ABB Robotics has opened a new test center for random bin picking in Jönköping, Sweden. The aim is to develop automated pick & place solutions using the latest random bin picking technology with 3D image processing. The center is part of ABB's strategy to drive flexible automation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Housed in ABB's Global Solution Center for Machine Feeding, the test center will work with customers and partners to develop solutions for integration into their facilities.

"The opening of our new Random Bin Picking Test Center is a significant milestone in our efforts to drive automation in industries that are currently difficult to automate. The ability to accurately, quickly and efficiently handle randomly arranged parts significantly increases flexibility in parts feeding," emphasizes Andrea Cassoni, Head of the Global Business Line General Industry at ABB Robotics. "Compared to conventional systems, our automated random bin picking solution enables more efficient material handling, which often pays for itself for our customers in less than 12 months."

Further developing random bin-picking technology

ABB intends to use the new test center to accelerate the further development of its random bin-picking technology. This comprises an ABB robot including a 3D camera, which enables it to pick up parts in different arrangements and orientations.

© ABB

ABB intends to use the new test center to accelerate the further development of its random bin-picking technology. This comprises an ABB robot including a 3D camera, which enables it to pick up parts in different arrangements and orientations. By recognizing objects regardless of their orientation, randomly arranged components in a box or on a pallet can be fed without the need for manual pre-sorting or alignment.

Conventional structured bin picking systems require objects to be in a specific orientation before the robot can pick and move them. Arranging parts by hand is not only time-consuming but also carries the risk of injury, while incorrect feeding can result in production delays.

Fully automating the bin picking process increases the efficiency, productivity and flexibility of manufacturing processes and speeds up material handling and other operations such as machine loading and part feeding. It also paves the way for the automation of other processes within the factory, such as the use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that automatically transport pallets of parts to the robot cell. ABB's smallest robotic machine tending cell has a footprint of just three square meters, which opens up completely new possibilities for integration into existing production lines.

ABB's new Random Bin Picking test center offers the possibility to test different configurations and scenarios before implementation. This minimizes the risks, time and costs typically associated with implementing bin picking applications and reduces disruption during installation. The team uses RobotStudio, ABB's leading simulation and programming software, to model processes before physical cells are built.