We are now firmly within the age of automation. As a result, the question of robotic vs manual welding is now on the debating table more clearly than ever before.

Which reigns supreme? Robots or human welders?

On one side of the table we have manual welding. The tried and tested method of welding, backed by decades of precedence and the skill and intuition of seasoned craftspeople.

On the other side of the table, we have robotic welding. The newest contender for best welding method. It boasts precision, productivity, and relentless consistency.

Let’s settle this debate once and for all…

Which welding method comes on top?

The 7 Debate Categories to Spark Discussion

As manufacturers, welding is a crucial aspect of many production processes. It can play a major role in determining the quality of your products.

When you look at your process, which categories can you use to compare manual welding with robotic welding?

Here are 7 categories that we’ll be using to compare the two methods:

1. Speed and Efficiency — The speed and efficiency of a welding method determines how productive your welding process can be. It is a crucial category in the debate.
2. Weld Quality — The quality of your welds influences both customer satisfaction and product reliability.
3. Flexibility — The ability to adapt to different projects quickly is important in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
4. Cost — As a significant factor in all business decisions, cost considerations include not only the initial expense but ongoing running costs.
5. Risks — Every production method carries risks, both physical and non-physical. From worker injury to cost of inaction, various risks affect welding.
6. Detail and Precision — It’s important to discuss the level of detail each method can achieve, particularly for products requiring fine details.
7. Problem Detection — Each method will have a different level of ability at detecting and resolving problems. Faster detection means fewer delays in production.

In the debate points below, we will draw from these 7 categories to compare manual and robotic welding.

Manual Welding: Traditional, Reliable and Adaptable

In the arena of welding techniques, manual welding holds its ground as a traditional, reliable, and highly adaptable method.

Let’s start the debate with manual welding’s biggest strength: flexibility.

For flexibility, manual welding certainly outperforms its robotic counterpart. Human welders can seamlessly shift between projects without the need for extensive reconfiguration. This makes manual welding particularly suited to custom orders and one-off jobs.

Humans are adaptable. This is also why manual welding can be better at problem detection. Adapting a robot requires the input of humans.

The cost of manual welding can also be quite low, particularly the upfront cost. Unless you have to hire new welding professionals — which can be costly and difficult given the skills shortage — manual welding is a process that has familiar costs.

It’s true that there are some disadvantages to manual welding. Increased risk of worker injury is certainly something to consider, as well as lower precision and an inconsistent weld quality.

However, manual welding truly excels for custom, artisan welding jobs that would require extensive programming to do with a robot.

Robotic Welding: Efficient, Precise and Consistent

Robotic welding is the “new kid on the block” — the welding method that is set to become a core part of any welding process. It is a force to be reckoned with in the world of manufacturing.

We can’t talk about robotic welding without mentioning its consistency. Robots are extremely consistent, producing the same high-quality welds time and time again. With this consistency comes faster, more precise welds, and a lower cost per weld over the long term.

While robots tend to be less effective at detecting problems on-the-fly than humans, they are also less likely to make errors as they are not subject to tiredness. Robots also don’t need breaks, so can be hugely more productive than manual welding.

It’s true that robots are less flexible than humans. However, this is why robotic welding is so well suited to routine, higher-volume welding tasks.

Using robots for welding also reduces the potential physical risks, as the human worker is no longer operating dangerous welding machinery. This helps to make the workplace a safer environment for all.

The Verdict: Which Welding Method Strikes the Hottest Iron?

The debate points have been made… so which method is best? Manual welding or robotic welding?

Let’s look at each of our 7 debate categories:

1. Speed and Efficiency — Robotic welding has the upper hand with a quicker work rate and higher output. However, this is less valuable on low-volume, custom jobs.
2. Weld Quality — Robots are a clear winner with consistent high-quality welds.
3. Flexibility — Manual welding wins in this category. Human workers can easily shift between projects without reconfiguration.
4. Cost — Let’s call this one a draw. There are many factors that affect the cost of the welding method, including labor costs, machine maintenance costs, and the varying upfront costs of robotic hardware.
5. Risks — There are risks with both methods. However, with robotic welding, the physical safety risks are significantly reduced compared to manual welding.
6. Detail and Precision — Robots tend to be more consistently precise than humans, so robot welding is a strong contender. But, for artisan-type detail, manual welding is usually the better option.
7. Problem Detection — Humans are often better at detecting and responding quickly to problems… however, they are also likely to make more mistakes than robotic welding.

The conclusion? While manual welding offers more flexibility and problem detection, these don’t fully offset the advantages offered by robotic welding.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Ultimately, the decision between manual and robotic welding comes down to your specific manufacturing needs.

If you are producing one-off, custom welds that require artisan levels of skill, manual welding will certainly be your best bet. But, if you have more consistent welding needs, robotic welding is surely a top contender.

As with many business decisions, there is no definitive answer to the debate of robot welding vs manual welding.

But, you can make your robot programming easy by using RoboDK and our Welding Add-in.

Which welding methods do you use in your business? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post The Heated Debate: Robot Welding vs Manual Welding? appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Robot simulation software company, RoboDK, recognized the need for a more compact and versatile solution that doesn’t rely on conventional computers. Following customer demand for such a product, they created TwinBox. This self-contained system offers a full suite of features that enable users to easily set up and manage robotic systems in their workspaces using a simple single-board computer or IPC.

TwinBox can be easily controlled through a web browser, allowing you to trigger actions remotely and have a 3D view of your cell.

Dmitry Lavygin, software developer at RoboDK, says:

RoboDK is already able to run programs directly on real robots using its online mode and robot drivers. However, it is not common to see desktop or laptop computers in production environments.

The goal with TwinBox is to provide a dedicated version of RoboDK for industrial computers and enable remote control on embedded devices, without the need of a local display, keyboard, or mouse. You can simply control the system remotely from anywhere, using your browser or another remote RoboDK connection.

The need to minimize clutter and save space with production robots

The team at RoboDK conceived TwinBox after identifying a gap in the market – there were no space-efficient solutions for production engineers wishing to directly implement RoboDK into the production line. The product’s compact size offers the advantage of easy positioning – it can be installed either next to or within the factory robot’s control system.

A key feature of the TwinBox is its ability to function effectively without the need for a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. It solely requires network interfaces to seamlessly connect to an internal network and a robot control system.

This allows users to save more of their valuable floor space while still being able to utilize the full suite of features that RoboDK has to offer.

TwinBox is an all-in-one solution for robot programming and automation engineers, with many benefits including its compact size, low cost, easy setup, and versatility.

Remote robot programming built on reliable technologies

RoboDK’s approach to product development is to build new solutions on the back of tried and tested technologies, where possible. This means the company can deliver high-quality remote robot programming solutions without compromising on reliability or stability.

With TwinBox, RoboDK has crafted a reliable system that runs on both industrial and consumer-grade hardware. It supports multiple operating systems and hardware architectures, including Windows and Linux Debian or Ubuntu running on Intel x86-64 platforms or ARM. RoboDK provides dedicated builds for systems such as the Nvidia Jetson or Raspberry Pi-based industrial computers.

Samuel Bertrand, software developer lead at RoboDK, says:

The software works just like the Desktop version of RoboDK. The main difference is that the system can be controlled remotely from any browser.

With its remote interface, users can also access their TwinBox from anywhere in the world, with full control of all connected external robots, devices, and sensors. This allows users to monitor their robots remotely, in real-time, giving them more flexibility and control over their automation than ever before.

