Project Example #1 - Robotic Pick and Place, Ceramic Sensor Element

Project Example #2 - Robotic Pick and Place, Mold Load/Unload

Challenges

• Molds are extracted from furnaces at temperature in excess of 1000°F.
• A Robot is installed to transfer molds to a conveyor. Tubes on the mold are provided for the robot to insert end effectors and pick up the mold.
• Tooling is not installed in a precise location and molds are not precisely dimensioned.

• Molds are expensive and cannot be touched during handling to avoid damage.

AEC's Solution

• A vision sensor is installed on the robot near the end effector.
• Images are analyzed to determine orientation of the robot end effector with respect to the mold.
• The AEC Control System calculates position error based on concentricity of circles in the tube and commands the robot to a new position to align the end effector to the tube.
• The robot is positioned in front of the mold based on image analysis. This process is repeated until position error is minimized.
• The robot then inserts end effector rods into tooling on the mold, picks up the 400 pound mold, and moves it to the next station.

Benefits

• Safety: Operator is not required in this hazardous environment.
• Better productivity: Robot operates continuously, in response to furnace throughput.
• Lower cost: Expensive fixturing to register mold in precise position is not required. Location of tubes is not critical. Production cost is reduced.
• Improved quality: Molds are consistently placed in the correct position for the next process.