3 benefits of on-arm 3D vision for pick and place robots
Many system integrators use stationary mounting as their go-to solution for vision-guided robots. It can be easily installed with any 3D camera regardless of its size and weight.
On the other hand, attaching the 3D sensor directly to the robot arm is not as common. Even though it is not as common to mount the camera directly to the robot arm, we find that this approach can create a more flexible and effective system. Because of the benefits, end customers should reconsider how their solution can use a robot-mounted 3D camera.
Why does the demand for on-arm mounting increase in pick and place robotics when you can use the standard stationary mounting setup? There are three unique benefits of on-arm mounting:
1. Flexibility
Many machine vision challenges are caused by distance limitations. Therefore, keeping a camera at a fixed location may lead to inconsistent image quality in certain picking applications. A long-distance tends to result in low-quality 3D point clouds, which increases the risk of mispicks and crashes.
For example, in depalletizing applications, it can be challenging to capture a scene with stacked boxes. Ideally, you would like to cover the whole scene with consistently high 3D image quality. However, as your robot keeps removing packages, the initial working distance is not optimal anymore. This leads to decreased point cloud quality through de-palletization.
On-arm mounting solves this challenge as it allows the 3D camera always to be used at the optimal working distance. Additionally, your system can capture point clouds from different angles to view the target objects better. The higher quality data your detection algorithm receives, the more accurate picking can be achieved.
The on-arm mounting flexibility has another benefit, as it allows your robot to tackle fundamental 3D vision challenges like occlusion. Occlusion occurs when the placement of your camera creates “blind spots” (shadow areas) in your target scene. It causes a loss of scene details and negatively affects the quality of your point clouds. With on-arm 3D camera mounting, you get access to a wider variety of imaging angles. Your system can cover larger bins and partially or hidden products in a bin due to occlusion.
2. Cost-effectiveness
One of the beautiful side effects of on-arm robot mounting is that you do not need multiple cameras to capture advanced scenes. Instead of mounting cameras at different picking and placing locations, you can use a single robot-mounted 3D camera to capture point clouds from different angles and positions. On-arm 3D vision minimizes the total cost of ownership by reducing the number of components that need to be installed, calibrated, maintained, and repaired.
Robot-mounted cameras can also be used in a variety of pick and place scenarios. Its unrestricted movement and multiple views allow automation developers to use the same camera for different applications such as piece picking, bin-picking, inspection, and depalletizing. This is beneficial for manufacturing companies dealing with various objects as they do not have to change vision hardware or its mounting position periodically.
3. Adaptability
It is not always feasible to rely on stationary mounting to get consistent and optimal imaging data. Some workstations might be space-limited, and in SMEs (small and mid-size enterprises), the workstation might change frequently. With the correct on-arm mounted camera approach, it’s easier to ensure consistent image quality and reliable pick and place performance in new or challenging work environments.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of on-arm 3D vision, check out this page.
