Industrial Robot Pick Position Selection on Moving Conveyors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pick and place robot systems face inefficiencies due to reduced working windows, which restrict the ability to handle objects effectively, leading to reduced picking efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and robot arrangement that estimate candidate handling positions based on assumptions about the object transporting device's movement and usage time, determining if these positions lie within the robot's working volume, and selecting the most suitable position for handling, considering curvatures and entry/exit regions to optimize object handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the working window is reduced to ensure only pickable objects are selected, then the reliability of object picking is improved, but the productivity of the robot system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of candidate handling positions based on assumed travel distance and usage time before the robot actually moves. This allows the robot to pre-identify valid picking positions within its working volume, ensuring reliability while maintaining productivity by avoiding unnecessary movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the working window based on the robot's actual position and movement state. Instead of using a fixed reduced window, the working window is adaptively determined considering the robot's current location, travel distance, and usage time, allowing the system to maximize productivity while maintaining picking reliability.
2Productivity
If the robot moves to handle objects efficiently, then the productivity is improved, but the accuracy of position selection deteriorates due to movement and transport time
Solution Approach 1:
The system estimates candidate handling positions in advance based on assumed travel distance and usage time before the robot executes movement. This preliminary estimation accounts for the time delay between decision and execution, maintaining position accuracy while enabling efficient handling by pre-identifying valid targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the robot's actual position and movement state to refine position selection. By continuously monitoring the robot's location and adjusting candidate position estimates based on actual travel distance and usage time, the system maintains high position accuracy despite ongoing movements and transport delays.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for handling objects on an object transporting device includes an industrial robot and an object handling control device. The device estimates candidate handling positions (OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, OP5, OP6, OP7) for at least one candidate object based on a first assumption; determines for each candidate handling position whether it lies within a working volume (wv1) of the robot; selects one of the candidate positions (OP1) at a first decision instant, the selection being at least partially based on the result of the determining; and handles an object at an actual handling position corresponding to the selected candidate handling position, the handling being performed after a usage time of the robot, the usage time including the time for moving the robot from the robot position at the first decision instant to the actual handling position, and the time for handling the object.