With an exceptionally high participation rate, the survey reflected strong employee engagement at SICK and a willingness to contribute to its future development. Responses confirmed the trust that exists within and across teams, providing clear direction on how SICK UK can build on its strengths.

Great Place To Work sets a global standard for workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership, and it comes at a significant moment for SICK UK. The organisation is continuing its strategic transformation within the Europe South and West Cluster and the survey results demonstrate the strength of business growth and people focus working hand-in-hand.

The SICK UK team worked consistently on enhancing leadership, fostering communication within the workforce, creating a more structured and transparent working environment, and putting practical initiatives in place that make the company a Great Place To Work. These include development, mentoring, community engagement, organising company-funded social events bringing together both office-based and remote-based staff to enhance team cohesion, and even arranging for fruit deliveries to promote healthy eating.

Praising SICK UK for achieving its certification, Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work states, “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that SICK stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees.” Being recognised by Great Place to Work serves as proof of a healthy workplace environment, boosting the morale and productivity of employees, and helping to both attract and retain high-quality talent.

Alan Reeves, UK Managing Director of SICK, says, “We are thrilled to receive Great Place to Work certification, as it is a direct reflection of our employees’ feedback. We pride ourselves on creating a positive workplace culture. It is more important than ever to maintain trust, transparency and community during a period of strategic transformation. This certification really comes down to our dedicated leaders and teams, who work hard in pursuit of our shared goals. It is well-deserved recognition of their hard work creating a workplace in which people feel included, supported and proud to belong.”

Following the survey, SICK UK has put in place a structured action plan focused on measurable follow-up on employee feedback and sustainable improvement. SICK continues to invest in people development and remains committed to strengthening its position as an employer of choice within the industrial technology sector.

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High productivity and flexibility are key competitive advantages in times of digitalisation. With SICK as your partner, you benefit not only from one of the world’s largest networks of experts for functional safety, but also from a comprehensive range of safety solutions that ensure personal safety and efficient processes.

The SICK safety portfolio includes safety controllers, safety switches, safety distance sensors, safety laser scanners, safety radar sensors, safe series connection, safety relays and safety multibeam scanners, and the company has the ability to provide complete safety systems.

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The robust, intelligent, easy-to-install solution has been designed specifically by the global sensor company to meet the needs of both indoor and outdoor automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). It brings together SICK’s decades of experience in encoders and autonomous vehicle technology in a single smart device with durable aluminium housing.

SICK’s Flexi Mobile delivers excellent environment perception and safe motion monitoring for AGVs/AMRs in indoor and outdoor settings to optimise the productivity and safety of automated processes even in confined spaces.

Flexible, advanced design and intuitive configuration

As demand for autonomous mobile applications and more integrated automation equipment increases, new flexible safety solutions are required. Flexi Mobile’s cabinet-free intelligent installation concept and excellent autonomous vehicle capabilities provide greater freedom and more cost-effective design, enabling quick, space-saving integration into driverless trucks for up to two axes.

It is possible to safely connect sensors in series without additional wiring via rectangular multi-pin connectors on wire harnesses, supporting cost-efficient series production of mobile machines, and making adding and removing individual safety devices simple.

Flexi Mobile is programmable using a total of 512 function blocks, including TUV-certified dedicated differential drive function blocks to accelerate the development of standard-compliant AGVs and AMRs. Safe motion solutions are possible up to PLe/SIL 3, including almost all safe motion function blocks from the SICK Flexisoft controller, meeting required safety performance levels for dynamic mobile platforms. Safe kinematics increase productivity even in confined environments and Flexi Mobile facilitates omnidirectional drive concepts.

Intuitive, step-by-step configuration via SICK Safety Designer

Comprehensive, process-oriented intuitive configuration of Flexi Mobile devices can be achieved using SICK’s free-to-use, drag-and-drop Safety Designer Software. Safety Designer makes it easy to configure, document and evaluate complete safety applications across a wide range of SICK safety components with just one tool.

