INNODURA

Revolutionizing industrial assembly: InnoPICK transforms parts hanging processes

At a glance 

The manufacturing industry is seen as an early adopter of robotic automation, but there are a number of areas where the technical challenges were still too hard to overcome. Plaif has leveraged advances in AI and 3D machine vision to bring a high-reliability solution to these hard-to-fix challenges.

Challenge

Manufacturing often involves the picking and manipulation of small, complex objects. Until recently machine vision systems have not been of sufficient resolution and quality to reliably perform these tasks. Especially, small complex metallic parts present many vision-related challenges, and it is essential that they are seen with clarity and as they really are.

Solution

After trying out a number of 3D sensors, Plaif was unsure that there was a 3D camera that could deliver on their needs. Then they tried the Zivid 2 3D camera. The excellence of the point clouds and its range of filters ensured that their AI software was always able to work with the highest quality data.

Result

Plaif is currently working with a major Korean white goods manufacturer on deploying this application that uses the Zivid 2 L100. This system delivers highly reliable results and is due for full deployment across their manufacturing facility over the next couple of years.

 

We were looking for a true industrial 3D vision solution partner we could trust and develop together. I was impressed by the quality of the Zivid 3D cameras and how the team takes all the reliability and calibration tests seriously to deliver consistent performance” 

Tae-Young Jeong, CEO of Plaif

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01 Story

SIDASA Engineering is one of the global leaders in integrated surface finishing. SIDASA Engineering designs and manufactures complete robotic lines. The preliminary process for surface treatment involves hanging parts on dedicated supports. This operation is mostly carried out manually. SIDASA Engineering wanted utilize a new technology to hang pieces on hooks using a 6-axis robot, with the aim of having an adaptive solution for small and medium objects.

INNODURA is an engineering company based in France, recognized for designing high-level measurement systems and developing innovative adaptive robotic solutions for the industry. The InnoPICK system, developed by INNODURA, allows for 3D bin-picking operations with great flexibility by combining 3D and AI approaches.

Hanging parts is a true challenge in robotics. SIDASA Engineering and INNODURA have come together to develop an innovative solution dedicated to these operations. From the InnoPICK bin-picking system, a new 3D computing module has been implemented. This now allows for real-time adaptation of the robot's trajectory to carry out the hanging operations of the parts on one or more hooks simultaneously.

02 Challenges

SIDASA's bin-picking and assembly application is complex. The robot's mission is to hang parts with narrow holes onto multiple, thin hooks. The hanging frame and the hooks attached get deformed over time, changing the mechanical index of the placement location. The application needs to relocate the mechanical index to adjust the placement trajectory for each part. Thus, the system faces a complex hanging challenge with variable hooks, all combined with nonlinear trajectories. For such precision, the system requires advanced 3D technology.

Moreover, the manipulated objects are small and shiny. It is challenging for an automated system to scan reflective objects. The 3D camera must provide high resolution to cope with this additional difficulty.

In this case, the cycle time requirement varies depending on the size of the part. On average, a part needs to be placed every 5 to 10 seconds. To not alter the cycle time and the processing of the parts, it is necessary to optimize the relocation algorithms so that the system is fast. A 3D camera that can capture point clouds quickly is indispensable to this application to have minimal effect on cycle times.

Finally, the camera needs to take 3D measurements at different locations in space, whether it's the bin where the parts are located or the hooks. This requires the camera to be compact and suited for robot-mounting for more movement flexibility and to be as close as possible to the object to be scanned.

Quick Facts

Company
INNODURA
SIDASA Engineering

Application
Assembly and bin-picking

Features
Turn-key solution for picking, controlling, and placing pieces
AI
High-definition 3D machine vision

3D camera
Zivid 2 M70 - industrial 3D camera

Published
12 Feb 2024

“With the Zivid camera, retrieving 2D/3D data is very simple. It is also efficient and user-friendly, allowing us to focus on high-value development tasks.”
Maxime Robin

CEO and Founder of INNODURA

03 Solution

Currently, few robotic systems integrate AI, assembly, and inspection solutions. The InnoPICK system is an adaptive robotic guidance software that combines those functions in the same package. This solution enables the robot to perfectly place the pieces on the hooks in a single motion, with great speed. InnoPICK can adjust the placement trajectory and adapt if the hook is deformed. Comprising a hanging module, a controller, a 3D camera, and intelligent software, this solution can be used with any type of robot.

For the success of this application, INNODURA chose the Zivid 2 M70 3D camera. The Zivid 2 M70 allows for very precise localization and digitization of small objects within a sufficiently large window to locate multiple hooks, digitizing the hooks to within 0.1 millimeters. The Zivid camera is also particularly suitable for this application as it can be mounted on the robot, allowing for close-up shots. Small in size, robust, and made of resistant materials, it is reliable in industrial environments and can be mounted on the end effector without altering its long-term performance. Moreover, the high resolution of Zivid 2 enables the scanning of shiny objects for reliable results and dense point clouds. Finally, the scanning speed of Zivid cameras has met the system's essential cycle time requirements.

04 Result

Even today, many assembly and bin-picking tasks are performed by humans, as robotic systems are often very expensive and lack the necessary precision. With this application, INNODURA and SIDASA have succeeded in creating a complex hanging system, surpassing human precision and offering their customers significant time savings. Indeed, thanks to InnoPICK, it is possible to perform all these tasks in less than a second of processing time. Furthermore, this solution enables their customers to work in 3x8 shifts, reducing the risk of injuries.

New business opportunities have already been secured in France for the coming years, demonstrating the success of the system. Among these future projects, some involve larger parts, expanding the range of the working materials that the system was originally designed for. To meet this challenge, InnoPICK needs an update with a 3D camera featuring a wider field of view. For this purpose, INNODURA has chosen the Zivid 3D camera 2+ L110, which allows for object scanning at over 1 meter away with a precision of 440 µm.

 

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About INNODURA

INNODURA is an engineering company based in France, expert in designing measurement systems and developing innovative adaptive robotic solutions for the industry.

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Zivid 3D machine vision enables smarter factories and warehouses of Industry 4.0. Our market-leading 3D color cameras and software enable customers to boost efficiency and productivity in a range of applications including robotic bin-picking, piece picking, material handling, welding, inspection and quality control.