A control device for a conveyor device, comprises a control unit adapted to generate control signals for a conveyor device, a data interface adapted for signal transmission of control signals to the control unit, a first power interface adapted for power supply to the control unit, a connection interface adapted for establishing a signal control connection and a power supply connection between the control unit and a conveyor device located outside the control device. A second power interface is adapted to supply power to the control unit, the first interface being adapted to receive a power supply in the form of a power supply with a first voltage, the second interface being adapted to receive a power supply in the form of a power supply with a second voltage or, instead of the second voltage, with a third voltage whose level is different from the level of the second voltage.

The present disclosure relates to a material handling system for manipulating items. The material handling system includes a repositioning system comprising a robotic tool which includes a robotic arm portion and an end effector. The robotic tool is configured to manipulate an item in a first orientation and reorient the item to a second orientation. The material handling system further includes a vision system having one or more sensors positioned within the material handling system. The vision system is configured to generate inputs corresponding to the characteristics of the items. The material handling system may further include a controller executing instructions to cause the material handling system to identify the item in the first orientation, based on the one or more characteristics of the item, initiate, by the repositioning system, picking of the item in the first orientation, and re-orient the item in the second orientation.

A robot system include: a robot; and circuitry configured to: sequentially call a plurality of commands representing an operation path of the robot including an undetermined section; generate an additional path for the undetermined section; and operate the robot based on a command called from the plurality of commands and the additional path, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the additional path based on surrounding environment information of the robot during operation of the robot based on the called command.

A method and system are provided for controlling an industrial automation machine using non-contact (virtual) position encoding. The system and method can be used to determine the position of an object under assembly on a conveyor system without mechanical coupling to a line or drive mechanism of the line.

A robot control apparatus includes: a speed setter configured to control a collaborative robot that processes a workpiece flowing on a conveyor according to whether a human is or is not detected from a detection result from a detection device that detects a human present within a certain range from the collaborative robot, and sets an upper limit value on the operating speed of the conveyor such that the value is different depending on the detection result from the detection device; and a conveyor controller configured to control the operating speed of the conveyor to be an operating speed less than or equal to the upper limit value set by the speed setter.

An arrangement for handling objects on an object transporting device includes an industrial robot and an object handling control device. The device estimates candidate handling positions (OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, OP5, OP6, OP7) for at least one candidate object based on a first assumption; determines for each candidate handling position whether it lies within a working volume (wv1) of the robot; selects one of the candidate positions (OP1) at a first decision instant, the selection being at least partially based on the result of the determining; and handles an object at an actual handling position corresponding to the selected candidate handling position, the handling being performed after a usage time of the robot, the usage time including the time for moving the robot from the robot position at the first decision instant to the actual handling position, and the time for handling the object.

The invention provides automated spacer processing systems and methods. The systems and methods involve at least one robot arm that is configured to process spacers for multiple-pane insulating glazing units. In some embodiments, the systems also include an insulating glazing unit assembly line and a spacer conveyor system. Additionally or alternatively, the systems may include a sealant applicator.

Systems and methods related to rotary sortation and storage systems may include a central beam, and a plurality of storage modules coupled to the central beam. Each storage module may include a plurality of trays arranged around the central beam. The plurality of trays may be configured to rotate around the central beam, and each tray may also be configured to extend or retract relative to the central beam. Further, each storage module may be configured to rotate the plurality of trays around the central beam independently of other storage modules, and each tray may also be configured to extend or retract relative to the central beam independently of other trays. Accordingly, the rotary sortation and storage systems may increase storage density while also facilitating various processes with improved speed, efficiency, throughput, and flexibility.

A robot includes a robot body, a control processor, a detection circuit, a memory, and a determining circuit. The control processor is configured to control the robot body to perform a work on a workpiece while the workpiece is conveyed. The detection circuit is configured to detect external force which the robot body receives from the workpiece. The memory is to store a threshold force. The determining circuit is configured to determine whether the external force is equal to or larger than the threshold force.

An trajectory information generating unit for generating trajectory information defining a trajectory for which a picking hand picks a work at a first position and arranges the work at a second position, an execution control unit for operating a picking apparatus based on trajectory information generated by the trajectory information generating unit, and an execution time estimating unit for estimating a period of time from when the picking apparatus receives an instruction for starting an operation on a work to a time when the operation of the picking apparatus on the work is ended are included. The trajectory information generating unit may adjust an amount of calculation based on an estimation result of the execution time estimating unit.