Providing essential safety data, reports and continuous diagnostics, SICK Safety Designer reduces unplanned downtime and provides legal certainty in the form of reliable, detailed, standard-compliant safety documentation. It is even possible to virtually create applications before purchasing hardware at no cost.

Ideal for a wide range of mobile applications

The Flexi Mobile safety controller can be mounted on mobile vehicles in tough environments without a control cabinet. Its robust shock and vibration-resistant aluminium housing provides protection against environmental influences (IP66, IP67 and IP69K) ensuring excellent capabilities against dirt and ingress. The device has high passive cooling capacity and has been rigorously tested to resist high pressure, as well as surface temperatures ranging from -40degC – +80degC. Flexi Mobile also has an impressive 4 m/s cycle time, is rated up to PLe/SIL3, features Modbus TCP fieldbus for diagnostics and can accommodate up to three Flexi Loop chains.

Its modular design means Flexi Mobile can be tailored to meet the needs of different autonomous mobile applications, with a variety of I/O expansion modules as well as Ethernet, Modbus TCP, SLMP, CAN and CANopen interfaces available. The new SICK safety controller is ideally suited to both indoor and outdoor off-highway autonomous vehicles (AMRs, AGVs, IMRs) and machinery, including indoor service robots, driverless trucks, service robots and transport vehicles. Key applications range from off-road, logistics and agricultural uses to material handling, mining, logistics, municipal machinery, ports, airports and construction.

Dr Martin Kidman, SICK Safety Product Manager, says: “We are excited to launch the SICK Flexi Mobile range, bringing together all the benefits of SICK’s Flexi Soft technology and our decades of experience in autonomous mobile applications. Robust, rugged and easily configured using dedicated function blocks and the unique free SICK Safety Designer tool, Flexi Mobile is capable of withstanding the rigorous demands of AMR and AGV applications whilst meeting all the relevant safety standards without the need for a control cabinet, providing easy and fast design and validation of mobile platforms.”

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A world-first, the patented technology ensures robots and humans can work in closer proximity with improved safety as the technology is mounted directly onto a robotic arm. Bringing together SICK’s sensor expertise with the world’s largest cobot vendor for seamless teamwork, distributors predict it will generate new sales opportunities and applications.

Gavin Ford, Sales Manager at Applied Automation UK, has been working as a Universal Robots distributor for more than five years. He immediately sees the benefits of the EOAS “from a technical aspect. From a price aspect. From an operator’s aspect”.

With the EOAS, when the protective field is breached, a Safe Stop is triggered and the cobot immediately ceases movement, recommencing its task once it is restored. Lights on the EOAS indicate clearly when it has stopped and when it is moving, providing extra peace of mind for operators to work more closely and collaboratively with cobots. Time-of-flight technology provides a response time of better than 110 ms, speeding up productivity while maintaining safe operation.

Mark Stephenson, Divisional Manager at WMH Robotics, notes: “The EOAS makes the operation status of the cobot clear; it’s either red or green. It has been developed as a true partnership between SICK and Universal Robots, with all the benefits of both companies. We will see cobots working collaboratively as they were intended to; making people more confident about getting closer to the machine and being more interactive with it for safe productivity.”

Fewer stops, greater efficiency

Creating a protective field around the robot tool at the end of the robot arm, the EOAS moves with the arm and operates in a much smaller, more defined area than previous products to protect a fixed hazard range of up to 400 mm.

As factories become busier and more fluid, with greater use of AMRs, AGVs and mobile workstations, mounting the sensor directly onto the arm of the cobot means unnecessary stops are kept to a minimum. Mark Stephenson predicts: “The EOAS will result in a lower number of false triggers and false Safe Stops. It won’t stop until you are at the point where it is potentially hazardous.”

According to distributors, one of the key benefits of the EOAS is the potential to remove additional safety measures for applications, such as physical guards. The EOAS provides a Safeguard Stop through an invisible, infrared, protective shell of 40 laser beams that covers the tool and workpiece to facilitate space-free operation.

