Robotic Work Cell for Bulk Object Separation and Reorientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems are unable to match the speed and accuracy of human operators in processing bulk items, such as promotional hand sanitizer bottles, due to difficulties in sorting and manipulating randomly oriented objects, leading to inefficient use of space and impractical automation in bulk item processing.
Innovation Solution
A robotic work cell that separates bulk objects into two-dimensional arrangements using a dynamic object separating mechanism and a vision system, allowing for precise identification and orientation of objects, followed by a pick-and-place robot mechanism and a carousel-type robotic end-tool to facilitate efficient processing and labeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If state-of-the-art robotic systems are used to process bulk items, then automation is achieved, but the speed and accuracy cannot match human operators
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into multiple specialized components: a vision system for detection, a dynamic manipulator for separation, a pick-and-place robot for retrieval, and a carousel-type end-tool for presentation. This segmentation allows each component to excel at its specific function, collectively achieving human-level processing speed and accuracy while maintaining full automation.
2Productivity
If robotic systems process bulk items at human-equivalent rates, then productivity increases, but the footprint (space occupied) becomes larger than human-operated systems
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from horizontal workspace expansion to vertical utilization through the carousel-type end-tool, which rotates to present multiple objects in a compact footprint. The dynamic manipulator also uses vertical motion to separate objects from the bulk pile, reducing the horizontal space required for processing while maintaining high productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If robotic systems use conventional vision systems, then cost is reduced, but the ability to identify and orient randomly disposed objects is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic manipulator performs preliminary separation of objects from the bulk pile into more accessible positions before the vision system processes them. This preliminary action simplifies the vision system's task, allowing conventional (lower-cost) vision systems to achieve the same identification and orientation accuracy that would otherwise require sophisticated expensive systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic work cell uses an object separating mechanism to disperse bulk objects into a 2D arrangement on a horizontal surface and uses a vision system to generate pick-up (positional) data and rotational orientation data for each sequentially selected target object of the 2D arrangement. A pick-and-place robot mechanism uses the positional data to pick-up each target object and uses the rotational orientation data to reorientate the target object during transfer to a designated hand-off location. A carousel-type robotic end-tool disposed on a 4-axis object-processing robot mechanism rotates a gripper mechanism around a vertical axis to move the target object from the hand-off location to a designated processing location, where an associated processing device performs a desired process (e.g., label application) on the target object. In one embodiment the gripper mechanism is selectively rotatable around a horizontal axis to facilitate processing on opposing surfaces of the target object.