A robotic production line assembly has a recipe programmed in order to process a workpiece, an articulated robot having the recipe assigned thereto, an end effector attached to a wrist of the robot, a feeding system that transfers the workpiece, an unloading system that unloads the workpiece from a process conveyor, a plurality of working stations cooperative with the robot, a workpiece identification system, a robotic controller and a system controller. The robotic production line is compact and is capable of flexible and chaotic production.

A gripper, an apparatus, and a method for assembling kits of sanitary products in an automated fashion are disclosed. The sanitary products are pre-loaded into containers including a plurality of independent housings for the sanitary products, each of the housings being configured to allow loading of a sanitary product therein and withdrawal of the sanitary product therefrom independently of the other housings, and the kit is assembled in batches on the gripper, and released by the latter into a package.

A pallet building apparatus for automatically building a pallet load of pallet load article units onto a pallet support including a frame defining a pallet building base, at least one articulated robot to transport and place the pallet load article units, a controller to control articulated robot motion and effect therewith a pallet load build, at least one three-dimensional, time of flight, camera to generate three-dimensional imaging of the pallet support and pallet load build, wherein the controller registers, from the three-dimensional camera, real time three-dimensional imaging data embodying different corresponding three-dimensional images of the pallet support and pallet load build, to determine, in real time, from the corresponding real time three-dimensional imaging data, a pallet support variance or article unit variance and generate in real time an articulated robot motion signal, the articulated robot motion signal being generated real time so as to be performed real time by the at least one articulated robot between placement of at least one pallet load article unit and a serially consecutive pallet load article unit enabling substantially continuous building of the pallet load build.

A conveyor system includes a first robot singulator, a second robot singulator, and a picking area from which parcels of a bulk flow of parcels can be engaged and transferred by the first robot singulator or the second robot singulator. The conveyor system further includes a first place conveyor positioned downstream of the picking area and configured to receive parcels transferred by the first robot singulator. The conveyor system further includes a second place conveyor positioned downstream of the picking area and the first place conveyor, the second place conveyor configured to receive parcels transferred by the second robot singulator and to receive parcels from the first place conveyor. A buffering conveyor is positioned between the first place conveyor and the second place conveyor for regulating a rate at which parcels offloaded by the first place conveyor are transferred to the second place conveyor.

An end-effector for a programmable motion device is disclosed. The end effector includes a body that includes a contact portion, the body providing an open interior through which a vacuum may be provided to the contact portion, and the body includes at least one feature that is adapted to facilitate the contact portion to become substantially non-planar while grasping.

A transfer device having a plurality of pick-up heads loads products into receptacles. The products are provided in a random arrangement in a pick-up area, and the position of each product is detected. To pick up the products, the transfer device is moved over the pick-up area and each pick-up head picks up an individual product at a pick-up time and in a pick-up position. The pick-up position and the pick-up time for the products are determined on the basis of the previously detected positions of the products. The placement of the products in a placement area may also occurs while the transfer device is moving relative to the receptacles.

A method for automatically transferring spouted pouches provides a simple, efficient approach for automatically loading spouted pouches from a container to a belt conveyor. And, an automatic pouch transferring assembly is also provided.

According to one embodiment, a handling system includes a first mobile robot, a first transfer robot, and a picking robot. The first mobile robot transports a first container out of a loading location of the first container. An article is stored in the first container. The first transfer robot transfers the first container from one of the first mobile robot or a first loading platform to the other of the first mobile robot or the first loading platform. The picking robot moves the article from the first container placed on the first loading platform to a second container placed on a second loading platform.

A transfer system in the form of a robot line used in one embodiment to transfer products, such as slices of meat or other fresh food, while complying with the hygienic requirements. The robot line may transfer the products, simply and with little constructive and financial effort. The robots used for this purpose may be very simply constructed with only one swivel arm and the robot base may be guided below the working plane, and only the swivel arm and the gripper may be disposed above the working plane.

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.