As industrial real estate costs climb, the most expensive thing in many factories is floor space. Allowing humans to work more closely and efficiently alongside cobots by protecting the end effector, potentially without the need for mechanical or light guards, significantly reduces the safe zone of the cobot and therefore the overall footprint, length and cost of projects.

Ross Lacy, Sales Director at RARUK Automation, explains: “It’s much easier to put into small environments. In the UK you don’t exactly have much space at the end of the line, so anything that reduces the footprint and the size of the cell is a huge benefit.”

Compatible with URCap software and easy to install

The EOAS can be installed in just 15 minutes and the sensor is automatically recognised by Universal Robots technology. Configured using EOAS URCap software and provided with automatic updates, the EOAS makes it easier for customers to protect end effectors and create safer, more collaborative human-robot applications.

As Ross Lacy states: “There’s no additional software for the end user or the integrator as it can be programmed directly from the Universal Robots pendant. Anything that can make the risk assessment easier for the customer to carry out and to do their own internal CE marking is a huge bonus for us. It’s great for small businesses as well as large corporates because it’s cost effective and easy to install.”

A wide range of scenarios anticipated for the EOAS

Distributors see a wide range of potential markets and applications for the EOAS, in sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals and electronics, to food and beverage and automotive. Ideal for machine tending and pick and place applications such as presenting components to operators for assembly or where there’s multiple picks of parts, the EOAS can also be installed on a collaborative robot arm that is mounted on a mobile robot, reducing the number of false stops for the robotic arm and creating greater flexibility within industrial settings.

Gavin Ford predicts: “I think the EOAS will open up a lot of opportunities for us in applications such as machine tending and pick and place by making them more collaborative. It’s a good product and a good solution and I can’t wait to start looking at applications for it.”

Matthew van den Braak, Product Manager – Robotic and Mobile Platforms at SICK UK, says: “The EOAS is making collaborative robots more effective and affordable for end users. With the EOAS, you can work really close to it and interact with it. It is completely new technology that has been developed in partnership and is fully compatible with Universal Robots products.

“We are delighted with the buzz this brand-new patented technology has created among distributors. I look forward to seeing the wide range of different applications it is used for and the challenges it meets. The EOAS is available and in stock now, with a lead time of just three days.”

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SICK is a world leader in safe access protection and innovative light curtain muting and the DMM4 extension module represents the latest evolution in its complete portfolio of solutions. It makes sure operators stay protected from hazardous machinery while materials, boxes and finished products move through smoothly. A robust, in-the-field solution with a host of new features and benefits, the DMM4 is fully compatible with SICK’s deTec safety light curtains and deTem safety light-beam sensors for seamless protection and efficiency with easy installation.

Enhanced safety and efficient material flow

Muting is a method that has been around a long time and has developed to become more versatile. Modern manufacturing requires safe passage of goods between production processes and this is increasingly important as production becomes more complex. A standalone muting module offers high flexibility and safety for free-flowing production and the DMM4 has a small footprint.

SICK’s DMM4 robust muting module is designed to perform in the field and can be easily integrated with all SICK deTec safety light curtains and deTem safety light-beam sensors to minimise the possibility of manipulation, while keeping workflows uninterrupted. It doesn’t require a separate cabinet as it is equipped with protection against dust and water in the field, reducing wiring and commissioning time.

The DMM4 is an innovation in entry/exit access guarding, equipped with a host of new tools, features and benefits to minimise false stops. A dedicated muting module with a high IP rating, it can be used in safety function up to PLe (ISO 13849)/SIL3 (IEC 62061) and fully supports compliance with ISO 13855, the standard covering the requirements of positioning safeguards with respect to the approach of the human body. The DMM4 is a more powerful, slimmer extension module than previous versions and SICK has released robust new support columns with micro adjustment capabilities and a built-in spirit level to complement it.

