Integrating Pick and Place Robots with AutoStore

What is a pick and place robot (piece picking robot)?

Pick and place robots, also known or piece-picking robots, are automated systems engineered to execute repetitive tasks, particularly the action of picking up objects from one location and placing them in another. These robots are integral components in various settings, including manufacturing lines and logistics centers.

The building blocks of a pick and place robot

The primary components of a pick and place robot include:

• Mobile base or robotic arm: This forms the primary structure of the robot, enabling it to reach different locations or items. The choice between a mobile base and a stationary arm depends on the application's specific requirements. Mobile robots are equipped to navigate around a space, while robotic arms are generally stationary but can move along multiple axes to reach various positions.
• End effector or gripper: This is the component that physically interacts with the objects, picking them up and placing them elsewhere. The design of the gripper varies significantly depending on the nature of the items to be handled, ranging from suction cups for smooth and flat items to mechanical claws for irregularly shaped objects.

• Sensors: Sensors play a crucial role in the functionality of pick and place robots, enabling them to detect and identify the items they are handling, as well as navigate their surroundings. Common types of sensors include vision systems for object recognition and distance sensors for spatial orientation.
• Advanced software: The operation of pick and place robots is governed by sophisticated vision system software that facilitates machine learning and path optimization. This software is crucial for tasks such as planning the most efficient route for the robot to take or adapting the robot's actions based on real-time feedback from its sensors.

‍Below, learn more about the importance of vision systems. ↓

Pick and place robots can be either stationary, where they are fixed in one spot and may operate in conjunction with a conveyor system to handle objects that come to them, or mobile, where they have the capability to move around a facility to perform their tasks. The choice between a stationary or mobile robot depends on the specific needs and layout of the operation in which they are employed.

The usual role(s) of pick and place robots

Pick and place robots can have the following roles within a warehouse environment:

1. Order preparation: These robots automate the assembly of orders by picking items and grouping them for future fulfillment. By working continuously, even outside of regular business hours, they ensure that orders are ready for processing as soon as the next shift starts, reducing wait times and improving throughput.
2. Pick and pack: Robots equipped for pick-and-pack operations can autonomously select items for an order and then pack them into shipping containers. This dual capability minimizes the need for human intervention in the order fulfillment process, enhancing speed and accuracy.
3. Batch picking: In batch picking, robots collect multiple orders simultaneously, improving efficiency by reducing the number of trips needed through the warehouse. This method is particularly effective in environments with high order volumes and similar item requirements across orders.
4. Returns handling: Handling returns can be complex and time-consuming. Pick and place robots can automate the sorting and restocking of returned items, ensuring that products are quickly processed and available for resale. This role is crucial in maintaining inventory accuracy and reducing the turnaround time for returned goods.

Types of pick and place robots

Certain types of pick and place robots stand out for their relevance and adaptability. Here are the types most commonly used and the areas they’re most suitable within:

Piece picking robots

Overview: Piece picking robots are designed to pick individual items from a group or bin and place them in another location. They use advanced vision systems and AI to identify and handle various objects.

Applications:

• E-commerce: Sorting and packing items for shipment
• Pharmaceuticals: Picking and placing medications in packaging
• Grocery: Handling fresh produce and packaged goods

Gantry robots

Overview: Gantry robots, also known as Cartesian robots, move along a fixed overhead track and are ideal for tasks requiring high precision over large areas.

Applications:

• Pick and Place: Moving items from one location to another
• Palletizing: Stacking items on pallets
• Machine Tending: Loading and unloading machines

Collaborative robots (cobots)

Overview: Cobots are designed to work alongside humans in a shared workspace. They are equipped with sensors and safety features to ensure safe interaction with human workers.

Applications:

• Manufacturing: Assisting in assembly lines
• Healthcare: Assisting in surgeries or rehabilitation
• Logistics: Sorting and packing items

SCARA robots

Overview: SCARA (selective compliance assembly robot arm) robots have a unique design that allows for high-speed and high-precision movements in a horizontal plane.

Applications:

• Electronics Assembly: Placing components on circuit boards
• Packaging: Placing products in containers
• Inspection: Performing quality control checks

Mobile robots

Overview: Mobile robots can move around their environment autonomously or via remote control. They are equipped with sensors and navigation systems to avoid obstacles and navigate efficiently.

