Photoneo solves automotive bag rack picking challenge at Automate 2025

Photoneo, now part of Zebra Technologies, is set to unveil what it describes as “a groundbreaking robotic solution” that directly tackles a long-standing challenge in automotive manufacturing: the automated picking of delicate parts from densely packed bag racks.

The company says attendees at Automate Show 2025 (booth #641) will witness the industry’s first live demonstration of In-Motion Hand-Eye Bag Rack Picking.

This innovative system achieves fully automated, collision-free retrieval by seamlessly integrating precision, speed, and adaptability.

Daniel Otto, global sales and marketing lead at Photoneo, says: “In this demo, we’re not just picking parts – we’re picking apart the old limitations of robotic vision.

“This is the first time you can see a robot solve this kind of complex handling task with real-time 3D Scanning in motion and advanced path planning. It’s a major step forward for smart automation in automotive and beyond.”

The breakthrough: 10x faster scanning for complex picking

Traditional robotic systems struggle with bag racks, often requiring numerous stops and scans. Photoneo’s solution utilizes its MotionCam-3D, mounted in a hand-eye configuration, to capture a continuous stream of 3D data while the robot arm moves.

This “scanning-in-motion” technology, combined with Photoneo’s mature bin picking software, reduces scanning cycle times by a factor of ten.

Witness the innovation at booth #641:

• Continuous 3D perception: MotionCam-3D with 3D Instant Meshing provides uninterrupted, multi-angle vision, enabling accurate object recognition and localization without halting the robot.
• Sub-millimeter precision: Dynamic calibration ensures the robot picks accurately from complex orientations.
• Intelligent collision avoidance: Photoneo’s Bin Picking Studio prevents collisions within the tight rack compartments and surrounding workspace.
• Versatile workflow: The demonstration features a single system performing bag rack picking, depositing, bin picking, and reinsertion in a continuous loop.

The technology behind the breakthrough

The demo utilizes a Universal Robots UR10e equipped with a MotionCam-3D and an electric two-finger gripper, all powered by Photoneo’s Bin Picking Studio. This integrated solution offers seamless compatibility and rapid deployment.

The result is a system capable of extracting parts of various colors and shapes from tightly packed bag racks in real time, without stopping. This marks a pivotal advancement in automotive automation.