Introduction

Preface
Thank you very much for choosing InPicker!

Developed by INFAIMON, the leading machine vision and image analysis technology
provider, InPicker combines powerful hardware (vision and robot) with intelligent software
(image analysis and communications) for all types of picking applications.

Based on Vision Guided Robotics (VGR), the InPicker system can identify and grab any
randomly sorted objects to place them in another location with a robotic system. InPicker is
especially suitable for all types of picking solutions for complex elements, with irregular
shapes and multiple structures. Furthermore, InPicker optimizes the operation of the
production processes and minimizes the resources allocated to maintenance. The possibility
of using the system continuously, during the three daily work shifts, makes it especially
interesting in continuous production systems and guarantees a rapid return on investment.

Adaptable to the specific needs of various industrial sectors, the InPicker universal solution
supports multiple robots, machine vision and imaging technologies that provide a wide
variety of product inspection applications and facilitate their integration into a quality
control system. The following documentation describes how to install, set up, configure and
use an InPicker system. The first part offers a general description of the use of all controls
displayed in the graphic user interface, while the second part shows an example of the
sequence of actions to perform for the configuration of a new bin picking application. It also
contains important information on the software’s communications, as well as a demo robot
program.

INFAIMON’s InPicker system consists of many different applications, together with a

collection of utilities and tools:
InPicker Calibration
The goal of InPicker Calibration is to provide a simplified solution to the task of performing
the calibration between the main bin picking system elements, camera and robot.

Figure 1. InPicker Calibration main window.

InPicker Assistant
The main usage of InPicker Assistant is to generate the picking configuration that will be
executed by the InPicker. For this goal, it uses a series of graphic tools that will allow to carry
out this configuration efficiently and intuitively.

Figure 2. InPicker Assistant main window.

InPicker Process
This application loads a bin picking configuration from the hard disk, and it is able to
communicate with the camera and robot to interpret the scene, locate the parts, calculate
the grasping possibilities for the parts in the bin without collision with the bin or with any
other elements from the environment. All the data is communicated to the robot or to the
installation PLC master in a reference which allows the robot to enter the bin and pick the
parts safely and precisely.

Figure 3. InPicker Process main window.

Utilities and Tools

InPicker uses some additional tools to perform specific configurations. They can be found
in the binaries directory (usually C:\Program Files\InPicker\bin):

• InTelligence: Tool used to configure the Deep Learning based pre-processes.

• Web Server: Used to enable the web services allowing access to InPicker using a
web browser.
• Contour Pattern Creator: Tool used to configure the 2D contour based pre-
processes.
System Requirements
The minimum system to run InPicker consists in:

• CPU: Intel i7 8700.

• RAM: 16 GB.

• Disk: 128 GB SSD.

• SO: Windows 10.

Additionally, in some applications, we recommend the use of:

• An additional hard disk, to increase the quantity of InPicker logs.

• Hilscher CIFX 50RE PCIX Communications card, if Ethernet/IP or ProfiNET communications are
needed.

• NVidia GTX 1660 or greater graphics card in any of this two situations:

• We need the computer to train Deep Learning models in-site.

• Camera is compatible with GPU-aided disparity map computation, like IDS Ensenso cameras.

Supported Cameras
The list of currently supported 3D cameras is:

• Microsoft Azure Kinect.

• IDS Ensenso N, X and S series.
• Infaimon InStereo.
• LMI Gocator 2XXX and 3XXX series.
• MechMind MechEye3D Pro, Nano and L series.
• Nerian SceneScan, Karmin and Scarlet cameras.
• Photoneo Phoxy Scanner.
• Zivid ONE, ONE+ S, M, L, TWO.

