team , explains : “ We built the vacuum unit in our tog . 519 based on our proven F4 robots . Together with the individually designed robot tools , some of which are 3D printed , we can process a wide variety of products – including unpackaged chocolates as well as plastic components for spray bottles . In the cobot , we have brought together all of Schubert ’ s in-depth pick & place experience .”
An AI-supported image processing system developed by Schubert is behind the cobot ’ s ease of use . It recognises the products as they are picked up as well as the environment in which they are to be placed . The cobot ’ s neural network is so extensively trained that the robot can immediately process new products from the same product group : for example , pouches ( sachets , flowpacks , stand-up pouches , sealed-rim pouches , etc .) of different sizes or bottles of different shapes . The AI ’ s tolerance is conceived to accept variable sizes , materials , surfaces or thicknesses within a product group . This means that virtually no teach-in or start-up process is required . The Schubert cobot gets started as soon as it is put into operation .
Extremely flexible and very easy to operate
Its integrated systems also make the Cobot fully autonomous and mobile . So it can be used to close automation gaps at different and ever-changing points along the production process . It can either be free-standing or optionally placed into a protective cell . Free-standing , the tog . 519 protects workers by reducing its speed if a person approaches too closely . And conversely , this means that , in a very cramped production environment , the protective cell around the Schubert cobot ensures that production runs at the highest cycle rate at all times without interruptions or slowdowns . Even with the protective cell , the cobot remains flexible : The entire cell can be easily moved to another location and used there for other applications – thanks to the fully integrated plug & play system components .
So far , the product groups pre-trained in the AI include pouches , lids , pumps and bottles , as well as pralines and chocolate .
The cobot ’ s unique advantages make it especially interesting for industries such as cosmetics , confectionery or food . After all , a high degree of flexibility and easy switching between different products are decisive for manufacturers who need to respond quickly to market developments and frequently introduce new formats . Schubert has trained the AI accordingly : The product groups which have been pre-trained so far include pouches , lids , pumps and bottles , as well as pralines and chocolate .
Field-proven and exceptionally versatile
The possible applications are hugely diverse . For example , the
The electronic components and 3D image processing , which thanks to AI only requires a standard 2D camera , are fully integrated into the system .
tog . 519 can load the feed chains of a flow-wrapping machine from a crate , pick up bottles for a filling machine from a conveyor and orientate them correctly , pick up a wide variety of unsorted products and place them into cartons or even assemble mixed packs . The image processing reliably even detects products positioned on top of each other , for example pump sprayers with tubes . If very narrow , unsorted products such as bags happen to be positioned vertically in a box and therefore cannot be easily gripped , a vibrating unit rearranges the products between cycles and therefore helps the cobot find a bag that can be picked up at each cycle .
In addition to the use of a single tog . 519 , for example for feeding a packaging machine , several robots can also be set up as an entire cobot line , making packaging processes much more flexible . This makes sense for mixed packs , for instance . The cobot not only works with Schubert machines , but also with third-party systems and even with robots from other manufacturers . This versatility opens up entirely new possibilities for consumer goods manufacturers to automate their packaging processes very flexibly and raise their existing production to an all-new level . In practice , the Schubert cobot is already proving itself in the baked goods and cosmetics industries .
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