Workpiece Pickup Order Using Height Information
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robots face challenges in picking up overlapping workpieces transported on a conveyor without altering the position of each workpiece, as existing methods either require complex structures to eliminate overlaps or rely on repositioning during pickup.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that uses an imaging unit to generate luminance and range images, determining a workpiece pickup order based on height information to prioritize picking up higher positioned workpieces, allowing them to be picked up without changing their position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If workpieces are transported on a conveyor without eliminating overlaps, then the transportation system remains simple, but the robot cannot pick up workpieces accurately due to position changes caused by upper workpieces affecting lower ones
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging unit captures images of workpieces before the robot picks them up, recording their positions and overlap relationships in advance. This preliminary action allows the control unit to plan the pickup sequence without disturbing the workpieces during transport, resolving the contradiction between simple transportation structure and accurate pickup positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging unit continuously monitors workpiece positions and overlap states, providing feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit dynamically adjusts the pickup sequence to account for overlapping workpieces, ensuring accurate pickup without requiring complex transportation mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If the robot picks up a lower workpiece among overlapping workpieces, then the pickup operation can proceed, but the upper workpiece changes position due to the movement of the lower workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary imaging to record the positions of all workpieces, including those in upper layers, before any pickup operation. This allows the control unit to calculate and adjust for position changes that will occur during pickup, preventing loss of position information while maintaining operational feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit calculates the expected position change of upper workpieces when a lower workpiece is moved, and compensates for this change in advance by adjusting the target position. This preliminary anti-action prevents the position information loss that would otherwise occur during the pickup operation
3Manufacturing precision
If the robot redetermines the position of an affected workpiece, then the position accuracy is restored, but the pickup process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging unit captures all workpiece positions in advance, and the control unit calculates the pickup sequence and position adjustments before the robot begins picking. This preliminary calculation eliminates the need for time-consuming position redetermination during the pickup process, maintaining both accuracy and efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the pickup sequence based on the imaged overlap relationships, prioritizing workpieces that, when moved, will cause minimal disturbance to other workpieces. This dynamic sequencing maintains position accuracy while maximizing pickup efficiency by avoiding unnecessary position redeterminations
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
Enables efficient pickup of overlapping workpieces without repositioning, ensuring accurate and interference-free handling by prioritizing higher positioned workpieces in the overlap order.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging unit arranged to have an imaging field of view containing the conveyor, and images a subject included in the imaging field of view. The imaging unit generates a luminance image representing the subject and a range image including height information indicating a height of at least one point on the subject from the conveyor by imaging the subject.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging unit has its imaging field of view containing the conveyor, and images a subject in the imaging field. The imaging unit generates a luminance image representing the subject and a range image including height information indicating a height of at least one point on the subject from the conveyor by imaging the subject. A measurement unit measures a position of each workpiece in the luminance image. An obtaining unit obtains an overlap order of the workpieces based on the height information in the range image corresponding to the position of each workpiece in the luminance image. A determination unit determines the workpiece pickup order to allow a workpiece having a highest place in the overlap order to be picked up with a higher priority than other workpieces.