PROGRAMMING OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS

Using Robots for Manufacturing

With Robotmaster, manufacturers can program robots quickly and efficiently, using Mastercam's industry proven CAD/CAM software technology. Driven by the growing trend towards lean and flexible manufacturing, robots are progressively replacing conventional dedicated manufacturing units, such as CNC milling machines. Robots, once typically perceived as only positioning devices have advanced in accuracy and rigidity, and are now being used increasingly for manufacturing and material removal. Using robots, manufacturers are producing higher quality products at lower cost, and are achieving the speed and flexibility they need to challenge their competitors throughout the world.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, as of 2013 over 1.5 million robots are estimated to be in operation in industrial applications worldwide, and an additional 160,000 are being sold every year. While many companies currently using CNC machines have been exploring the opportunity of manufacturing with the use of robots, they have been limited by a lack of time and cost-effective programming tools. Currently less than 1% of robots are programmed using CAD/CAM (computer aided design and manufacturing) software because of a lack of mature robot programming solutions. Robotmaster eliminates this barrier.

Revolutionary CAD/CAM Approach to Robot Programming

Our strong background in CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) software has enabled us to bring a revolutionary approach to robot programming. Unlike the wide range of software claiming to offer off-line programming for robots that are truly only simulation tools with very limited programming capability, Robotmaster delivers easy programming of precise tool motion control and quick generation of long tool path trajectories with minimal programmer intervention.

Robotmaster uses mature CAD/CAM software technologies to program robots with the same flexibility and speed as software used for programming CNC machine tools. Conventional off-line programming solutions are based on either a very cumbersome and tedious point to point programming approach or a post-processor solution that offers very little flexibility and functionality.

Integrated Programming Solution

Robotmaster seamlessly integrates programming, simulation and code generation inside the Mastercam platform. The multi-software approach of conventional off-line programming solutions forces the use of one software for CAD/CAM programming, another for converting trajectories to robot positions and finally a third to simulate and validate the programmed trajectories.

Robotmaster Integrated Solution

HOW ROBOTS ARE PROGRAMMED

robots
guide

The computer control system of a robotic arm will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and indeed model to model, however a standard set of movement principles has  evolved that most of the major manufacturers use. Although offline programming has advanced hugely much of the programming is done using the teach pendant. This is a handheld device that allows the robot to be moved and allow the input of commands and instructions.

Movements are sometimes controlled by a joystick (ABB robots) or often by buttons on the teach pendant. While in "teach" mode the robot is limited to a maximum speed of 250mm/s to ensure safety. The robot can be moved axis at a time or can usually also be moved in a Cartesian system (x, y and z), this can be set in relation to the base of the robot, or in relation to a work piece, or to the tool on the end of the robot. This is a diagram of an ABB teach pendant:

After the robot has been moved to a required position point is recorded along with any other information required such as the speed and type of movement to the point. This is done line at a time in much the same way to BASIC or C programming. Allowing multiple points to be builThere is also some degree of artistry in programming a robot well. Movements should be fast and flowing and ideally be economical. Likewise code should be streamlined, efficient and understandable to all. This is by no means always the case. Many automotive plants try to use very large standardized programs which are then modified to fit the applications. This often leads to huge, complex and impenetrable programs being used to control a very simple process. This picture shows an ABB pendant showing a simple program:

Robot software is the set of coded commands that tell a mechanical device and electronic system, known together as a robot, what tasks to perform. Robot software is used to perform tasks and automate tasks. Many software systems and frameworks have been proposed to make programming robots easier.

Some robot software aims at developing intelligent mechanical devices. Common tasks include feedback loops, data filtering, control, pathfinding, and locating.