Robotic Picking Station with Parallel Imaging for Higher Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated storage and retrieval systems face inefficiencies in optimizing the utilization of components and movements within picking systems, leading to suboptimal throughput in item handling.
Innovation Solution
A picking system that incorporates a camera and image processing system to identify item positions within storage containers, coupled with a robotic picking device controlled by a picking system controller, allowing for parallel operations and optimized routing calculations to enhance throughput and reduce picking time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a camera and image processing system are added to identify item positions, then picking precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the picking process into distinct functional modules: camera subsystem for image capture, image processing subsystem for position identification, and robotic picking subsystem for item retrieval. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system precision without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing system acts as an intermediary between the camera and the robotic picking device, translating visual data into actionable picking information. This intermediary layer decouples the complexity of image analysis from the picking execution, allowing the robotic system to focus on precise movement while the image processing handles position identification.
2Productivity
If parallel operations are implemented with camera and robotic device working on different containers, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera captures images of storage containers in advance before the robotic picking device needs to access them. The image processing system analyzes these images beforehand to identify item positions, so that when the robotic device arrives at a container, the picking information is already prepared. This preliminary action enables parallel processing and increases throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
While the robotic picking device is handling one container, the camera continuously captures images of other containers in the queue, and the image processing system continuously analyzes these images. This continuous parallel operation ensures that the system maintains maximum productivity with no idle time, as each component is always engaged in useful work.
3Speed
If routing calculations are optimized to reduce picking time, then speed increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback loops where the control system continuously monitors the positions of multiple containers, the status of the robotic picking device, and the identified item locations. Based on this real-time feedback, the control system dynamically optimizes the picking sequence and routing calculations to minimize travel time and maximize throughput, adapting to changing conditions without requiring overly complex manual control.
Data Source
AI summary
A picking system is configured to pick items from, and put items into, storage containers. The picking system includes a picking station. The picking station includes: a picking system controller configured to receive product orders from a warehouse management system; at least one container contents handling position; a camera configured to produce an image of contents of a storage container; an image processing system in communication with the camera for processing the image produced by the camera in order to identify a position of a specific item in the storage container, and a robotic picking device. The image processing system is further in communication with a picking system controller and is adapted to inform the picking system controller of the position of the specific item. The robotic picking device is in communication with the picking system controller and is configured to, under guidance from the picking system controller, to pick said specific item from said position in the storage container. The camera and the robotic picking device are arranged to operate, at any one instance, on different containers such that the camera is producing an image and the image processing system is processing the produced image of the contents of a storage container in a first product order while the robotic picking device is handling a second storage container on the basis of an earlier image that has been produced by the camera and processed by the image processing system.