Product Assembly Assistance System Based on Pick-To-Light and Computer Vision Technology

Area of Science:

• Industrial Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Product assembly, particularly for complex items, requires significant worker training time.
• Current automation solutions are often inflexible for diverse product assembly needs.
• Reducing assembly training time is crucial for improving production efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel guided assembly system to decrease training time and enhance assembly efficiency.
• To integrate pick-to-light (PTL) modules and computer vision technology for real-time assembly guidance.
• To create a flexible and scalable system adaptable to various complex products.

Main Methods:

• Development of a custom system integrating a personal computer (PC), pick-to-light (PTL) modules, and a USB camera.
• Implementation of a PC application for visualizing assembly steps and guiding operators.
• Utilizing a two-step verification process: PTL pushbutton confirmation and computer vision-based part identification.

Main Results:

• The developed system successfully guides assemblers through complex product assembly processes.
• A use case demonstrated a significant reduction in product assembly time using the proposed system.
• The system's design allows for scalability and adaptability to different products.

Conclusions:

• The guided assembly system effectively reduces assembly time and training requirements.
• The integration of PTL and computer vision offers a viable solution for complex assembly tasks.
• The proposed technology is flexible, scalable, and can be readily applied to diverse manufacturing environments.