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Automated workpiece handling using 3D vision and intelligent robotics

Used products:controlC57B57

Challenge

Wappler Werkzeugmaschinen has been involved in the machine tool trade and service for over 30 years. In response to growing demands for automation and production reliability, the company expanded its portfolio about five years ago. Today, Wappler develops custom automation solutions that integrate machines, peripherals, and automation into a complete production solution.

Many manufacturing companies face the same challenge: workpieces must be loaded into machines manually on a regular basis. These processes are time-consuming, error-prone, tie up personnel resources, and limit potential machine uptime. In this project, workpieces had to be manually loaded into a machine approximately every 1.5 minutes. Depending on the size of the components, this meant that several tons of material had to be moved per shift. In addition to the high labor costs, this also posed an ergonomic challenge and simultaneously hindered stable, continuous production.

Solution

The solution concept involved developing an automated bin-picking cell capable of reliably identifying and gripping parts, as well as feeding them to and removing them from the machine.


Implementation:
The process began at the Port of Hamburg. There, Wappler took delivery of the machine and transported it to its own showroom. In this showroom, systems are not only displayed but also fully assembled, tested, and prepared as automation solutions. A complete automation cell for this project was thus created in the Wappler showroom.
During a pilot phase, initial tests were conducted directly at the customer’s site. This allowed workpiece recognition to be demonstrated live under real production conditions and optimized collaboratively.

Technoligical approach:
The raw parts are delivered in a random order directly from the sawing station into mesh boxes. This results in several technical requirements for the automation solution:

  • Unsorted parts: The workpieces are placed randomly in the mesh box and must be reliably detected and located.

  • Contaminated surfaces: Sawdust, chips, and in some cases oil adhere to the components, which further complicates reliable workpiece detection.

  • Flexible gripping technology: The gripping solution must be able to securely handle workpieces with varying geometries.

These constraints require robust 3D detection as well as a flexible gripping strategy to ensure a stable automation process.
To implement this, Wappler therefore relies on a partner network of specialized technology providers:

  • DN Solutions Puma 2100 LMS – Processing of workpieces

  • KUKA – Robots that automate the loading and unloading of the machine

  • SCHUNK – Flexible gripping solution with magnetic gripper

  • Ensenso – industrial 3D stereo-vision cameras for reliable part detection

  • Mikado – Software for camera-guided robotics

Among other things, Ensenso camera models C-57-6-M and B57-4-BL are used, which enable precise 3D capture of the parts. The system is supplemented by an additional camera that captures the grip check to verify successful workpiece pickup and, if necessary, repositioning during placement.

The software foundation is provided by our Mikado Control, supplemented by Wappler’s proprietary control software. Interfaces, control logic, cycle times, and safety requirements are coordinated and tested under real-world conditions right in the showroom. Mikado Control handles precise part localization via CAD matching as well as collision-checked removal of workpieces from the bin. Since parts may shift slightly during removal with a magnetic gripper, Mikado offers integrated repositioning. This allows the component to be placed precisely into the system’s clamping device. Mikado supports all available Ensenso camera models, ensuring that the optimally matched combination of 3D camera and robot controller can be used for every application.

Customer benefit

The result is an automated bin-picking cell that reliably detects, picks up, and feeds workpieces to the machine. Whereas manual intervention was previously required approximately every 1.5 minutes, the system can now process several hundred workpieces autonomously. In addition to significant time savings, the solution also increases process reliability. The Ensenso 3D camera delivers high-quality point clouds even on challenging surfaces, enabling reliable workpiece recognition. In combination with Mikado Control, errors in automation are reduced and a stable production process is ensured. At the same time, the workload on machine operators is reduced, allowing them to focus more on other tasks.  The economic benefits are also quickly apparent:
The investment pays for itself within just one year.

In addition to the technical implementation, the close collaboration between Wappler, Optonic, and the technology partners also played a decisive role in the project’s success. We would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in the project for their excellent cooperation.

Outlook

A key advantage of the developed solution lies in its flexibility. The bin-picking cell can be used not only for machine loading but is also suitable for a wide range of other applications - such as presses, assembly workstations, or the sorting and palletizing of workpieces. As with many camera-based automation solutions, the system can be cost-effective even for small batch sizes, as setup times are largely eliminated. At the same time, the solution creates a flexible and future-proof foundation for further automation steps and enables production processes to be made more efficient and stable in the long term.

Collaborative and professional from A to Z

"Our collaboration with Optonic was collaborative and professional from concept development through to commissioning. The implementation, in particular, impressed us once again. The commissioning was well-prepared, allowing us to quickly identify and pick up the workpieces and ensuring that the mesh boxes were completely emptied. We look forward to our next joint projects."
Sebastian Möbius, Project Manager automation technology, Wappler Werkzeugmaschinen.

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