Layer Localization

The layer-based localization engine finds the top layer of a stack and reports its pose to the robot. This page describes how to set up a solution that uses it. It applies to Locator Studio (LS) only, to the Layer Localization solution type.

Overview

• What it does: finds the top layer of a stack and reports the pose of that layer to the robot.

• Ideal for: picking whole layers.

• Software module: Layer Localization (“Enables the layer-based localization engine. Only available for the Locator solution type.”).

After each scan, the engine finds the current top layer. When the robot has picked it, the next scan finds the layer below.

To compare it with the other engines, see Localization engines. To compare the solution types, see Solution types.

Setup steps

A Layer Localization solution has these setup steps:

1. Vision system – the 3D sensor, the scanning profile and the localization profile.

2. Calibration – calibration of the vision system. See Calibration.

3. Settings – the settings of the solution and its vision systems.

There is no Picked object step. Like every solution, a Layer Localization solution also has the Solution, Attachments and Activity log pages.

Vision system

Each vision system has the tabs Configuration, Localization, Calibration and Settings.

The vision system of the Layer Localization example solution. The red frame marks its localization profile file.

Configuration

The Configuration tab of the vision system. Red frames: the tab, Calibration space and sensor position and Scanning profile type.

The Configuration tab has these fields:

• Name

• Calibration space and sensor position

• Unique ID

• Sensor ID

• Sensor model

• Scanning profile type

• Custom scanning profile

There is no Picked object field. For the sensor fields, see Vision system configuration.

For Layer Localization, Scanning profile type offers the profiles from the CAD / Layer localization list. See Localization scanning profile.

Localization profile

The Localization tab holds the Localization profile of the vision system. The profile is a .pdcf file.

The Localization tab of the vision system. Red frames: the vision system tabs and the Localization profile buttons.

As the tab says: “Create a new configuration profile from scratch or upload an existing one.” The buttons are:

• Create new – creates a new profile from scratch.

• Upload other – uploads an existing profile file.

• Edit current – edits the current profile.

• Download current – downloads the current profile as a .pdcf file.

Settings

The layer-specific settings: Constraint - Object dimensions and Constraint - Points above localized layer (red frames).

The Settings page has two sections that are specific to Layer Localization:

• Constraint - Object dimensions

  Minimum and maximum X and Y size of the bounding box of the found object.
• Constraint - Points above localized layer

  Maximum number of points allowed above the localized layer. If there are more, the layer is rejected.

The page also has these sections:

• Advanced settings with Get objects request timeout [s]. See Advanced settings.

• The solution Advanced settings with Share the calibration among vision systems. See Solution settings - Advanced settings.

• Automatic saving of scans. See Automatic saving of scans.

The settings of a vision system can override the global settings for that vision system only. See Settings.

Getting the result in the robot program

The robot program gets the localized layer with the Get objects request:

• Input: the vision system ID and the number of requested objects.

• Output: the object poses.

• Timeout: set with Get objects request timeout [s] in the settings.

For the parameters, the returned data and the error codes, see Get objects request.