Robotics

In the food industry, packaging is often automated and handled by robots. These robots pick up food from the conveyor belt and place it into the correct packaging. To achieve this, a vision camera is needed to accurately determine the X and Y positions of the food on the belt and send this information to the robot. At the same time, the system should verify details such as size, diameter, deviations, and cooking level.

In an industrial bakery, rolls, pancakes, donuts, and bagels are produced on an automated production line. After coming out of the oven, these baked goods must be removed from the conveyor belt and placed in boxes by a robot. At the same time, the degree of browning of each item must be assessed to ensure quality.

In electronics manufacturing, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are often fastened automatically by robots—for example, in control units, battery packs, or other assemblies. To ensure precision and reliability, the robot needs accurate information about the PCB's position and the exact location of each screw hole. A vision sensor handles this task by confirming the PCB is correctly positioned and providing the robot with precise screw point coordinates.

The modules installed in the high-voltage battery must be electrically connected to each other, and the connectors must be applied accurately to avoid damage.

The upper part of the housing must be screwed to the lower part of the housing. To do this, the sensor must detect the position of the screw holes in the housing top.

In the production of electronic components, components must be screwed together. Automating this process helps screw as many components as possible in the shortest time without compromising quality. To achieve a short cycle time, screwing operations are performed continuously while components move along the conveyor belt, ensuring a fast and efficient process

This process requires millimetre precision so that no spreading or smearing occurs when dispensing lubricants. Lubricant must be accurately applied in sufficient quantity to guarantee proper functioning. If too much lubricant is dispensed, malfunctions will occur.

When processing metal parts in lathes or milling machines, the raw materials must be clamped in the machine before the machining. In addition, each machine requires the right tool for the respective machining operation, and it must be changed regularly depending on the material and the end product. These processes are among the central tasks in machining production and require a high degree of precision and repeatability. Trained specialist personnel are required for clamping the workpieces and changing tools.

In modern manufacturing, the need for seamless component traceability (Track-and-Trace) continues to grow. Data Matrix Codes (DMCs) have emerged as one of the most reliable methods for identification and traceability. The goal is to scan the Data Matrix Code on each component, guaranteeing precise product processing and flawless serial number management.

In order for the robot gripper to be able to insert the components into the lower part of the housing, contactless position detection of the housing bottom part is necessary. 

In modern production environments, objects must be transported reliably and efficiently from position A to position B to enable the next processing steps. One way to meet these logistical challenges is to use automated guided vehicle systems (AGVs) or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Precise localization and navigation of these mobile transport robots is crucial for a smooth material flow – especially if they are intended to support automated assembly, loading or transfer processes.

Components for the production process are supplied in load carriers.  The challenge is to position the load carriers as precisely as possible, as this is imperative for a stable, robot-aided handling process. 

High precision is of utmost importance during the application of lubricant. However slight irregularities may occasionally occur, which can compromise the production process. It is therefore important to detect potential errors at an early stage.

Once packed, the end products must be stacked on transport pallets. However, the position of the boxes can fluctuate as they arrive, and their density on the conveyor belt can also change due to different cycle times.

In electronics manufacturing, processes often require the handling of very delicate or particularly small components. When placing a control chip, as in this example, no gripper errors may occur, as damage must be avoided under all circumstances.

The battery modules must be screwed into the lower part of the housing. The screw holes are usually located under mechanical devices, which in turn have an opening. The sensor is to be used to detect the position of the screw holes underneath.

In order to close the battery pack, the housing top must be removed from a material container using a gantry or articulated-arm robot. To do this, it is first necessary to determine the position of the component in the container without contact.

The base of a battery pack is the housing bottom part, which is first removed from a material container by a gantry or articulated-arm robot. For his purpose, it is necessary to determine the position of the component without contact.

Several components, such as battery modules, are installed in a battery pack. To remove the individual battery modules, their position in the material container must be determined without contact. 

Driverless transport systems (AGV) or automated guided vehicles (AGV) enable flexible design of logistics processes. In order for the AGV to pick up the load carrier at the right place and then set it down, it must be provided with a trigger signal using an optical sensor. The sensor should detect the load carrier at a specific position in the flow rack.

Leak testing is one of the last production steps of a battery pack. So-called sniffer lances must be precisely guided to specific positions for the gas check.

In the automotive industry, it is often necessary to automate the movement of large objects, such as sheet metal, for car body construction. The precise detection of the X and Y position of the component using a vision sensor is critical to ensure a precise gripping process for the robot.

Bauteile sollen mithilfe eines Doppelgreifers aus einer Maschine entnommen werden. Lichttaster sind erforderlich, um die Anwesenheit der Teile zuverlässig an den Roboter zu signalisieren. Bei einem Greifprozess muss überprüft werden, ob das Objekt korrekt gegriffen wurde. Beim Ablegen kann es vorkommen, dass das Objekt am Greifer hängen bleibt und der Roboter beim nächsten Greifprozess einen Crash fährt. Es werden also zwei Schaltpunkte benötigt. Ein Schaltpunkt, um den korrekten Sitz zu prüfen und ein Schaltpunk, um zu prüfen, ob der Greifer leer ist.

In addition to materials being fed in universal load carriers, high flexibility can be achieved by using a bulk storage bin with a vibrating feeder arrangement. This is particularly suited to transporting small parts, such as mechanical components either plastic or metal.

Utilizing robotic assistance, AGVs can be automatically refueled or recharged. The robot will dock the charging system or fuel port to the AGV, streamlining the process.

A robot is tasked with performing various processing steps on a battery pack, which is transported into the processing cell by an AGV

When screwing the outer casing of the cordless screwdriver together, several parameters must be observed – from the order of the screws to the different tightening torque for the individual screws. The varied positions at which the parts are fed complicates the process step even further.

The flexible use of mobile robots is an attractive solution for machine tending processes. Yet this flexibility can cause robot positions to be comparatively imprecise.

A robot is tasked with picking components from a flexible feeding platform. The position of the objects may vary. A vision sensor can identify and relay the exact position of the part to the robot.

2D vision-guided robotics with integrated distance measurement for removing body parts from load carriers.

Throughout the production process, a large quantity of data is generated that has to be monitored and checked. The operator must be able to consult, manage and evaluate this data easily in order to identify and implement any necessary modifications to the process.

In modern semiconductor factories (fabs), wafer boxes, such as front-opening shipping boxes (FOSBs) or front-opening universal pods (FOUPs), are currently still often transported manually from station to station. These boxes are used for the safe transportation and temporary storage of sensitive wafers during the production process and must be handled with extreme care.