Workpiece Identification for Crossed Soft Body Portions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workpiece identification methods struggle to accurately pick individual workpieces with both rigid and soft body portions, especially when loaded in bulk and with crossing soft body portions, as they cannot recognize the three-dimensional position and posture of the soft body portions, leading to incorrect picking and potential dropping of workpieces.
Innovation Solution
A method involving image capturing to determine the presence and crossing of soft body portions, identifying the uppermost workpiece by determining the uppermost soft body portion, and potentially rearranging workpieces to create a recognizable configuration, ensuring accurate identification and picking of the uppermost workpiece.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If three-dimensional measurement data is compared with three-dimensional CAD data to recognize the position and posture of the rigid body portion, then the position and posture of the rigid body portion can be recognized, but the position and posture of the soft body portion cannot be recognized
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece is segmented into a rigid body portion and a soft body portion. Different identification methods are applied to each segment: three-dimensional CAD data comparison for the rigid body portion and image processing for the soft body portion. This segmentation allows each part to be handled according to its specific characteristics, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision for rigid bodies and adaptability for soft bodies.
Solution Approach 2:
An image processing system serves as an intermediary method to complement the three-dimensional CAD data comparison. While the CAD comparison handles the rigid body portion, the image processing captures the soft body portion's configuration, including crossing parts. This intermediary approach enables comprehensive identification of both rigid and soft body portions without requiring three-dimensional CAD data for the soft body.
2Ease of operation
If the rigid body portion is gripped for picking, then the rigid body portion can be picked, but the soft body portion may cause other workpieces to be lifted together
Solution Approach 1:
Before the picking operation, the system performs preliminary identification of the soft body portion's configuration, including detecting crossing parts where soft body portions of different workpieces intersect. This preliminary action determines whether gripping the rigid body portion would cause other workpieces to be lifted together. By performing this check in advance, the system ensures reliable workpiece selection while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses image processing to provide feedback about the soft body portion's configuration and potential crossing parts. This feedback information is used to determine whether the identified workpiece can be safely picked without lifting other workpieces together. The feedback mechanism ensures reliable workpiece selection by preventing picking operations that would result in multiple workpieces being lifted.
3Measurement precision
If image processing is used to identify the uppermost soft body portion, then the uppermost workpiece can be identified, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges two identification approaches: three-dimensional CAD data comparison for the rigid body portion and image processing for the soft body portion. By combining these methods, the system achieves precise uppermost workpiece identification through a unified process that leverages the strengths of both approaches. The rigid body portion provides stable reference points for three-dimensional comparison, while the soft body portion is accurately captured through image processing, creating a comprehensive identification system.
Data Source
AI summary
Whether or not workpieces are present in a workpiece storage area is determined based on an image acquired by image capturing. When the workpieces are determined to be present, whether or not a crossing part is present in the workpiece storage area is determined based on the image, the crossing part being a part where soft body portions of a plurality of workpieces cross each other in an overlapping manner. When the crossing part is determined to be present, an uppermost soft body portion placed at an uppermost position among the soft body portions crossing each other is determined based on the image. A workpiece including the uppermost soft body portion thus determined is determined as an uppermost workpiece placed at an uppermost position.