Laser scanner-supported automatic order picking

Leuze: The greater the disparity in terms of shape and stability between different items for order picking, the more difficult it is to create automated solutions. The crucial issue is always whether the packing patterns generated using the robot or handling system is in agreement with what actually ends up on the pallet. This is a question that can be answered by laser distance sensors ROD 4plus.

Surface area distance sensors ROD 4 from Leuze electronic are ideally suited for a wide range of different applications in the field of warehousing and conveying technology. The ROD 4plus is a variant of this device designed specifically for measurement assignments. By ensuring high-speed measured data transmission, it is particularly suited for the measurement of 3D profiles which can be generated by relative pivoting or linear feed movements of the measured object or laser scanner. 3D measurement works reliably within a measurement range of up to 65 m, making it ideally suited for the scanning heights of 200 – 3000 mm which typically occur in order picking applications. The achievable degree of accuracy is ±15 mm in the X and Z position.

The measurement principle used is that of pulse propagation time, which transmits individual light pulses at short intervals. The time difference can be calculated between transmitting and receiving a light pulse to and from the object. Evaluation is largely independent of the reflectance factor of the scanned object. This allows products with optically problematical surfaces such as dark or shrink-wrapped objects to be reliably detected during order picking. Another characteristic feature of the ROD 4plus is its high degree of immunity to ambient light sources.

ROD 4plus distance sensors from Leuze electronic permit continuous monitoring of mechanically collated packing patterns to safeguard automatic order picking processes.