Cobots Automate Assembly & Bagging of PopSockets

“The ABB collaborative robots stood out as the best solution,” says White. “With two dual-arm YuMis, we were able to combine two manual processes into one seamless, automated operation.” 

Compact, efficient automation
The two YuMis are positioned next to each other, with each one handling the same tasks. Because of the cobots’ proximity, the movements of each of the four arms (28 total axes) are carefully coordinated to maximize throughput and work within the confined space of the station. HOD used ABB’s RobotStudio® simulation software to experiment with and ultimately program the optimal motion of each arm.

“We use RobotStudio for system configuration and robot reach studies, code testing, and rate calculations, just to name a few functions,” says Brandon Schmidt, HOD’s VP of Automation & Robotics.

The process begins when one of the robot’s two arms picks a PopGrip from a tray using a custom end effector paired with a suction cup that has a vacuum and blow-off air function built into the robot arm.The packaging process for the PopGrips begins when a robot picks a flattened, or unextended, PopGrip from a tray. There are two trays, with each one supplying one robot. The PopGrips are positioned in the trays in circular slots, or jigs, that are the same shape as the PopGrips. According to Chad Svedin, HOD Project Manager, the holes were engineered for a semi-tight fit. The trays are positioned vertically, at an angle to the robot, with the PopGrips held in place by pressure and gravity.

After one of the two YuMi robot arms picks a PopGrip from a slot in the tray, it places it on an intermediate assembly station. Meanwhile, the other arm picks a backer card measuring 2.9 x 3.15 in. from a card station and slides it onto the groove between the bottom and top of the PopGrip. Explains Svedin, “The assembly station is basically a white plastic slab that the PopGrip rests on while the card is inserted. It is engineered with two small metal pins to hold the PopGrip in place on one side, while the card is inserted from the opposite direction. It’s pretty simple, but effective.”

Then, in the same motion, while still holding the card, the robot arm slides the full piece (card and PopGrip) into a bag presented by the Autobag bagger. It then it fires the I/O on the robot to tell the bagger that the piece is in the bag.

HOD engineered the robots with a custom end effector paired with an off-the-shelf PIAB suction cup that picks up and releases both the PopGrips and the cards. Explains Svedin, the suction cups work with a vacuum and blow-off air function built into the robot arms.

To integrate the robotic pick-and-place process with iClick’s existing Autobag bagger, HOD needed to tie into the bagger’s I/O system for its signaling outputs. Says Svedin, HOD also made some small mechanical modifications to the bagger, including removing ancillary equipment not necessary to the actual bagging function, primarily to allow the bagger to be closely positioned to the robots.

Collaborative aspect is key

Since adding the automated system in February 2018, iClick has seen reduced stress on its production line. “Because we are combining two manual tasks into one automated process, the station performs the work of four people and feeds the automated bagging system at full capacity,” says Svedin. “The system can also work on different orders at the same time, with the I/O on the robot indicating which of several dedicated conveyors to route the bagged PopGrips.”

According to Svedin, the system processes 24 PopGrips/min, “which is comparable to human counterparts, if they are going very quickly and never take a break.” He adds, “The automated system really begins to outpace the humans in that it doesn’t need breaks, and it maintains the same rate 100 percent of the time.”

During assembly, one of the YuMi’s two robot arms picks a backer card measuring 2.9 x 3.15 in. from a card station and slides it onto the groove between the bottom and top of the PopGrip.Another advantage of the YuMi robot is its collaborative characteristics and human-like dimensions, which allow it to be placed in the same area and within the same general footprint as the manual operators. If the YuMi cobot senses an unexpected impact, such as a collision with a human coworker, it will immediately pause its motion, with a restart as easy as pressing play on a remote control. If the cobot should come into contact with a person, its magnesium skeleton, which is covered with soft, rounded padding, absorbs and dampens any impact. This eliminates the need for the protective cages typically required with traditional industrial robots—an important criterion for the busy PopGrip production floor.

“The ability to maintain an open factory floor makes it easier for our operators to approach the station, replenish card trays, pull rejects, or do whatever else, without interrupting the workflow,” says White.

Further investment

The dual-robot system was iClick’s first experience with robotic automation, and it was such a success that the company installed second system, identical to the first, six months later.   Adding additional flexibility, the systems can be adapted to pick, sort, and package many of iClick’s other promotional products, such as its iCamCovers, smartphone ring holders, webkeys, and pixie lights.

Since the introduction of the automated carding and bagging equipment, those operators formerly working on the iClick line have been moved to supervisory jobs on the production team, where the daily routine is far more satisfying and the career advancement path far more tangible. 

The innovative design of the system has also been a boon for HOD, as they have branded it the FlexBagger, which consists of either one or two YuMis along with the Autobag system. It is now being marketed for other small product bagging applications. 

See a video of the FlexBagger system here.