Streamlining Multiple Devices into One Cohesive System

A common challenge with industrial robots is that each programming solution is often limited to a single manufacturer. This means that each robot brand needs to be programmed separately, which slows down deployment.

With TwinBox, users can connect multiple robots from different manufacturers together into one cohesive system. This increases flexibility and significantly speeds up the integration process.

RoboDK supports over 900 robot models from over 50 brands. This wide compatibility means that users can be sure that their TwinBox will work with almost any robot model they need it to. The system is also designed to effortlessly handle simultaneous connections from various devices. This includes not only robots but also additional devices like external sensors and computer vision cameras.

TwinBox enables simultaneous connections, allowing you to control it from a remote desktop with a browser. It also “supports” OPC-UA and RoboDK will be implementing other industrial protocols.

Future plans

The company plans to incorporate TwinBox into the larger RoboDK ecosystem. This includes existing solutions like the main RoboDK Desktop application as well as web-based development tools like RoboDK for Web.

This integration will enable users to take full advantage of all the features that have made RoboDK such a popular robot programming software among automation engineers.

The potential applications for TwinBox are virtually endless. The company hopes that users will take full advantage of the product to easily build efficient robotic solutions that can be easily deployed in production environments.

What questions do you have about RoboDK TwinBox? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel.

The post Introducing TwinBox: RoboDK’s Compact Solution for Production Robot Integration appeared first on RoboDK blog.

One of the core aims of RoboDK is to make robots as easy to integrate as possible. Part of this means providing the tools so that your software tools all work nicely with your industrial robot.

The challenge comes when you are connecting various software tools together. Rather than a smooth integration, you end up having to piece together your own connectors and processes… which is very inefficient.

But, with the right tools and approach, automation integration can be easy.

Why Automation Integration of Software Is Challenging

It can be hard to integrate multiple software tools to create a smooth workflow.

Different software packages are often simply not designed to work together. This problem can become particularly difficult if some robot vendors don’t prioritize inter-compatibility – for example, if they want you to buy their products.

Examples of the problems that can arise when integrating different systems include:

• The requirement for you to create custom connectors to bridge between incompatible software through their APIs (which may or may not be stable).
• Difficulties in maintaining and updating software, as one new update could break your whole system.
• Security risks caused by inexpert linking of different systems.
• Complicated programming caused by complex software dependencies.

All of these challenges, and more besides, can make it extremely difficult to integrate your automation software components.

But, it doesn’t need to be like this…

3 Benefits of Using RoboDK to Integrate Your Automation Software

RoboDK offers many advantages for integrating your automation components. When used for integration, it provides a powerful tool that acts as a link between your existing software workflow and your physical robots.

Here are 3 benefits you can get with RoboDK:

1. Easy Setup and Configuration

RoboDK is simple to use, even if you have never programmed an industrial robot before.

Everyone’s automation setup is often slightly different. This is why we provide a lot of configuration options, helping you to integrate the various aspects of your workflow.

2. Advanced Programming Tools

The apparent simplicity of the RoboDK software doesn’t mean a lack of functionality. There are many advanced features once you are familiar with the basics.

There is a huge range of advanced tools, including artificially intelligent trajectory planning and complex welding pattern generators.

3. Cost-effective Interoperability

Some of the other robot programming tools can be surprisingly expensive and restrictive. As many are vendor-specific, they lock you into a particular software ecosystem.

At RoboDK, we pride ourselves on making interoperability one of our core drivers and providing that in a cost-effective package.

Types of Software Compatible With RoboDK

Many types of software can make up an automation workflow.

What types of software are compatible with RoboDK? Almost any type!

Thanks to RoboDK’s powerful API, App Loader, and plugin functionalities, you can integrate a huge variety of hardware technologies and software packages with your robot.

Examples of software you can integrate with RoboDK include:

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software
• Computer-Aided Machining (CAM) software
• Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
• 3D printing packages
• Machine learning and other software packages
• Cameras and other sensing hardware
• And many more…

Even if you come across a technology or software library that nobody has ever integrated with RoboDK before, posting a quick question on RoboDK’s forum is a great way to find a practical answer quickly.

The Most Popular Integration: CAD/CAM and RoboDK

What type of software do people most often integrate with RoboDK?

Most likely, it’s CAD/CAM packages. This makes sense as people tend to design their products in computer design packages and want to send them to their robot simulation.

You don’t want to have to change your CAD/CAM package just to be able to use robots… and you shouldn’t have to!

For this reason, RoboDK has created a selection of different plugins for some of the world’s leading CAD/CAM tools. With these plugins, you can seamlessly connect your robot to your existing software. This significantly helps to streamline your workflow.

10 Incredible CAD/CAM Packages Compatible with RoboDK

Whatever CAD/CAM package you use, there is a way to integrate it with RoboDK.

The simplest way is to export using standard CAD files. However, our native plugins make this integration even easier.

Here are 12 incredible tools that RoboDK has seamlessly integrated for you:

• BobCAD-CAM – Used by many machinists across manufacturing industries, this is a powerful mechanical design and machining software.

• FeatureCAM – The main purpose of this powerful software is to automate your programming workflow when designing NC code.

• Fusion 360 – This online tool from industry leader Autodesk is a highly popular CAD/CAM tool.

• hyperMILL – This machinist-targeted tool offers a vast array of functionality for common machining applications.

• Inventor – This superstar software is one of the most used CAD/CAM tools in the world.

• Mastercam – This is a very popular, high-end, and functionality-rich package for engineers and machinists.

• MecSoft – This CAM software is know to be powerful, affordable and easy-to-use.

• Onshape – This is the world’s fastest-growing cloud-based CAD system.

• Rhino – This software has the unique ability as a highly accurate freeform surface modeler.

• RhinoCAM – This is itself a plugin for the very popular freeform modeling tool Rhino.

• Siemens Solid Edge – This popular software from Siemens PLM is designed to be affordable, easy to use, and able to handle large assemblies.

• SolidWorks – This has become the most popular CAD software in many industries.

If you are using one of these tools, you can immediately get started integrating with robotic automation by simply downloading the associated plugin.

How to Get Started With Automation System Integration

It’s true that automation integration can be challenging.

However, when you have RoboDK handling the complex software integration steps, your job becomes much easier.

Whether you are using one of these native CAD/CAM plugins, or integrating your software through one of the various other methods, automation integration doesn’t have to be difficult.

Which automation tools would you like to integrate with your robot? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post Automation Integration Made Easy: How to Use RoboDK with Your Software appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Roboguide can be a suitable solution for some people. It comes directly from FANUC so it can seem like the most “obvious” choice for offline programming.

Offline programming is an important step when working with industrial robots. It allows you to program and test your robot without disrupting your production. There are many benefits of offline programming.

Roboguide does offer these benefits… but it is not the only option available on the market. If you only consider Roboguide and don’t look at the alternatives for offline programming, you could miss some opportunities to improve your robot programming even further.

Here’s a clear introduction to Roboguide…

What is Roboguide?

Roboguide is a software application developed by FANUC that allows users to program FANUC robots offline. As with any offline programming software, it is designed to streamline the programming process and increase efficiency by allowing you to create programs without the physical robot.

The core functionality of the program is its offline programming and simulation. It also has some application-specific features such as PaintPRO for painting applications and WeldPRO for arc welding applications.

