Based on Matrox DA 4.0, a C10 Controller based version is now available for integrating Vision into a vision guided robot application or as a stand alone vision application with tight integration into a CODESYS Soft PLC application.

Previous versions of the VELTRU V10 Vision were based on the Iris GT* series of intelligent cameras. The new version of the Design Assistent of Matrox, DA 4.0,  offers the possibility to host the application on a PC. VELTRU integrates the solution on its C10 Controller, which offers customers more flexibility to choose from any available camera conforming to the GigE standard. The solutions also allows for several cameras being managed by one DA Vision application only.

Handling products safely, fast and gentle is a challenge on every project. Offering significantly improved ejectors, VELTRU enables the hygienic use of the proven suction cups. Ejectors generate vacuum using compressed air energy. The hygienic ejectors are integrated into the rotary feed through housings, thus very close to the gripper. The large vacuum cross section of 5mm limits congestions with dirt. The system does not need any vacuum hose and thus there is no possible contamination outside the robot tooling. The entire tooling can be cleaned in a dish washer.

With the new IPC hardware platform for the proven C10 Motion Controller the user has even more computational power available. More important is what does not change: the new platform offers the same functionality as the existing one and is interchangeable from an application point of view. This proves the commitment of VELTRU to long term availability of functionality.

The interface between products and robots are likely to remain as unique as the products to be handled. However, certain technical concepts can be standardized. With its buildings blocks of rotary feed through VELTRU aims at serving a majority of applications with standard components. This reduces project specific engineering and thus risks but is also simplifying spare part management.
At the same time, VELTRU introduces a fast connector for rapid gripper changeover without the need of any tooling. The fast connector may be ordered as robot option or be added later on the project.

The previous version of the V10 Vision Connection already allowed connecting multiple cameras to one controller. The new version now also allows serving multiple C10 Motion Controller from one camera. V10 Vision Appllication parameters can be added to the format handling on the C10 Motion Controller (Datamanager), which offers the full possibilities of exposing individual parameters to defined user levels as well as translating parameter names to local languages.
While the mechanism has been implemented for connecting  the V10 Vision based on Matrox DA (Design Assistant) running on Iris GT* camera series with the C10 Motion Controller, it is applicable to connect any external device to a CODESYS system. For example, a checkweigher system or barcode reader can easily be connected to a C10 Motion Controller. Or a V10 Vision System can be connected to any CODESYS controller.

Building on the existing Calibration Routines and visualizations of the Application Templates, the Calibration Toolkit with its documentation and training videos offers a simple to use, tightly integrated toolset. The toolkit consists of Calibration Grids for calibrating vision systems and a calibration gripper for sensor, conveyor and robot coordinate system calibration. For multi-robot line applications, the same toolkit is used for robot to robot calibration. A convienient casing may be used to store the calibration toolkit at the endcustomer site or for service technicians to carry it.

To serve applications with higher hygienic requirements like fresh meat, cheese or fish packaging, VELTRU has developed the D12W. The entire robot is stainless steel, never the less the specifications are very close to a standard robot allowing cost effective offerings. As with all VELTRU robots, the same software is used across the entire platform.

For our 2 axis U10H Toplaoding robots, we have launched a new application for further simplifying the intergration. While the application makes use of the general Application Template framework and therefore can be extended as any VELTRU template application, this application is intended to be set up and commissioned without need of a programming tool. All commissioning steps are accessible using the HMI.

VELTRU aims at offering its customers access to basic system configurations to allow using the best approach for each logstic problem at hand. VELTRU has been realizing assortement  as well as counterflow configurations. The counterflow configuration allows the first robot to remove the remaining products from the infeed and to have only empty cavities to place to while the last robot will have to fill the remaining cavities but can choose from all products fed into the system. Especially in systems with a chain conveyor on the outfeed and in systems with higher hygienic requirements, the counterflow concepts causes some disadvantages. Therefere, VELTRU is no offering a parallel flow concepts, whereby the infeed is split in sections and a special pick logic is used to allow to decouple the product flow from the flow of cavities. This allows to feed the last robot with sufficient products wihout overflow.

In larger systems with multiple robots sharing a common task, the key success factor is the product flow. Especially for error conditions, the complexity thereby surpasses imagination. Typically, the logistics concepts have to be prooven on the final system - under time pressure and at a stage, error are expensive. VELTRU can simulate ans visualize the system using the real system software. This powerful feature enables customers to verify system concepts at an early stage of the project. VELTRU has perpared such a simulation for a customer, who has been using it also for sales support activities.

The robot cell calibration is key for reaching precision in the application. In a Delta Robot cell, the camera and other sensor locations have to be calibrated with respect to the conveyors and conveyors have to be calibrated with respect to the robot. To ensure a robust process, also under the pressure of commissioning and installation, VELTRU has incorporated GUI based step-by-step calibration, which is part of the training application.

Pick&Place of parts into blisters, cardboxes or conveyor chains require logic to ensure, e.g. parts on the bottom are placed before the parts stacked on top. The VELTRU queue functionality was enhanced to support such logic. Dependencies of placing locations within a blister can be defined by the user. The correct handling is ensured within the queue library.

Today the first training course "Application Development C10" has finished after two intense weeks. The conceptual design of a broadly based and developable framework was a big challenge for all participants. The use of object oriented technologies requires such a base design since it facilitiates the future expansion to handle different applications.

During MOTEK 2008 you will see our robot D8 in an application to precisely decollate bulk goods. The random infeed is realized with a non-vibrating rotary table allowing even the correct handling of goods delivered upside-down. Hall 3 - Booth 3405.

Application design and programming of the VELTRU C10 robot controller can now be realized with objectoriented technologies. Motion and path planning parameters may be accessed in realtime from different function blocks and program organization units. Dynamic memory allocation facilitates the most demanding data and parts management tasks seen in automation applications.

Between June 10 and 13 our partner BOTCOM exhibits the delta robot D8 at the AUTOMATICA exhibition Munich. In an application with a vision sensor parts on a turning rotary table will be recognized, picked and placed in a fixed position. The robot controller C10 does allow conveyor tracking for any conveyor motion that may be mathematically described.