Nowadays, every company has automated several processes that are essential in manufacturing. This is true regardless of the industry, simply because top-notch technology offers various benefits that enable companies to take their businesses to the next level.
When it comes to manufacturing, companies have used robots to boost their entire process further, as well as their employees’ efficiency, and ensure the highest quality products. The latest achievement includes a combination of robotics and vision technology. In the following article, we will tell you about its applications, how it works, and the benefits that it offers.
What is robotic vision technology?
Source:genesis-systems.com
As you know, robotic technology has been used for a while now to automate several processes, but when combined with vision innovation, it further facilitates the work. In a nutshell, vision technology enables robots to easily identify and find objects, analyze them and look for damages, and also predict potential issues. Naturally, they are programmed and use different algorithms and even temperature sensors, and you get to determine these.
Due to these features, state-of-the-art robots can complete an abundance of tasks, such as packaging and quality inspection, measuring, scanning barcodes, analyzing items for damages and defects, and so on. As you can see, this system cannot only improve the overall process, but it can also provide you to cut down operation costs, boost workers’ safety, etc. Robot vision technology is used across several industries, meaning there are many products one can invest in.
How does it work?
Source:designnews.com
Basically, there are two major steps in this process – imaging and image processing. The former includes scanning 2D items such as barcodes and 3D and X-ray inspection of things and objects for thorough analysis. As you can assume, the latter consists of processing what the robot “sees.” Once it detects an object, it identifies its patterns, edges, shape, obstacles (if there are any) and conducts a meticulous analysis to find potential defects. As already mentioned, this is done according to algorithms that were previously determined and input by workers.
Applications
Some of the industries that use robotic vision system are automotive, logistics, home appliances, electronics, furniture, and so on. For example, robots equipped with the features will easily identify objects, even if they are tightly packed, and have a reflective surface, analyze them, and move them to a designated location. Furthermore, it can also recognize completely different items if they are packed in the same container, understand where each of them is supposed to go, and finally move them around. Moreover, it can also count the number of containers or boxes and easily pack them on a pallet based on the previously determined requirements or transport them from the pallet to a conveyor belt one by one.
When it comes to home appliance technology, it can take the entire production process a step further. For example, it can quickly find welding points of different parts and save your employees a lot of time this way. In addition, it can detect all sorts of defects or holes on boxes that aren’t supposed to be there, notify workers accordingly or even install pins to fill out the gaps.
What are the benefits?
Considering that investing in this latest piece of technology requires a lot of money, businesses need to learn about its advantages to understand whether they should take this step or not. If you are currently facing the same dilemma, here are some advantages of robotic vision technology.
Product quality
The most obvious advantage of this innovation is that it enables you to boost your products’ quality significantly. As mentioned and explained several times, this technology thoroughly inspects each item and looks for potential defects. The chances are that none of your workers would be able to notice these, meaning that they wouldn’t have an opportunity to resolve them. However, considering the robotic vision technology includes 3D scanning and X-ray imaging, you won’t have to worry about this anymore. Every item will be analyzed and measured to ensure that it meets all the standards and requirements before packing and shipping.
Boost productivity
Source:medium.com
One thing that all companies have in common is that there have to complete several mundane tasks repeatedly. Most of these are performed manually by employees. It means that they waste precious time every day, and considering that these tasks quickly bore them, it is likely that they will eventually start making mistakes.
Eliminating these tasks completely from your workers’ schedule is another benefit of robotic vision technology. Not only will these be completed quickly and efficiently by a machine, but the chances of errors will also decrease. In addition, simultaneously, the employees’ productivity will grow since they will have more time to focus on other aspects of the manufacturing process.
Flexibility
One of the main features of these robots is their flexibility. As already stated, their functions are determined by the algorithms and sensors you specify. Due to this reason, they can perform a variety of tasks and different types of objects. Basically, by changing the settings, you can use this technology for several aspects of the production process, and therefore, develop it further.
Cost efficiency
Even though purchasing this innovation is a significant investment, the truth is that it can save you a lot of money in the long run. First of all, there is that matter of operation cost. Since this system can perform several tasks, it eliminates the need to employ more manpower to work on those tasks manually.
At the same time, there is also the matter of faulty or damaged products. Due to the fact that this technology can identify all the downsides, you will be able to correct them immediately, instead of tossing away the entire appliance and constructing one from scratch. You will be able to understand whether the damage can be eliminated or whether you have to stop working on the said item. As you can see, this will not only save you time and material but also time.
Wrapping up
To sum up, these are some essential things you need to know about robotic vision technology. As you can see, there are many things you have to consider in order to understand whether this investment can help you grow your business.
