Microscan, a global technology leader in barcode, machine
vision, and lighting solutions, has been selected by Cross Company’s Automation
Group for an integrated robotic inspection solution using the Universal Robots
UR5 robotic arm and Microscan Vision HAWK Smart Camera. The vision-guided robot
is a turnkey inspection system that provides final quality inspection of large
components like automotive engines or large electronic sub-assembles where
multi-point inspection of the part is required in three dimensions. The
solution combines easy-to-use machine vision components with easy-to-use
robotics, solving complicated inline inspection applications simply and safely
for manufacturers.
In order to perform quality inspection of large components,
multiple machine vision cameras are typically required because the component
may be too big for the available number of pixels in a single machine vision
sensor to capture all part features and complete all inspections in one image,
or the inspections must be made from several angles around the component. This
type of inspection is therefore not commonly automated because of the
requirement for excessive equipment, mounting space, and complex configuration of
all necessary tools. But this is where robotics, like the UR5 robotic arm,
excel in simplifying all equipment into a single automation solution. The UR5
system uses one machine vision camera in a dynamic application, where robot and
camera communicate data in order to navigate to the necessary inspection points
on all sides of the component.
In Cross Company’s UR5 robotic inspection system, the
inspection locations for a given part are communicated by way of a SKU that is
read from a component as it enters the inspection point on the manufacturing
line. This SKU initiates a machine vision job on the Vision HAWK Smart Camera
containing all of the prescribed inspection steps for that component. As the
UR5 robotic arm moves to the correct position, a command is sent to the Vision
HAWK camera for the correct sub-inspection to perform at that location. The
system keeps track of the cumulative results of all inspections and this
collective pass/fail data is combined into an overall quality report for the
component. The system can then perform new sets of inspections for new
components coming down the line based on the unique SKU of each component,
indicating specific inspection tasks. This modular process ensures automated
quality control can be incorporated without downtime on the line, enabling a
fully inline inspection step that is easily incorporated at any stage of
manufacturing.
Microscan’s Vision HAWK Smart Camera was selected for Cross
Company’s UR5 inspection system because of its fully-integrated design,
bringing together powerful inspection tools, image processing, advanced optics,
liquid lens autofocus, and LED lighting all within one compact industrial
machine vision camera. The camera integrates easily into equipment via RS-232
or Ethernet connections and can communicate over serial, Ethernet TCP/IP,
EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET I/O protocols using the Microscan Link industrial
connectivity tool, available across all Microscan machine vision systems. Part
of Microscan’s AutoVISION family of machine vision products, the Vision HAWK
Smart Camera takes advantage of a full suite of inspection capability and
user-friendly technologies from Microscan’s legacy of machine vision
innovation. This includes the new CloudLink Web HMI, which is used in the UR5
robotic inspection system to display inspection results on a wireless tablet or
smart phone using a web browser.
Cross Company’s UR5 robotic inspection system was recently
demonstrated at Automate 2015 in Chicago, where Microscan Machine Vision
Promoter Dr. Jonathan Ludlow hosted a Video Showcase of the live UR5 robotic
inspection demo, organized by machine vision global media source Vision Systems
Design. More information about the UR5 robotic inspection system solution is
available at cross-automation.com, and from Product Manager Paul Carter in the
Cross Company Blog.
Microscan is a global leader in technology for precision
data acquisition and control solutions serving a wide range of automation and
OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan has a strong history of technology
innovation that includes the invention of the first laser diode barcode scanner
and the 2D symbology, Data Matrix. Today, Microscan remains a technology leader
in automatic identification and machine vision with extensive solutions for ID
tracking, traceability, and inspection, ranging from basic barcode reading to
complex machine vision inspection, identification, and measurement.
As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company recognized for quality
leadership in the U.S., Microscan is known and trusted by customers worldwide
as a provider of quality, high precision products. Microscan is a Spectris
company.
