“The In-Sight 3800 offers twice the processing speeds of previous systems, performing tasks like a quality inspection in as little as one-third of a blink of the eye,” said Lavanya Manohar, vice president of vision products at Cognex. “This added power allows users to maximise throughput and accommodate faster lines while delivering the high accuracy that they have come to expect from the In-Sight product line.”

This new system is embedded with a comprehensive set of vision tools that includes AI-based edge learning technology and traditional rule-based algorithms.

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When it comes to inspecting parts, users can choose from several established technologies. If the decision is made in favour of machine vision, the question arises: Do you need an inspection in 2D or 3D and how much effort is required to implement the respective solution? Depending on the application, a proven 2D system is then often the first choice, even if the (theoretical) advantages of 3D image processing may be obvious.

There are two reasons for this. The first: Until now, there was no 3D vision system that met the requirements of most inspection applications in terms of ease of use and cost. Three-dimensional vision inspection was simply too expensive and complicated for most companies, and there were also few vision tools that worked with true 3D images. So, an additional PC had to be installed to actually solve the application, resulting in significantly more space and programming requirements. The second reason: 2D inspection with a smart camera works very robustly and with great ease of use. Therefore, in many cases, there is or was no real need to make the costly and difficult transition to a 3D inspection system.

This situation is now changing with the introduction of the In-Sight 3D-L4000 vision system from machine vision specialist Cognex. This unique smart camera enables engineers to solve a range of inline inspection, guidance and measurement applications on automated production lines quickly, accurately and cost-effectively. It offers a comprehensive suite of true 3D vision tools that are as easy to use as Cognex’s industry-proven 2D vision tools, thanks to the familiar and robust In-Sight spreadsheet environment. In addition, the patented speckle-free blue laser optics are an industry first, enabling the capture of high-quality 3D images.

Users of 3D image processing are probably familiar with this: Typically, 3D imaging systems struggle with speckle – light effects that occur when laser light is scattered from the surface of the part back to the imaging system. Speckle is a problem in existing 3D vision systems because it changes the appearance of the part and reduces image accuracy. The system can only estimate where the laser is located. To date, no 3D system has been able to eliminate speckle and thus produce good enough images to perform reliable inspection applications in 3D.

However, the type of laser used in the In-Sight 3D-L4000 is a significant technical advance in laser-based imaging – and a reason for the excellent results delivered. The 3D-L4000 eliminates speckle by using a special laser in the blue light range. As a result, the imager sees a clear laser line, resulting in higher accuracy 3D images. In addition, the laser provides its own illumination for both 3D and 2D images – the system does not require any external light.

In most ‘traditional’ laser-based 3D vision systems, the laser head captures an image that is sent to a PC for processing. At the same time, they offer a limited selection of tools, most of which can only be used for simple height measurement. The dependence on PC programming makes 3D inspections cost-effective only for very complex applications. The In-Sight 3D-L4000, on the other hand, has its processing power built right in. This allows the vision tools to perform true 3D point cloud inspections without the need for an external controller or third-party PC-based software. A nice side benefit is that with onboard processing, image analysis can be completed in a very short time.

In the past, 3D visual inspection was difficult to understand and use. Most existing systems transform 3D data into 2D images. In doing so, the height of a point is represented as a grey value. So to understand the height information, one uses a false colour representation of the rasterized 3D image in the 2D image. In this representation it is very difficult to see and successfully process the nuances of the 3D part. A common method is to convert a section of the rasterised 2D image into a 1D height profile. However, with the new technology used in the 3D-L4000, the image is a pure point cloud; what you see and evaluate is a true 3D image, not a reduction to a 1D height profile. And since 3D inspection is new to most users, the 3D tools are designed so that everyone can fully understand and use the new three-dimensional tools. In other words, you are essentially doing the same thing, but unlike before, you are working on an image that looks exactly like the part itself.

Another new feature of the In-Sight 3D-L4000 is the use of the intuitive In-Sight Spreadsheet development interface to quickly and easily set up and run 3D applications without the need for programming or external processing. It simplifies application development and streamlines factory integration with a complete I/O and communications feature set. It also allows 2D and 3D vision tools to be combined in the same application, resulting in faster deployments.

