Bin-Picking Solutions: A New Take on Old Processes

Robotics in the Workplace

The use of robotics in factories originated in the 1960s, most commonly in the hydraulic and pneumatic industry for the heavy lifting human workers couldn’t safely do. As the years went on, robotics in the industrial space slowly progressed into where we are today, with factories being fully automated with very little human intervention involved.

One significant component of robotics in the industrial industry is making everything as efficient as possible. Everything revolves around uptime and the stream of revenue that comes in through the products you create. Bin picking is one part that has held factories back for decades; since it is intricate, it has been difficult for robots to successfully pick the correct item out of a bin of wrong parts.

But those difficulties are in the past. Bin-picking automation has made strides, especially in the past few years. You can now implement automated processes in your factory or distribution center to quicken your bin-picking process and save money in the long run with the use of vision software and robotics.

How Bin-Picking Automation Works

Before, the only way to get bin-picking solutions to be as accurate as possible was to use an extensive system that required multiple advanced technologies to work together correctly. A 3D model of the item sorted item, a 3D sensor, image analysis, and robot control software are all required to make bin sorting work ideally.

Intricate and small products were nearly impossible to sort correctly and were too expensive to attempt sorting when it could go wrong.

The Checklist

Now, there is a solution to the problem. AI-driven bin picking has solved the difficulties older processes stumbled over before while sorting pieces and parts. It starts with a checklist of what must happen to achieve the goal of accurate sorting. The list helps guide the robot on what to do and when and ensures it only does the same action once.

In this checklist, the robot precisely plans the path needed to search the box. A collision-avoidance feature allows the specific object to be identified, picked from the bin, and sorted correctly.

Operating Conditions

The AI bin-picking solution is immune to different conditions that could impact original bin-picking systems. The robots are not thwarted by ambient lighting. Nothing can stand in its way if the operator can comfortably run the robot.

Operator Experience

Although it seems simple, there are a few qualifications an operator must have before they can run these robots. The operator must have completed the robotic programming for whatever the task is, work cell process design and correct camera setup, and AI training in parallel to these other factors.

How Bin-Sorting Solutions Will Change Automation for the Better

As you might have guessed, automated bin sorting has various advantages that will benefit your factory and change the way you work.

Saving money, in the long run, is just part of it. Bin-picking solutions will make your factory run smoother and faster than ever. The accuracy that comes with these solutions is like no other, few or no mistakes are made on the factory floor, and bins are sorted at an exponential rate.

Although bin-picking solutions have come at a high price in the past, they are more accessible now that they have been simplified and are ready to be used in the factory daily.

Ready to automate your bin-picking process? Contact Motion Automation Intelligence and speak to a rep today.