Flawless assembly made easier 

ifm mate is the new operator assistance system for manual tasks during assembly which combines flexibility, easy programming and an innovative use of artificial intelligence.

What are the consequences and costs of an error when assembling or packaging a product? We are well aware that even in the case of straightforward, manually performed assembly operations, such as the preparation of kits or the packaging of a product with its instructions, an oversight can have important economic consequences for a company. In order to avoid such mistakes, ifm has developed a new operator training and support system for manual assembly and packaging tasks, which is easy to install and program and does not require any special accessories (such as augmented reality glasses or wearable devices). The new ifm solution, called “ mate “, makes it possible to integrate digital support directly into manual assembly stations already present in the company with a retrofit which immediately increases efficiency and precision.

Quick to install, easy to program

ifm mate consists of a camera with combined 2D and 3D technology and a PC Box with pre-installed software. Installation of the system is immediate: all that is needed is to connect the camera and PC Box, power the latter and connect to a full HD touchscreen (if the customer does not have one available, ifm supplies it as an accessory) to start using mate.

But how does the new ifm system work? mate exploits the artificial intelligence of the software to guide the operator through the process, verifying the accuracy of the operations through camera monitoring of the operator’s hand movements. The system is able to detect when the operator’s hands are picking and from which box or area they have taken the component. It is important to emphasise that mate is a system which follows the speed and working method of the operators, guiding them through the manual picking operations in real time. In the event of divergence from the defined work sequences, ifm mate warns the operators and, depending on the settings, either guides them to complete the sequence or considers the process compromised and asks them to start the sequence from the beginning. The programming of mate is also very simple thanks to a procedure which guides users through the setting of their work process: the mate software allows them to identify the gripping areas on the screen (even if they are not delimited) and then define the order of operations (in sequence or with simultaneous operations). 

Already available on the catalogue, mate was presented at the Mecspe trade show, where it attracted a lot of interest from visitors precisely because of its ease of programming. “There are other solutions on the market which support the operator in manual processes,” Dario Lucifora, ifm Product Sales Manager, explained, “but none have the flexibility and ease of programming which characterise mate. Systems using capacitive or ultrasonic sensors are not only much more rigid, but they also require a specialist technician to wire the assembly station and step in again if the assembly process changes. Other solutions using multi-camera vision systems are very complex to program and require a much higher investment from the company compared to ifm mate”.