All the robots in the world won’t help your assembly process if your parts are not in the right place or the right orientation for pick up. Vision systems can help. Here’s a look at four of the latest technologies.
Most model railroad enthusiasts love to build custom layouts piece by piece. However, some hobbyists prefer to purchase a preformed layout that includes track and scenery, all they have to do is plug it in and start running their trains.
Wire and spring makers do some quite-interesting work. Ace Wire Spring & Form Inc., for example, regularly turns thick wire into specialty hooks using a complex, multistep production process.
Ordinarily, parts are presented to a robot for pick up at fixed locations, the escapement of a feeder bowl, for example, or the pockets of a thermoformed tray. To save space and eliminate the cost of trays and feeders, manufacturers would like a robot to pick randomly oriented parts out of a bin, box or tote.