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ABB's Stepper Conveying Line Tracking (ICC) technology offers robots the capability to precisely track workpieces moving along conveyor belts. This system employs a stepper conveyor equipped with equally spaced barriers where workpieces are positioned. As the conveyor moves, it pauses briefly to allow the robot to pick up a workpiece from a specific barrier before resuming its motion. This rapid stop-and-move action is referred to as "stepping." During operation, the robot continuously tracks the workpieces on the stepper conveyor, maintaining consistent positioning regardless of any changes in the conveyor’s speed.
This ICC technology is particularly well-suited for applications involving batch processing of standard-sized materials. For instance, in a typical "box-loading" scenario, the loading line swiftly places items onto the stepper conveyor, while the robot retrieves these items and transfers them to the unloading line.
One of the standout features of ICC technology is its ability to perform high-speed, precise tracking. The stepper conveyor is externally driven by an ABB servo motor and managed by the robot’s control system, ensuring seamless synchronization between the robot and the conveyor line. Even at high speeds, the system maintains accuracy without requiring additional encoders or encoder boards. The robot's linear acceleration when tracking the stepper line can reach up to 12,000 mm/s².
Key Features of ICC:
- Suitable for all ABB IRB 360 series robots.
- Supports up to two IRB 360 robots operating independently on separate stepper conveyor lines in a MultiMove setup.
- Simultaneously manages up to two stepper conveyors and two regular conveyors, allowing dynamic switching between them.
- The stepper conveyor operates under the robot's control, eliminating the need for an encoder board.
- Synchronizes the stepper conveyor when receiving a new object via a digital signal.
- Allows for the creation of object queues of up to 100 items, which can be manipulated using RAPID programming instructions.
- Offers flexibility in setting maximum tracking distances and enabling tracking activation "on the fly."
- Can operate independently or integrated with PickMaster 3.
An example of ICC technology in action is the Mengniu ice cream packaging project, which utilizes an ABB robotic system with two stepper conveyor lines. This setup includes an IRB 360-8/1130 industrial robot, specialized fixtures, and a stepper conveyor line ICC. The robot's technical specifications include a wrist payload of 8 kg, a maximum reach of 1.13 meters, four axes of motion, and an IP54 protection rating. The fixtures are designed to handle five or ten products at once, using either one or two boxes per cycle, depending on the product type.
The fixtures also incorporate advanced mechanics and vacuum systems, providing strong adaptability to various product sizes. The stepper conveyor line, powered by an ABB servo motor, ensures precise speed control and accurate product placement. Communication between the robot and the servo system guarantees synchronized movements, enabling the robot to accurately track and grasp products.
The product acceleration conveyor line at the front of the stepper conveyor increases product spacing, facilitating orderly transfer to the stepper line. This setup results in high production efficiency, with a single robot capable of handling up to 400 units per minute. Additionally, the compact design saves space, reducing investment costs while offering flexibility and durability. ABB holds patents for all technologies involved, ensuring a complete and innovative solution for this application.