One of the fastest growing sectors in flexible automation and disruptive technologies employs parallel, or delta robots. Isthmus Engineering has successfully incorporated delta robots in applications for several customers. Originally developed for packaging and material handling applications, these robots are the preferred solution when high speeds and extreme accuracy are required. The key to their effectiveness is in the linkages that maneuver the flange where the end effector is mounted. Unlike serial link robots, the lightweight composite linkages of a delta robot minimize the amount of energy the robot expends moving its own mass. As a result, greater velocities and accuracy are achieved than with standard robots. The seamless integration of end effector design, machine vision, product handling and overall layout of the system are key components of any successful delta robot application. End effectors for delta robots are application-specific and generally have physical picking constraints that require the orientation of each part to be established prior to picking. Machine vision is commonly employed to generate the geometric and positional information of each part on the infeed conveyor. This information is then provided to the robot, which is mounted above the incoming product stream. The robot can then pick, sort and collate the parts at a very high rate. Isthmus Engineering has fielded a number of these turn-key systems and will continue to use this technology into the future, particularly when high speed picking and accuracy are required. Watch the video of one of our recent projects:  Distruptive Technolgies: Pouch Filling & Assembly