Automation of Wooden Plank Handling Using a Vision Guided Cobot System
Satish Kumar, Ganesh Goutham (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025111327983
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025111327983
Tiivistelmä
The objective of the thesis was to automate the wooden plank handling process at Pihla Factory by developing and implementing a vision-guided collaborative robot system in cooperation with FP Kotaja Oy. The aim of the project was to design, build, and deploy a functional automation solution that uses a UR cobot integrated with a machine vision camera to identify, pick, and place wooden planks automatically. The purpose was to improve production efficiency, reduce manual workload, and increase process consistency.
The thesis combined theoretical study and practical industrial implementation. The theoretical part reviewed industrial automation in the context of Industry 4.0, the principles and safety of collaborative robots, and the application of machine vision in robotic systems. The practical part described the full development process conducted at FP Kotaja Oy for Pihla Factory, including hardware integration, camera calibration, communication setup between the VISOR vision camera and UR collaborative robot, and testing of the complete system on-site.
The implemented system successfully automated the identification and handling of wooden planks with high accuracy. The deployment demonstrated a reduction in cycle times and a significant improvement in process repeatability and ergonomics. The communication between the camera and robot operated reliably, ensuring stable and continuous operation during factory testing.
It was concluded that the integration of a vision-guided cobot system for wooden plank handling is both technically and practically feasible in an industrial production environment. The project provided FP Kotaja Oy and Pihla Factory with a robust automation solution and laid the groundwork for further improvements such as conveyor synchronization, AI-based vision detection, and broader automation of related production stages.
The thesis combined theoretical study and practical industrial implementation. The theoretical part reviewed industrial automation in the context of Industry 4.0, the principles and safety of collaborative robots, and the application of machine vision in robotic systems. The practical part described the full development process conducted at FP Kotaja Oy for Pihla Factory, including hardware integration, camera calibration, communication setup between the VISOR vision camera and UR collaborative robot, and testing of the complete system on-site.
The implemented system successfully automated the identification and handling of wooden planks with high accuracy. The deployment demonstrated a reduction in cycle times and a significant improvement in process repeatability and ergonomics. The communication between the camera and robot operated reliably, ensuring stable and continuous operation during factory testing.
It was concluded that the integration of a vision-guided cobot system for wooden plank handling is both technically and practically feasible in an industrial production environment. The project provided FP Kotaja Oy and Pihla Factory with a robust automation solution and laid the groundwork for further improvements such as conveyor synchronization, AI-based vision detection, and broader automation of related production stages.