With Mitsubishi Electric’s guided operator solutions, bin-picking mistakes can be easily eliminated … and that in turn helps reduce waste, improve quality, and boost productivity.

By eliminating typical problems such as picking the wrong parts with a similar shape or name, picking and assembling parts out of sequence or just missing some part from a sequence, Mitsubishi Electric’s integrated guided operator solutions make workers’ hands faster and more reliable, resulting in appreciable improvements in efficiency for manufacturers.

Based on the Japanese principles of the Poka Yoke method of eliminating mistakes before they can occur, guided operator solutions form a versatile system that eliminates the need for parts lists or operator instructions … delivering faster assembly times, increased assembly quality, and reduced requirements for operator training.

Traditionally, workers must pick a number of different parts or products from bins in sequence. The chances of them doing this with 100% reliability, 100% of the time, is small. Significant time is used to search for the right part and validating the part number. Worst case (and all too common) any mistakes goes unnoticed until they’re up the production line … if indeed they’re noticed at all.

Mitsubishi Electric guided operator solutions ensure that none of this can happen by guiding the worker to the correct bin, possibly by lighting an indicator or by opening a shutter and needing acknowledgement of a successful pick. Thus, their picking becomes more reliable and mistake-free and also much faster, improving quality and productivity in the process.

Terminals install on pipe racking and connected via a dedicated cable that avoids the need for multiple cables to the main controller. Intuitive connectors enable fast installation of networks, while terminals can be quickly set up with an address writer using dedicated software. These can be successfully mapped to a controller.

The variety of terminals ensure that the solution is suitable for just about any application. Photoelectric sensors provide options for applications where high-speed picking is essential, or for more cost-sensitive applications, an array of push button and lever feedback actuators are available.

Where assembly tasks must fit into a wider operational environment, dedicated bridges connect stations over CC-Link and CC-Link IE networks to allow connectivity to multiple picking applications within a plant. High speed data communication enables synchronization of tasks and also allows assembly cells to be distributed according to the needs of the production site.

Central to the guided operator solutions are Mitsubishi Electric’s controllers with dedicated masters communicating with a network of terminals. By connecting other devices to the controller, such as bar code scanners, electric screwdriver or vision systems, guided operator solutions can be tuned to the exact needs of the operator. Mitsubishi Electric’s intuitive GOT HMIs can help achieve more enhancements and drive as well as robotic technology can be integrated into the manufacturing cell. Guided operator solutions offer a variety of terminal types, they range from a simple LED and push button device through to door operated terminals. Options for lever switch and photoelectric terminals are also available. For more information on eliminating mistakes and improving productivity, visit eu3a.mitsubishielectric.com.

With nearly 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (TOKYO: 6503) is a leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. Offering a vast range of automation and processing technologies, including controllers, drive products, power distribution and control products, electrical discharge machines, electron beam machines, laser processing machines, computerized numerical controllers, and industrial robots, Mitsubishi Electric helps bring higher productivity -and quality- to the factory floor. In addition, the extensive service networks around the globe provide direct communication and comprehensive support to customers. For more information, visit mitsubishielectric.com/fa.