Article Handling Control for Robot-Operator Routing Decisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handling systems face inefficiencies when dealing with a wide variety of articles, as robots struggle to handle articles of special shapes or materials, leading to increased development costs and the need for human operator intervention, particularly in dynamic environments like distribution warehouses where article types frequently change.
Innovation Solution
A handling system and control method that efficiently coordinates robots and operators by using a management system to determine the appropriate handler for each article based on its characteristics, utilizing conveyance systems and distribution devices to transport articles to either robots or operators for processing, and updating process information for future handling decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If robots are used to handle all kinds of articles, then automation extent is improved, but device complexity and development costs increase due to need for multiple end effectors
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is designed with multiple interchangeable end effectors that can be selected and attached based on article characteristics. This allows a single robot platform to perform multiple handling functions, achieving universality without requiring dedicated robots for each article type. The management system determines the appropriate end effector based on article shape, material, and other properties, enabling one robot to handle diverse articles through end effector substitution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects and switches end effectors based on real-time article characteristics detected by the management system. Rather than using fixed, specialized end effectors, the system adapts its configuration by selecting the most suitable end effector for each article type, making the robot system flexible and adaptable to varying handling requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If specialized end effectors are developed for special shape or material articles, then handling capability is improved, but development costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of developing entirely separate specialized robots for different article types, the system uses a universal robot platform with a library of interchangeable end effectors. Each end effector is designed for specific article characteristics (shape, material, size), but all can be mounted on the same robot base, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures multiple end effectors with different capabilities and stores information about their characteristics in the management system. Before handling an article, the management system determines the required end effector based on article properties and prepares it in advance, eliminating the need for complex real-time decision-making and reducing operational complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If human operators handle difficult articles, then handling flexibility is improved, but productivity decreases due to manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system with interchangeable end effectors is designed to autonomously determine and select the appropriate end effector for each article type without human intervention. The management system automatically matches article characteristics with end effector capabilities and executes the handling operation, enabling the system to serve itself by eliminating the need for operators to manually assess and select handling methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates detection mechanisms that provide feedback about article characteristics (shape, material, size) to the management system. Based on this feedback, the system automatically determines the most suitable end effector and adjusts its configuration accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that continuously adapts to varying article types without human input.
4Manufacturing precision
If the handling system is designed for specific article types, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to changing article types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, article-type-specific configurations to dynamic, adaptable configurations. The robot platform can change its end effector based on the article being handled, allowing the system to maintain high handling accuracy for each specific article type while simultaneously being adaptable to a wide variety of article types. This dynamic reconfiguration capability resolves the contradiction between specialization and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes its operational parameters (specifically, the selected end effector configuration) based on article characteristics. By adjusting which end effector is attached to the robot, the system optimizes its handling parameters for each article type, maintaining high precision while adapting to different articles. The management system controls these parameter changes by selecting appropriate end effectors based on detected article properties.
Data Source
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AI summary
A handling system (10) handles/processes plural-kind articles. The handling system (10) includes first and second conveyance devices (61, 62), and a control device (30). The first conveyance device (61) transports a processing target article among the articles to a work area for a robot to handle/process the target-article. The second conveyance device (62) transports the target-article to a work area for an operator to handle/process the target-article. The control device (30) determines by which of the robot or the operator the target-article is processed according to process information generated based on an article handling/processing result by the robot in past. The control device (30) transports the target-article to the first conveyance device (61) when the target-article is determined to be processed by the robot and transports the target-article to the second conveyance device (62) when the target-article is determined to be processed by the operator.