FANUC is one of the industry’s leading brands of industrial robots. You can see the manufacturer’s ubiquitous yellow-colored robots in many manufacturing companies across the globe.

It’s common for robot integrators, distributors, and suppliers to specialize in a particular brand of robot. This means that FANUC distributors often only recommend Roboguide to new robot users.

Why People Often Use Roboguide

When we visit trade fairs and conferences, we find that many FANUC users are unaware there are other options for offline programming.

Why do people stick with Roboguide when there are other options for offline programming?

As well as simply being unaware of the other options, there is also the familiarity. If you have bought your robots from FANUC, the brand feels familiar. It feels like it’s safer to buy everything from one supplier rather than looking for alternatives.

RoboDK — The Increasingly Popular Alternative to Roboguide

If you are looking for an alternative to Roboguide, it makes sense to consider RoboDK.

RoboDK is a powerful and user-friendly robotic programming software that makes it easy to create, simulate, and deploy programs for any industrial robot arm.

With RoboDK, you can quickly and easily create robot programs for a range of applications, including welding, palletizing, handling, and assembly tasks. It is compatible with dozens of FANUC robots and works with all the major robot brands.

All of RoboDK’s offline programming features come with a single license. You can find this on the pricing page.

Finally, there is a ton of free RoboDK training on this blog and their YouTube channel.

Is RoboDK for You? How to Find Out

How can you find out if RoboDK is the right solution for your offline programming project?

A good place to start is by downloading a free trial.

You can also find out more about RoboDK’s features on this product page.

What issues have you run into when using Roboguide? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel.

The post Roboguide: How To Program a FANUC Robot appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Simulation and offline programming are valuable tools for improving production processes with robots. They help you solve the problems that can occur when adding automation in a simple, powerful, and efficient way. RoboDK offers a range of benefits that can help you automate with ease.

Let’s explore 9 tried and tested ways you can improve your production process with RoboDK.

1. Automate the Bottleneck Task with RoboDK

A bottleneck task is the one task that uses the most time or resources in your process. It holds up the rest of production and stops you from scaling your operations to meet higher demand.

A powerful way to use robots is to automate your bottleneck task.

By automating, you can add both extra throughput and consistency to the bottleneck task. The right type of robot can improve your throughput immensely, helping you to remove that difficult bottleneck. You can test the impact of this by simulating the task in RoboDK.

2. Free Up Personnel by Automating Boring Tasks

What if you can’t automate the bottleneck task in your business?

Sometimes, a task requires a human touch and can’t be automated. If such a task is causing a bottleneck in your workflow, you might not be able to solve it with a robot.

But there is still a solution. There are probably several boring, repetitive tasks that take time from your workers. Here, you can automate those tasks to free up personnel for the bottleneck task.

3. Incorporate Robot Thinking into Product Development

Adding a robot can also affect production in less obvious ways. For example, your product development process can improve immensely by considering the constraints added by a robot.

Robots require their tasks to be regular and consistent. Often, this means you need to adapt your processes to make them easier to achieve with robotic automation. This robot thinking can help make your process more robust and efficient, even before you consider the productivity of the robot itself.

RoboDK is an ideal tool for testing designs and processes during this product development step. You can test your ideas in the simulator and optimize them before putting them into production.

4. Eliminate Waste and Optimize Cycle Time With RoboDK

Waste is a key factor when you want to improve your production processes. By eliminating waste, you increase productive time and improve efficiency.

With robots, the most common source of waste is unnecessarily long cycle times. When the robot moves more than is necessary or handles material too much, you are wasting valuable time and effort.

RoboDK offers several features for improving cycle times. These include cycle time analysis, intelligent motion planning algorithm, and CAD tool integration.

5. Analyze and Optimize Workflows in the Simulator

Analysis is a key step when you are working to improve your production processes. It allows you to see and understand what is happening in your process, helping you identify opportunities for improvement.

The challenge is that, in the physical world, it’s hard to accurately measure the performance of individual steps in your production process. Real-world data can be messy and many factors influence performance.

Robot simulation provides a valuable tool for analyzing your automated process in depth. You can simulate the effect of changing different variables, helping you to optimize your automated workflows.

6. Train Workers to Use Robots for Continuous Improvement

People are the most important factor in production. When you have knowledgeable, trained, and experienced workers, they can help to improve production continuously.

Most people still have little experience with robots, which can make it hard for them to know how to contribute to automated process improvement.

RoboDK offers a range of free and paid training resources for those looking to improve their robotics knowledge. They teach you how to use robots effectively and spot potential areas for improvement.

7. Test New Machine Purchases Using Simulation

We all know that buying new machinery can be expensive and time-consuming. You don’t want to invest in a robotic system only to find that it doesn’t work for your specific task or requirements.

With RoboDK’s simulator, you can quickly and easily test many different robots for your task before you make a purchase. This reduces the risk of investing in robots and will help to speed up the deployment process.

8. Create Standard Components for Copy-Paste Robot Cells

A significant benefit of offline programming — i.e. programming the robot in a simulator — is the ability to create standardized templates and program modules you can easily reuse between robot projects.

This also means that you can create “copy-paste” robot cells. Once you have successfully deployed one robot to a task, you can create an exact replica of this robot using the same programming template. In this way, you can easily scale your robotic capabilities.

9. Develop a Culture of Robotic Automation

While you could use RoboDK for just one robot deployment, the real power of using robots is when you develop a “culture of robotic automation.”

By making robots an integral part of your workflow, you can continue to save time and budget for years to come. With RoboDK’s offline programming and simulation features, you can easily test new ideas for robotic automation and quickly deploy those ideas once you have optimized the programs.

There are so many ways that RoboDK can help you improve your production process. So get started today!

How could robot offline programming and simulation improve your production process? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post 9 Ways to Improve a Production Process with RoboDK appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Offline programming offers a way to make industrial robot programming easier, faster, and more flexible.

With the right approach to offline programming, you can create powerful programs for your industrial robots without needing extensive robotics expertise or expensive solutions.

But what makes offline programming such a compelling approach?

What challenges might you encounter when moving to offline programming?

And how do you create a reliable system quickly and easily?

Let’s look at how you can get the most from industrial robot programming offline…

What is Offline Programming for Industrial Robots?

Offline programming (often shortened to OLP) is a method of industrial robot programming that enables you to program robots without needing access to the physical robots.

This type of programming lets you create, test, and improve your robot programs in a simulated virtual environment. With OLP software like RoboDK, you can create these programs visually, without needing to type any code… unless you want to, of course.

Once you’re sure your program functions correctly – having debugged it in the simulator — the OLP software then converts your program into instructions that your robot controller understands. This is done by a post-processor for your particular robot model.

Beyond basic OLP, there are also add-ons that make the programming process even easier. For example, RoboDK TwinTrack allows you to program any robot by moving a 3D tracking probe.

Advantages of Offline Programming for Industrial Robots

OLP offers several advantages over conventional robotic programming. It can help you get more useful and complex functionality from your industrial robots.

A few of the advantages include:

• Easier, more efficient debugging — It’s easier to find mistakes in your robot program when you are working with a simulated robot. OLP means you first create a working program, then you handle any of the remaining issues caused by the physical robot.

• Less disruptive, costly robot downtime — Whenever a physical robot is out of production, it costs you money. OLP allows you to reduce this disruptive time to a minimum.

