Industrial Robot Programming With 3D Height-Based Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for programming industrial robots are either complex, require sophisticated hardware, or lack precision, making them difficult and time-consuming for operators to program accurately without extensive knowledge or resources.
Innovation Solution
A method using a 3D camera to capture images of the workplace and workpiece, allowing operators to intuitively mark and manipulate a marker-object on a display to generate control code for the robot, which includes measuring distance values to determine workpiece height and grasping position, enabling precise control without resource-intensive digital image processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a 2D camera is used to capture images for robot programming, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the depth information is missing which reduces positioning precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D image capture to 3D spatial measurement by introducing a laser distance meter that measures distances in the depth dimension. This allows the system to obtain three-dimensional position information (x, y, z coordinates) by combining 2D image coordinates with distance measurements, thereby resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and positioning precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If sophisticated computing hardware and vision-based object localization are used, then high precision can be achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function needed for precision (distance measurement) from complex vision systems. Instead of using sophisticated computing hardware for full image processing and object recognition, the system uses a simple 2D camera for visual guidance combined with a dedicated laser distance meter for precise depth measurement, thereby achieving high precision with minimal hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a laser distance meter as an intermediary device between the 2D camera and the robot control system. This intermediary provides accurate depth information that the 2D camera cannot capture, enabling precise 3D positioning without requiring complex vision processing algorithms or sophisticated computing hardware.
3Ease of operation
If manual jogging of the robot is used for programming, then less manual data input is required, but a lot of skill and experience is needed and it remains time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual jogging process with an automated optical measurement system. Instead of manually moving the robot and inputting position data, the system uses a 2D camera to capture the workpiece position and a laser distance meter to measure depths, automatically calculating 3D coordinates and generating robot control code, thereby eliminating the need for operator skill and experience while reducing programming time.
4Ease of operation
If lead-through programming is used, then intuitive programming is possible, but the robot must fulfill corresponding safety requirements which limits applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the workpiece and its position in the digital domain through 2D image capture and 3D measurement. Instead of physically guiding the robot through the motion (lead-through), the system captures images and measurements and automatically generates the control program, providing intuitive programming through visual feedback without requiring the robot to be in lead-through mode or fulfilling special safety requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for easy, intuitive, and accurate programming of industrial robots with minimal hardware requirements, reducing errors and the need for advanced computing power, while maintaining high precision in grasping and positioning tasks.
Implementation Method 1
an image of the workplace and a workpiece to be manipulated by the robot is captured with a 3D camera and transmitted to a computing device
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of programming an industrial robot (1 ), said robot (1 ) having a robot arm (2) with an end-effector (4) mounted thereto which is controlled by a robot control unit (6) to manipulate a workpiece (8) which is arranged in a workplace (10) of said robot (1 ), wherein a target coordinate (1 1 ) system is associated to said workplace (10) and an image (12) of said workplace (10) and said workpiece (8) is taken by an image capturing device (14) and transmitted to a computing device (16) having a human- machine-interface (HMI) to generate control code for controlling said robot (1 ) which is transmitted to said robot control unit (6), wherein an image (12) of said workplace (10) and said workpiece (8) to be manipulated by said robot (1) is captured, said captured image (12) is transferred to said computing device (16) and displayed on a display (18) associated to said computing device (16), said workpiece (8) displayed on said display (18) is marked with a marker-object (17) on said display (18), said marker-object (17) is manipulated in a sequence of at least two subsequent manipulating steps which are associated to robot commands on said display (18) by means of said human-machine- interface (HMI), wherein said sequence of manipulating steps includes positions (P1 to P5) of the marker-object (17) in a coordinate system (19) for displaying said marker- object on said display (18), said positions (P1 to P5) of the marker-object (17) in the sequence of manipulating steps are transformed to positions (P1' to P5') of said workpiece (8) in said target coordinate system (11) and control code for controlling said robot (1) is generated from said transformed positions (P1' to P5') and associated robot commands is characterized by the following steps: Measuring a first distance value (D1) between a reference point (RP) which is located above said workpiece and a first measuring location (L1 ) on said workpiece (8), measuring a second distance value (D2) between said reference point (RP) and a second measuring location (L2) on said workplace (10), determining a workpiece height value (WH) associated to said workpiece (8) as the difference between the measured first distance value (D1) and said measured second distance value (D2) and generating said control code and associated robot commands for controlling said robot (1) on basis of said workpiece height value (WH).