SICK Pty Ltd

31/08/18 - Focusing on the blind spot: Active collision warning systems for mobile machinesManoeuvring and reversing are the most frequent causes of accidents involving mobile machines used on construction sites, in open-cast and underground mining and agriculture and forestry, as well as municipal and special vehicles. The Visionary-B active driver assistance system developed by SICK is designed to monitor the area around and behind mobile machines that is invisible to the driver. It consists of a 3D vision sensor suitable for outdoor use which identifies people and objects in the driver's blind spot and issues a warning. Sensor-based automated systems for agricultural and forestry vehicles, mobile construction machines in building construction, civil engineering and mining and municipal and special vehicles are becoming increasingly important. One area where sensors are used in mobile machines is to provide reliable systems that detect the risk of a collision and warn the driver. The main driving force behind this development is the fact that a large number of collisions and accidents can be prevented if the suitable technology is available to support the driver or machine operator. Active warning functions are not enough. The assistance system must also be able to distinguish between different objects depending on their importance for collision warning purposes. The particular challenges involved in these applications not only concern detecting and evaluating objects. The sensor solutions must also be designed to withstand the tough outdoor environments where the machines are used. Visionary-B from SICK is a product that meets all of these requirements and also has another special feature. It has been designed as an active system. This means that as soon as an object appears within a defined detection zone, the system gives an audible and visual signal. In contrast to passive monitoring solutions, the driver does not need to look constantly at the monitor. Instead, he can concentrate on driving the vehicle, safe in the knowledge that the system will warn him in good time if a potentially critical situation occurs. Visionary-B: Plug and play 3D collision warning system The role of the Visionary-B intelligent driver assistance system is to minimise the risk of collisions when mobile machines pull away, manoeuvre and turn, by monitoring the driver's blind spot. The system consists of at least one sensor head, an evaluation unit, a 2D monitor and all the mechanical and electrical components needed for installation. It is also a two-in-one solution because it combines an active 3D sensor for collision warnings with an integral 2D live camera. This means that the driver can also see a 2D live image and access recordings of the machine's previous few hours of operation. When the system is installedat the height of between 1 and 2.4 meters, the detection angle of 105° x 90° enables it to cover an area behind the vehicle, not visible to the driver, that is six meters long and four meters wide. The evaluation unit processes the 3D image data, assigns the objects to different classes based on the measurements, saves the recordings of the most recent period of operation and uses intelligent algorithms that enable it to ignore objects which are not likely to cause a collision. At the same time, it transmits the live image and the alarm signals to the monitor in the machine's cab, which issues collision warnings in the form of both audible and visual signals.Stereoscopic principle and 3D snapshot technologyTo ensure that the collision warning system is reliable and is accepted by drivers, it is essential that it consistently identifies hazards and can distinguish them from the machine's normal working environment. The object detection system, which is based on the stereoscopic principle, is what makes this possible. It can identify the presence of people and objects and measure their distance from the vehicle. The cameras in the sensor head take images of the vehicle's surroundings from slightly different positions. The evaluation system combines these two perspectives and calculates the depth of the images, in other words, the third dimension. On the basis of the 3D image information, the 3D vision sensor can identify the width and height of the objects. This allows the system to distinguish between people and objects that could cause a collision and those that cannot, for example, curbstones and uneven ground. SICK's integral data evaluation unit reliably detects two classes of objects in an outdoor environment. The first class consists of smaller objects than those that make up the second class. Wide objects, such as walls, do not fall into the second class and are ignored for the purposes of this class. Configuring the system only to warn the driver about objects in class 2 is an ideal solution for narrow entrances or exits, for example, as it will prevent unnecessary and irritating warning signals from being issued. The flexible configuration of alarm zones also makes it possible to distinguish between different types of warnings so that the driver can respond accordingly. This means that the Visionary-B system will not send faulty alarms. The driver is only notified if the situation is genuinely critical.In addition to evaluating and classifying the objects that are detected, Visionary-B has a modular concept that enables the driver assistance system to be designed to suit the vehicle and the purpose it is usedfor. A range of different system configurations is available. These include variants with one sensor head for monitoring the direction the vehicle is travelling in, with two automatically alternating sensor heads for forward and backward movement and with two sensor heads operating simultaneously that cover the area around and behind particularly large and bulky vehicles. Designed for high availability in tough outdoor environmentsThe Visionary-B driver assistance system is highly rugged and is designed for outdoor use in the many different types of environments where mobile machines operate. The sensor housing has an IP69K enclosure rating and can withstand operating temperatures between -40 °C and +75 °C. It also meets high standards of shock and vibration resistance. The evaluation unit, which can often be installed in the safer setting of the driver's cab, has an IP67 enclosure rating and a temperature range of -20 °C to +40 °C. It has also been designed for long service life and can withstand challenging conditions. The evaluation unit uses algorithms that have been tested in practice to ensure that direct sunlight, rain, road surfaces that are damp and shiny and other environmental influences do not prevent the unit from detecting objects reliably or the system from issuing collision warnings.Mobile machines offer a wide range of possible applicationsThe different types of mobile machines provide a variety of interesting applications for the Visionary-B outdoor driver assistance system. For example, the version of Visionary-B with two alternating sensor heads can be used in excavators to monitor the area behind the machine and the area to the side where the excavator's arm blocks the driver's view. Front loaders, dump trucks and rollers are typical examples of construction and mining machines that can be operated much more safely using SICK's active driver assistance system. In all types of environmental and light conditions, it can monitor areas in the machine's direction of travel that are not visible to the driver. This reduces the risk of collisions and accidents to a minimum and also helps to prevent damage to the vehicle, together with the accompanying downtime and costly repairs. Visionary-B is also a valuable addition to agri

30/08/18 - Service and security robots with 2D LiDAR sensors fit for daily use Cohabitation made easyWhat was once fiction is now increasingly a reality – the robot as a service provider in public and private spheres. The fact that man and machine can now live together is made possible not least by sensor solutions such as the 2D LiDAR sensors from SICK's TiM series. They enable service and security robots to record their environment down to the last detail, to adapt to changing conditions, to interact with people, and to react to unfamiliar situations in a human-like manner.Depending on the application of the sometimes humanoid, sometimes futuristically designed robots, 2D LiDAR sensors (Light Detection And Ranging) from the TiM product families enable mobile assistants to record their working environment, to move freely within it, and to approach people – yet also to stop or avoid any obstacles.Taking a trip with Marc M.: robots as friendly and hardworking helpersFor many people, robots are not a common feature of their daily lives – the same goes for Marc M. too, if you don't count his wife's robot vacuum cleaner or the robot lawnmower in his neighbour's garden. That's why his face was quite the picture when he arrived at South Korea's Incheon Airport, and a mobile service robot headed straight over to him in the arrivals hall, stopped right in front of him, and then started to speak. Did he need any help with his luggage, was he looking for the taxi rank, did he want to find a specific car rental company, or did he require information on bus and subway timetables? The robot proved to be a helpful assistant in the middle of this bustling environment. Unbelievable, thinks Marc M., as the robot shows him the way through the masses of people in the hall. In the car park, he is then met with the next surprise: A security robot on the parking level is monitoring the parked cars and is also keeping an eye out for unwanted trespassers and suspicious activities. In an emergency, the robot makes contact with the emergency call centre itself – and is also on hand as a mobile emergency call station in the event that a person feels threatened. “A worthwhile addition to the security personnel, but how does it detect possible dark figures on its round?” Marc wonders en route to his hotel. Arriving in room 203, he unpacks his holdall and notices that he has everything he needs – apart from toothpaste and a toothbrush. “That's what room service is for,” he thinks to himself and places an order for both items on the phone. He doesn't have to wait long for the doorbell to ring – but instead of a chambermaid or a butler, he is greeted by the hotel's room robot. In its storage compartment, he finds a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste as requested, as well as an invitation from the hotel management asking him if he would like to visit the bar where more robots are mixing cocktails and playing the piano. The room robot asks if it can be of further service and wishes him a lovely evening. It turns around, sets off, and quickly moves out of the way of a hotel guest who is just leaving his room. Taking a direct route as if by its own accord, the room robot reaches the lift – it needs to go and collect the laundry from a hotel guest in apartment 414 for the laundry service. Luckily, when Marc calls home, it isn't a robot that picks up, but his wife Roberta instead...Growing service robotics market initiates impetus for innovationMarc M. isn't alone in his experience – and in a few years, commercial service and security robots could play an even more prominent role in daily life. This assumption is certainly well-founded – sales of service robots for professional use are set to increase by 12 percent to a new record of 5.2 billion US dollars by the end of 2017, according to the “World Robotics Report 2017 – Service Robots” from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR)2. Further forecasts are also promising: Between 2018 and 2020, average growth of between 20 and 25 percent is expected for service robots. The findings of the study on the structure of the global market also make for interesting reading. Around 290 of the 700 providers of service robots registered with the IFR come from Europe. North America is ranked second with around 240 manufacturers, and Asia is third with approximately 130 manufacturers. In the USA around 200 start-ups are currently working on new service robots. In the European Union and Switzerland, 170 fledgeling companies are active in this segment – followed by Asia with 135 start-ups. Even the framework conditions