Production upgrade through vision solution

Citation

(2007), "Production upgrade through vision solution", Assembly Automation, Vol. 27 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2007.03327daf.003

Production upgrade through vision solution

Production upgrade through vision solution

With the ever-increasing need for finely- tuned production lines, manufacturers often look to upgrade their systems in line with technological advances in order to achieve maximum operational output.

At the Johnson Controls plant in Leamington Spa, a production line for the automotive industry was using traditional sensors and it was proving difficult to modify the system should a new part be required. Therefore, the need arose for a system which could adapt quickly and easily to periodic part structure changes.

Bytronic – a Cognex System Integrator – won the contract to provide a fully integrated turnkey solution, including all hardware and software. Working through the successful system integrator scheme, a number of Cognex's high-performance cameras were selected to ensure the accuracy required would be achieved.

The new system is designed specifically for an application consisting of a car's overhead console with map lamps, microphone, sunroof control, alarm ultrasonics, and a Homelinke garage door opener. The primary objective is to ensure the hand assembled parts are produced in the correct variant of a possible 49. In addition to these possible part variants, the console is also available in three different shades of beige: oatmeal, dove and champagne. Therefore, additional checks are required to ensure the correct colours have been assembled together.

These crucial checks are carried out at three separate inspection stations, equipped with two Cognex In-Sight 1000 cameras and one In-Sight 1000C colour camera. These high- performance vision systems inspect each part variant and colour to ensure the correct sequence is used to assemble each overhead console (Figures 2 and 3).

Figure 2 The Cognex In-Sight cameras are linked to industrial touch screen PCs via Ethernet

Figure 3 The screen displays step-by-step instructions and pictures to assist in assembly

This integrated production solution uses pattern find, histogram and colour histogram tools to identify the parts and the specific colours. As each part is assembled manually, the Cognex In-Sight cameras are linked to industrial touch screen PCs via Ethernet, and the screen displays step-by-step instructions and pictures to assist in assembly. The operator interface is achieved using software which monitors all barcode variations and sets up the individual tests. This software is also used both to read test results from the cameras and control inputs and outputs.

The new system is both faster and more reliable than the old sensor-based system and the main advantages have proved to be when part changes are introduced to the system. Now, just a simple software change is required instead of a major mechanical change to fit additional sensors. This means that changes to the production process can be implemented more quickly, reliably and cost-effectively, helping to increase production throughput and minimise costs.

For further information, please visit Cognex online at: www.cognex.co.uk