PM5 extra request [PickMaster 5]

PickMaster
1

Hello,

We will use for the first time PM5 and we have got a short training from the local ABB office.

I was really surprise how fast we can make a palletizing program, but I have some extra request that we could not handle directly.

1/We have a pallet size of 1225mm on this it will normally be possible to put 6 box of 204mm = 1224mm, but PM5 tell us that the boxes where outside the region. Why? Is it not possible to let the box overhang a pallet? In our case we have solve the problem by making the pallet bigger and move the workobject.

2/We want to measure the pallet height at the first flight, but this look not possible with PM5. We have one idea to solve this problem by executing a trap routine when new pallet so that we get a first time flag to let the search happened when placing the first box, therefore we need to adapt the RAPID code we assume that we can do this in the in the pmrcUser.sys module. Is it possible to get the info that the robot is doing the first flight?

3/About the slip-sheet : Can we configure a stack height? If we activate the search function, is it working at each cycle of is it measuring again after a stop flow and/or guards open? In our case we want to measure the stack height at each unlock guards request, is this possible?

4/ Remote control of PM5, how can we load a project automatically? In PM3 it is called RIS, we set the right code for the project in the PM and in the PLC we call this code.

5/ At the pick position we want to do a move in the x direction of the tool to push the box a little bit outside the conveyor so that we can pick it. This look not possible with the standard PM5 code. We have the idea to modify the pmrcUser.sys module. Is this correct?

6/ Is the flexpendant interface option standard with PM5?

7/ Is the language of the Pickmaster5 interface changing with FPU language?

Thanks in advance,

BR,

Fabrice
2

Hello Fabrice,

We have put a lot of effort into making PickMaster even more user friendly over the last releases.

To your questions

1/We have a pallet size of 1225mm on this it will normally be possible to put 6 box of 204mm = 1224mm, but PM5 tell us that the boxes where outside the region. Why? Is it not possible to let the box overhang a pallet? In our case we have solve the problem by making the pallet bigger and move the workobject.

Yes it is, you can set a negative margin value in the Layout Configuration dialogue to allow for overhanging boxes outside the pallet.

2/We want to measure the pallet height at the first flight, but this look not possible with PM5. We have one idea to solve this problem by executing a trap routine when new pallet so that we get a first time flag to let the search happened when placing the first box, therefore we need to adapt the RAPID code we assume that we can do this in the in the pmrcUser.sys module. Is it possible to get the info that the robot is doing the first flight?

You can find out if it is the first flight. When you get a new operation with PmGetOperation, check that the work area to operate is the correct one. Then you check the layernumber and operationnumber in the recieved pm_operationdata. At first flight when picking, layernumber = number of layers in stack and operationnumber is 0. At first flight when placing, layernumber is 1 and operationnumber = 0.

3/About the slip-sheet : Can we configure a stack height? If we activate the search function, is it working at each cycle of is it measuring again after a stop flow and/or guards open? In our case we want to measure the stack height at each unlock guards request, is this possible?

It is recommended to configure a stack of slip sheets where the number of layers corresponds to max height. Use the Repeat function in Pallet Pattern Configuration for fast adding of new layers. First flight will always have a search. You can configure a new search for every layer or for every n:th layer. You can any time force a new search before next pick (e.g. after a stop flow or guards open) by pulsing the Redo Search signal. When forcing a new search, the search movement will start from the top of the configured stack.

4/ Remote control of PM5, how can we load a project automatically? In PM3 it is called RIS, we set the right code for the project in the PM and in the PLC we call this code.

With RW5.11.01 and PM5.04 there is a predefined I/O interface for controlling the PM5 palletizing process. We have support for selecting, start and stop project, selecting, start and stop of flows. To be able to build up a dynamic external user interface it is also possible to read PM5 process and configuration data in our RAPID interface. With RW5.12 and PM5.10 the I/O interface will be extended with error recover on flows.

5/ At the pick position we want to do a move in the x direction of the tool to push the box a little bit outside the conveyor so that we can pick it. This look not possible with the standard PM5 code. We have the idea to modify the pmrcUser.sys module. Is this correct?

That is a correct approach. Currently, we do not have any built-in functionalities for doing an extra move in x direction.

6/ Is the flexpendant interface option standard with PM5?

The PM5 FP application comes with the option Prepared for PickMaster/PickMaster5. However, you can run PickMaster projects without having a flex pendant by using the I/O interface or/and the rapid interface.

7/ Is the language of the Pickmaster5 interface changing with FPU language?

The language on PickMaster5 PC and FlexPendant application interface must be changed individually.

On the PC you select Tools menu and then Options. The new language is active after restart of the program.

On the FlexPendant you select Control Panel in ABB menu, tap Language and choose between the available languages. The FP must be restarted before the new language is active.

3

Hi Andrers,

Thanks for you quick response.

BR,
Fabrice

4

Hello Anders,

I have some more questions :

1/ In the case that infeed slave is. What can we do when losing a box between Pick and Place? There are different possibilities like continue the pick place and place the bad box manually on the pallet or redo the pick place seq but in this case I think we will have problems with the prepared products on the pickpos or finishe pallet. But what happen with the prepared products at the pick if you do a redo pick or pallet finished. I suppose that we need to remove manually the products from the pickpos and start again?

2/ Is there any possibility to modify the rapid code of a project without using Pickmaster?

3/ We want to check if the products at the pickpos is the right pick configuration, 1 box, 2 boxes or 3 boxes before picking. Any suggestion how to solve this with PM5 ?

BR,
Fabrice

5

Hello Fabrice,

  1. When you do a redo last pick between pick and place, a new product may already
    have been requested/generated on the infeeder for the next pick. It is always possible
    to manually remove the product and this is the normal solution. However, if the next
    pick to be done is identical with the last pick, you could always leave the product on the infeeder to be picked up next time. When restarting, a position request event will be triggered by the robot and the PLC responds when the product is available on the infeeder. The PLC can feed in a new product if necessary.
  2. You can use RobotStudio to modify rapid after loading it on a VC or robot. Then you can import the rapid to PickMaster.
  3. I guess you need to implement som rapid check routine to verify the infeeder. How the check shall be done depends on what sensors you can use etc.
    a) You could for each format specify tool events to be done before each pick that triggers a rapid trap routine that do the check. E.g. a DO triggers the rapid event, a GO value could specify number of products that are expected.

b) You could after each PmGetTarget check pm_targetdata too see how many products
are expected. Then you can call your check routine to verify the state of the infeeder.

BR, Anders