Technology trends in machine vision, motion, robotics, supply chain

Automation advancements in industrial networking, machine vision, motion controls, robotics, artificial intelligence, supply chain tracking, and simulation were among trends at Pack Expo Las Vegas, September 2021.

Industrial networking

Weidmuller is helping manufacturers with in-cabinet components, automated machines and device connectivity. Planning, installation and maintenance are easier when integrating distributed automation, electrical and networking components with the right tools and products, designed to work together. Single-pair Ethernet is useful for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Machine vision

Cognex showed how increased computing power and edge intelligence improves line speeds for a variety of machine vision applications. Enabling technologies include integrated high-speed mirrors, 3D laser scanner, deep learning smart camera and high-resolution vision sensors.

Smart Vision Lights is helping to reduce overall cost of components with machine vision lighting that can be user adjusted as needed with a downloadable application. The Smart Vision Lights LFT series is said to be the industry’s first linear light with wireless field of view tunability, to adjust the light projection angle without moving parts to fit particular application needs. Three channel LEDs have 10-, 30- and 50-degree lenses. They’re available in all standard wavelengths and infrared (IR), short-wave infrared (SWIR) and ultraviolet (UV).

The Smart Vision Lights LFT series is said to be the industry’s first linear light with wireless field of view tunability, to adjust the light projection angle without moving parts to fit particular application needs. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology

Motion control, standards

Encoder Products Co., which has a wide range of absolute and programmable encoders, highlighted an all-in-one incremental encoder, measuring wheel, and spring-loaded torsion arm. Encoder Products Model TR1 Tru-Trac linear measurement solution tracks velocity, position or distance over many surfaces. Applications include printing, packaging, conveying and others where distance triggers laser marking or line-scan cameras.

Encoder Products Co. highlighted an all-in-one incremental encoder, measuring wheel, and spring-loaded torsion arm. Encoder Products Model TR1 Tru-Trac linear measurement solution tracks velocity, position or distance over many surfaces. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology

Steady flow through a multiple-process automated line is important to prevent bottle-necks and ensure appropriate throughput. Use of the OMAC (Organization for Machine Automation and Control) PackML standard makes machine performance information more readily available in ways to optimize machine speeds, balance lines and avoid starved conditions, said Ron Mac Donald, OMAC chairman and senior principal engineer R&D (Nestlé Product Technology Center, PetCare) at Nestlé. PackML can be used on any kinds of machines, and is useful for packaging machines, which Mac Donald characterized as expensive, complex and prone to fighting against each other rather than collaborating. In a packed conference session, he worked through details of optimizing accumulation on a line to improve throughput and avoid unplanned outages.

Robotics, artificial intelligence (AI)

Fanuc brought a wide range of packaging and palletizing robotic solutions. The CRX collaborative robot can operate eight years without maintenance. Built-in sensors on each axis allows it to work next to people in many applications (depending on end-tooling) without guarding. A Fanuc CRX-10iA/L with a 3D vision sensor demonstrated case palletizing. High-speed selective compliance articulated robot arm (SCARA) robots were demonstrated moving milk crates and mouthwash bottles. A food-grade delta robot used machine vision to pick and place randomly oriented (fake) pieces of chicken.

Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions, Honeywell Intelligrated and Honeywell Robotics demonstrated the Honeywell Smart Flexible Depalletizer robotic technology. It unloaded variable pallets without pre-programming or operator intervention, with the goal of increasing warehouse productivity. It uses software, 2D and 3D machine vision, industrial PC and motion controls to unload pallets 8 ft and higher.

Kuka, majority owned by China’s Midea Group, showed high-speed, high duty cycle SCARA robots, including a SCARA model with ultra-compact footprint, said to have a low cost of ownership. A delta stainless steel robot works in IP69K washdown environments. Fleet management and cybersecurity capabilities were also mentioned.

Mitsubishi Electric showed how its positioned as a global architecture and automation supplier, with controllers, robotics, collaborative robotics, motors and motion control including servo motors and drives, variable frequency drives (VFDs), computer numerical control (CNC), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and other software, industrial networking including wireless, visualization and more. Support for international standards helps with ease of use and system integration.

Mujin is working with several robotics providers, including Yaskawa Motoman, to use artificial intelligence to improve robotics and motion controls. Mujin uses machine vision, modeling, and motion and machine intelligence software to help with palletizing, depalletizing, piece picking, bin picking, container depalletizing, and mobile robotics. Such robot-agnostic tools are especially helpful in high-variability, less structured, and random palletization applications.

Mujin is working with several robotics providers, including Yaskawa Motoman, to use artificial intelligence to improve robotics and motion controls. Mujin uses machine vision, modeling, and motion and machine intelligence software. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology

Universal Robots emphasized easy-to-setup and use collaborative robotics, with more features, for an increasingly wider set of applications. A partner tooling and solution network along with free online training aims to make robotics accessible in more applications. Robotiq, among those offering end-tooling applications, also offers solutions for other robot manufacturers. An extended reach, increased payload version of the Universal Robots UR10, the UR10e, has payload of 27.55 lb (12.5 kg, 25% more than the prior 10 kg payload) and a 51-in. (1300 mm) reach without extra cost. It has potential to reduce workplace repetitive injury applications.

Simulation, digitalization, analytics

Dassault Systemes is working to help companies meet sustainability goals by using digital twins in a wide range of applications from the virtual to the real world. By improving products, processes and training digitally, more time and resources are saved earlier in the development process, improving quality and avoiding the need for rework later.

FlexSim offers 3D simulation modeling and analysis software to help understand and improve systems and processes. Existing data can be analyzed to provide accurate predictions.

Supply chain, logistics

COVID-19 and subsequent supply chain disruptions has tightened availability for some automation, controls and instrumentation. Tina Gable, AutomationDirect advertising manager/content/PR, said customers have been rethinking buying strategies as the supply chain tightened after COVID-19 disruptions. For some, this means increasing stock, stocking earlier than pre-COVID and/or greater concerns about availability and delivery times. AutomationDirect, long known for fast shipping after an order is placed, has increased communications on availability, pricing, and shipping. That requires more effort internally and through its supply chain compared to pre-COVID, Gable said, while “trying to be the best source for small and large customers.”

Turck demonstrated how a cart (or forklift) full of boxes can roll through a doorway and can automatically be read with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers, a 30% savings in time compared to hand scanning of boxes. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology

Radio frequency identification technologies have advanced, tags have improved and decreased in price, and capabilities significantly improved. Turck demonstrated how a cart (or forklift) full of boxes can roll through a doorway and can automatically be read, a 30% savings in time compared to hand scanning of boxes. The tags can be embedded in box labels (do not have to be facing outward or up) or even on motors or other products inside the boxes. Two antennae might suffice for paper boxes, expanding to 4 to 8 for other RFID gate system applications, depending on doorway size and other local factors. Several other sensors, industrial networking and human-machine interface (HMI) offerings were shown.

Mark T. Hoske is content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

KEYWORDS: Robotics, logistics, supply chain, automation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Robotics, artificial intelligence and machine vision team up to resolve logistics and motion control challenges.

Simulation and data analytics help digitalization and optimization.

Sensors and standards help motion control applications.

CONSIDER THIS

What automation technologies are helping your workflows, despite continuing labor shortages?

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