seem to be right, as practically all developed economies have a socio-economic environment that would be favourable to the development of service robotics. This is just one of the reasons why the IFR study anticipates that the total market volume for service robots will amount to 46 billion USD by 2019, increasing from 7.2 billion USD in 2015. The fact that this is also generating impetus for innovation, particularly concerning applied sensor and control technology is abundantly clear – and SICK is actively shaping this development with its 2D LiDAR sensors from the TiM series.Why do mobile service robots need to be particularly aware of their environment? The term “robot” in many cases is still thought of in relation to conventional, stationary industrial use, for example on the coating, welding, or assembly lines, or as pallet handling or depalletizer systems. The overwhelming majority of such industrial robots are in stationary use and work in an environment that has been adapted to them. This, in turn, has a major influence on the design of the safety technology required by law – for example, safety fences or electro-sensitive protective devices. In contrast, commercial service and security robots provide services either directly or indirectly to people. They are almost always mobile – their working environment is not predictable, which is why they need to visualise their surroundings themselves. What's more, they have to do this continuously, several times a second. And their environments can – as Marc's trip shows – be very varied indeed.TiM – the sensor platform for environment detection and navigation support2D LiDAR sensors from SICK's TiM product families can handle this variety with aplomb. Integrated into service or security robots so that they are barely visible, they use eye-safe infrared light from laser class 1 and high-resolution HDDM evaluation technology (High Definition Distance Measurement). This is a high-resolution digital process for measuring time and distance which provides both distance and remission values to the control of service and security robots. The major advantage of this technology over other laser sensors, as well as over camera solutions lies in the fact that the quality of the measured values remains consistently high even in adverse conditions. In practical terms, this means, for example, that the sensor will not be affected by dazzle, which in other sensors could cause the robot to stop or become disorientated in its environment. The robot control can use the TiM data at any time for mapping purposes, allowing it to adapt how it responds to situations and obstacles. Last but not least, all TiM impress with their industry-standard connectivity and low power consumption of just a few watts – a level of energy efficiency that is ideal for the long operating times of mobile service and security robots. Many variants, one question: Which TiM should I use when?The question of which TiM is best in which robot application is often answered in practice based on the field to be monitored. With its aperture angle of 200° and working range of up to three meters, the TiM 1xx has an area

29/08/18 - Collision avoidance and navigation support in the warehouseModern electric lifting trucks, order pickers, tugs, and mobile transport platforms provide users with additional potential benefits thanks to the option of semi-autonomous operation. As well as ensuring that vehicles make collision-free journeys, 2D LiDAR sensors from SICK's TiM series also deliver precise measurement data for navigation purposes. What's more, a 2D LiDAR sensor with performance level b is now available for the first time to cater to safety-related applications.In many intralogistics systems, a trend toward smaller and more flexible transport and picking vehicles can be identified. The reason for this is that it is often easier for these vehicles to adapt their transport capacities to daily fluctuations and seasonal peaks as well as to changes in order and customer structures. To enable them to operate autonomously – be it individually or in a network – they need to be protected against collisions intelligently and equipped with the option to navigate for themselves. This is all because the vehicles need to be able to find their way through the halls by themselves and have to be able to deal with virtually any kind of obstacle that may come their way. TiM 2D LiDAR sensors satisfy requirements for integration capability and availabilityThe various TiM product families from SICK offer application-oriented solutions here as, first and foremost, they meet key device-related requirements. The compact TiM5xx, for example, which is used for simultaneous object detection, position detection, and navigation, has an overall height of just 86 millimetres, making it easy to integrate even in confined installation spaces. Their low weight and power consumption also play an important role, particularly in mobile applications. The TiM1xx weighs just 90 grams and requires just 2.2 W of power. Its energy efficiency and compact design satisfy the highest requirements regarding functionality and mobility, as well as the desire for long, interruption-free operating times for the vehicles. TiM sensors also impress thanks to their well-thought-out industrial design, which considers shock and vibration resistance as well as ambient light immunity. Also, they are designed for quick and simple plug & play integration, which is an important factor in terms of ensuring the availability of autonomous, intralogistics vehicles in the event that the sensors need replacing.The next requirement concerns the sensor technology itself. Above all else, the technology must not pose any risk or hazard to the people present in the operating environment. What's more, detection capability must be designed so that different materials, surface structures, and colours are detected to the same degree of reliability – irrespective of influences from the operating environment such as dazzling sunlight or darkness. The sensors' resolution has to be so fine that mobile obstacles in particular – objects and people – are reliably detected in addition to