The In-Sight 3D-L4000 includes all the traditional 3D measurement tools expected of a 3D vision system, such as for plane and height determination. In addition, it has a comprehensive set of 3D vision tools such as PatMax3D, Blob3D, 3D Geometry and many more, designed from the ground up for inspections in a real 3D space. This makes it easy to measure or identify parts or irregularities on the surface, as well as gaps, edges and angles – even for parts with complex geometry such as pistons or hinges.

The new 3D-L4000′s technical advancements and user-friendly features make it ideally suited for a wide range of applications in a number of industries, including food and beverage, consumer products, packaging, automotive, medical devices and electronics. Its great ease of use and the fact that no external PC, and therefore no programming skills, are required for setup and processing finally make laser-based 3D imaging a viable and affordable option. Automation engineers now truly have the choice between 2D and 3D.

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“Until now, 3D has been too expensive and complicated to solve inspection applications for most customers,” John Keating, 3D business unit manager. “The In-Sight 3D-L4000 breaks previous barriers by providing a massive suite of true 3D vision tools and making them as easy to use as the industry leading In-Sight 2D vision tools.”

The 3D-L4000 combines patented speckle-free blue laser optics and the broadest range of true 3D vision tools with the flexibility of the In-Sight spreadsheet. This all-in-one solution quickly captures and processes 3D images with spectacular quality during inline inspection, guidance, and gauging applications. By allowing users to place vision tools directly on a true 3D image of the part, the 3D-L4000 delivers greater accuracy compared to traditional systems, expanding the types of inspections that can be performed. Moreover, because inspections are in 3D, users can immediately experience how the vision tools operate on the actual part.

The 3D-L4000 includes all the traditional 3D measurement tools users expect such as plane and height finding. It also comes with a comprehensive set of 3D vision tools, designed from the ground up to leverage inspections in a true 3D space.

The intuitive In-Sight spreadsheet interface quickly and easily sets up and runs 3D applications without the need for programming or external processing. It simplifies application development and streamlines factory integration with a full I/O and communications function set. It also enables the ability to combine 2D and 3D vision tools in the same application, leading to faster deployments.

The In-Sight 3D-L4000 comes in three factory calibrated fields of view and is ideal for applications across a range of industries including food and beverage, consumer products, packaging, automotive, medical devices, and electronics.

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Printed circuit board assembly in electronics manufacturing is largely automated. Robots of various designs undertake steps such as SMD placement, soldering and automated optical inspection (AOI). Until now, an exception has been the through-hole mounting of so-called wired components such as capacitors, power coils and connectors. This is still mostly done by manual assembly, as it is a complex process that cannot be easily automated.

This is precisely the challenge that presented itself to the engineers from Glaub Automation & Engineering in Salzgitter. As CEO Niko Glaub says, “A client asked us concretely whether we might not be able to find a solution for automating this step.”

This challenge was the major incentive to developing a solution. Glaub’s team enthusiastically set to work and the solution is now already being used — and it is highly unconventional. The assembly is done by a dual-arm collaborative YuMi robot from ABB, which — thanks to its two arms — can assemble the circuit boards twice as fast as a conventional robot.

The automated process in the ultra-compact “GL-THTeasy” robot cell takes place as follows: The robot is provided with blister packs with capacitors, for example, via a conveyor line. A data matrix code on the blister pack allows the item to be identified. YuMi then grips one capacitor after another from the blister pack and places it precisely on the printed circuit board. Alternatively, it can also remove the electronic components from an ESD container, for example, or a vibratory conveyor. This is immediately followed by soldering from below. Empty blister packs are removed by the installation via a recirculation system and full ones are then automatically fed in.

Targeted bin picking

This all sounds quite logical so far, and we may wonder why this assembly process was not automated before now. The answer: robotics was unable to cope with either the high variability in the component feeding or the slight inaccuracies in positioning the components. This meant that the few previous robotic solutions were extremely complex, elaborate in terms of programming, and not particularly reliable in practice.

