SICK's 3D robot sensors and smart sensors enable efficient and safe human-machine interaction and interaction with the external environment of AMRs.
3D robot and smart sensors: discover the most advanced products.
Oct 4, 2023
Thanks to the latest 3D and smart sensor solutions for robot applications, a new generation of safer and more efficient collaborative robot applications, capable of sharing spaces with human operators, are gaining an increasingly strategic role in smart factories. Among the many advantages offered by new robot systems the high level of flexibility stands out and is essential to satisfy the demands of the modern market.
In 2021 the global Industrial Robot market grew by 25%, with more than 100,000 mobile robot units sold which highlights their growing relevance. Furthermore, a recent research by Statista estimates that in 2025, 640 thousand "autonomous mobile robots" (AMR) and 43 thousand "automated guided vehicles" (AGV) will be sold globally, with a steady growth trend that will lead the industrial robotics market to exceed $165 billion in 2028.
In this context, robotics and intelligent sensors play an essential role in overcoming the main challenges of mobile industrial robotics in terms of interaction with the external environment and safety.
Robotic sensors for mobile industrial robotics
Interaction between robots, humans and the environment is, and will continue to be, a developing topic. This is due to the increasing presence of collaborative robotic applications in smart factories that optimize production, increase operations accuracy and improve comfort for operators. Additionally, the use of mobile robotics solutions (AGV and AMR) that move automatically or autonomously in the production or logistics environment will also contribute to this topic. These solutions can optimize loading and movement procedures, increase productivity, efficiency and the quality of products.
In the area of mobile robotics, SICK's 3D and smart sensors will play a crucial role in meeting different applications requirements: navigation, positioning, environmental detection, safety and load handling
Navigation and positioning
In positioning applications, SICK sensors determine the absolute position of AMRs within their environment. Solutions range from 2D LiDAR sensors to safety laser scanners for indoor and outdoor environments. Thanks to intelligent algorithms and SICK safeHDDM outdoor scanning technology, high throughput can be achieved even in unfavourable weather conditions.
Solutions dedicated to monitoring and controlling the movement of mobile platforms, include encoders, inclinometers, and Motor Feedback systems. The latter, integrated in the drives, provides data on speed and position, as well as drive status thus forming the sensory basis for all robot movements.
Moreover, thanks to the sHub sensor hub it is possible to use servo motors as data sources for status monitoring and machine maintenance. Data, collected in the motor and transmitted to the control through HIPERFACE DSL, enables real-time surveillance. This allows maintenance personnel to react in a timely manner and intervene in machine processes via predictive maintenance to avoid any unplanned production downtime. In conjunction with the EDS/EDM35 motor feedback system sHub makes the servo motor smart and able to provide not only position and speed values, but also temperature and vibrations values, thus forming the ideal basis for Condition Monitoring.
Regarding safe positioning, information about position & direction provided by SIL/PL certified encoders by SICK plays an increasingly important role on many machines. This supports the user in implementing safety functions and ensures safe efficient machine operation.
SICK possesses Safety Expertise gained over many years and has partners with many organisations like the IFA (Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance. As a result the safety encoder AFS/AFM60S Pro was the first product to be certified according to IEC61800-5-3. This was the first standard specifically for safety encoders, published at the end of February 2021.
Environmental detection and safety
Identifying and sensing the surrounding environment during transport is essential for mobile platforms to avoid collisions with obstacles or people as well as guaranteeing reliable processes. When mobile platforms and people share the same working environment it essential to use solutions and robotic sensors that can guarantee safety and promptly report potential issues.
With this in mind, SICK offers sensors and solutions carefully tailored to the safety level required by each application: from emergency stop buttons for a quick and reliable machine stop to single-beam photoelectric barriers. 2D and 3D non-contact sensors that promptly warn of potential collisions. Safety laser scanners that can dynamically activate appropriate protective fields according to their speed and direction. Robust and easy to integrate safety systems for AGV and AMRs, Safe AGV Easy for the protection of vehicles and driverless forklift trucks; safe multi-beam LiDAR scanners with Solid State technology that can efficiently protect in application up to Performance Level c (PLc) and enable a more productive fleet of driverless forklift trucks.
Load handling
In relation to load handling, a key function of mobile platforms, SICK offers a great variety of solutions for the detection, positioning and identification of goods. Within this scope, the SICK portfolio includes a wide range of solutions; Measuring and 2D LiDAR sensors that detect the presence of the load, verify free space in the warehouse or corrects alignment of the mobile platform in relation to the load; Identification and tracking technologies using mono and bi-dimensional barcode and RFID technologies; Photoelectric sensors (2D and 3D) to determine the size and position of the load on the mobile platform and in the warehouse. A good example is the 3D Machine Vision Visionary-T sensors with innovative Snapshot 3D technology which offers complete flexibility for applications in indoor environments.