stationary hall elements. Thanks to their innovative HDDM technology, all 2D LiDAR product families also satisfy the highest requirements in terms of detection accuracy. TiM361S: the smallest safety-related 2D LiDAR sensorIn mobile applications such as collision avoidance on service robots and mobile platforms as well as in stationary tasks such as access control on pick & place robots, risk analyses in many cases find that protection in accordance with performance level b is the most efficient solution from a technical and economical point of view. For industrial applications of this nature, the TiM361S is the first safety-certified 2D LiDAR sensor to be available with performance level b in accordance with EN ISO 13849-1:2015. In the safe working range from 0.05 cm to 4 m, up to 48 independent monitoring fields and as many monitoring scenarios and protective field geometries as required can be set up. The TiM361S represents the perfect union between measurement performance and functional safety and fits seamlessly into SICK's existing 2D LiDAR product portfolio.Route monitoring for semi-autonomous industrial trucksWith the integration of two TiM3xx area sensors in one order picker, it is possible to perform autonomous transport tasks without the risk of collisions. When the forklift element picks up the load, a TiM3xx detects the position of a pallet, for example. The sensor doesn't just detect a possible obstacle between a vehicle and pallet – it can also assist the vehicle control when lifting a pallet. During transportation, a front-mounted TiM monitors the route – at an angle of 270° and in a working range of up to ten meters. A whole host of monitoring scenarios can be stored in the sensor for such purposes. 16 pre-configured triple fieldsets are available in the form of a message, warning, and stopping fields, whose shapes can be defined as rectangular, radial, or as free geometries. The configuration of a fieldset can be adjusted directly at the sensor so that special requirements from the application can be implemented directly on site. To prevent the risk of unintended sensor misalignment, various device versions have “contour as reference” functionality, which allows these LiDAR sensors to monitor for correct alignment themselves. If, in addition to route monitoring, the operating environment is also to be recorded for navigation purposes, the TiM5xx product family delivers the measurement data needed for this. Position detection and destination navigation for self-driving platformsThese navigation functions also come into play when used on autonomous mobile robots, which pick items by themselves and then set off for the various warehouse aisles and picking areas independently. With its working range of up to 25 meters, the TiM5xx LiDAR sensor provides both order pickers and self-driving robots with the necessary range of vision to avoid collisions and to collect navigation-related information from the operating environment. With a possible resolution of 0.33° within a scanning field of 270°, the TiM571 provides highly accurate measurement data from the scanned surface. This enables even very small obstacles and orientation marks to be detected and their distances to be determined. The measurement data itself is output via USB or Ethernet interface in the form of a machine-readable string and processed further in the higher-level applications of the vehicle control. As a rule, a single TiM571 will generally be sufficient for both order pickers and mobile platforms, as the pickers have a preferred direction of travel and the platforms generally rotate on the spot to enable them to travel in the required direction. TiM supports autonomous mobilityAutonomous-mobile intralogistics requires intelligent sensors which deliver real-time information to self-driving vehicles and platforms regarding their environment. The 2D LiDAR sensors in the TiM series offer the necessary precision, reliability, and speed to reliably avoid collisions and to provide effective support to higher-level systems used for navigation and position determination purposes.HDDM scanning technology: improved detection, improved navigationThe 2D LiDAR sensors (Light Detection and Ranging) of the TiM product families use eye-safe infrared light (laser class 1) and the HDDM technology (High Definition Distance Measurement) developed and patented by SICK. The latter is a high-resolution digital process for measuring time and distance, which sends out around 100 times more laser pulses than other time-of-flight measurement systems in the same period. The short sequence of pulses and the low angular resolution in the scan

28/08/18 - Stay safe with SICK: Components evolving into ready-to-install safety systemsSafety systems with specifically-tailored applications are becoming an increasingly vital part of SICK’s strategy for the technology of the future. The aim is to provide OEMs with ready-to-install packages containing not only hardware but also necessary documentation and information relevant for certification. One reason why this new approach is particularly attractive for the manufacturing industry is that SICK has expanded the systems to include customised safety services too. As a provider of complete solutions, SICK provides the tools for customers to make ambitious modernisation projects a reality.It’s always good to know that danger can be isolated behind closed doors. But if someone does stray into a dangerous area, it’s also good to have systems that will reliably detect this – preventing injuries caused by machine movements. Safety switches with guard locking or even finely woven light curtains are in everyday use within plants. If an event in the control system occurs, the machine is shifted to a defined safe status. The range of safety functions out there is many and varied, and so too are the components that are available in the automation market. But with all eyes now firmly fixed on Industry 4.0, the question for the safety technology industry is - how flexible is the interaction between sensor technology and actuator engineering going to be in the future? And how much intelligence will be needed to make adaptations in