The design of these adaptive machines is based on the combination of several advanced automation technologies such as robotics, intelligent conveyors, vision and simulation. At the CFIA in Rennes, B&R not only presents an offer encompassing all these key technologies, but also a system showing how to combine them to create an adaptive machine.

The ACOPOStrak intelligent conveyor has shuttles that are individually controlled and whose pitch reduced to 50 mm facilitates the transport of small containers. Its straight or curved segments at different angles are assembled according to the track shapes desired by the user. Its "diverging" segments separate or merge product flows at full speed, thus allowing parallel processing as well as simultaneous and high-speed production of different formats or assortments.

The Smart Sensor and Smart Camera cameras are fully integrated into the automation systems, as well as the Smart Light and third-party lights via the network connection of the new B&R flash controller. Lighting and image capture are synchronized to the nearest microsecond: a performance that captures fast moving objects with perfectly sharp and reproducible results. The lighting colour and angle are electronically adjusted and can be changed on the fly. Smart Cameras incorporate artificial intelligence, allowing local processing of image captures (Edge AI). 

Known for their precision and speed, Codian’s delta robotic mechanics are now supplied by B&R. They can be integrated into any machine configuration. Combined with a B&R control platform, they can be synchronized with an ACOPOStrak intelligent conveyor, Smart Camera, or other B&R equipment in real time and with record precision: the ideal solution for designing machines that combine high precision, high throughput and adaptability.

The Scene Viewer tool included in Automation Studio, B&R’s development environment, generates a digital twin of the ACOPOStrak system, making it easy to set up, program and maintain. Automation Studio also features a machine model import function as well as a machine program export function to any simulation tool that supports the FMI standard. These solutions reduce the resources needed for interdisciplinary developments.