However, Glaub’s new robot cell uses smart cameras for the first time, boasting state-of-the-art image processing technology from Cognex, the market leader in industrial image processing. The position of the components in the blister packs is detected using 3D surface sensors — which also allow targeted picking from the bin or the vibratory conveyor, in order to then further measure the capacitors and printed circuit boards with the help of 2D cameras.

A smart combination of robotics and image processing

Image processing thus plays a crucial role in the success of this concept. Glaub’s engineers worked together with Wendeburg-based M-VIS Solutions GmbH to choose the cameras suitable for this application. Cognex’s solutions partner M-VIS developed a solution with several cameras that both capture the data matrix codes on the blister packs and precisely measure and locate each individual component.

Vitali Burghardt, CEO of M-VIS Solutions, explains: “With the 100% absolute measurement of components and printed circuit boards, GL-THTeasy compensates for every inaccuracy in terms of components, gripping, workpiece carriers and conveyor belts.” This means that components that do not fit exactly are immediately eliminated.

Eight cameras per cell, including two 3D cameras

As part of a feasibility study, M-VIS — supported by Cognex — chose eight cameras, four for each robot arm. An In-Sight 7802M vision system measures the parts and provides the necessary information to correct the position of the gripper. A further system from the In-Sight 9912M series measures the circuit board and if necessary corrects the gripper’s movement when it is placing the component on the board. The 3D surface-scan camera 3D-A5060 with patent-pending 3D LightBurst technology and integrated VisionPro image processing software “sees” the position of parts in the feed line.

Niko Glaub explains this step in more detail: “In each process step, the cameras capture the actual position of the component, the gripper and the circuit board in relation to the electronic component. In other words, the ‘legroom’ of the components is aligned with the actual dimensions of the assembly positions. First of all, this allows the component to be automatically found and removed, and then enables totally accurate through-hole mounting on the basis of actual position data.”

This approach offers a further advantage: since the movements are controlled based on cameras, the operators can generate a new placement model without programming. The camera images produced serve as a basis for this. This simplifies and accelerates not only assembly but also conversion. The GL-THTeasy robot cell is thus a prime example of flexible automation offering a smart solution for both current and future requirements.

Short cycle time, rapid amortization

ABB YuMi’s two arms work simultaneously round the clock, allowing 24/7 operation at high speed with a very short cycle time, which can be under three seconds depending on the components to be installed and the feed. The amortization period is also impressive, coming to around fourteen months from GL-THTeasy’s first use.

The new robot cell therefore scores points on several counts, which support its use: innovation, reliability, efficiency and future viability. With Glaub and M-VIS, there is no doubt that this smart solution will persuade many other electronic manufacturing companies in the future to automate the process step for printed circuit board assembly with this flexible and efficient method.

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Semiconductors’ performance dictates the pace of innovation. This applies just as much to industrial automation as to digital communication via cell phones, laptops, smart building technology, and the automobile industry. And the market is continuing to grow. In 2018, the international semiconductor industry achieved $481 billion in sales revenue and this figure is set to reach $525 billion as early as 2022 according to a study by PwC.

The robotics industry is also taking advantage of this trend, as, for example, the latest generation of controls and controllers offer additional functions. Conversely, however, the innovative capacity of robot manufacturers is also accelerating the efficiency and productivity of microprocessor manufacturers.

For example: KUKA offers a wide range of extremely flexible robots that can also be quickly tailored to a whole variety of handling requirements, as the life cycle of semiconductors is short and the market correspondingly volatile.

Mobile handling system for cleanrooms

Using robotics, individual production steps can be automated very well and to a high-quality standard. However, up until now, robotics have not been used to transporting semiconductor substrates (wafers) from one workstation to the next. Ideally, semi-conductor manufacturers would prefer end-to-end automation, because pristine cleanroom conditions can be much better achieved with “unmanned production.” Until now, however, this aspect of the process was untenable due to the lack of precision with which mobile robots move and grasp.