line with dynamically changing production conditions? The Safeguard Detector safety system from SICK reveals exactly what this approach involves in practice. Safe, but also smartViewed from a purely functional perspective, the Safeguard Detector is a complete safety solution that is easy to implement in packaging machines. For example, it can monitor material transportation on carton magazines. There are conventional methods available for protecting hazardous areas, including mechanical tunnel covers combined with safety switches. However, this method restricts the machine operator’s access, limiting both accessibility and flexibility. A much more sophisticated and productive method is to secure the hazardous area in such a way that access can only be gained when the carton magazine falls below a specific minimum fill level. Taking a production-guided approach to safety technology, this strategy prevents accidental access to the safety zone. It is a concept that also conceals another beneficial aspect – a higher production speed and more space thanks to smaller protection zones.The Safeguard Detector has everything that is necessary for implementing a specific safety function in an actual application. This includes the safety controller as well as project planning software, safety characteristic value calculations, circuit diagrams, installation materials, and sensors. Additionally, safety systems such as the Safeguard Detector mentioned in the example above are TÜV-approved and reach the safety level required for an application in a way that is tailored for use with packaging machines. For example, the Safeguard Detector satisfies the requirements of performance level “D” in accordance with EN ISO 13849 and SIL 2 according to EN 62061.Prepared and approvedSICK takes this concept even further. Safety systems provide solutions for typical safety functions that need to be applied over and over again. The packages are configured so that customers can order all the materials they need for installation using a single part number. This part number does not simply represent the individual sensor, or a controller or the connection cable – instead, it represents everything that is needed for the application in question: hardware, operating instructions, training, certificates, plus technical data and software. With everything including certification provided ready-prepared, SICK makes the machine engineer’s work easier and faster. After all, where machine engineers’ core skills lie are in production processes and process technology; safety technology is not necessarily the main focus of theirs.SICK makes life easier through the prepared solutions it provides – giving customers the freedom to focus more on automation. Alongside the Safeguard Detector, other safety solutions that are frequently requested include packages for autonomous vehicles in logistics, sheet metal working machines, production facility access monitoring, and storage systems. Every package has been designed based on a modular concept, enabling the number of safety systems to be expanded easily using the extensive portfolio and thus making it possible to find quick solutions to new tasks in the future. With this in mind, SICK also offers Safety Solutions, which even include safety services straight from the factory – a particular boon for machine operators who are looking to modernise their plants using safety technology.Modernization: Fast solutions with manufacturer knowledgeSICK’s strategy for safety technology, favouring a view of the system as a whole rather than focusing purely on individual components, creates tangible advantages for operating entities too. While safety systems predominantly address mechanical engineering and plant engineering requirements, the Safety Solutions take things one step further from the perspective of system operators. In addition to the individual components and safety systems, Safety Solutions also include safety services. Engineering support that is provided for mechanical engineers can also be transferred to the end customer and their entire production plant, ultimately creating a complete solution.Safe Tire Curing Solutions is a solution for protecting the hazardous area of tire curing machines, which are used in tire production to shape and vulcanise green tires. Accidents occurring at these plants in the past have shown that the process is very hazardous, with the plants often demonstrating gaps in their safety technology measures. This results in a high risk of accidents occurring, particularly at tire curing machines that must be loaded manually by a worker. As a result, new machines must meet the requirements of EN 16474 Tire Curing Machines – Safety Requirements and are therefore being equipped with more advanced safety technology by machine manufacturers. But what about older plant models?This is where the SICK strategy comes in. It aims to take a more consistently solutions-based approach to safety technology and examine the specific challenges posed by an application. Safety services are an integral part of Safety Solutions. Existing plants can, therefore, be retrofitted quickly and routinely by experienced SICK specialists, so there is no need for customers to tie up their own resources in the process. The service portfolio includes the initial risk analysis, the safety concept, the safety hardware and software design, the installation, as well as the commissioning and validation processes in accordance with the requirements of EN 16474 and GB30474 for tire curing machines. In practice, this intelligent safety concept ultimately ensures that productivity increases, waste is reduced, and – above all – operator safety is improved. The loading area is protected by a safety laser scanner which uses its intelligent approach function to automate restarting. Either monitored access points or opto-electronic protective devices can be used to protect the area at the rear of the machine. Companies who opt for Safety Solutions from SICK to carry out retrofitting of this nature find that the process could not be simpler – from analysis to planning and all the way through to implementation in compliance with s