How Robotic Vision Systems Can Help Reduce Downtime
As technology advances and evolves, automotive manufacturers are finding new ways to reduce downtime within their plants.
Robotic vision systems, for instance, offer several ways for users to boost efficiencies and keep their plants running at peak performance. From improving employee safety to automating monotonous tasks, robotic vision systems are used by many automotive manufacturers to both simplify and improve the production process.
So, how can these systems enhance your operation? Find out below what robotic vision systems are and some of the most common ways they’re used to decrease downtime.
What Are Robotic Vision Systems?
First, it’s important to understand how a robotic vision system works. Robotic vision systems consist of a software package, one or more cameras and lighting. The software is configured to instruct the robotic arm on how to offset its position to align precisely to a part, regardless of the part location.
Given the increasing adoption rates across many manufacturing industries, vision systems are used in a wide variety of applications. It’s critical to ensure that you choose your vision system wisely to ensure you’re getting the most out of your guidance system.
Reducing Downtime
Next, it’s crucial to identify the exact purpose for your robotic visual system. Because vision systems have a variety of potential uses, including sorting, picking, placing, counting, measuring, and other similar functions, there are a number of ways robotic vision systems can help reduce downtime.
One of the main ways robotic vision systems can reduce downtime is by having a vision guided robotic system overcome part location variation. For example, if a part is bumped when a forklift drops a rack, a non-vision guided robot will either miss picking the part or simply crash into a part, creating a stoppage in the production line. Some robotic systems are fitted with laser switches and complex search routines. These switches often fail or the search routines take too long to find the part, causing the assembly line to stop.
Having a vision system that is able to recognize the object, even if it is in a different orientation, is critical in making sure your assembly line is free of avoidable interruptions.
Robotic vision systems can also identify errors in real time, which enables workers to respond more rapidly, implement corrective actions sooner and avoid unnecessary costs. An example of this is when an incorrect part is placed in a rack.
Finally, robotic vision systems help augment work for humans by performing tasks in hard-to-reach or see places within a motor vehicle assembly or in dangerous areas within the plant. In these cases, the vision systems eliminate the time needed to implement the necessary precautionary measures when humans perform the same task, which keeps employees out of harm’s way.
In similar circumstances, robotic vision systems can work alongside humans to facilitate tasks. For example, the robot vision can pick multiple parts from boxes and place these parts for people to perform complex assembly.
Looking to Reduce Downtime?
Reducing downtime within your plant can be an overwhelming task if you’re unsure of where to start. Contact us today so we can show you how our easy-to-use CortexRecognition® and Robeye® solution can eliminate downtime at your automotive plant.
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