• Smoother transition from idea to production — Let’s face it, robots sometimes seem “temperamental” (like many machines). When you have a new idea, the hardware quirks can derail you from turning your idea into a prototype. OLP helps smooth this process by first creating a virtual simulation.

There are many other advantages to using OLP. You can read about some of them in our article 5 Ways Robotic Offline Programming Can Benefit Your Business.

6 Steps to Set Up an Environment for Offline Programming

If you want to get started with offline programming quickly, there are a few steps that you should follow to go from zero to a working OLP platform.

Here are 6 steps to follow:

1. Choose an OLP platform that is user-friendly and specifically designed for industrial robot programming. Some systems, for example, are primarily designed for research settings, so would be less suitable.
2. Plan your robot program before you start creating it in the software. Even a simple “back of a napkin” plan or a video of you walking through the task by hand can make the programming process much easier.
3. Create the program in your OLP software. If you have never used offline programming before, there is a wealth of free training to help you get started.
4. Do as much testing and debugging as you can in the time you have available. The more potential issues you fix in the simulator, the faster it will be to integrate your code with the physical robot.
5. Put the robot into production. This may require a bit of extra debugging to account for the peculiarities of the physical setup.
6. Collect data and aim to improve your robot deployment over time. This is usually inherently more efficient with OLP because you don’t have to take the robot out of production to test new ideas for improvements.

By following these high-level steps, you can set up your OLP environment for easy, efficient industrial robot programming.

Common Challenges with Robot Programming

Of course, we all know that simply presented steps like those listed above can sometimes hide a lot of complexity.

It’s likely that you will encounter at least some challenges that you need to overcome, especially if you’ve never deployed a robot before with offline programming.

Here are 5 challenges you might encounter with OLP, each with a resource where you can start looking for solutions:

• Discrepancies between the virtual and physical robot — Easy Robot Calibration for Optimal Performance

• Difficulties integrating components and tools from different suppliers — The 5 Minute Guide to Use Any End Effector with RoboDK

• Developing complex motions easily — TwinTrack: A Tool For Simple Handheld Robot Programming

• Incorporating external functionality libraries — How the RoboDK API Makes Robot Machine Learning Easier

• Dealing with a simulation setup that seems complex! — How to Tell If Your Robot Simulation Setup Is Too Complex

And remember that there is always help at hand. If you are struggling with any aspect of robot programming, a good place to look for answers is in the RoboDK user forum.

Why RoboDK Makes Industrial Robot Programming Easier

RoboDK is one offline programming tool that many industrial users find extremely useful. It offers a powerful set of functionalities that help make your robot programming easier, faster, and more efficient.

Whether you are an experienced robot programmer or you have never used an industrial robot before, be assured that offline programming can help you.

What are your next steps? A good place to start is to explore some of the resources already shared in this article, to see how offline programming could apply to your specific process.

What challenges do you foresee with industrial robot programming? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post Easier and Faster Offline Programming appeared first on RoboDK blog.

For many people, RoboDK’s standard graphical user interface is their primary method for using the software. While this is a very intuitive way to program your robot – especially if you are a beginner – the software has a lot more capabilities than you might first realize.

With the API, you can create some very sophisticated programs in just a few lines of code in your favorite programming language.

Whether you’re looking to automate simple repetitive programming tasks or you want to take on more complex challenges, here’s how to use the API…

Automating Repetitive Tasks with RoboDK’s API

One of the tremendous benefits of using robots is that they can take over the dull and repetitive parts of people’s jobs.

But programming robots can also be dull and repetitive. When you have to perform the same programming and configuration steps over and over, you might wish that you had a robot to program your robot.

This is where the API comes in!

With the API, you can script and automate parts of your programming process in just a few lines of code.

Here are a few examples of programming tasks that you could automate:

• Motion and trajectory generation — Perhaps you repeatedly need to generate new robot trajectories, such as when a new product is added to your production. You could create a program to generate these trajectories programmatically and then call the RoboDK API to generate the robot program.

• Passing parameters from other programming steps — The more you automate your production line, the more you will need to pass information between different automation stages. You can use the API to create middleware programs between to act as a bridge between these steps.

• Monitoring the robot’s performance — You can also create programs to monitor the operation of the robot. This could involve simple error reporting or a more complex setup with vision sensors. You could then use the API to send corrective instructions to the robot.

You could even employ more advanced programming techniques, such as using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Understanding the 5 Elements of RoboDK’s API

What do you need to know about the RoboDK API? It’s helpful to understand the core components.

Below is an overview of the main 5 elements of the API. You can find out more details in the extensive API documentation (here the Python API).

1. robolink

The robolink module is the main module of the API. It provides the fundamental functionality to interact with the RoboDK software and your code.

Robolink can access any item from within your RoboDK program tree, load models, define tools, set robot movements, and generate programs.

2. robomath

Robotic programming often involves a lot of geometrical mathematics. These are difficult to calculate using the standard mathematics functions in most programming languages.

To make this math easier, we have implemented the robomath module, based on the Robotics Toolbox by Professor Peter Corke.

3. robodialogs

Much of the functionality in the graphical interface of RoboDK involves interacting with message boxes and other types of dialogs.

The robodialogs module contains functionality to handle these dialogs, including opening and saving files.

4. robofileio

RoboDK supports a wide variety of file types, including robot program files (such as ABB’s .mod or KUKA’s .ls), CAD files (such as .step or .stl), and standard data files (such as .txt or .csv).

The robofileio provides functionality to handle and analyze files, such as finding if files exist and generating safe variable names that can be used for robot programming.

5. roboapps

Finally, the roboapps module is the API interface for the RoboDK Apps toolbox.

The RoboDK App interface allows you to extend the functionality of RoboDK even further. It allows you to load scripts and executable files as if they were plug-ins in RoboDK software.

An Example of Automating a Complex Trajectory with the API

What does it look like when you use the RoboDK API for more advanced programming automation?

Let’s look at an example of robot art generation (which is a common usage for RoboDK among artists). In this case, say we are using Python to create a fractal trajectory with the robot.

Programming a fractal with RoboDK’s graphical interface alone could be a very tricky activity. Fractals are, by nature, programmatic – they are defined by mathematical formulas. So it makes sense to use programs to create them instead of a graphical interface.

A basic form of fractal is the Koch curve. It is fairly simple to program a Koch curve in Python. Using the method explained in this example here to create a Koch Snowflake, you could generate a Koch curve in your Python code and send the resulting trajectory points to your robot with the RoboDK API. This would be possible in very few lines of code.

If you wanted even more complex fractal designs, such as the Barnsley Fern or Mandelbrot Set, you could also achieve these in a similar way. Most of your program would stay exactly the same – only the fractal generation function would change.

How to Get Started With the RoboDK API

The RoboDK API is a powerful tool that can help you optimize and streamline your robot programming process.

With programming languages like Python or MATLAB, programming doesn’t even have to be difficult. The languages themselves are intuitive enough that you don’t need to be a highly skilled programmer to create powerful programs.

Get started with the RoboDK API by heading over to the documentation and having a look at what it is capable of!

What programming tasks do you find repetitive? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post Introduction to RoboDK’s API: How to Automate Repetitive Tasks appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Downtime is an inevitable part of any manufacturing process. But too much downtime can quickly add up. If you aren’t careful, your downtime will lead to lost production and profits.

There are various ways to reduce downtime in a manufacturing business, including upgrading equipment and creating a technology plan.

