newbie [PickMaster 3]

PickMaster
1

Dear all,

I have a new project using flexpicker. This is my first time using pickmaster, so I’m a very newbie in this topic. So, please share with me about your knowledge and experience about these:

We have an application , which the robot has to pick the coins (red and yellow), and place in a tray. The formation is 3 red and 3 yellow (2x 3)

In our package (from ABB), we receive 1 gigE camera (i think mono camera), and 1 encoder interface.A?

I proposed to use gigE and encoder interface in pick conveyor, and use a external sensor in place(with tray)conveyor.A?

The first question is, if i use gigE camera, what should i prepare for the hardware? (I read that i should have ethernet card that supported for this, Intel A?dual port). Can all of you have any suggestion for other brand?

Second, is my proposed system correct? using vision and conveyor tracking in pick conv, and external sensor in place convy? (because i need to place the coins inside the tray). Or any idea?

third, can the mono camera can useto detect the colour? I read from the manual, the blob methode can used to this (by set the treshold in the grayscale histogram)

the last, if i place the camera outside (I means, i don’t use the blackbox), and use the lamps that have different colour with outside lamp, can this help me to find out which coins are approves, and which one are rejected? (for informations, I will set it in my factory, and I will send it to an exhibition. I think there will be a different light intensity.

Thanks

BR,A?

2

Here are answers to some aof your questions regarding vision:

-If you order PickMaster with the option “Gigabit Ethernet Ready” you will receive a network card (Intel Pro 1000/PT dual Port). I recommend you to use this if possible.
It requires a PC with a PCI-express x4 or x8 or x16 slot.

-You can often use a monochrome camera to detect color, but not always. You can use the blob-tool to find objects with the specified grey scale value. Another option is to use PatMax to locate the part and then use an inspection tool (blob-tool or histogram-tool) to determine if the part is red or yellow. For this alternative you need the inspection-option.

-It is difficult to say if it is best to use a light-box, or colored light. If you use colored light (e.g. infra-red) you should put a filter on the camera to filter out the surrounding light, but depending on the filter, it may not take away all ambient light. Probably it is safest to use a light box, which effectively shields out all ambient light.

3

I just want to add some remarks about you configuration, I do not think that you need external sensor on the place.

External sensor is needed if you want to use for example an other vision system that the one of ABB. There for you need to build a software application. See Pickmaster SDK.pdf for more information. I am not sure If you want to do this.

If you want to place the coin in a tray you could use a position source combinate with a container.

BR
Fabrice

4

Dear Fredrik,

Thank you for your suggestions. Today I re-check the package that we will receive from ABB, and I don’t find the inspection option. And I also don’t know which camera that we will receive. But our package doesn’t include the inspection option. So, what should we do?A?

About the light, we proposed to use a metal halide lamps, cool white (quiet yellow), and the outside is natural white lamps (absolutely white). Supposed, the inside lamps is different with the outside , but I haven’t try it yet. Hope it works…A?:cry:

Dear Fabrice,

Thanks for your reply. If i don’t need to use external sensor, so am I only need a conveyor? If it so, can the robot can place the coins precisely inside the tray? (without conveyor tracking?) What parameters that I should set to achive my goal?

Thank youA?