Rich expertise in safety light curtains

SICK has supplied safety light curtains since inventing the technology in 1946 and has a wealth of knowledge in the field. The DMM4 provides more features than basic muting options and better flexibility at a lower cost than muting using a safety PLC or safety controller. The free and intuitive SICK Safety Designer software enables easy and flexible configuration of muting parameters, smart functions and operating mode, with key features including mode switch to store different configurations, smart restart interlock, and access to a full diagnostics and error history.

Applications for the DMM4 muting module range from logistics (eg muting for AGVs, electric forklifts or AMRs), to manufacturing (from large automotive parts to small consumer goods, food and beverage, and pharma).

Muting – or the temporary automatic suspension of a safety function by way of safety-related parts of the control system – aims to achieve continuous, efficient material flows, while protecting people from hazards. In the case of a safety light curtain, sensors and process signals can safely identify materials to initiate a mute and allow the product to pass through without stopping the system.

The DMM4 muting module meets industry standards for safe material flow through electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE), accurately and reliably differentiating between material and a person to provide safe conditions.

The most common configurations of photoelectric muting sensors are T and L layouts (as shown in the diagram and table below), with 2 or 4 beams either in parallel or arranged as cross beams, and control by way of timing or sequence.

Martin Kidman, SICK Manager – Safety (S&W Europe), says: “Highly flexible and configurable, the SICK DMM4 is out of the box certified and Plug and Play, with easy installation and connectivity with the SICK deTec safety light curtain. It’s part of a complete range of SICK safety light curtain products, including light curtains, sensors, fittings and muting modules. Speak to SICK’s application engineers to find out more about what our safety light curtains and the DMM4 muting module can bring to your business.”

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SICK has partnered with the world’s largest vendor of cobots, Universal Robots, combining SICK’s decades of experience in sensor technology with Universal Robots’ innovative robotics technology for collision-free, reliable and safe human-robot collaboration. Mounted directly onto its arm, the EOAS moves with the cobot for seamless teamwork.

Breaking down siloes between robots and humans, the EOAS enables added iterative risk reduction, potentially removing the need for additional safety measures. The EOAS is a category 2 (ISO 13849) laser device that creates a protective field around the robot tool at the end of the robot arm. This allows it to move with the arm and operate in smaller, more defined areas, enabling protection of a fixed hazard range of up to 400 mm. When the human disturbs the protective field, a Stop is triggered and the cobot immediately ceases movement.

Time-of-flight technology makes it possible for a robotic arm to react dynamically, with a response time of ≤110 ms, speeding up production and enhancing safety. Human workers have the confidence to operate collaboratively, with the robotic arm stopping once the protective field is breached and recommencing its task once it is restored.

Quick to install, easy to use

The EOAS comes with plug and play set up, meaning it can be installed within 15 minutes. Compatible with robots from Universal Robots, the sensor is automatically recognised as an accessory and easily integrates with existing operations using EOAS URCap software. SICK and Universal Robots have also created a series of tutorials to enable fast and effective integration of the EOAS, and the URCap software provides continuous updates.

The Safeguard Stop

SICK’s EOAS provides a Safeguard Stop through an invisible, infrared, protective shell of 40 laser beams that covers a hazard range encompassing the tool and workpiece. This allows for space-free operation, where humans can work in close proximity with the cobot with optimal safety. Mounting the sensor directly onto the arm of the cobot means unnecessary stops are kept to a minimum, enhancing productivity while maintaining safe operation for workers to easily retrieve and replace workpieces.

EOAS sensors in action: Real-world applications

The range of potential application scenarios for the EOAS is huge and includes pick and place, machine tending, and handling and assembly. The EOAS is suited to most industry sectors where cobots work alongside human operators, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, semiconductors, food and beverage, cosmetics, automotive, packaging, plastics and metals.

Matthew van den Braak, Product Manager, Robotic and Mobile Platforms at SICK UK, says: “The EOAS ensures worker safety by helping to minimise risk in collaborative robot applications. We are immensely proud of the new EOAS, and it is so easy to install and configure. Our partnership with Universal Robots has seen the EOAS jointly developed and robustly tested in the field. As the first device of its kind on the market, the EOAS helps remove physical and psychological barriers in human/robot collaboration across a wide range of applications.”