One particularly effective way to reduce downtime in a business is to use robotic offline programming software. This allows you to program your robots offline, without having to be connected to the physical robot controller. You can thus carry out programming tasks without disrupting the operation of the robot. This reduces the downtime usually caused by programming.

If you want to minimize your downtime as much as possible, it helps to understand what causes that downtime.

Here’s a clear introduction…

What Is Machine Downtime?

Machine downtime refers to the amount of time that a machine is not able to be used for its intended purpose. Downtime can be caused by many factors, including maintenance, repairs, or simply waiting for a new part to be delivered to the machine.

You can’t remove all downtime completely. However, too much downtime can quickly lead to lost profits. Every moment that a machine is not performing productive work is potentially wasted time.

Sometimes, machine downtime occurs because of mechanical failures, such as a broken part or malfunctioning component. However, this is comparatively rare and easy to avoid with a regular maintenance schedule.

An even more common source of machine downtime is just not using the machine to its full potential. When the machine is being operated manually, this can happen when the operator is doing more tasks than they can handle. So they regularly leave the machine sitting idle. Human error is also one of the most common causes of downtime.

Robots are a good way to reduce this type of downtime. However, robot programming itself can introduce further downtime.

The Downside of Too Much Downtime

You should not overlook the impact of downtime on your business. Even small amounts of unnecessary downtime can lead to increased expenses and reduced productivity.

How much could downtime cost your manufacturing business?

The financial impact can vary depending on the industry, but it is always costly. For example, downtime costs the automotive industry around $22,000 USD per minute, according to a Thomas survey.

But the negative impacts of machine downtime are not limited to finances.

Other potential negative consequences of downtime can include:

• Loss of productivity and profits: When machines are down, you can’t produce anything. This reduces your productivity and can end up eating into your profits.

• Delays in production: The delays in orders can lead to angry customers and lost business.

• Harming the company’s reputation: Frustrated customers will eventually leave and go to one of your competitors, and they are unlikely ever to return to you.

• Poor customer service: If customers have to wait for orders because of downtime, there is little your customer service team can do, leading to overall frustration from both employees and customers.

• Lowered workforce morale: When machine downtime leads to workers being constantly unable to keep up with orders, it becomes stressful and can harm morale in the company.

5 Common Causes of Machine Downtime

What causes machine downtime? There are many potential causes, but some are more common than others.

Here are 5 common causes of machine downtime:

1. Human Error

Probably the top cause of machine downtime is human error. Either people use the machines wrongly or their busy workload leads to the machine lying idle for longer than necessary.

Using robots can help to reduce the effect of human error by removing excess tasks from the hands of workers.

2. Equipment Malfunctions

Sometimes, machines break down or stop working as intended. When this happens, you need to repair them.

You can reduce equipment malfunctions by having a good maintenance program.

3. Unavailable Parts

A lack of inventory, parts, or other resources can hinder production. Having a well-stocked inventory can help, but it isn’t always enough.

When you give a task to a robot, this can give your workers more mental bandwidth to check inventory and product flow more regularly, helping them to ensure they don’t run out of inventory.

4. Employee Shortages

Many businesses are suffering from labor shortages right now. Such shortages can slow down or stop production, as there are not enough operators to fulfill tasks.

Robots can help minimize the impact of employee shortages by helping you get more from the workers you already have.

5. Underutilization

When you don’t use your machines to their full potential, you are potentially leaving money on the table by not producing as much or as efficiently as you could.

Offline programming can help to minimize downtime in this case. You can optimize your robot program to get as much from your machines as possible.

How to Minimize Machine Downtime With Offline Programming

Robot offline programming software, like RoboDK, allows you to program robots without having to stop production. This means you can program your robots while they are still performing productive work.

Here are 5 steps to start minimizing machine downtime with RoboDK:

1) Download and install RoboDK.

2) Connect your robot to RoboDK using the Post Processor.

3) Create a program in RoboDK.

4) Test and improve your program on the virtual robot.

5) When the program is ready, upload it to your physical robot.

With offline programming, the only downtime is during the last step. This significantly reduces the impact of programming time compared to conventional robot programming, where the robot would stop production for the entire process.

If you want to keep your business running smoothly, you need to minimize downtime. And robot offline programming can be a very valuable tool to help you achieve that.

How does machine downtime currently affect your business? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post How to Minimize Machine Downtime with RoboDK appeared first on RoboDK blog.

What does it mean to optimize robot programming?

At its most basic, programming optimization involves improving your programming methods so that deployment is more efficient. This could involve optimizing code, reducing programming time, using different software tools, and improving team communication around programming.

In this article, we look at the benefits of having an optimized programming process and methods you can use to improve your own robot programming.

What Does it Mean to Have Efficient Robot Programming?

Efficient programming is all about using the right tools and a streamlined programming workflow. This means looking at how the distinct elements of the robot deployment process fit together and finding ways to complete them with speed and accuracy.

There are many ways to program a robot, including traditional teach pendant programming, hand guiding, and offline programming with a simulator.

When you are deploying a robot to your process, you have a lot to worry about. You need to buy the right robot, take the time to adapt your existing processes and get your team to accept the robot. This can be a lot of work and stress.

You don’t need programming to be another cause of stress.

When you have an efficient robot programming workflow, it becomes quicker and easier to program your robot for your task. This gives you more time and capacity to focus on other parts of the deployment.

5 Tips to Optimize Robot Programming

Here are 5 ways you can optimize your robot programming:

• Set a clear programming workflow. Once you have an idea of the overall flow and stages of robot deployment, formalize these steps into a repeatable process.

• Use the right tools. Programming tools like RoboDK include many features to help you create an optimal programming process right from the start.

• Document your programming process. Efficiency usually only comes when people know what they are doing. Don’t assume that you will always remember the steps of your programming workflow and document them.

• Use consistent program and target naming conventions. Programs that follow the same naming rules are easier for everyone to read and understand. For example, set a clear naming convention for the targets you use in your RoboDK offline programs.

• Create templates for similar tasks. It’s often better when you don’t create a new robot program from scratch every time. Create template projects within RoboDK and work from these when you start a new project.

By following these tips, you can optimize your programming with RoboDK and create efficient and effective programs for any robotic task.

Using RoboDK to Optimize Your Programming Workflows

RoboDK is a feature-rich software suite for robot offline programming and simulation. It can help you develop programs efficiently while accessing the features of your robotic hardware.

The software comes with an extensive library of example projects, which you can use as a basis for your own robot programs. It also helps you to troubleshoot your robot programs and optimize the code through tools like artificial intelligence motion planning.

What programming optimization questions do you have? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post Optimize Robot Programming for Efficient Deployment appeared first on RoboDK blog.

Offline programming for robots helps to reduce on-site programming time and improve the quality of your robotic solutions.

The traditional approach to robot programming is online programming. This involves programming the robot with its teach pendant while next to the physical robot. While this is still a popular approach, online programming causes unnecessary downtime and can reduce the quality of your programs by pressuring you to spend less time optimizing them.

With offline programming, you can more easily create more feature-rich robot programs, without harming productivity at the same time.

Here are some ways to make your experience with offline programming even more worthwhile:

1. Plan Your Program First

Before you create your robot program, plan how you will achieve the various steps of your task. This will save you time in the long run and help you avoid errors.

