Robot sorting, also known as sorting robot, is a type of robot equipped with sensors, lenses, and electro-optical systems that can quickly sort goods.
Background of the Development of Sorting Robots
With rising labor costs, replacing human labor with robots for repetitive, high-intensity tasks is a key direction in modern robotics research. Currently, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are widely used in logistics and flexible manufacturing systems, but their primary guidance methods are electromagnetic or inertial. Electromagnetic guidance requires embedded metal wires and the application of a guiding frequency, which has significant drawbacks: poor flexibility, cumbersome path changes or expansions, and interference from ferromagnetic materials near the guidance path. Inertial guidance primarily uses gyroscopes, but its disadvantages include higher costs, more difficult maintenance and subsequent issues, and the need for magnetic blocks on the ground for auxiliary positioning. Furthermore, these vehicles lack the ability to distinguish objects.
Working principle of sorting robots
The sorting robot can locate itself and find its way by "seeing" the QR codes pasted on the ground. Under the command of the robot scheduling system, after grabbing the package, it passes through the gantry equipped with peripheral equipment such as industrial cameras and electronic scales. With the industrial camera's barcode reading function and the electronic scale's weighing function, the robot scheduling system recognizes the express delivery label information, completes the package barcode scanning and weighing, and plans the optimal running path for the robot according to the package's destination, scheduling the robot to sort and deliver the package.
Sorting robots consist of
The automated sorting and handling robot includes a control core module, a power supply module, an ultrasonic infrared ranging module, a human infrared detection sensor, a color detection sensor, a motor drive module, a stepper motor, an encoder pulse counter, a servo motor, and a robotic arm. The servo motor controls the steering of the robot and also controls the opening and closing of the robotic arm. The encoder pulse counter detects the motor speed. The ultrasonic infrared ranging module is used for positioning. The color detection sensor identifies objects. The robotic arm grips objects. The human infrared detection sensor detects human signals.
Advantages of sorting robots
Stable and efficient, it improves the operational efficiency of enterprises, saves labor and management costs, and promotes the upgrading of factories and enterprises; the sorting robot can rebuild, autonomously plan walking routes, and easily identify objects; the sorting robot can work continuously, is lightweight, and highly efficient, saving 70% of personnel; the sorting robot can perform loading, transportation, and sorting, replacing workers in completing material processing, sorting, packaging, and handling processes.