David Lievesley, UK/Ireland Technical Support Engineer at Universal Robots, adds: “One of the great things about the EOAS is its fully patented plug and play technology developed in partnership with SICK. It sits inside our safety system, operating as one device. When you alter the parameters on the sensor, it alters it on the robot, enabling full human-robot collaboration. The EOAS is ideal for small environments, adding an extra element of safety to what is on the end of the robot and enabling the tool to work in a fully collaborative way.”

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Whether virtual engineering, condition monitoring or collaboration between humans and robots, machines and actuators are part of the digital transformation. Talk to us about our digital services, software and other solutions from SICK which can help to automate and optimise production processes.

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SICK’s modular sensor technology enables manufacturers and users of mobile robots to select precisely the modules they require and combine them to create the ideal solution for their application.

SICK’s modular sensor solutions allow you to:

Adapt your mobile robot to any unique situation with ease - A modular system of sensors allows for individual modules to be easily customised, combined or changed without having to redesign or reconfigure the whole system. This saves time and effort when developing and designing, expanding the ways in which mobile robots can be adapted and used.

Enjoy the ease of customisation, through Plug-and-Play - SICK’s components are simple to integrate, customise and change, allowing mobile robots to be adapted to specific, individual requirements. Each sensor device is designed and standardised with easy integration in mind. Plug-and-Play eliminates the need for technical knowledge, manual configuration and minimises user intervention.

This versatile, scalable system can bolster many aspects of mobile robots’ performance, some of which are outlined below.

Enhanced localisation and precise navigation

Mobile robots must perform highly precise, complex movements in very different – and sometimes dangerous – environments. SICK’s sensors and LiDAR technology can enhance the localisation and navigation of mobile robots.

The Optical Line Sensor (OLS) and Magnetic Line Sensor (MLS) offer precise navigation through line-based tracking. They use luminescent or magnetic tapes on the floor, that are unaffected by light and dirt, to guide mobile robots around factories and warehouses. Additionally, SICK’s 2D and 3D LiDAR technology can detect any sharp bends in the environment, while the LiDAR-LOC application software seamlessly links and exchanges information with other sensors – ensuring the highest accuracy for mobile robot navigation.

Safety rated 3D time-of-flight cameras

SICK blazed a trail with the world’s first safety rated 3D, time-of-flight camera. Coupled with SICK’s 2D and 3D image processing, it provides completely new, adaptive solutions for automation applications that control positioning, environmental perception, and robot guidance.

SICK’s 3D cameras increase safety through:

• Ensuring high levels of safety for human workers, such as preventing collisions between forklifts or identifying safety hazards such as cable clutter.
• Low latency, meaning that the computing system can respond to any stimuli or danger in the environment with minimal delay. Access to real-time data is vital in dangerous and rapidly changing environments.
• Quick and precise detection of objects and far-ranging distance measurements.  3D cameras are even able to detect objects beyond the protective layer of a safety laser.
• Operating efficiently in low light or near darkness.

Modularity is the key advantage

Matt van den Braak, Robotics and Mobile Platforms Sales Specialist, says: “We realised that the answer isn’t a one-size-fits all solution. Rather, what was needed was a modular system – a chain of individualised, standardised sensors to solve complex challenges and suit different environments.

“With automation growing so rapidly and creating the opportunity to bridge gaps within industrial and logistic operations, our modular sensor range ensures humans and robots can operate seamlessly in factories, warehouses and across industrial sites.”

There is no single mobile robot or sensor that can address the many challenges this industry faces, both now and into the future. But universal solutions provider SICK is using its expertise and innovation to develop a modular range of sensors that can be combined to suit each task and application.

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The idea was sparked by the need for a device for the growing needs of the family-run business, founded by Tony Thompson 30 years ago, and also supported by his two sons, Matthew and Daniel. Their development of collaborative robot applications, based on a Universal Robots robot, was so successful for them they decided to perfect and market it to external customers, calling it the CoboTend. Now, a partnership with SICK UK has enabled effortless safety without sacrificing productivity for the CoboTend, a step that has been vital to the product’s continued development.

