November 22, 2013 – ABB Robotics introduced Integrated Vision, a smart camera system that makes vision-guided robotics applications faster and easier to deploy. Using 2D vision guidance, Integrated Vision allows manufacturers to: track products more accurately, improve supply chain management, improve quality, troubleshoot challenging lines and processes, and significantly expand their use of robotic automation. Taken together, the advantages of vision-guided robotics can significantly improve a company’s bottom line, saving time, money, and other valuable resources. ABB Integrated Vision features sophisticated imaging technologies such as the PatMax algorithm for advanced part location.
The result is robust inspection, defect detection, guidance, alignment, and measurement, all critical to ensuring that manufactured products meet the highest possible quality standards. The new technology is also easy to setup, deploy and maintain. RobotStudio, ABB’s simple PC-based programming tool, provides the platform for creating vision tasks quickly and easily. Operators can select features, set parameters and operate under real world conditions from a library of common vision applications. The smart camera offers the widest range of built-in communication protocols that interface directly with the robot, helping complete programming and set-up in approximately 25% of the traditional time.
“Besides improving quality and flexibility, ABB Integrated Vision optimizes production quality, and maximizes inspection and control by giving robots the power to see,” said ABB product manager Klas Bengtsson. “Companies that effectively utilize vision-guided robotic systems can increase throughput and lower production costs, improve product quality and reduce rework and waste.”
“The new vision system is seamlessly integrated with both the ABB IRC5 controller and RobotStudio, providing run-time efficiency, offline engineering and ease-of-use,” said Dr. Srinivas Nidamarthi, global technology manager, stationed at ABB Robotics North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. “Operators simply plug the camera into the robot controller and they are ready to go.” A
bout ABB Robotics
ABB Robotics is a leading supplier of industrial robots - also providing robot software, peripheral equipment, modular manufacturing cells and service for tasks such as welding, handling, assembly, painting and finishing, picking, packing, palletizing and machine tending. Key markets include automotive, plastics, metal fabrication, foundry, electronics, machine tools, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. A strong solutions focus helps manufacturers improve productivity, product quality and worker safety. ABB has installed more than 200,000 robots worldwide.