Planning can involve deciding on the robotic components you might need (such as end effectors or additional axes). It can also involve manually walking yourself through the task to understand the steps.

2. Simulate Then Program

Simulation tools can help you avoid errors in your robot programming by allowing you to test the program in a virtual environment. There are various types of simulators you can use in a manufacturing business.

With a good robot simulator, like RoboDK you can perform robot simulation and offline programming seamlessly in the same software package.

3. Use Programming Wizards

Robot programming software is constantly evolving and we are always adding new features and capabilities.

You can access advanced functionality and the powerful capabilities of your robot by using the software wizards provided by your offline programming software. For example, RoboDK includes various wizards, including those for robotic welding and robotic machining.

4. Learn from the Right Resources

A good robot offline programming software should have many resources available to help you learn how to use the software. These resources can include documentation, online forums, and video tutorials.

With training resources, such as the free robot training provided by RoboDK you can quickly find answers to your questions about how to use specific features of the software.

5. Familiarize Yourself with the UI

The user interface (UI) of your offline programming software is where you will spend most of your time when creating robot programs.

Before you start creating complex programs, it’s important to first understand how the UI works. By taking some extra time to familiarize yourself with the basics, you will save time later on.

6. Start With Simple Programs

Don’t try to program too many functionalities at once. It’s important to start small and gradually increase the complexity of your robot programs.

By starting simple, you will avoid errors and gain the confidence and experience you need to create more complex robot programs.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

Offline programming gives you the opportunity to try out new ideas and program updates without affecting production. This is very valuable as it can help you find new and better ways of programming the robot in a risk-free environment.

By experimenting, you can also optimize aspects of your robot program, like cycle time, more than you could do with online programming.

8. Test Different Hardware for Free

In the past, the only way to try out a new robot model was to get your hands on the physical robot. This is no longer the case. There are now many ways to try robots without investing in the robot yourself.

Take advantage of the Robot Library in RoboDK that allows you to try hundreds of robot models for free.

9. Keep Your Programs Organized

It’s easy for programming projects to get out of hand quickly as you add more and more functionalities to your program.

Keep your offline programs well organized so you can easily find parts of the program when you need them. You can do this by creating subroutines for distinct steps of the program or by editing the names of targets with descriptive labels.

10. Get Help When You Need It

There are many resources available to help you use your offline programming software. If you run into any problems, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

By asking for help when you need it, you can solve problems quickly and ensure you are always getting the most out of your software.

11. Create Reusable Programs

One thing that makes offline programming especially powerful is that you can create programs you can reuse — either in full or in part. This way, you don’t have to start from scratch every time you need to program the robot.

You can reuse elements of the same programs for different tasks and even for different robots. It can be a good idea to build a library of programs that you can use for different applications.

12. Share Programs With Others

A significant benefit of using the right offline programming software is the ability to share your programs with others. This allows you to get feedback on your robot solutions from your colleagues and clients.

RoboDK for Web is the perfect tool for this. With it, you can share your programs with anyone, anywhere. They don’t even need to install the program on their computer.

13. Connect With the User Community

There is a large and active community for robot programming. This community is a great resource when you are stuck with a particular problem and don’t know how to solve it.

The RoboDK Forum is a great place to go for help about how to use RoboDK for your specific application.

14. Test Multiple Approaches

One great thing about robots is that there are often many ways to perform the same task. This flexibility can be a great asset when you are trying to fit a robot into your workflow.

Offline programming makes the best use of this flexibility. You can spend all the time you need testing multiple approaches, without it harming productivity as happens with online programming.

15. Keep Learning

Robotic technology is always changing and evolving. New applications, approaches, and functionalities are constantly being developed.

With a good offline programming software, you can more easily keep up with these changes. For example, at RoboDK we are constantly adding new functionalities to the software to respond to changes in the robotics field.

Robotics is undoubtedly a great way to automate tasks in your business. And with offline programming, you can make the most from your robotic investment.

By following these tips, you can make your experience with offline programming even more efficient and effective. You’ll be able to create better programs in less time.

Which tip was most useful for your work right now? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post 15 Tips for Robot Offline Programming appeared first on RoboDK blog.

One of the biggest bottlenecks we see with many industrial robots is the need for “online” programming. You need to take the robot out of production to create new programs and update old ones.

This can be time-consuming and expensive — each moment the robot is out of production is potential money lost.

Robotic offline programming is a great solution that enables you to program your robot without it being connected to the computer. This helps reduce downtime. It also improves the flexibility and customization you can access thanks to the extra features of good offline programming software.

What is Offline Programming and How Does It Work?

Robotic offline programming is the process of creating or modifying a robot program without the physical robot being present. This involves using a special software tool that uses a digital mockup or simulation of the robot.

You have 2 basic options when looking for offline programming software:

• You can use the software offered by your robot manufacturer. This increases the likelihood that the software will be compatible with your specific robot. However, this option is quite restrictive, as it doesn’t allow you to shop around for the best software tool for your needs.

• You can find a reliable third-party software tool that supports many different robots. A software like RoboDK can help save a huge amount of time and energy by providing powerful robot programming features in an easy-to-use interface.

5 Powerful Benefits of Robotic Offline Programming

There are various benefits a robot offline programming tool can bring to your process. These can help your business by improving how you create and distribute your products or deliver your services.

5 significant benefits of robotic offline programming are:

1. Improved Efficiency

Robots themselves can help to improve the efficiency of your processes by taking dull and repetitive tasks from the hands of human workers.

Offline programming improves this even further by reducing the time your robots are out of production. By programming your robots while the physical robots are still working, you improve efficiency overall.

2. Save Time

Offline programming can also help you to save time in a variety of ways, including reducing startup times for new setups and shortening changeovers.

Even when such time savings are short, they can contribute to a significant time saving over the course of an entire year.

3. Reduced Costs

Both robots and offline programming can also help to reduce costs in your business.

From the programming perspective, you can more easily reuse programs you have already created. This helps you avoid repeating coding work as you might need to do with conventional online programming methods.

4. Better Quality

In many cases, offline programming can help to improve the accuracy of your robotic applications compared to “jogging” the robot’s position with its teach pendant.

This accuracy helps to improve the overall quality and consistency of the products you create with your robot.

5. Increased Flexibility

Possibly the most impacting benefit of offline programming is the flexibility it provides compared to conventional robot programming.

By programming the robot in a simulator, you can test out a lot more possibilities before putting the robot program into production. This means you can test more experimental and innovative solutions than you might have been able to otherwise.

Why Your Robot Programming Software Is So Important

How can you access these benefits?

With offline programming, choosing the right software is essential. The software you choose will determine how easy or difficult it is to program your robot. Your choice will also affect the quality of the programs you create, which in turn affects whether the robot makes errors.

If you choose a software that is difficult to use, you might waste many fruitless hours trying to figure it out.

Conversely, if you choose a robot that is well-suited for offline programming, your life will be a lot easier.

Your chosen software should enable you to easily create powerful robot programs without extensive robotics expertise.

How to Get Started With Offline Programming

The first step to getting started with offline programming is to pick the right programming tool. Ideally, you want a tool that is compatible with many robot brands and models and offers a range of useful extra features.

When you’ve chosen your tool, familiarize yourself with it. For more complex tools, this might require attending in-person training events. With more intuitive tools, you may be able to make great strides by following the free training (such as in our free RoboDK online training).

Start by programming your robot to complete simple tasks, such as pick and place or palletizing. When you have become familiar with the tool, move on to more complex applications that require a bit more programming skill.