Supported Robots
InPicker communicates with the manipulators usgin industrial protocols. That means that InPicker is
compatible with any robot that supports any of the following communication protocols:
• Modbus Server.
• Modbus Client.
• KRL Ethernet.
• Ethernet/IP.
• ProfiNET.
• Binary TCP Sockets.
• Binary UDP Sockets.
Installation

Pre-requisites
Some software packages must be installed previously to the InPicker installation:

• Camera SDK. This is the software that allows to use and configure the camera. Depending on
the specific camera, this application will be different. Ask your camera provider for more
information. Usually, the latest version is the recommended.
• MVTec Halcon 20.11 Progress Runtime. Dependencies library. The license for this has to be
activated, usually by copying a license file provided by INFAIMON to the folder C:\Program
Files\MVTec\Halcon 20.11 Progress\license.
• Codemeter Runtime 7.10. Dependencies library.
• Python 3.10. Needed to run the InPicker docs web page.
• MkDocs. Python package needed to run the InPicker docs web page.
• Communication_Solutions DVD (only for PROFINET communication). It is necessary to
install the Hilscher PROFINET communications card in the PC and configure it using [Link].
Contact INFAIMON for more details on this card configuration.
• TeamViewer or AnyDesk. Needed for the possible remote support interventions. Note that a
license may be required to run this software. This license is not provided by INFAIMON and it is
not included in InPicker license.

Recommended optional tools

In addition to the previous mandatory software, we can optionally install the following tools. Note
that a license may be required to run this software. This license is not provided by INFAIMON and it is
not included in InPicker license:

• Meshlab. Or any open source system for processing and editing 3D triangular meshes.
• Git client. (Github desktop, SourceTree, …) to easily control the modifications of the InPicker
Models.
• Communications simulators. Like EasyModbusTCP Server Simulator or Modbus Master
Simulator for MODBUS communication or Packet Sender for SocketServer communications.

• Greenshot. Or any other screenshot tool

• Beyond Compare. Or any program with directory compare and file compare functions.
• Any VNC program. Like UltraVNC, TightVNC, RealVNC, for applications without monitor or
keyboard.
• NotePad++. Or any text and source code editor with JSONViewer plugin.
InPicker Installer
Once the previous dependencies have been satisfied, the only thing missing is running the InPicker
Installer.

The usual distribution form is in a zip file named in a way similar to InPicker Setup [Link]. The
first two digits represent the InPicker version, while the last one is the revision number. Decompress
the file in a temporary folder. Once decompressed, please locate and run the Microsoft Installer file,
named similar to InPicker Setup [Link].

Figure 1. InPicker Installer.

Once this installer is run, the installation will be completed automatically. It is recommended to reboot
the system after installation is completed.
Uninstallation
To uninstall InPicker, please use the Add/Remove programs feature from Windows 10 to uninstall as
any other software:

Figure 2. InPicker in Add/Remove programs window.

The uninstaller may create a backup of the InPicker Models in the
folder C:\Users\Public\Documents\InPicker Backups.
Maintenance

Files installed by InPicker Installer

After InPicker Installer finishes, a new folder appears in C:\Program Files\InPicker. Inside this folder,
three new folders appear:

• Bin: Contains the InPicker binaries: Executables for InPicker applications and tools and DLL files.
• Dependencies: Contains dependencies that are not binary, like robot models and some GUI
configuration files. Usually you will not have nothing to do nothing here.
• Docs: Documentation files. Usually you will not have to do nothing here.

Additionally, InPicker set a new environment variable named INPICKERROOT, pointing to the
installation directory C:\Program Files\InPicker.

Figure 1. Sub folders inside InPicker installation folder.

Backing up InPicker Models
To backup the current Inpicker Models, you just have to copy the folder
C:\Users\Public\Documents\InPicker Models. Inside this folder you can find the files representing the
models created by InPicker Assistant and used by Process and Calibration:

Figure 2. Contents of InPicker Models folder.

We recommend to create a compressed file with the complete folder and naming it with the date
when the backup was done.

To restore the models to a previous state, you can simply delete the folder
C:\Users\Public\Documents\InPicker Models and copy the backup folder back.
Adding new Components
When browsing the C:\Program Files\InPicker\Bin directory, you can see DLLs named [Link].
These DLLs are called Components and implement new functionalities.

