Some embodiments of the technology disclosed herein relate to a sensor device. An elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end and extends along a longitudinal axis. A plurality of sensors are fixed relative to the sleeve. A first endcap is coupled to the first end, where the first endcap has an endcap body. A first axle is coupled to the endcap body, where the first axle extends along the longitudinal axis and the first axle defines a retaining feature. An intermediate component is coupled to the first axle, and the intermediate component is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The sensor device has an orientation locking structure that is configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body.

An automated container loader for loading a smaller storage container into a larger storage container. The loader includes a container support for receiving a larger storage container and a container loading assembly configured to receive a smaller storage container above the larger storage container and release the smaller storage container to allow the smaller storage container to descend under gravity into the larger storage container. The container loading assembly also includes a plurality of engagement surfaces configured to engage the smaller storage container during at least a portion of the descent of the smaller storage container to control the descent velocity of the smaller storage container under gravity.

Systems for tracking objects in a production process and controlling aspects of the production process utilize images from a plurality of cameras positioned above or around various locations of the production process, which transmit images to a server, in various embodiments. The server uses machine learning or artificial intelligence to locate and track the objects within the fields of view of the various cameras, and then control production process aspects in response. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Provided are a conveying device and a conveying method capable of detecting a speed of a conveyed object more accurately than that in the related art. The conveying device includes a coil 107 that includes a core 105 and a winding 106, a current detection unit 109 that detects a current flowing through the winding 106 of the coil 107, a drive unit 108 that supplies a voltage to the coil 107, and a control unit 110. The control unit 110 estimates a conveying speed of a holder 102 provided with a magnetic body 103 based on the current flowing through one winding 106 due to an influence of electromagnetic induction.

A diverter assembly (25) is provided for guiding articles from a single lane (54) to one of a plurality of lanes (13, 14). The assembly (25) has a pair of spaced apart guides (30) defining a guide channel (49) therebetween. The guides (30) are connected to a rotatably mounted support (24). A first actuator (22, 23) is provided operable to rotate the support (24) to pivot the guides (30), and thereby cause articles to be guided to a selected one of the plurality of lanes.

A pneumatic transport device (1a, 1b) for transporting a pneumatically transportable material (M) in a pneumatic system (10) by means of air for transporting the pneumatic transportable material (M) between a first pneumatic system portion (11) and a second pneumatic system portion (12), the pneumatic system portions (11, 12) including a plurality of pneumatic tubes (13) forming a continuous pneumatic transport path (CL), the device (1a, 1b) including an air source (2a, 2b), typically a vacuum source (2a), pneumatically connected to one of the first or second pneumatic system portions (11, 12) operative to provide air pressure or vacuum through the continuous pneumatic transport path (CL), and a controller (4a, 4b) configured to control the speed of the vacuum source (2a) and/or a mass-flow, respectively, of the material (M) in dependence of input from a monitoring line (3) adapted to monitor the pneumatic transport path (CL) to provide essentially constant speed of transport the pneumatically transportable material (M).

A method and device for grouping packages into specified package groups in an interference-free and fault-free manner with a conveyor having multiple individually actuatable conveyors arranged one behind the other with an inlet-side and a discharge-side end. The packages are supplied to the conveyor device at the inlet-side end one after the other, and a control algorithm is carried out to interpolate and/or detect the position and/or the speed of each individual package. A target speed is determined for each individual package based on the detected and/or interpolated position and/or speed of the package. A target speed is determined for the individual conveyors to achieve the target speed for each package to set a specified distance to the leading and/or following package at the discharge-side end. The speed of the individual conveyors is controlled to the respective determined target speed for the conveyor.

A robotic singulation system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data including data associated with an item present in a workspace is received. The sensor data is used to determine and implement a plan to autonomously operate a robotic structure to move and place the item singly in a corresponding location in a singulation conveyance structure. The plan takes into consideration an attribute of the item determined based at least in part on the sensor data.

An intensive quenching (IQ) apparatus and method of quenching heated parts is provided. The IQ apparatus includes a chute for placing parts into a tank including liquid quenchant. The parts fall through the quenchant in the chute and are received by a conveyor belt. The parts are then transported on the conveyor through an inner channel of a conduit. An agitation rate of the quenchant in the inner channel is increased by an agitator.

A robotic singulation system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data including data associated with an item present in a workspace is received. The sensor data is used to determine and implement a plan to autonomously operate a robotic structure to move and place the item singly in a corresponding location in a singulation conveyance structure. The plan takes into consideration an attribute of the item determined based at least in part on the sensor data.