Hey guys,
I need to make an application with Fanuc iRPickTool.
I'll have 3 robots, they will pick parts from infeed conveyor and put them in the boxes.
All three robots will work separately so there will be 3 vision-tracking systems.
Problem is that there will only one conveyor sensor for detecting those boxes,
I'm wondering how to split those boxes to each robot equally, so each robot must put a part in every third box.
Maybe someone has advice?
Thanks
Hi
I've done quit a few irpicktool applications but I always use the encoder (never the sensor) but I give some points.
You said the robots are independent and want to split the load. Most of the time (if not always) you split the load when you have a master and slaves. The communication is through RIPE. Not your case.
I think you should have three sensors but again not your case.
I need to know first how do you connect one sensor to the 3 robots. Is it the same input and you send it to the 3 robots ? If you disconnect robot 1, is robot 2 doing the right job ?
Sorry, more questions
Lets say you put 4 parts in the queue, Does R1 picks all of them ? Assuming that speed, distance, etc is good for that
If R1 picks all of them, what do R2 and R3 do ? Do they just pick a phantom part ?
What happens when there are more parts than the 3 robots are capable to pick, do you have a return conveyor ?
I'm asking these question because you could pick part 1 with R1, then put a counter or a condition and skip the next two parts. You would have to add logic to irpicktool
Same principle with R2 and R3
This could get complicated because the queue keeps changing while the robots are picking.
I'm assuming based on these robots that you have a high speed pick and place system.
Sorry about all the questions, but I have to have clear your system to help you.
Another idea is to send the sensor to the PLC and the PLC distribute the parts, like handing out cards on a game
Hi,
It's OK about the questions 
About the infeed, I will set pick load in the system that R1 must pick 33% second one must pick 50% and the third robot must pick 100%
In my imagination, it will split the load into three equal parts.
About the outfeed, we will control the speed of the outfeed conveyor which is carrying the boxes, this will let us set required amount of boxes.
About the PLC, this is the easy way, but I'm afraid of the communication delays, which can cause inaccuracy.
For your imagine it will be around 180 pcs per min. So in total it's around 60 for each robot, and accuracy can't exceed 1mm.
About the infeed, I will set pick load in the system that R1 must pick 33% second one must pick 50% and the third robot must pick 100%
In my imagination, it will split the load into three equal parts.
This is good method, this is how irpicktool wants you to do it BUT I think you might end up putting 33% on each robot. These % are issue to change, don't worry, also If I remember correctly you can change them while running
About the outfeed, we will control the speed of the outfeed conveyor which is carrying the boxes, this will let us set required amount of boxes.
Yes, this part it's really no relation with irpicktool. The PLC holds the pallet until is full
About the PLC, this is the easy way, but I'm afraid of the communication delays, which can cause inaccuracy.
For your imagine it will be around 180 pcs per min. So in total it's around 60 for each robot, and accuracy can't exceed 1mm.
That's why I was asking, I'm used to 60 ppm, There's time for nothing
