In this case you need to edit the vision pipeline, see the Vision section below. So if your machine has a monochrome camera or non-color background, don't give up yet. However, the vision process is very flexible and also works with any custom sprocket hole detection method and many pipeline result types. The ReferencePushPullFeeder comes with a default vision pipeline that should work out of the box for a green-yello-orange-red range of screening colors. The color-screening method works across a large range of brightnesses, even in difficult lighting/shadow situations.
high saturation) color, like the "green screen" that is used in movie special effects.
Read the tooltips on the field labels to learn which location is which.įor computer vision to work reliably, it is recommended to have a contrasting background behind the tape's sprocket holes. for transparent tapes or when the camera can't reach the feeder, you can set the locations up using the standard capture buttons. Normally, you let computer vision get the locations automatically for you. Given tape width and pitch settings, the ReferencePushPullFeeder can then use EIA 481 standardized tape geometry to deduce precise pick locations from the sprocket holes. Because it is much easier for computer vision to precisely see the sprocket holes than the parts in the tape's pockets, the sprocket holes will be used for precise tape location calibration. The Locations define the orientation and location of the feeder or rather of the tape in the feeder. However, because we will be using OCR to detect the right part, we just leave it alone now. The General Settings are as for every other feeder. Subsequent feeders may be setup with as little as one click! General Settings The settings will subsequently be automatically cloned to the next feeder. However most of these settings are fine to be left on the defaults, and the few exceptions must only be visited once, for the first feeder of a certain tape specification. The settings described in the following sections are numerous and it may sound like hard work to setup a single feeder. Any feeder requiring any type of electronic and/or mechanical motion actuation (lever, knob, push, drag, etc. Also note that the 3D-printed feeder featured in the video is just one example standing in for a wide variety of possible feeder hardware designs, including purely electronic ones. However, some steps aren't covered so you should come back to this page to fill in the missing details. You can watch this to get going and get a first impression. There is a video documenting the most important setup steps.
While this feeder software solution was developed side-by-side with the all-3D-printed feeder featured here, it was an important design goal to create the software side as universal as possible, to be used for all kinds of electronic and mechanical feeders. The feeder features OCR/QR-Code part label recognition, optimized vision calibration, elaborate auto-learning, one-click auto-setup, OCR/QR-Code based feeders-in-a-row discovery and more. with 0402/0201 parts) where the tape is only advanced on every second feed. The actuation can be independent of the pick motion and aside from electronical actuation, it can perform a "hook and pull" articulation, therefore it supports 2mm pitch tapes (e.g. Many feeder designs requiring electronic or mechanical actuation (lever, knob, push, drag, etc. In short, the ReferencePushPullFeeder can use both electronic and/or elaborate 5-point mechanical motion to advance the tape.