KUKA has now developed the world’s first single-source solution for the automated transport and handling of semiconductor cassettes: the “Semi Mobility Solution.”. In this instance, a lightweight robot from the LBR iiwa series is mounted on a KMR 200 CR autonomous automated guided vehicle (AGV). The AGV can maneuver in the smallest of spaces and KUKA’s engineers have developed a sophisticated gripper system for the handling.

System solution: AGV plus robot arm plus gripper

The Semi Mobility Solution goes to a handover point where wafer transport boxes are located. When the AGV has reached its destination, the robot arm is in place to precisely determine its position with the help of an integrated image processing sensor and performs a fine calibration.

This moves the robot into the position to grasp the transport box with a high degree of accuracy and deposit the sensitive wafers without any vibrations in a storage space on the AGV platform. Using this approach, the robot can pick up and transport two different sizes of boxes for wafers with a diameter of 200 or 300 mm. Once it has reached its destination, the robot puts down the transport boxes on the respective processing line.

The Semi Mobility Solution moves around the room on the basis of stored destinations but chooses the route there itself. The navigational capacity of the LBR iiwa platform enables it to move autonomously in a safe and sensitive way. Environment tracking is supported by laser scanners. They perceive the environment in real time, thus preventing collisions.

The safety-oriented environment recognition also creates the preconditions for being able to use the platform as a cobot (collaborative robot) without a safety fence near the operators. The gripping process itself is guided by image processing. Extremely high precision and reliability are essential in this process, because the wafers are sensitive. Vibrations must be avoided.

Image processing: High-performance in a compact space

When selecting the image processing system to guide the robot, KUKA’s developers chose Cognex’s In-Sight 2000 sensors. These sensors combine the performance of image processing systems with the ease and low cost of an industrial sensor. They also offer maximum flexibility when mounting in space-constrained environments. This attribute was highly desired in this application because the IP sensor travels on the robot arm. Minimizing wiring requirements was also a key criterion and the In-Sight 2000 provided easy integration via Ethernet and PoE connections, which was another factor behind the decision.

In addition, KUKA’s engineers appreciate the fact that with In-Sight 2000 the logic circuit is integrated into the device and the image processing quite simply lets itself be taught. Ralf Ziegler, Business Development Manager Electronics at KUKA: “The extensive communication possibilities that the sensor offers, its ‘built-in’ intelligence and the good programmability are also advantageous.”

Another advantage for the In-Sight 2000: The In-Sight 2000′s patent-pending integrated LED lighting provides uniform illumination over the whole image, regardless of the prevailing lighting conditions. This is particularly important in mobile applications because there is not the same lighting everywhere and even the time of day or the season can affect the image quality.

In practice: IP-controlled fine positioning over the last few centimeters

In practice, the Semi Mobility Solution first drives the robot gripper up to the transport box. At this point, the image processing is activated. It recognizes the offset from the destination point stored in the control system and on this basis references the position of the gripper, which can subsequently grasp the respective transport box with the required high degree of millimetric precision. An integrated calibration function guarantees consistently accurate positioning.

KUKA has already delivered the first Semi Mobility Solutions to international semiconductor manufacturers. The mobile robots work under cleanroom conditions and are certified in accordance with ISO Class 3 (IPA), UL 1740 and UL 1998. They can also be used in a fleet and using Cognex’s state-of-the-are image processing grasp the boxes with the highly sensitive wafers both reliably and accurately. This innovative solution marks an important automation step in the microprocessor production chain.

Tried-and-tested cooperation between KUKA and Cognex

Cognex supported KUKA during the development of the Semi Mobility Solution through the choice of the sensor, as well as providing global end user support.

Supplying the In-Sight 2000 for the Semi Mobility Solution is not the first collaboration between KUKA and Cognex. Cognex’s sensor and camera systems are also used in the high-performance “KUKA.VisionTech” solutions for image processing algorithms that KUKA has developed. For example, they enable reliable quality or completeness checks to be made on components even in unstructured environments.