Through its Cobots Online machine tending automation portal, sales of the CoboTend have become a major contributor to ALM’s business and are expected to double to potentially 80 units in the next 12 months. The Cobots Online portal also offers UR-based robot solutions for sanding and welding.

The CoboTend integrates a UR robot into a self-contained and lightweight trolley unit that can be wheeled and secured at a machine in a matter of minutes. A hydraulic mechanism lifts and lowers the wheels and firmly locks the trolley in its new position using floor cups. End-effectors and grippers can be then replaced at the touch of a single button depending on the required machine operation.

Safety with productivity

Two SICK nanoScan3 Pro safety laser scanners are positioned at opposite corners of the CoboTend’s trolley cabinet. Together, the two laser scanners provide 360 degree coverage around the robot, enabling it to slow to a safe speed when a person enters the outer of two fields and to stop only when the inner field is breached. This means that the Cobot can continue to operate safety and dynamically based on the proximity of the person rather than simply stopping if anyone gets too close, ensuring maximum uptime and productivity.

Optimising safety with maximum productivity has been an essential element in the continuous development of the CoboTend. The partnership with SICK has enabled Cobots Online to offer machine safety set-up in just a matter of minutes.

ALM’s Commercial Manager Matthew Thompson explains: “Machine shops like ours are busy places crammed with plant and machinery, and there is not much space in between them. Conventional robots, guarded in cages, would just take up too much room. So, to automate our machine tending we needed a safety system that would enable a robot to operate at speed for most of the time avoiding frequent stops and manual restarts, meanwhile protecting the safety of personnel passing nearby.

SICK nanoScan3 Pro with SBot Speed – URCap

The SICK nanoScan3 Pro safety laser scanner is very easy to integrate thanks to the SBot Speed – URCap, an easy-to-use safety system that combines SICK and Universal Robots safety technology.

The sBot Speed – URCap is an intelligent safety system which is designed for ease of set-up and intuitive operation. The sBot Speed – URCap was developed by SICK in collaboration with Universal Robots to provide a means to safeguard a robot application whilst achieving high productivity.

It is easy and fast to set up using smart field definition and field teach-in. Simultaneous scan data and automatic field fusion provide feedback though the GUI displayed on the robot pendant to enable set-up, diagnostics, commissioning and validation.

The circular fields, measured from the centre of the robot base, are generated automatically by the system following the teach-in process, which identifies the robot’s surroundings in seconds, including any stationary objects in the monitored area. The safety system is integrated via SICK’s Flexi Soft controller, which fits neatly within the unit’s cabinet.

Designed by users, for users

“Until we began working with SICK, with earlier versions of the CoboTend we had to set up the safety systems using a laptop and more complex software,” Matthew Thompson continues. “It took a lot longer, and the software was much less easy to use than it is now.  Now, we can combine effortless set-up with peace of mind for our customers.

“The SICK safety is part of the CoboTend’s ultimate appeal: It has been designed by people who use it and understand it. We have developed it for our own efficiency, to get a direct benefit from it. There are other systems out there, but they are developed by robot manufacturers, and not actual users like us.”

The ultra-compact SICK nanoScan3 Pro measures 101 x 101 x 80 mm and is just eight centimetres tall. Despite its size, the nanoScan3 Pro packs in all of SICK’s latest safety laser scanning technology advances, including SICK’s safeHDDM (High Definition Distance Measurement) scanning and evaluation technology. It enables the highest level of responsiveness when safely adjusting a machine’s speed and direction, even under challenging industrial conditions such as where there are bright lights, sparks, dust and dirt.

The SICK nanoScan3 Pro is a Type 3 device (IEC 61496-3) and can be used in combination with the sBot systems in safety functions up to SIL2 (IEC 62061)/ PLd (ISO 13849).

