Solution types

One Studio runs both Bin Picking Studio (BPS) and Locator Studio (LS). When you create a solution, you choose one of five solution types, and the type decides whether the solution belongs to BPS or LS. This page explains the difference between BPS and LS, helps you choose a type, and shows which setup steps and software modules each type uses.

Bin Picking Studio and Locator Studio

The difference is what the Studio reports to the robot:

• Locator Studio reports the Cartesian pose of the localized object (for Layer Localization, the Cartesian pose of the top layer). The robot program plans the motion to the object itself.

• Bin Picking Studio reports a collision-free trajectory for the robot, together with the gripper commands. To plan the path, the Studio needs models of the robot, the gripper and the robotic cell.

What the Studio does and reports in Locator Studio and in Bin Picking Studio.

	Locator Studio (LS)	Bin Picking Studio (BPS)
The Studio reports	The Cartesian pose of the object (or of the top layer)	A collision-free trajectory and the gripper commands
The robot motion is planned by	The robot program	The Studio
Models of the robot, gripper and cell	Not needed	Needed: Robot, Gripper and Environment setup steps
Robot State Communication Channel	Optional	Needed
Robot side	Robot module, or your own Action Request Client (TCP/IP client) on any compatible robot controller or PLC	Robot module

In both cases the Studio never takes control over the robot. It only answers the action requests that the robot program sends. The robot programmer decides when to send a request and what to do with the result. For BPS, the robot programmer also implements the gripper commands and sets the motion parameters (speed, acceleration, accuracy). See Full operator control and Robot communication overview.

The five solution types

You choose the solution type in the Create a new solution dialog. The dialog describes each type by how it recognizes the object, what it reports and what it is ideal for:

The Create a new solution dialog. The red frame marks the five solution types.

Solution type	Product	Recognition by	Reporting	Ideal for
CAD Localization	LS	CAD model	Object pose	Picking from belt, assembly task
AI Localization	LS	AI	Object pose	Simple depalletization
Layer Localization	LS	Top layer	Top-layer pose	Picking whole layers
CAD Picking	BPS	CAD model	Collision-free trajectory	Bin picking
AI Picking	BPS	AI	Collision-free trajectory	Complex depalletization

Which type to choose

Two questions lead to the right type:

1. Should the Studio plan a collision-free path for the robot? Yes – a Bin Picking Studio type (CAD Picking or AI Picking). No – a Locator Studio type.

2. How should the object be recognized? By its CAD model, by AI, or as a whole top layer (Layer Localization, Locator Studio only).

From the two questions to the solution type.

Setup steps of each solution type

The menu of a solution shows only the setup steps that its type needs, in this order:

The solution menu of each type, from left to right: CAD Picking, AI Picking, CAD Localization, AI Localization and Layer Localization.

Setup step	CAD Picking	AI Picking	CAD Localization	AI Localization	Layer Localization
Robot	✓	✓	–	–	–
Gripper	✓	✓	–	–	–
Picked object (Mesh tools, Reported pose)	✓	–	✓	–	–
Gripping point	✓	–	–	–	–
Grasping method	✓	✓	–	–	–
Vision system	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Calibration	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Environment	✓	✓	–	–	–
Settings	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Notes:

• AI types have no Picked object step, and AI Picking has no Gripping point step. The gripping point of AI solutions is placed with the gripping point settings of AI localization.

• For the Layer Localization type, see Layer Localization.

• Besides the setup steps, every solution has the Solution page with the Detail, Attachments and Activity log tabs. See Solutions page.

Software modules

Which solution types you can create depends on the software modules of your installation. The Software modules page of the Studio lists them, grouped as in this table. The descriptions are the tooltips of the Studio.

Software module	Enables	Used by
CAD Localization	The CAD-based localization engine	CAD Localization, CAD Picking
MultiView Module	Multi-viewpoint scan acquisition for the CAD-based localization engine. See MultiView Localization.	CAD Localization, CAD Picking
AI Localization	The neural network-based localization engine	AI Localization, AI Picking
AnyPick Module for Boxes (Depalletization)	Neural networks for detecting boxes	AI types
AnyPick Module for Totes (Depalletization)	Neural networks for detecting totes	AI types
AnyPick Module for Slipsheets	Neural networks for detecting slipsheets	AI types
AnyPick Module (Custom)	Neural networks for detecting custom objects	AI types
Layer Localization	The layer-based localization engine. Only available for the Locator solution type.	Layer Localization
Path Planning & Collision Avoidance	Navigation of the robot using collision-free trajectories	CAD Picking, AI Picking

The indented modules are listed under their localization engine on the Software modules page. To unlock more modules, contact your sales representative. See also Software modules.

Creating a solution

1. Open the Solutions page and click Create new.

2. Enter the Name of the solution.

3. Choose the solution type (see the dialog above).

4. Click Create.

If your installation has no license for the chosen type, the Create button is disabled and the dialog shows “No valid license found for this solution type”. Check the Software modules page.

Instead of starting from scratch, you can Duplicate an existing solution, for example one of the example solutions such as “Example solution - CAD Picking”. Solutions marked factory default cannot be edited or deleted; duplicate them first.

For importing, exporting and deleting solutions, see Solutions page.