Getting the Most from Your Offline Programming

When you have chosen the right offline programming software, how can you ensure you get the most from it?

A few good tips to get you started on the right track are:

1. Become familiar with the tool first. A little practical experience goes a long way.
2. Define your task clearly. It helps to know exactly what you are trying to achieve with your robot before you start programming.
3. Debug your code before putting it into production. The offline programming environment is where you should remove most of your errors. This helps reduce the possibility of errors in the physical robot.

When you get the right offline programming tool and follow the right process, you can see some significant benefits. Your programming workflow will be smoother and you will find yourself able to achieve much more with your robot.

What could you do with the extra time savings you make through offline programming? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post 5 Ways Robotic Offline Programming Can Benefit Your Business appeared first on RoboDK blog.

But, what is a singularity? How can you stop singularities from spoiling your otherwise perfect robot program?

It can be hard to find a clear, simple definition of robot singularities. A lot of the best information on the topic is hidden deep in the pages of textbooks or academically-written articles. To understand the theory, you have to dig through pages of equations and esoteric words like “Jacobian,” “normal to,” “coincident,” “orthogonal,” “rank,” and various other terms.

Maybe those words are very familiar to you and you’ve got a strong understanding of geometry and algebra. Even so, you’ll likely have to spend a lot of time to fully get your head around what a singularity actually is unless you’re already an expert (and if you are, you probably don’t need this article).

Let’s start with a clear definition…

The Definition of a Robot Singularity

A singularity is a particular point in a robot’s workspace that causes the robot to lose one or more degrees of freedom (DoF). When a robot’s tool center point (TCP) moves into or near a singularity, the robot will stop moving or move in an unexpected manner.

Remember that a robot’s DoF is the number of independently controllable joints it has. So, a 6 DoF robot — as most industrial robots are — has 6 independently movable joints. When a 6 DoF robot enters a singularity, one or more of its joints will effectively become useless, turning it into a 4 or 5 DoF robot.

I’ve just given you a practical definition of a robot singularity…

However, there are various definitions of singularities. How useful each definition is, depends on how deeply you need to go into the topic and how well you understand the kinematic theory.

Some More Technical Definitions

Here are a few more definitions you might encounter (which include some terms I explain later in this article):

• Kinematic singularities of robot manipulators are configurations in which there is a change in the expected or typical number of instantaneous degrees of freedom.

• Singularities occur when the rank of the robot’s Jacobian matrix is less than the maximum rank the Jacobian can reach in some configuration.

• Singularities exist for a particular robot configuration if the determinant of the Jacobian matrix is zero.

All of these definitions say more or less the same thing. But, each requires you to have different levels of background understanding.

How Does a Robot Move and Why Do Singularities Occur?

It’s easy to get confused about singularities when you start reading about the underlying theory.

But, here’s a simple way to think of them…

• Robots are physical devices with physical limitations. For example, each of the robot’s motors has a maximum speed.

• Robot movements are controlled by algorithms and mathematics, which have no physical limitations. For example, mathematically, it’s valid to have a joint speed of “infinity.”

The conflict between these two facts can cause a wealth of problems when you are programming a robot. If you’re not careful, the control algorithm can instruct the robot’s motors to perform a physically impossible motion.

This is essentially what happens when a robot encounters a singularity.

The robot tries to do something impossible, such as move at an infinite speed.

The Simple Way to Spot a Robot Singularity

How can you quickly identify when your robot has entered a singularity?

In general, singularities are easy to spot. Your robot is moving at a constant, smooth speed along a trajectory… and then it does something “weird.” Its movement changes unexpectedly and it’s not clear why.

Here are a few markers that suggest your robot might have entered or passed near a singularity:

• It makes a jerky movement or stops suddenly.

• Its tool center point (TCP) slows down or stops. At the same time, some of its joints simultaneously accelerate to their maximum speed.

• It appears to get stuck when moving through empty space.

If any of these happen, it’s worth investigating if the robot has moved through a singularity.

3 Basic Types of Singularity in Industrial Robotics

You will often see robot singularities categorized into 3 types: wrist, elbow, and shoulder singularities.

This categorization is slightly simplistic. But, it’s helpful because these are the 3 types of singularity that you will most often encounter in industrial robotics when you are using most standard 6 DoF manipulators.

Here is a brief introduction to each of them:

1. Wrist Singularities

A wrist singularity occurs when the axes of the robot’s Joint 4 and Joint 6 become either “coincident” or parallel, depending on the robot. Coincident lines are those that are both parallel with each other and they share a point… which basically means that two separate lines become the same line.

In other words, the axes of two joints line up exactly with each other.

Most industrial 6 DoF robots have 3 joints in their wrist (Joints 4-6). For many robots, the axes of these 3 joints all converge at a common point. In this case, the wrist singularity occurs when Joints 4 and 6 become coincident.

In other robots, such as the one in this animation, the 3 wrist joint axes don’t converge at a single point so they can’t become coincident. Here, the singularity occurs when the axes of Joints 4 and 6 become parallel.

When a robot reaches a wrist singularity, its end effector stays motionless while Joints 4 and 6 rotate at top speed in opposite directions. The robot then continues along its path.

Note that, in this animation, the wrist joints are moving infinitely fast in the middle of the line. If this was a physical robot, this movement would be impossible to achieve while preserving the constant velocity of the end effector.

2. Elbow Singularities

You can usually recognize an elbow singularity because it looks like the robot has “stretched too far.” In many robots, it occurs when the elbow joint (Joint 3) is at 0°, though this depends on how the home position of the robot is defined.

Technically, elbow singularities happen when the center of the robot’s wrist (i.e. the point at which all 3 wrist axes converge) lies on the same plane as Joints 2 and 3. There are theoretically two elbow singularities in a 6 DoF manipulator — one when the arm is fully-stretched and one when it’s folded back on itself — but only the first is physically possible.

You can also think of the elbow singularity as being the transition between the robot’s “elbow up” and “elbow down” configurations. In RoboDK, you can choose which configuration you want your robot to use to reach a particular end effector pose. When the robot has entered an elbow singularity, these two configurations will both look the same.

3. Shoulder Singularities

The third type you might encounter is the shoulder singularity. This occurs when the center of the robot’s wrist aligns with the axis of Joint 1, or when the axis of Joint 6 becomes coincident with the axis of Joint 1.

As the robot approaches a shoulder singularity, the motors in Joints 1 and 4 try to spin 180° at infinite speed.

NOTE: Some of these animations are actually a “lie!” In RoboDK, where these simulations were created, the software won’t let you create a program that passes the robot through a singularity.

This is what would really happen if you tried to program this movement in RoboDK…

Workspace Interior vs Boundary Singularities

Another way to categorize robot singularities is to arrange them into two groups:

Workspace Interior Singularities

This type of singularity occurs when the robot’s tool center point (TCP) falls within the boundary of the robot’s workspace. They are caused when two or more of the robot’s joint axes line up with each other.

Both wrist and shoulder singularities are examples of workspace interior singularities.

Those are often the hardest to avoid because it’s not immediately obvious where they are located within the robot’s workspace.

Workspace Boundary Singularities

The other type of singularity occurs at the boundary of the robot’s workspace. Whenever the robot’s TCP gets close to a boundary, there is a risk it could enter a singularity.

Elbow singularities are an example of a workspace boundary singularity.