Return on investment

Just like many of the high-mix, low-volume manufacturers that use the Cobots Online serves, ALM Engineering is seeing the need for further automation using freely-accessible robots as essential.

Recruitment is getting increasingly difficult and costly, especially since the Covid pandemic, says Thompson. Using cobots also frees up personnel for less mundane and repetitive tasks and reduces the requirement for overtime during busy periods. Cobots Online customers hail from a diverse range of industries from kitchen manufacturers to automotive and aerospace.

“At ALM, we move our CoboTends around all the time,” Thompson continues. “They can do one job in the morning, and another in the afternoon. We can turn the lights off on a Friday and leave them running all weekend.

“Given the price of labour, a CoboTend has a maximum pay-back period of two years. Once our customers have one machine, it’s often not long before they return to buy another one.”

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The SICK Visionary-T Mini AP uses time-of-flight snapshot technology to set new standards of data accuracy for detailed environmental perception at rapid production speeds. It captures both the 3D depth and 2D intensity values of every pixel at an exceptional (512 × 424 px) resolution in a single shot of light, at up to 30 3D frames per second.

Common 3D inspection tasks in factory automation and logistics, such as completeness, fill level monitoring or robot palletising, can be set up rapidly and cost-effectively to run onboard the Visionary-T Mini AP camera using the SICK Nova 3D Presence Inspection sensorApp. Users simply select the 3D machine vision tools they need via an easy graphic user interface and the Visionary-T Mini AP camera is soon delivering reliable inspection results via I/O to the machine controller or over TCP/IP.

No programming skills

“Thanks to SICK’s Nova foundation software, you don’t need programming skills to run a ready-made sensorApp directly onboard our smart devices,” explains Nathaniel Hofmann, SICK’s market product manager for machine vision and measurement. “With the SICK Nova Presence Inspection toolset, you can easily configure a 3D machine vision solution that exactly matches your application.

“Just select the tools you need from the App to run directly on board the Visionary-T Mini AP. It’s simple to use the graphical user interface, from where you also can also access other industry-standard vision tools. Or you can install one of the ready-made, application-specific solutions should you need them.”

As a programmable device, the SICK Visionary-T Mini AP is easy to configure and commission. A multicam mode is available to process image data from more than one Visionary-T Mini. With rapid 3D data transmission, the Visionary-T Mini is suitable for integration into most industrial applications.

3D vision toolset

With a toolset of commonly used 3D vision tools, the SICK Nova Presence Inspection App easily masters tasks like emptiness checks in bins, totes and crates, presence detection of objects in 3D scenes, as well as simple measurements and quality tolerance checks.

“3D quality checks for completeness often need several, more advanced, machine vision software tools and programming skillset to identify the quality inspection issue, but with SICK Nova Presence Inspection, they are easy to configure,” Hofmann adds. “The camera outputs results, such as confirming all parts are present and at the right locations or verifying a set of measurements.”

Using the SICK Nova Presence Inspection on Visionary T Mini, the position, height and volume of any package can be determined, for example for a robot to pick it and place it in a container or pallet. The Visionary-T Mini’s 3D snapshot technology can also be used for continuous 3D Fill Level monitoring, for example to determine if totes are empty, filled, full or overfull, or it can measure the presence of parts in a bin or presence of ingredients in a vessel, for example.

Visionary-T Mini

With a low-weight and no moving parts, the Visionary-T Mini’s IP65/67 housing measures just 80 mm x 70 mm x 77 mm, ideal for installation in compact robotics and automation solutions. It performs reliably despite the shocks and vibrations of applications such as robot palletising and depalletising. The automatic High Dynamic Range of the Visionary-T Mini ensures even widely-varying contrasts and lighting conditions across a scene are captured in each frame without complex set up, or expert knowledge of time-of-flight settings. The high-density 512 x 424 px resolution is complemented by a 70° x 60° field of view.

The SICK Visionary-T Mini CX provides an alternative option for customers wishing to use the power of the Visionary-T Mini’s snapshot technology to stream 3D data for their own software applications.

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