Applications:

• Warehousing: Transporting goods within a warehouse
• Healthcare: Delivering medications and supplies in hospitals
• Security: Patrolling and surveillance

Delta robots

Overview: Delta robots have a triangular base and three arms that provide high-speed and high-precision movements. They are often used for tasks requiring quick and accurate handling.

Applications:

• Food Processing: Sorting and packaging food items
• Pharmaceuticals: Handling delicate items
• Electronics: Assembling small components

Each type of robot is designed to deliver optimal operation for a specific task or environment. There are many more functions that robotic applications can be applied to many industries, this is an overview of the most common types.

Articulated robots

Overview: Articulated robots have rotary joints and can have multiple axes, providing a wide range of motion similar to a human arm. They are highly versatile and precise.

Applications:

• Welding: Performing precise welding tasks
• Material Handling: Moving heavy object
• Assembly: Assembling components in manufacturing

Vision systems

Vision systems are crucial for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of robot pick and place applications. The installation, calibration, and processing involved in these applications are very important and should be considered when selecting any of these.

2-D vision systems

Overview: These systems use cameras to capture flat images of the environment. They are suitable for applications where depth information is not critical. Also used in tandem for product identification.

Applications:

• Object Detection: Identifying and locating objects on a flat surface
• Barcode Reading: Scanning barcodes for inventory management
• Quality Inspection: Checking for defects on the surface of products

3-D vision systems

Overview: These systems use multiple cameras or structured light to capture depth information, creating a 3-D model of the environment. The movement of the scanning process can also be employed to deliver 3-D results.

Applications:

• Bin Picking: Identifying and picking items from a bin with varying shapes and sizes
• Assembly: Ensuring precise placement of components in complex assemblies
• Palletizing/Depalletizing: Stacking and unstacking items with varying heights

Stereo vision

Overview: This method uses two cameras placed at different angles to mimic human binocular vision, providing depth perception. The calibration and positioning is vital in these applications.

Applications:

• Navigation: Helping mobile robots navigate through complex environments
• Obstacle Avoidance: Detecting and avoiding obstacles in real-time
• Object Manipulation: Enhancing the accuracy of picking and placing objects

Below, a flashing vision system camera guides a RightHand Robotics RightPick piece-picking arm at the apo.com fulfillment center in the Netherlands. The RightPick uses suction grippers to grab items from AutoStore Bins exiting the storage Grid and place them into a cardboard shipping container.

Structured light

Overview: This technique projects a known pattern (like grids or stripes) onto the object and captures the deformation of the pattern to calculate depth.

Applications:

• 3-D Scanning: Creating detailed 3-D models of objects for inspection or reverse engineering
• Surface Inspection: Detecting surface defects or irregularities
• Volume Measurement: Measuring the volume of objects for packaging

Time-of-flight (ToF) cameras

Overview: These cameras measure the time it takes for light to travel to an object and back, providing precise depth information.

Applications:

• Gesture Recognition: Detecting hand movements for human-robot interaction
• Distance Measurement: Measuring distances in real-time for precise placement
• Environmental Mapping: Creating detailed maps of the environment for navigation

Machine learning and AI

Overview: Integrating AI with vision systems allows robots to learn and improve their object recognition and handling capabilities over time. This is where the largest pool of development is aimed at this moment in time.

Applications:

• Adaptive Picking: Learning to pick new objects without reprogramming
• Defect Detection: Identifying defects with higher accuracy by learning from previous examples
• Sorting: Classifying objects based on learned characteristics

These vision system methods can work in hand and adapt to the capabilities of robots in pick and place applications, making them more able to navigate dynamic environments and moving targets.

Integrating pick and place robots with AutoStore: Enhancing warehouse operations

The integration of pick and place robots and AutoStore is not merely a juxtaposition of two technologies but a strategic fusion that significantly amplifies operational efficiency, adaptability, and competitiveness in the logistics sector. As we delve deeper into the practical application of pick and place robots, it becomes clear that their role extends beyond simple task execution to being integral components of a comprehensive AutoStore solution.

The collaboration between AutoStore and pick and place robots is characterized by three critical areas of integration: hardware, software, and material flow. Each facet is essential for maximizing warehouse functionality:

1. Hardware integration: AutoStore ensures a seamless physical connection with robotic piece picking through standardized interfaces, facilitating easy replication and consistent performance across diverse locations.
2. Software integration: The range of software integration spans from basic, direct command executions to sophisticated interactions with warehouse management systems (WMSs), enhancing speed and handling exceptions efficiently. AutoStore compatibility with leading WMS providers paves the way for advanced robotic piece picking implementations.
3. Material flow integration: Customizing integration to align with specific operational needs is crucial. Whether it's integrating with existing conveyor systems or automating carton erection and packaging, AutoStore and its partners leverage extensive automation experience to refine material flows, thereby optimizing warehouse operations.