KUKA appreciates working with Cognex not only for the high-performance products and solutions but also because of their straightforward collaboration and global presence. Ralf Ziegler: “With our partner Cognex, we can offer our clients and integrators good solutions and comprehensive support all around the world. If spare parts are needed, Cognex can supply our clients and integrators within a very short space of time.”

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The Piston Group, located in Michigan, and Missouri, USA, builds cooling modules for seven different vehicles. These cooling modules are built on five different assembly lines, each line building more than 50 different variants in sequence to the customers’ demand. Many different inspections need to be performed on each module including verifying the build variation, checking electrical connections and all dimensional requirements. In the past, inspections were performed in an automatic check station that utilized multiple pneumatic actuated slides that were fitted with linear probes, vision systems and a wide variation of sensors to inspect the different components.

The problem with this approach was that each individual slide cost approximately $15,000 or more, and the slide had to be replaced whenever the corresponding part specifications or design changed.

The conventional approach to replacing the slides with machine vision would have required as many as 30 different fixed cameras, each with special lighting requirements. The Piston Group developed a much less expensive and more flexible solution by mounting a single Cognex In-Sight 5603 vision system on a Fanuc robot. The robot moves the vision system into position to capture the 30+ images in less than 45 seconds, completely inspecting the module. The In-Sight vision system can be modified to inspect for future design changes easily with a few hours of programming time. The new inspection system has substantially improved quality by inspecting more points at a higher level of accuracy while reducing initial investment by 40% and retool cost by 80%.

The Piston Group provides sequenced and non-sequenced sub-assembled components for complex modular assemblies. The company assembles modules ranging from front end cooling systems, suspension and chassis systems, interior systems, and power train systems. The cooling module produced in this application consists of essentially everything between the motor and front bumper: the core support, radiator, electric fan, AC condenser, power steering and transmission coolers, reservoirs, hoses, wiring harnesses, and many other small components. The modules are built in many different configurations. For example, most lines have over 20 different wiring harnesses are used depending in the model and options selected by the customer. The customer sends The Piston Group a daily release that indicates the required front module configurations and their build sequence.

Demanding quality requirements

The quality requirements for the modules are demanding. First, each module must be correctly configured for the vehicle it will be installed on, with the proper wiring harness and other components. Second, many components need to be installed within tight dimensional tolerances. Several hoses and clamps must be installed within 1 mm of a specified location. All electrical connectors must be fully seated and engaged.

In the past, many of these inspections were performed in a check station by mechanical probes mounted on slides. This approach required that a custom slide be designed and built for each dimension that was checked. Whenever the dimension was changed, the slide had to be modified or replaced with a new design. The cost of retooling for a all new vehicle model was typically about $150,000 and required approximately two weeks of downtime to retrofit the entire check station. Prior to model changeover, the company would build small quantities of pre-production new model parts and these parts had to be inspected manually due to the station not being changed over. Many inspections, such as determining whether parts were identified and installed properly, were performed by 200% visual inspection by Quality Engineers. The flexibility of the new system allows for accommodation of both current and new model production, reducing this reliance on visual inspection.

“Every time the customer made a single engineering change, the cost was a minimum of $15,000,” said Kevin Miller, director of manufacturing engineering for The Piston Group. “We wanted to implement a flexible vision system to reduce cost and turnaround time on changes. We also wanted to reduce the amount of required manual inspection to improve quality. The normal practice is to use one camera per inspection point. This approach would have taken up too much space on the existing equipment and the cost was too high.”

Separate cameras have traditionally been used for each inspection point because each point generally requires very specific lighting and camera focal distance in order to achieve the required level of accuracy. Camera speed has also been a concern when considering the idea of using a single camera to take multiple images within a single cycle. But the evolution of Cognex vision system technology makes it possible for a single robot-mounted camera to inspect a large number of points with a high level of accuracy.

“We selected Cognex because its vision systems provide the wide range of tools needed to inspect the many different points involved in this application.”

