Machine tending is a robot's job.
Do more with less by using Apera AI vision software to guide robots feeding CNC and laser marking machines.
What is robotic machine tending?
This is a Universal Robots cobot feeding a laser marking cell designed and sold by Precision Cobotics.
Using robots to feed and remove finished parts from CNC and laser marking machines allows manufacturers to re-task labor to less repetitive work, or operate extra shifts for part production.
Apera AI’s Vue robotic vision software allows a robot to
- Find parts, even in unstructured formats like random bins.
- Guides the robot to pick up the part, place it in the machine and close the door (if needed)
- Remove the finished part from the machine and move it on to a bin, or the next step in manufacturing (e.g. on to a conveyor).
Apera Vue robotic vision software
How Vue robotic vision software works
Vue’s AI processing helps the robot perform the role of a human operator. It performs the path planning, pose estimation and grasp intelligence to take a raw part and place it precisely in a machine. It can then remove the machined part and move it to the next manufacturing step.
Vue is easy to set up
Vue software requires less vision expertise and no custom programming. Multiple parts can flow through CNC and marking machines, with Vue fully understanding how to handle each part.
A Vue system operates under ambient light with no special cameras, lighting systems or sensors needed. Changes in lighting conditions will not affect the system’s operation.
Parts are taught into our AI system using CAD models or 3D scans. The object file is loaded into the Vue software. After simple calibration processes, the part is ready to handle into the machine.
Vue software saves you money
Feedback from manufacturers is that our vision system saves them money, and makes their machine tending operations more flexible.
When an operator can be used for another job, there’s a labor savings. But our vision software unlocks higher ROI.
With Vue, you do not need fixtures or additional automation to stage raw parts. Our software can have the robot pick parts from bins, and when machining is done, place them into bins, on to conveyors, or into their final packaging.
The alternative is expensive fixtures and more human involvement, which can erase your ROI.
Choose your favourite robot
Apera AI’s vision software for machine tending is robot agnostic. You can choose the best robot or cobot for the job, right down to the best gripper. Currently, we support major brands such as ABB, Fanuc, Denso, Doosan, Epson, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi Electric, Universal Robots and Yaskawa.