By integrating pick and place robots, AutoStore customers unlock significant benefits. The reduction in labor dependency stabilizes operations and addresses workforce shortages, while the capacity for robots to prepare orders outside standard hours boosts productivity and extends facility utilization, illustrating the powerful synergy between AutoStore and pick and place robots in driving warehouse efficiency and productivity.

Beyond supplementation: The unique value of AutoStore

While pick and place robots offer valuable support in areas such as order picking, assembly, loading, unloading, sorting, quality control, secondary packaging, customization, and returns processing, it’s important to highlight that they complement rather than replace the unique capabilities of AutoStore Robots. In fact, they are fundamentally different from the AutoStore specialized system, which is designed for high-density storage and rapid retrieval within a compact Grid. Here's how they differ from AutoStore:

Specialized storage and retrieval: The AutoStore system is optimized for storing a vast number of items in a minimized space, using a Grid and Robots that move on top of the Grid to retrieve items. This specialization in maximizing storage density and ensuring fast access to stored goods is something that general pick and place robots cannot replicate due to their design for a broader range of tasks.

Space optimization: AutoStore maximizes warehouse space utilization through its unique storage Grid, reducing the need for aisles and enabling items to be stored more densely than traditional shelving or automated systems that pick and place robots might serve.

Integrated system control: The AutoStore system operates with a highly integrated software platform that precisely coordinates the movement and tasks of its Robots within the Grid, optimizing storage and retrieval efficiency. Pick and place robots, while versatile and capable of integrating with various warehouse management systems, do not inherently fit into this specialized Grid system without additional configuration and cannot manage the storage density and retrieval efficiency that AutoStore provides.

In summary, pick and place robots offer flexible, efficient automation solutions across a broad spectrum of warehouse tasks, from order fulfillment to quality control. However, when it comes to the specific demands of maximizing storage density and optimizing retrieval within a compact Grid, the specialized system of AutoStore plays an irreplaceable role. Together, they create a highly efficient, productive warehouse environment where each technology leverages its strengths to support overall operational goals.

The future: Evolving integration and automation

Looking ahead, the integration of pick and place robots with AutoStore is poised for further advancement. The ongoing trend toward automation in warehousing, driven by both collaborative and industrial robots, promises to elevate efficiency and customer value to new heights. With improvements anticipated in hardware, software, and material flow integration, facilitated by the growing expertise of AutoStore partners, the future heralds a landscape of increasingly sophisticated and seamless automation solutions.

Conclusion

As we look toward the future, the integration of pick and place robots with AutoStore systems in warehouses presents a landscape brimming with potential. The ongoing trends in automation, supported by the dynamic interplay between collaborative and industrial robots, highlight a future where operational efficiency, reduced labor dependency, and increased productivity become the cornerstones of warehouse management. The role of AutoStore partners becomes increasingly vital, acting as conduits for sophisticated and seamless automation solutions that promise to revolutionize warehouse operations. As this integration deepens, it paves the way for a more efficient, productive, and adaptable supply chain ecosystem, ready to meet the demands of tomorrow's logistics and manufacturing challenges.

FAQ

What is pick and place in robotics?

Pick and place in robotics refers to automated systems designed to pick up objects from one location and place them in another. These robots are used in various industries to enhance efficiency and productivity in repetitive tasks.

How much does a pick and place robot cost?

The cost of a pick and place robot can vary widely, ranging from $25,000 to over $100,000, depending on the complexity, precision, and capabilities required. Smaller, simpler systems might be at the lower end of this range, while more sophisticated robots with advanced vision systems and greater flexibility can be significantly more expensive.

Which type of robot is commonly used for pick and place operation?

SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) and Delta robots are commonly used for pick and place operations. SCARA robots are preferred for tasks requiring high precision and speed in a plane, while Delta robots are chosen for their high-speed capabilities and ability to work in limited spaces.

What is another name for a pick and place robot?

Another name for a pick and place robot is a piece-picking robot. This term emphasizes the robot's capability to pick individual pieces or items, which is essential in applications like order fulfillment, assembly, and packaging.