Boost your production with Pick-it version 1.10

Pick-it is proud to announce the release of a new software version 1.10! Here’s what can you expect from this release: Bin picking will become more accurate and reliable. You will be able to attach two cameras instead of one to your Pick-it processor and perform future software upgrades all by yourself. Continue reading to read to find out how these new features can help you to increase productivity in your factory or directly request your free upgrade here.

Accurate robot tool modelling improves collision detection

In a robotic bin picking application, a robot arm is always equipped with a tool to pick parts one by one from a bin. While approaching a part to pick or retracting it from the bin, this tool can bump into the sides of the bin or into one of the other objects lying in same the bin. These events, where a tool touches the sides or other objects, are called collisions.

Since collisions are so ubiquitous in bin picking applications, we improved the collision prevention tools in software version 1.10. With this version, it’s now possible to define a virtual 3D model of your robot’s tool as a combination of basic volumetric shapes to approximate your 2-finger gripper, box-shaped or cylindrical tool. Using this 3D model, the collision prevention software can accurately predict if an object can be picked in a collision-free way.

The screenshot below shows what the robot tool modelling software looks like in the Pick-it web interface for a 2-fingered gripper. The tool is also shown in the 3D view to indicate where the collision happened.

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Read the full knowledge base article in this link to get an overview of all collision prevention tools in Pick-it.

Attaching multiple 3D cameras to one Pick-it processor

We value your cycle times just as much as you do. This is why, with this new software release, you can attach not only one but two cameras to your Pick-it processor. This new feature is called ‘multiple cameras’.

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Now, you’re probably wondering how adding two 3D cameras can help to decrease your cycle time? Here’s how:

When using two cameras instead of one, you can increase the total field of view seen by the cameras and as a result pick from bigger, wider and deeper, bins without the need to mount your 3D camera to your robot end-effector. If your camera is not moving with the robot, you can detect new objects while the robot is moving and thus decrease your cycle times.

Another example use case of multiple cameras is when your bin picking application requires two steps (pick from a bin and orientation check). In this case, your cycle time benefits from using multiple cameras since more detection calculations can be done while the robot is moving.

Watch the video below for an example multiple-camera application or read this article to learn more about using multiple cameras in Pick-it.

Improved boxes detections

Pick-it is designed to detect a wide range of parts, whether they’re lying in an organised or unorganised bin, or are stacked onto a pallet. And even if it’s always not visible from the outside, our team of vision experts works hard to keep improving the 3D machine vision algorithms to extend the number of parts we can reliably detect in order to increase the application areas where Pick-it provides a solution.

In this software upgrade, we improved the detection reliability of boxes and box-like objects, whether they’re overlapping in a bin or stacked on a table or pallet. The software is now able to better separate neighboring boxes and better locate the center point of a box side.

Detecting stacked chewing gum packages on a table. The packages have dimensions of 10 cm by 6 cm by 8 mm.

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Detecting overlapping medicine boxes in varying sizes in a random bin.

Watch the video below to see the medicine boxes being picked by a cobot and vacuum gripper at Automatica 2018:

Model matching with increased reliability

Accurate model matching with Pick-it Teach

Continuous improvements in our underlying detection algorithms made it possible to match you part’s model with higher reliability. This enables new application possibilities with Pick-it. Fill out the free demo form and find out today if your application will work with Pick-it.

Automatic upgrades

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Before, everyone could request a free remote upgrade of his or her system from our support team. With software version 1.10, it’s possible to download and install the upgrades all by yourself. It’s really easy! Try it yourself by following the steps explained in the Pick-it software upgrade guide.

Of course, before you’ll be able to upgrade all by yourself, you’ll need to contact our support team one more time to get your system upgraded.

Get your free upgrade today

Follow this link to request your personal upgrade today.

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