FingerVision Inc. has introduced robots equipped with tactile sensors to the factories of Hirai Co., Ltd. and Home Delica Co., Ltd. to assemble bento box ingredients. Equipped with FingerVision’s tactile hand to handle ingredients that are difficult to deal with using robots due to their wide variety, amorphous shape, and fragility, Yaskawa Electric's industrial robots were selected in order to improve takt time. This combination of tactile hand and industrial robot results in a significant improvement in speed and reliability, and overall efficiency.
Features of a robot with a tactile sensor that can handle a wide variety of products:
①Lunch box-filling robot
◆Features of bento boxes
・Many ingredients are fragile and require delicate handling (e.g. shumai, ganmo, etc.)
・There are many types of bento ingredients (from 10 to 100 types)
◆Characteristics of the plating process
・There are many setup changes, and the ingredients used change rapidly depending on the production time.
・Lunch tray positions and conveyor speeds vary.
・Ingredients must be placed exactly in the designated position on the lunch box plate (e.g. in the side dish cup)
・Robots working on a collaborative line with people means that there are restrictions on the space where the robot can be installed.
◆FingerVision solution
・Tactile sensor: Reproduces the slipping sensation when ingredients are picked up; universally compatible with a wide variety of ingredients
・Detachable hand: Can be removed and replaced with one touch; easy to clean
・6-axis vertically articulated robot (industrial robot): achieves speed and stability
・Image processing SW: Compatible with bulk ingredients; automatically recognizes the exact tray position on conveyor.
②巻きずしの盛付ロボット（米飯系）
◆巻きずしの特徴
・お米も中身の具材も柔らかい
・力加減が弱いと中身の具材が落ちる
・力加減が強いと海苔が手にくっつく
◆盛付工程の特徴
・1人が複数のタスクを担っている (巻きずしの搬送 → カット → 取り分け → 盛り付け）
・段取り替えが多く、生産の時間帯によって扱う具材がどんどん変わる
・巻きずしのトレー位置やコンベアスピードもばらばら
・「平置き」や「斜め置き」のように盛付方法もバリエーションがある
◆FingerVisionの解決方法
・触覚センサ：触った時の「滑りの感覚」を再現、失敗時の検知・リトライにも利用可能
・脱着ハンド：ワンタッチで取り外し・交換可能、洗浄も容易
・水平多関節型スカラロボット(産業用ロボット)：スピードと安定性を実現
・画像処理SW：コンベア上のトレー位置も自動認識・制御商品の特徴
・フィーダ：巻きずしカットまでの工程を担い、ロボットと組み合わせで1人分のタスクを自動化