Delta Presents a One-stop Mobile Phone Lens Thickness Inspection Solution with SCARA Robot and Machine Vision System

More and more “influencers” are generating both fame and fans using booming social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tik tok. To quickly upload live videos and photos via mobile phone and share with their fans, it requires not only the algorithms of the apps, but also the lens on the mobile phone. Using the right lens makes snapping much easier. This is why mobile phone manufacturers are dedicated to developing various mobile lenses to enhance focal length, aperture, focus, image sensor, vibration reduction, pixels and other specifications. Producing mobile phone lenses quickly and effectively in small quantities and large varieties has become a critical challenge for mobile phone manufacturers.

The customer in this case is a Taiwanese mobile lens manufacturer that specializes in making various types of phone lenses, including wide-angled lenses, fish eye lenses, telephoto lenses, kaleidoscope lenses and CPL filters. The production line requires a great deal of labor to classify each lens and place it in an optical inspection machine to check the thickness and ensure production quality. However, manual classification is low in efficiency and often fails due to manual errors. To meet this customer's demands, Delta integrated a SCARA robot and machine vision system that provides a one-stop mobile phone lens thickness inspection solution for enhanced efficiency.

This solution adopts Delta's SCARA Robot DRS Series and Delta Machine Vision System DMV Series with an optical inspection machine to construct automated mobile phone lens optical inspection equipment. The DMV Series precisely inspects the position and quantity of various lenses and strengthens the features of the inspected objects with a two-dimensional machine vision system. It transmits the data of the inspected objects, such as type, position, quantity and angle to the controller. The controller then controls the SCARA robot to perform inspection, classification and assembly applications.

The detailed process follows: When the system starts, the computer checks if any lens needs inspection via the DMV Series, and transmits the quantity data to the upper level. The Ethernet Switch DVS Series transmits the robot movement data and lens quantity info to the SCARA robot. The robot grips the lens to the sliding table, and the motor drive controls the sliding table to move to the inspection machine for lens thickness inspection. After inspection, the sliding table conveys the lens to the robot, and the robot classifies the lens to the assigned discharge zone.

The integrated system enables the customer to combine their existing equipment with the additionally purchased Delta Machine Vision System DMV Series, SCARA Robot DRS Series and Ethernet Switch DVS Series for an automated lens classification and pick-and-place operation. This solution offers the following benefits to customers:

• Enhanced precision and quality
The DMV Series detects the lens position and quantity precisely. Via RS-485 communication protocols, it quickly transmits data to the SCARA Robot DRS Series to pick up the lens for the inspection machine and discharge zone, eliminating the risk of manual errors.

• Better efficiency and less labor
The automated optical inspection equipment greatly accelerates the inspection speed with approximately 12 seconds per lens. It also reduces the labor required for inspection. The operators can be allocated to other workstations.

• One-stop inspection for products with small quantities and a large variety
The Ethernet Switch DVS Series transmits the parameters detected by the DMV Series to the SCARA robot and optical inspection machine in real-time, so the inspection equipment can adjust accordingly. Using the same equipment to inspect different lenses fulfills the inspection demand for small quantities and a large variety.

Delta's one-stop mobile phone lens thickness inspection solution detects micro differences with the machine vision system, and uses the industrial robot to classify the lens. This solution reduces labor cost, enhances production flexibility and shortens operation time. Delta will continue to build production equipment that offers high efficiency and great benefits for our customers.