by Vibratory Feeder With Integrated Vision System Orients Parts Based On Internal Features
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This vibratory feed system was designed to feed a metal washer into a machine assembling a consumer product. While flat, round parts like washers are normally easy to feed, this part had a small indentation on one side that needed to be oriented facing down.
Because the indentation was an internal feature that could not be oriented mechanically, the bowl feeder oriented the parts laying flat without concern for top to bottom orientation.
A vision system was mounted over the vibratory bowl tooling right before the discharge to check the top to bottom orientation. If an improperly oriented part was detected, the PLC that controlled the vision system activated an air jet which blew the part off the track and back into the bowl feeder for recirculation.
The PLC that controlled the vision system was mounted in the junction box to the left of the camera, with the camera’s monitor mounted on the front of the box.
These two photos show the vision system monitor with images of a good (left) and bad (right) part.
A straight line track powered by a 3-spring vibratory inline driver transferred the oriented parts between the vibratory feeder and the customer’s assembly station.
A photoelectric sensor monitored the level of parts in the straight line track, shutting off power to the vibratory feeder bowl when the track was full.
A bulk supply hopper with a stainless steel bin and tray provided 1/4 cu. ft. of bulk parts storage with automatic metering of parts into the vibratory bowl.
System specifications
- Feed Rate: 25 parts per minute.
- Input voltage: 120V, 60 Hz.
- Vibratory bowl:
- 10″ basic diameter.
- Counterclockwise rotation.
- Bead blasted stainless steel construction.
- Vibratory straight line track:
- 36″ long.
- Stainless steel construction.
- 3-spring vibratory inline driver.
- Bulk supply hopper:
- 1/4 cu. ft. capacity with table mount.
- Stainless steel bin and tray.
- Vision system: Keyence camera with proximity sensor and PLC.
- Controls: Performance Feeders PF-3R.
- Mounting surface: 1.25″ thick steel table with 4 legs and leveling screws.
- Sensors and valves provided:
- Photoelectric sensor on straight line track monitoring part level in track. When track is full, the bowl is turned off to prevent parts from backing up into the bowl.
- Proximity sensor on hopper monitoring parts level in bowl, turning on hopper when parts are needed.
- Proximity sensor on bowl feeder in camera area, sensing part in place for vision inspection.
- Solenoid valve package with regulator and flow controls for air jets.
