The Role of Machine Vision in Industrial Robotics

Machine vision has played a vital role in the evolution of industrial robotics, and the two are becoming increasingly integrated. A main reason for this trend is that cameras have become more powerful and more accurate in rugged industrial settings than ever before.

While robotic capabilities have certainly improved too, it’s been the ability of cameras to let robots see what’s around them that’s provided some of the most profitable and productive benefits.

What is Machine Vision Used for in Industrial Robotics?

Machine vision allows a robot to see what it’s doing, in a sense. Without machine vision the robot would be blind – only capable of repeating the same exact task over and over until it’s reprogrammed.

This technology allows a robot to adjust to obstacles in its environment and complete different preprogrammed tasks by recognizing which one needs to be completed.

What are the Benefits of Machine Vision in Industrial Robotics?

One of the major benefits of machine vision being used in industrial robots is increased flexibility. One robot with vision can do the tasks of several blind robots. As long as the robot is preprogrammed and the tooling is correct, it can switch between tasks seamlessly with little to no downtime.

Another benefit is that less programming is required for robots with vision technology. Typically, you would only need to program once before a robot starts up. Blind robots need to continually be programmed to widen their skill sets and also improve their performance.

Related to flexibility and less programming, robots with machine vision don’t need to have precision part placements to do their job productively. The ability of a robot to adjust to its environment allows it to pick up, locate and/or work on a part in any orientation.

There are many benefits of using industrial robots with vision, but increased flexibility, reduced programming time and less investment in loading/unloading processes are some of the most obvious benefits.

Machine vision has been used in robotic arms for years now, but it continues to advance the capabilities of industrial robots and find new ways to achieve productivity for manufacturers.

For unmatched precision and transparency, check out Genesis Systems Group’s integration of machine vision systems and industrial robots.