Highlights 2024/25 06 Artificial Intelligence 34 – 35 Real-life application Festo GripperAI in the Würth Logistics Center Customized AI robot solution Würth, the global market leader in developing, manufacturing and selling assembly and fastening materials, has up to 1,000,000 products in its portfolio, from small and lightweight products to heavy parts. The packaging process takes place in the logistics center in Künzelsau, Germany, at the Würth Group’s headquarters. A wide variety of products arrive in trays via so-called sorter conveyors; employees remove the objects and pack them in shipping cartons. Parts can often weigh up to 20 kilograms, making handling them extremely stressful for the employees. The AI expertise from Festo was one of the primary reasons why it was selected by Würth to help implement its innovation project, the development of a customized and flexible solution. The GripperAI software from Festo enables all types of robots and handling systems to grip unknown and different objects without prior training. Customized software solution developed “We built a copy of Würth’s sorter conveyors in our laboratory and were thus able to develop the various capabilities of the robot: object-dependent gripper selection, gripping all types of objects from the trays, packing shipping cartons and handling the cartons and trays,” says Jan Seyler, Head of Advanced Development Analytics and Control, from the Research & Development department at Festo. One of the robot’s special features is its tool station. The robot can use various suction cups and grippers, and depending on the type of object, shape, and surface texture, GripperAI determines which tool is most suitable. An integrated camera in the robot identifies the various objects. The Festo GripperAI solution can grip almost any object that is placed in front of it – precisely what the gripper and robot are designed to do. Two years into their innovative partnership, the first phase of the collaboration between Würth and Festo is now drawing to a successful close – the prototype is working. The customized AI software solution from Festo is now being extensively tested at the Reinhold Würth Innovation Center Curio and is set to be deployed in Würth logistics centers around the world in the future. The grippers, which were specially developed for this project, set new standards in robot technology; the suction cups are from the Festo portfolio. The adapted AI robot solution significantly reduces the workload of employees and increases operational efficiency. The solution also doesn't require any teaching or training, and can function with every robot and vision system. You can find more information about this customer application here: > www.festo.com/gripperai Successful test setup at Würth’s innovation center: Thanks to the innovative AI software “GripperAI” from Festo, the robot can identify, grip, and pack unknown objects. A test in logistics (photo on the left) is in preparation. Photos: Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG
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