By Ron Shinn
Productive Robotics introduced a no-programming vision system for its OB7 and OB7-Max collaborative robots and a new gripper series especially suited for light, delicate parts at Automate 2022.
Productive Robotics’ OB Vision system does not require programming knowledge to operate.
“Our goal has always been to simplify the use of cobots on the shop floor by eliminating the need for software and programming,” said Zac Bogart, president of Productive Robotics.
“Operators simply show OB7 what to pick up, push one button and OB Vision learns to recognize the object and pick it up in one automated step,” Bogart said. “The sighted cobots eliminate the need for fixtures and staging parts for pickup, two of the largest bottlenecks when it comes to implementing collaborative robots.”
Bogart said OB Vision lets companies deploy robots faster and perform more complex tasks while reducing costs. Vision-based bin picking is an example of a complex task that an OB7 cobot equipped with OB Vision performs.
Random bin picking can be used on multiple bins of different parts simultaneously.
Productive Robotics also demonstrated a sighted cobot performing parts identification, delicate part handling, adhesive dispensing and gluing. “With a tablet, a technician or operator will be able to see what OB7 sees as it automatically identifies parts that it can touch, handle and pick up,” Bogart said.
OB Vision has a working area of 12 inches by 18 inches. It can recognize items as small as 1 inch and as large as 8 inches. Recognition speed is approximately 1 second and all necessary lighting is integrated into the unit.
Productive Robotics also introduced a new gripper series characterized for its “light touch” in picking up small, delicate parts.
The PG2 parallel gripper is a fully integrated two-finger electric gripper designed for the OB7 series of cobots. The gripper fingers support about 3.6 inches of travel and can be extended to open to about 6.9 inches. Gripping force ranges from about 5.6 pounds of force to 31.5 pounds of force.
The PG2 has both machinable fingers and soft, silicone finger pads. It is IP 65-rated. Total weight is 2.3 pounds. Full close/open time is 1 second. The force control and open/close positions are set by the cobot.
Light-touch fingers can be retrofitted on any existing PG2 gripper.
Absolute Machine Tools distributes Productive Robotics products. Productive Robotics is located in Carpintera, Calif.
Ron Shinn, editor
Contact:
Absolute Machine Tools, Lorain, Ohio, 800-852-7825, www.absolutemachine.com, www.productiverobotics.com
Ron Shinn | Editor
Editor Ron Shinn is a co-founder of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and has been covering the plastics industry for more than 35 years. He leads the editorial team, directs coverage and sets the editorial calendar. He also writes features, including the Talking Points column and On the Factory Floor, and covers recycling and sustainability for PMM and Plastics Recycling.