If you receive a new DLL from INFAIMON to enable a new feature, it must be placed in this directory.
Note that usually, to enable a new feature, you will need a license update.

Figure 3. Bin folder containing some Component Dlls.

Please contact us to ask for the full list of available Components to add to your InPicker system. The
list of available modules can also be checked in the License chapter.

Logging
InPicker Process keeps a record of every event that happened while it is working:

• Events like errors, warnings and alarms are saved to a database.

• Processed images are saved to disk, to the folder C:\Users\Public\InPicker Captures.

More details on how logging work can be found in chapter Database and Logging.

Reporting a problem
For assistance, please contact us using the information below:

Email: support@[Link]
Phone: +34 932 525 757

When possible, in order to ensure a more accurate assistance, include in your e-mail the following
information:

• Owner of the application. Your identity and relevant information to identify the exact system and its
characteristics.
• Description of the problem. Use a description as detailed as possible of the problem.
• InPicker version number. It can be found in the bottom right corner of InPicker Assistant.

Figure 4. Version number in bottom right corner.

• InPicker Models. Include a download link to a compressed folder containing the current InPicker
Models when the problem happened.
• Logs and captures. Include an additional download link to a compressed folder containing the logs,
database files (if applicable) and the last images including, if possible, the specific image that is causing
the issue.
InPicker License

Disclaimer
Please read this disclaimer carefully before using our vision guidance solution (“InPicker”) operated by
INFAIMON.

The content displayed on the user manual is the intellectual property of the InPicker. You may not
reuse, republish, or reprint such content without our written consent. All information posted here is
merely for educational and informational purposes. It is not intended as a substitute for professional
advice. Should you decide to act upon any information on this user manual, you do so at your own
risk.

INFAIMON or other third parties will not be held responsible for any damages you suffer as a result of
using our products or services addressing both tangible and intangible damages. While the
information on this user manual has been verified to the best of our abilities, we cannot guarantee
that there are no mistakes or errors.

We reserve the right to change this policy at any given time, of which you will be promptly updated.

InPicker Modular license

One of the key aspects of InPicker is its flexibility to adapt to any VGR application. With this in mind,
we have designed a modular license system which allows the user to acquire exactly what is needed
to solve his application. You can enable additional modules in any moment, if you need them by
contacting INFAIMON and getting a license update.

Here is a list of the different modules available in InPicker:

• InPicker Lite. This is the basic module and is present in every application. It allows to configure
a picking application for a single object, with a single grasping pose, no container and no
collision control.
• Dual Grasping Pose. With this module, we add the functionality to define two grasping poses
for every object, usually one on each face of a planar object.
• Multi Grasping Pose. With this module, we add the functionality to define multiple grasping
poses for every object, which considerably increases the chances of finding a secure way to
pick a detected object.
• Bin Collision. This module enables the possibilty of configuring a bin for the objects from a
CAD model and avoid the collisions between this bin and the robot tool. Note that by bin we
are really meaning any box, table, belt, rack, container or, in general, any object that can
contain or support the target objects.
 • Environment Collision. Similarly to the previous module, this module enables the possibility
of loading the environment description from a CAD model and configure InPicker to avoid
collisions between the environment and the robot tool.
• Multi Camera. Enables the use of multiple cameras in a single InPicker system, for example, for
multiple containers. Take into account that InPicker will not make parallel searchs even if we
have multiple cameras, since it needs all the available processing power in every search.
• Teach by demonstration. Enables the possibility to train the object models to search using
captures of the object, instead of a CAD model.
• Deep Learning. Enables the use of Deep Learning pre-processes in InPicker. It also gives
access to the InTelligence application to train and test this Deep Learning models.
• Trajectory Server. Enables the use of of the InPicker Trajectory Server. With it, Inpicker is able
to generate the full picking and extracion trajectories, that are passed to the robot in joint
angular coordinates.

The list of modules currently active in the license can be verifies in the Settings tab in InPicker
Assistant, toghether with the license expiration information, if applicable.

Figure 1. List of available modules in Assistant.