“We worked with the Vision and Traceability Group of McNaughton McKay Electric to identify the right camera for this application,” said Patrick O’Dell, control engineer at The Piston Group. “We selected Cognex because its vision systems provide the wide range of tools needed to inspect the many different points involved in this application. Also, Cognex’s PatMax geometric pattern matching tool provides substantial improvements in accuracy by accurately determining the part location. A single Cognex In-Sight 5603 met the requirements of this application by accurately inspecting 30+ very different features in many different locations in less than 45 seconds. Plant wide we are using this camera for more than 90 different inspections.”

Programming the vision system

O’Dell programmed the inspection application with Cognex’s In-Sight software which uses a spreadsheet programming interface. “The spreadsheet interface provides the ultimate in programming flexibility,” O’Dell said. “It provides access to every imaginable vision tool and lets me create a new inspection operation simply by copying a similar one and making a few tweaks.” The first operation of the inspection station consists of reading the parts RFID tag to determine the module type. The type of module determines both the robot program / path and vision inspection program.

O’Dell used the PatMax tool to determine the position of the fixed location of the cooling module and then based all subsequent inspection operations on this position. He has used histogram tools to determine the presence or absence of components in checking for the right module content. He determined the position of the hose clamps by using PatMax tools to locate the hose clamp and a feature on the matting component, such as a form rolled bead stop. Then he used a distance measurement tool to determine the distance between the hose clamp and this feature. For each measurement, O’Dell entered a high and low value in the spreadsheet. The values in the spreadsheet represent brightness for the histogram and distance for the measurements. Bar codes are also read on several components to be sure the correct part number is installed.

O’Dell tried several different lighting arrangements and found one, a ring light integrated into the camera, that worked for each application. All images from each inspection are serialized and collected on a network server for traceability back to each assembled module. O’Dell tried several different methods for storing images and found the fastest was to store them locally during the cycle and then transfer them to the network while the part is transferred. A ControlLogix programmable logic controller (PLC) controls both the robot and the vision system. Only small sections of the spreadsheet are enabled when processing each image to save processing time. Cognex Connect includes support for the most commonly used open-standard Industrial Ethernet and Fieldbus communications protocols for trouble-free connection to PLCs and a wide range of automation devices from Mitsubishi, Rockwell, Siemens and other manufacturers.

O’Dell performed a Gage Repeatability and Reliability (R&R) study on the vision system as part of the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) submission for the cooling module. He set the values in the spreadsheet so that no bad parts would escape. This setting requires that a small number, less than .4%, of good parts may fail the inspection. These false rejects require inspection by a Quality Technician and can be passed with a password, which is recorded for traceability. There are a few items that cannot be inspected by the vision system because they have too much variation, such as the wire harness push pin locations. He provided feedback to the customer’s design organization to push for changes that will make these items easier to inspect with a vision system.

When a part fails the inspection, the program captures and processes another image. If the part fails again, the PLC sounds an alarm and the RSViewME human machine interface (HMI) presents the inspection image that failed on the screen along with a verbal description of the failure. Either the operator or the team leader reacts to the failure. In some cases, such as if the hose clamp is out of position or a push pin is missing, the operator can unlock the gate and fix the part. All inspection operations are then re-run to make sure that fixing the issue did not cause another failure. If the part passes the test, then the line continues from the point at which it stopped.

Storing images avoids penalties

The ability to connect to a server and store each image is valuable. In one case, a customer said they had received a brake corner with a missing brake pad. The stored image, however, showed that the brake pad was present when the module was built at Piston. The customer investigated and discovered that the vehicle was repaired for another reason and during the repair the brake pad was knocked off. “In the past, we would have had to pay a penalty and our quality score would have been reduced,” O’Dell said. “Now we can use hard data to prove we are not at fault.”

The vision system is able to inspect to a much higher level of accuracy than previous inspection methods. For example, mechanical probes were only able to determine hose clamp position to an accuracy of ±4mm, due to the amount of stack up tolerances in the components and how that was tracked back to our fixture datum points. While the vision system now provides ±1mm accuracy, because we are able to locate specific points within the view of the camera utilizing PatMax and take a dimensional reading from there instead of trying to gage against the fixture datum points. The vision system also inspects twice the number of points that the company was able to inspect in the past with mechanical probes. “The bottom is line that we have improved quality by inspecting more points with a higher level of accuracy with 40% less upfront investment and 80% lower cost for changes than would have been required by a traditional check station,” Miller concluded.

