Posted to News on 15th Apr 2016, 11:19
Universal Robots now with machine vision capability
Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) is now integrating its machine vision technology with collaborative robots (cobots) from Universal Robots, for which R.A. Rodriguez (U.K.) Limited is the Preferred Partner in the UK. IVS is pitching the vision-enabled UR3, UR5 and UR10 models at customer applications such as inspecting complex components, as well as for providing positioning feedback to the robot.
Founded in 2000, IVS has grown to become a major supplier of machine vision and artificial intelligence systems to industry. The company's vision systems are used all over the world in automated production processes for quality control, inspection, guidance, identification, measurement, tracking and counting - in many diverse sectors.
Earl Yardley, director at IVS says: "This new generation of affordable, lightweight robots is unlocking new markets and applications as they work side by side with human workers. The result is increased total factor productivity and the elimination of the need for costly precision fixtures, thus allowing different parts to be processed and inspected without changing tools."
The latest generation vision systems from IVS are based on high-resolution digital camera technology combined with sub-pixel accuracy vision software for ease of deployment within factory automation. These will combine with the UR robots provided by R.A. Rodriguez.
Mr Yardley says: "We use Rodriguez as they are a qualified, knowledgeable supplier that offers a good background in robotics automation with the UR robots. Working together on projects means we can leverage their substantial knowledge on flexible automation, coupled with our extensive expertise on automated machine vision solutions. As a result, we can approach projects with a team philosophy utilising a large engineering resource between the two companies."
Among numerous target applications at IVS customers, the vision-enabled UR-series "cobots' will assist human workers with inspection processes. IVS believes that, in the future, inspection benches will include space for an operator and a robot to work in partnership as part of the quality control process.
Mr Yardley says that working with "cobots' has the added advantage of working safely and effectively in workspaces occupied by humans: "Collaborative robots are designed so that the robot and human can work together without barriers. By offering ready-to-run inspection solutions utilising robots and vision in tandem, we are opening a new era for real-time machine vision inspection."
IVS will offer vision-enabled versions of UR3, UR5, and UR10 model robots from Universal Robots. The UR3, in particular, is expected to prove popular. This smaller table-top robot can be used to provide camera inspection on multiple sides of complex parts and components, allowing precision automated inspection.
The compact UR3 weighs only 11kg, but has a payload of 3kg, +/-360 degree rotation on all wrist joints and infinite rotation on the end joint. Importantly, the UR3 is built with the same proven collaborative technology as the larger UR5 and UR10 robot arms. All three robots feature the identical safety system and +/-0.1mm repeatability. The UR3 has a default force sensing of 150N but can be set to stop if it encounters a force as low as 50N, if required.
IVS is a member of the British Standards Institute, CE Marking Association and the Processing & Packaging Machinery Association. In addition, the company is an accredited member of the SafeContractor scheme. For more information about IVS go to www.industrialvision.co.uk, and for information about Universal Robots from R.A. Rodriguez please visit www.rarodriguez.co.uk.
