Vision-Guided Wood Sorting Robot for High-Speed Defect Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wood sorting facilities face challenges in achieving high production capacity without compromising sorting quality due to the limitations of manual sorting, which leads to financial losses and inefficient operation requiring multiple operators and shift work.
Innovation Solution
An automatic wood sorting facility equipped with a robot gripper tool and a vision system that uses a camera, image processing, and tracking system to identify and handle defective wood pieces above the conveyor plane, enabling efficient gripping and removal of wood without human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual sorting is used by operators, then sorting quality can be maintained through subjective assessment, but production capacity is limited and requires multiple operators and shift work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical sorting system with an automated robot system. The robot gripper tool automatically grasps, lifts, and removes defective wood pieces based on vision system detection, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention and enabling continuous high-speed operation without shift work
Solution Approach 2:
The sorting system performs self-assessment through the vision system that automatically detects and identifies defective wood pieces. The robot then autonomously handles the removal process without human intervention, making the system self-sufficient in both detection and execution of sorting tasks
2Productivity
If the conveying speed is increased to meet production rates, then productivity improves, but the operator's capacity to assess and handle wood pieces is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the human operator's assessment capacity with an automated vision system that can process wood pieces at high conveying speeds. The vision system captures images, processes them to identify defects, and provides real-time control signals to the robot, enabling the system to keep pace with high-speed conveying without human intervention
3Productivity
If multiple operators are deployed to achieve desired production rates, then productivity increases, but operational cost increases and shift work is required to avoid low capacity utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system performs multiple functions that would otherwise require multiple operators: defect detection through vision system, decision-making through image processing, physical handling through gripper tool, and wood removal through coordinated motion. This multi-functional automation eliminates the need for multiple specialized operators and enables continuous operation at full capacity utilization
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an automatic wood sorting facility comprising a cross conveyor (3) with a conveying plane (Z0) on which sawn pieces of wood (2) are advanced, an inspection zone (5) comprising a camera (70), a camera-carrying arrangement (6) by which the camera (70) is arranged in such a manner that the pieces of wood (2) advanced on the cross conveyor (3) can be inspected by means of the camera, a robot gripper zone (8) comprising a robot (RB1) equipped with a robot gripper tool (11) by which a piece of wood (2) can be gripped and handled, a robot-carrying arrangement (9) by which the robot (RB1) is arranged in such a manner that said conveying plane (Z0) extends below the working area of the robot (RB1) with the robot gripper tool (11), a robot control unit (40) to which the camera (70) is connected. and which robot control unit further comprises a vision system (30) by which the piece of wood (2) can be identified, an image processing unit (50) and a robot control (60) configured to form a tracking system with a defined tracking area (TR1) of the length of the conveying plane (Z0), wherein the robot (RB1) is configured, with instruction from the vision system (30), to grip and handle an identified piece of wood (2) within the tracking area (TR1).