turned into exhaust manifolds.
The CAD-based “teach-in”
of new parts in the PLB system allows for a simple configuration in the event
of new applications, guarantees short calculation time and ensures a high
throughput. The system comprises a 3D camera (ScanningRuler), part localization
software as well as helpful tools for simple robot integration and
communication with a higher-level control system. The specifically designed
camera provides exact 3D images and is impervious to the influence of
artificial lighting conditions. Tested and proven tools and functions for, the
alignment of the PLB system with the robot coordinates system, the
communication with the robot, as well as verification of the collision-free
positioning of the robot gripper allow for a speedy integration of the system
into production. All hardware and software components are delivered prepared
for immediate utilization.
Optimal
3D image recognition for metal surfaces
The
camera, which features an integrated laser light source, allows for
millimeter-precise 3D point cloud measurements. The camera also provides 3D
images for easy performance monitoring by the user.
The functionalities of
conventional machine vision systems are often not sufficient for robot
guidance. Such systems, for example, lack functions for the alignment of
coordinates with the robot or for the identification of collisions during
positioning of the gripper in the bin. Furthermore, new applications frequently
require a significant amount of programming, which rapidly results in an
increase of required time and application development.
The PLB system from SICK
is the remedy. It offers all the tools required for robot integration and
features 3D image recognition optimized for the identification of metal
surfaces – which is perfect in order to increase the level of automation in
parts handling, at GF in their application, in no time at all.
At
the core: The ScanningRuler
The
ScanningRuler from SICK provides precise and reliable 3D measurements of
stationary objects – ideal for the utilization of robot-assisted bin-picking
applications.
At the trade fair
“Automatica” in Munich, the persons in charge at Georg Fischer were looking for
possible solutions to their specific task at hand, they repeatedly encountered
the ScanningRuler from SICK as a component utilized by different suppliers and
integrators. The camera also forms the core of the PLB system. The
ScanningRuler provides precise and reliable 3D measurements of stationary
objects. This makes it the ideal camera for 3D image processing in
robot-assisted bin-picking. The collected data can be used to localize parts or
to compute the best gripping position for robots.
The camera, which features
an integrated laser light source, allows for millimeter-precise 3D point cloud
measurements across the entire range of the image, even under the influence of
interfering light sources. Connection between the rugged Scannning Ruler and PC
is done using industry proven Ethernet connectivity.
Metallic
surfaces and contours
The
PLB system ensures computation of the robot’s optimal gripping position.
Peter Friewald, Automation
Specialist at GF: “We have found that the identification of complex metallic
contours – such as those of exhaust manifolds – is a scenario that many
suppliers of vision solutions have problems with. The 3D image recognition of
the PLB system, which is optimized to identify metal surfaces and contours, on
the other hand, convinced us right from the start. Format changes can also be
carried out in a simple manner. At present, five different types of parts are
being processed with the system.” In order to simplify the configuration, Peter
Friewald has created an individually designed graphic user interface on the
basis of the standard program, which optimally meets the requirements of GF.
More
flexibility
Peter
Friewald, Automation Specialist at Georg Fischer: “The 3D image recognition of
the PLB system, which is optimized for the identification of metal surfaces and
contours, convinced us […] right from the start.”
Peter Friewald is happy to have found the optimal solution
for the handling of the manifolds: “The reliability during identification as
well as the uncomplicated submission of data to the robot were in any case a
pre-requirement. Due to the different types of parts, flexibility, i.e. a quick
and simple “teach-in”, was a just as important topic. Following intensive
fact-finding and product comparisons, we have implemented the PLB system – the
right decision, as we have been able to significantly increase our throughput
and now have more breathing space. The integration of further processing
centers for additional manifold types is not a problem, either. No matter
whether transport trolley or bin – the PLB system ensures the reliable handling
of our parts in a flash.”
Original article post by SICK on SICKUSAblog
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