What are Pick and Place Robots?

Pick and Place Robots, sometimes called robot arms, are a useful solution to replace the repetitive task of placing items into an order or a completed small order into a shipping destination. Like all robotic automation we tend to focus on the mechanical aspects of the solution first, namely the arm itself. There are other important components to the solution in addition to the arm.

The end-of-arm tool, also known as the end effector or gripper can be fixed or interchangeable. The vision/perception system that identifies the object to be gasped, and software that determines the poise for gasping. There is also the possibility of tactile feedback from the gripper to let the system know it has successfully grasped the item. There is path planning on what motion to make to place the picked item, and how that placement should be accomplished. All this can be done on a collaborative arm such as a universal robotics UR 10 or it can be done with a faster, more robust arm that requires guarding to prevent unwanted contact with humans.

No single pick and place robot can handle every item that you throw at it. A common strategy is to automate a portion of your picks and handle the out of weight or out-of-shape items with an exception process that involves humans. Think of the exception handling checkout clerk in the self checkout aisle of a supermarket. They are ready to step in when needed, but their time is split over a multitude of work cells.

Pick and Place robots can be compelling to replace the repetitive task of picking and placing an item, but the overall operational flow needs to be considered. How the items get to the robot and how the completed order gets taken away. A classic example is an ASRS system delivering totes to a work cell and a conveyor taking away completed orders. Another common application of robotic arms is inducting items or orders onto a shipping sorter, such as a crossbelt sorter sorting completed items to shipping consolidation points.