How DMG MORI uses Vision at an Assembly Station

Tulip’s recently released Vision capabilities have been deployed to shop floors around the world. In Pfronten, Germany, DMG MORI has augmented an assembly station with guided digital workflows in Tulip and off-the-shelf Intel cameras.

At the facility, DMG MORI builds different components for the large tool-holding wheels inside their CNC machines. The station can create a variety of different subassemblies on a per-order basis.

In this blog we are going to take a look at some of the ways a simple Vision set up has augmented this workflow:

\To begin the process, order bins are affixed with jig markers, linking each bin to a specific order ID number. The guided process automatically begins when the bin is brought onto the bench, passing under a camera mounted overhead. The camera identifies the bins using the jig detection feature, and automatically triggers the next step, loading the corresponding work instructions for the order that is about to be worked on.

The operator will need to confirm the order, and if they do not want to reach up and use the touchscreen, there are virtual buttons set up on the bench. The camera detects change over the printed labels and can trigger an action in the Tulip app. In this case, the buttons allow the operator to navigate through the app without touching the screen.

Tulip’s Light Kit can be integrated with Vision for guided Pick-to-Light operations. Instead of installing break beam sensors, Vision can detect changes at each bin with a single camera. If the operator tries to grab a component from the wrong bin, they will receive immediate feedback, alerting them to an error.

The Pick to Light setup can be easily adjusted with drag and drop boxes over areas of interest, in this case, bins.

Because Tulip could track the number of times an operator reaches into the bin, it is easy to implement additional features such as automatic inventory tracking and replenishment alerts.

Like the rest of the Tulip platform, Vision capabilities can be added with no code. It is easy to get started.

Tulip brings flexibility to computer vision applications. With just one or two cameras, you can implement multiple solutions across a workstation, tracking changes and jigs across many regions of interest. Drag and drop app building with logic makes it easy to iterate and build more features into an assembly station like this one at DMG MORI. Want to get started? Get a demo of all the capabilities of the Tulip platform.