Does Pic master generate a RAPID code when programmed.
Can It be programmed offline, or does it require the IRC5 controller with Picmaster 5 option included before coding it.
The project involves input conveyors, external HMI (on devicenet) and vision systems along the input conveyor looking for damages in the product. Can this be incorporated in Pic master5 or does it require tasks to be created in RAPID code.
Project requirements:
Robot used is a IRB660 robot with special grippers with a sensor at the bottom to detect the height of the stack (search height option in picmaster). The robot is stacking 5 different products and then , we have a external HMI for chaning product and for stopping and starting the machine. Vision system on the input conveyor which will pass or fail the product pass by and printer that prints barcode on to the boxes,
all these have to be controlled by the robot controller, so ther isnt a HMI, I need multitasking option to control this, but ABB recommended PIcmaster 5 for it as well, but I dont knw how will I be able to combine all these operations in Picmaster5.
I robot would be delievered in 10 weeks time and I need to do offline coding and Picmaster 5 software looks wierd to me , how will create the different product pattern and tasks in Picmaster .
I HAVE ADDED A BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE MACHINE TO GIVE AN IDEA ON HOW THE MAHINE WOULD LOOK LIKE. PLEASE GIVE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
1: No, it generates a configuration setup, that the processware utilizes. PM5 comes with a RAPID template that performs the motion according to the setup.
2: Yes it can be totally programmed offline, and by connection PM5 to a RobotStudio robot(even the free light version Virtual IRC5), All the motions and performance can be tested before the robot is available.
3: What is required by the robot to do with the result from the vision system?
and questions:
A: Is the robot going to palletize the 5 different product simultaneously on to the same pallet pattern?
B: Isn’t the external HMI a part of a PLC system that is supposed to control the conveyors? Then the vision system could signal it’s result to the PLC (pass/fail).
C: Which local ABB office are you in connection with?
I have been in contact with ABB in Milton keynes,UK.
The vision system pass or fail is not sent to the Robot, its independent of the Robot, the pass products and diverted to the robot and failed products are sent to the reject station.
But all these have to be controlled via a signals fed to the robot controller( thats why I need to use multitasking, to create tasks running in the background)
a) The 5 different products are needed to be programmed, but only one product is run at a time, The HMI is a interface which the operator would use to select the different product, no we dont have a PLC to control all this, its ll to be done visa IRC controller using Multi tasking.
I dont have a tutorial which would show how to build a basic setup in Picmaster5, I was given a Picmaster 5 Manual, but that doesnt give much of a knowledge of how build a new project. I am just trying to find out if I can use a IRb140 lying in our factory for some practise on Picmaster 5 . BUt now I think I might need a training on Picmaster 5 or else just do the project using Rapid programming and MUltitasking.
Hi Matt,
i forgot to mention the When one pallete is stacked , the robot loads the next pallete and during that time and operator unloads the first pallete and puts a empty one in its place.
I suppose you mean that the robot first will palletize to the left side and when that is finished the robot begin to palletize on the right side?
3: Yes you then need multitasking, which is programmed like in any other IRC5 controller.
A: 5 different products but one at a time is good. I recommend that you leave the conveyor control, product selection and cell control to a PLC. We have recently released the option to get an Integrated PLC with the IRC5 controller. That would relieve the RAPID from running tasks that are better suited by a PLC.
I recommend you to contact ABB UK to get a copy of PM5. They can also provide a demo license for you if you still haven’t purchased your own. Either RobotStudio or your own IRB140 can be used for practicing.
Hi Matt,
Yes, the robot would do the same as you mentioned. I have obatined the PM5 with trial license, but I am not sure how to proceed using the software. I stared a LINE , but couldnt get much further.
The conventional method I follow for projects, s to build tasks offline and then load them to the robot and test them.
But here I am not sure what s the capability of Picmaster and I thought ABB milton keynes would give a demo or some tutotil or a example of a project built on picmaster and then I can develop that. But this is confusing me more. I dont know what part of the job to be done with Robotstudio and what part in Picmaster 5.
There is an example line and project with the installation.
C:Program FilesABB Industrial ITRobotics ITPickMasterQuickStart
Read the chapter “2.5. Quick starting a new PickMaster palletizing project” in the application manual to get a guideline of how to proceed.
Hi I have done what was said in Quick program section, but still I have an error when I try to run it stating could nt load the QuickStartProject.pgf , SYS_CTRL_E_INVALID_PATH:invalid pal
I have attached the project here for your viewing Matt.webwiz/2901/Forbo1.rar
I do not know what you are doing, because when I open up the Project in the PickMaster FlexPendant application and start it, it comes up and executes as expected.
Your VirtualController system may be located at a too deep file path and the project files, including the QuickStartProject.pgf gets a too long file path for the VC to process. Move the files on your harddrive or shorten the name of some of your folders.
HI,
I have decided to do the application with out picmaster, but I still have small query.
There is a sensor at the bottom of the gripper which is supposed to look for height of the pallete and then give a Z valur to IRB660 robot, then this z value would be the same for all the other boxes placed beside the first box.
Then we need to look at the sensor again when we are placing the second layer of boxes (on top of the first set of boxes, again this would give a z, which would be the same for boxes in that plane and so on.)
Could some one give me an idea on how to do it, the sensor used a proximity switch, which will set to trigger when it approaches 10mm to the pallete.
I have a bit of code which was used years back , but i couldnt make out what SEARCHL instruction does. I have uploaded it here
webwiz/2901/ROBOT_v7a.rar