RS: A small schoolproject

RobotStudio
1

Hi.
First post!
I’m in my third year as a mechanical engineering student, and i i’m taking robotics as an optional subject.
At the moment we’re doing a small project, which includes programming in robotstudio and showing the program on a ABB IRB140 robot.
My choise has been a rather trivial task for the robot, which is doing a design (letters, logos, etc) in either inventor or autocad and then, using a pen as a tool, transferring that design on to a geometric shape, most likely a box.
I have discovered plenty of obstacles and challenges, and was wondering if i could get some inputs from this site. My supervisor has only the fundementals to offer, so a lot of my questions has been left unanswered. I’m sorry if the questions are a bit light but i hope someone will take time to answer. I wouldn’t bother anyone here if I could find it elsewhere:)

First of: As an example, when making paths around letters i believe autopath is the easiest way to do so. (or?) But when i use autopath it automatically orientates the targets differently, making the tool rotate. Is there any way of stopping this, so that each and every target has the same orientation? Or at least limit the rotation of joint 6?

Second: I really want to make the tool write in RS. I have found the trace-function, but is there any way of intregating this in to a smart component, programming the trace to for example turn on when the tool is in “contact” with a letter and off when not? As of now i can trace either all or nothing.

In hope of getting at least some kind of feeback i will restrain myself for now, and keep some questions for later.

Thanks for your time!

Ulrik

2

First question: Autopath is good, then set one target and use it as a reference for the others. See ~9:00 in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3KL4Bhh7d8

3

To answer your first question I think this video will help:

http://new.abb.com/products/robotics/robotstudio/tutorials

Go to the above page and watch the video on “create path from curve” it covers how to keep the same angle when creating path from curve.

Not sure about your second question…sorry

4

Hi Ulrik

To the second point:

There is a posibility with smart components called TraceTCP where you can enable the tracing with a signal. You could create a signal like: doDraw in the virtual controller (on the virtual bus) that you connect in the station logic to the enable signal of the TraceTCP. In your robot program you then have to set and reset that doDraw signal whenever you want to switch the trace function on or off.

Best regards

Marcel