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VisionPro 3D delivers accurate, real-time, three-dimensional position information to automate challenging robot applications. VisionPro 3D works with any number of fixed or robot mounted cameras for complete application flexibility. It is based on Cognex’s leading PatMax and other alignment technologies

Dr Markku Jaaskelainen, vice president and business unit manager for vision software, says: “Our partners are already using VisionPro 2D tools for a wide range of vision and robotic applications. VisionPro 3D opens new opportunities for them. And, because it is integrated with the existing VisionPro library, they have access to VisionPro’s wide range of identification and inspection tools. This expands the value they can add to a project.”

VisionPro 3D uses multiple sets of two-dimensional features found by field proven Cognex alignment tools, including PatMax, PatFlex and other geometric pattern matching tools. These tools tolerate non-uniform lighting and remain reliable even when patterns are partly covered, ensuring accurate part location under the most challenging conditions. Application performance is enhanced by high-precision Cognex calibration tools that adjust for optical distortion and camera position, and synchronize cameras with vision-guided robots – key to the success of any 3D application.

“VisionPro 3D is designed to work under real-world conditions,” said Dr David Michael, Director of Core Vision Technology. “It continues to perform even if some part features are not visible. It even compensates if one of the cameras has moved out of alignment, so that production can continue uninterrupted.”

VisionPro 3D is designed for a variety of stationary and robotic applications, such as racking/de-racking and de-palletizing, as well as kitting and assembly verification in automotive and other precision manufacturing industries.

VisionPro 3D offers a starter kit for fast start up and easy training, which includes the VisionPro 3D software and a turnkey training application. The training application comes complete with source code and all the hardware needed to get started quickly, including cameras, a tripod, and precision calibration plates.

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Machines that are typically used to fill vials, syringes and other containers for pharmaceutical manufacturers rely on dedicated machinery having hard automation. Since most automated filling systems rely on exact positioning unique to each container size and type, filling different container formats requires the manufacturer to purchase multiple filling machines, or tolerate lengthy changeovers when switching between container types. To increase the flexibility offered in this conventional approach, AST needed to develop a machine with the able to handle various sizes of prefilled syringes, vials, cartridges and IV bags with minimal product changeover times.

The basic concept is a system that positions ready-to-use “nests” of a particular container within the operating envelopes of two robots, the Cognex In-Sight Micro vision system is used to precisely locate each container and stopper and provide the robots these locations prior to processing. This approach allows for rapid changeover from one container type or size to another by loading a new robot program, replacing the products carriers, and instructing the robot to change out the end of arm tooling. The system’s use of disposable materials is used on all process contacting parts which also reduces the changeover time, and eliminates the risk of cross contamination.

Integration of vision and robotics is critical

The biggest challenge of developing a machine that embodies these concepts is integrating the robot and vision system in order to provide the high levels of accuracy and speed required by the application. AST called in Brian LaFave of Olympus Controls because of his company’s long experience in developing vision applications. “I took a close look at the application and came to the conclusion that integration between the vision system and robot was key” Lafave said. “Mounting the vision system on the robot arm also made it essential for the vision system to be small, light and have very simple cabling. I felt that the Cognex Micro In-Sight 1100 would be perfect for the task.”

The Cognex In-Sight Micro system comes equipped with preconfigured drivers, ready to use templates, and sample code for communicating with most robots. The Staubli TX-60 HE six axis industrial robot was AST’s first choice for this application, because of its ability to withstand aggressive cleaning and bio-decontamination required for the application.

“The robotic filling system is the simplest solution for any organisation looking to increase their product and container filling capabilities, without purchasing multiple machines dedicated to a particular product or container type,” said Josh Russell, Project Engineer for the Life Sciences Group at AST. “The machine is capable of handling all liquid packaging needs for many pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers and compounding pharmacies at hospitals. It fits within a 12 by 16 foot cleanroom and costs far less than the machines that it replaces.”

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