Laser sensor gets to grip with position

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 15, 2006

The LMS400 laser measurement system is billed as the ideal solution for the precise and rapid control of automated pick and place gripper equipment.

Using a patented frequency signal processing (FSP) measurement process the LMS400 laser measurement system from Sick (UK) is the ideal solution for the precise and rapid control of automated pick and place gripper equipment.

With its 3m range, 0.1-degree angular resolution, real-time information capabilities and integrated Ethernet interface, the LMS400 vision system offers all the speed and accuracy needed for the multidimensional detection of boxes and pallets as well the as objects within or on them.

Of real interest to automation engineers, it is also capable, using encoder inputs, of generating all the necessary shape and size information for robot controllers and robotic handling.

Its large 70-degree aperture angle, fine angular grid and improved distance resolution allows the sensor to cater for the demands of the most demanding pick-and-place applications such as those found in automatic palletising and depalletising systems, automotive fabrication plants and modern automated assembly systems.

In conjunction with a coherent light source, the LMS400 overcomes many of the issues faced by camera-based vision systems - especially when operating over distances exceeding 1.5m.

In these situations cameras often have to be supplemented with very powerful light sources and special lenses are often required to deliver the required accuracy and depth of field.

The LMS400 uses a coherent light source to scan the object, not only measuring remission but also the angle and distance to the item.

This gives it the capability to operates at distances up to 3m, without special lenses to achieve depth of field, and takes vision systems to a new level.

The real depth of its capabilities is illustrated by its ability to deeply interrogate the information supplied buy its laser system.

As well as processing and acting on distance and angular data, information regarding the residual energy of the laser pulse reflected from the object can also be put to use - a completely new feature for industrial laser measurement systems.

This is especially useful when distance measurement alone is no longer sufficient to allow differentiation between individual objects - homogeneously loaded pallets being a typical example.

When the sides of stacked boxes form a smooth surface, distance data alone is not sufficient to individualise the boxes enough for the control of an automated gripper system.

The LMS400 overcomes this by detecting the edges of the stacked boxes, as the reflectivity energy here differs significantly from that of the box surface.

By processing this information, a machine control system is then able to guide a pick-and-place system to grip at the edges or within the area formed by the edges.

The LMS400 also offers real versatility, with its Ethernet, RS422, RS232, CANbus and digital inputs and outputs catering for most primary communication protocols.

Installation and parameterisation is also simple; parameters are set via a browser-based graphical user interface - offering users a comfortable and familiar look and feel.