It’s relatively easy to avoid workspace boundary singularities. Just activate the workspace visualization for your particular robot (which is easy to do in RoboDK). Then, ensure that your task falls well within the robot’s workspace and away from any boundaries.

What’s Basically Happening at a Robot Singularity? The Singularity of a Function

Now that you understand what a singularity looks like, let’s take a step back and look at what’s going on when a robot enters a singularity…

It all starts with a particular matrix that is fundamental to robot control… the Jacobian.

We say that “when the determinant of the Jacobian is zero, the robot has a singularity.”

So, what does this actually mean?

What is the Jacobian?

Let’s say that you open up RoboDK and load a robot model.

In the software, you can enter the coordinates for a point and the robot will move there at a defined speed. In this situation, you are controlling the robot in “Cartesian space” (i.e. you can enter the end effector’s X, Y, and Z coordinates and an orientation).

The problem is that robots need to be controlled in “joint space.” The robot needs to know the desired angles of all its joints and at what speed the joints should move.

The robot’s control algorithms have to turn your Cartesian instructions into joint instructions. There’s a lot of math going on under the surface to let you move the robot in Cartesian space!

The Jacobian matrix can be used in a few different calculations:

• It can be used to convert between the angular velocities of the robot’s joints and the velocity of the robot’s end effector.

• It can be used to convert polar or spherical coordinates into Cartesian coordinates.

• It can be used to determine if the robot has singularities and where those singularities are in the robot’s workspace.

I’m not going to go into all the details of how to calculate the Jacobian because this is just an introductory article. However, if you want to learn more about how to calculate the Jacobian for a particular robot, look at the tutorial resources listed in the Advanced section below.

What Happens to the Jacobian at a Singularity

One important thing to know about the Jacobian is that it changes depending on the configuration of the robot. Every movement that the robot makes will affect its Jacobian. When the robot enters a singularity, the Jacobian at its current configuration has a particular property — its determinant becomes zero.

What is the determinant of a matrix? It is a single value that is calculated by summing all the elements of the matrix in a particular way.

What does the determinant of a matrix show us? For one thing, it helps to calculate the inverse of the matrix. This is important because we need the “inverse Jacobian” to convert a desired end effector velocity into a set of joint velocities.

What does it mean when the determinant is zero? It shows us that there is no solution to the linear equations that are represented by the matrix. This means that a Jacobian with a determinant of zero has no solutions.

In other words, the robot gets stuck because the math “breaks” at the singularity.

The Easy Solution to Robot Singularity Avoidance

There are many research papers and academic textbooks available that offer solutions to avoiding robot singularities. But, you probably don’t need to read them unless you are a robotics researcher or you need to learn singularity theory for another reason.

There is a much easier solution to avoiding singularities in your robot programming…

With RoboDK, you can easily avoid singularities with no extra knowledge of the underlying theory. The software automatically detects when your particular robot would enter a singularity and notifies you of this problem.

What should you do if RoboDK tells you that your robot would cross a singularity?

There are a few solutions, including:

• Move the task to another area of the robot’s workspace. Singularities fall in very specific areas of the workspace so often this can help.

• Visualize the robot’s workspace. This can show you which areas of the workspace are unreachable.

• Try a Joint Move instead of a Linear Move. If the robot will move through free space, you might be able to use a Joint Move. This is less controlled than a Linear Move but it gives the robot more options on how to reach the target point.

Advanced: Some Useful Resources to Go Deeper with Robot Singularities

The 3 types of robot singularity listed above are all you usually need to know to work with an industrial manipulator. You don’t need to “go deep” to understand all the underlying theories of singularities, just as you don’t need a PhD in automotive engineering to drive a car.

However, if you are a robotics researcher or you are working with robots at a more complex level, you will likely need to get stuck in the underlying mathematics.

This is not easy. But, there are some good resources to get you started.

Going Deeper With Serial Robot Singularities

If you are building your own robot or you are a researcher, you may need to get a better grasp of the Jacobian and related theories.

Here are some good resources for robot singularity theory:

• For a simple, easy-to-understand introduction this tutorial is a great place to start.

• Here’s another tutorial that goes slightly deeper into the math but also has some handy visualizations of a robot entering singular configurations.

• This tutorial from Northwestern University is a good one to go a bit deeper. If you like the teaching style, there is also an associated online course on Coursera, which you can audit for free.

• Here’s a guide to robot Jacobian matrices with examples and equations.

How Parallel Robot Singularities are Categorized

Are you working with parallel robots? This is where robotic singularities get really complex!

So far, we have only been talking about serial robots — i.e. those where each of the robot’s joints is positioned on the end of the previous link. Parallel robots are a whole different ballgame as singularities can make them collapse completely.

Kinematics researchers sometimes group parallel singularities into the following 4 categories:

• Type 1 — Serial Singularities — As explained above, these occur when the Jacobian matrix that includes the joint speeds has a determinant of zero. Practically, this means that the robot loses its ability to move in one particular direction.

• Type 2 — Parallel Singularities — These occur when the Jacobian that includes the end effector speeds has a determinant of zero. Practically, this means that one or more of the robot’s degrees of freedom become uncontrollable.

• Type 3 — Serial + Parallel Singularities — These are a combination of the above two singularities. The robot loses the ability to move in a particular direction and one or more DoF become uncontrollable.

• Type 4 — Constraint Singularities — These special case singularities occur when a robot has fewer than 6 DoF and uses a parallel mechanism.

If you want to get started understanding parallel robotic singularities, I’d recommend starting with this research paper that explains the 3 main types clearly, then going to this seminal paper that first introduced them.

The Quickest Way to Avoid Singularities in Your Application

Do you just need to avoid singularities in your application?

Do you want to avoid all the complex math?

The quickest, easiest way to do this is to use RoboDK. You can download a free trial copy on our download page. It includes automatic singularity detection, which you can also adjust based on your needs.

What questions do you have about robot singularities? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK Youtube Channel.

The post Robot Singularities: What Are They and How to Beat Them appeared first on RoboDK blog.

One common challenge when you want to use more advanced robot programming functions is getting your head around all the installation requirements for each different operating system (RoboDK supports many of them).

With the new RoboDK Docker image, you can access the more advanced functionality of the software simply by pulling the image from Docker Hub and running it in a container.

This new image makes it even easier to get started with the more advanced programming and simulation of industrial robots. You can use it to deploy RoboDK on your own servers or in the cloud.

Here’s an introduction to the new RoboDK Docker image.

What is Docker?

Docker is an open-source platform for developing, sharing, and running applications.

Docker is helpful for developers as it enables them to package up an application with all the required components, including libraries and other dependencies. You can then ship the whole application as a single package.

One advantage of Docker is that it can create virtual environments known as “containers” which act as isolated environments. With these, you can run multiple applications on the same computer or server without them interfering with each other.

When you run a Docker application, it will install and configure all the required dependencies. This makes it much easier to get applications up and running.

Welcome to the New RoboDK Docker Image

We recently released our new RoboDK Docker Image, which is now available on Docker Hub.

This new format opens up new possibilities for using RoboDK, including integrating functionality into continuous deployment workflows, using features as microservices, and deploying full robot programming applications safely in any environment.

This image makes it easier to get started using the RoboDK API — our richly featured programming interface for more advanced robot programming and simulation.

Why have we added this new feature to RoboDK?

As with many of our updates and new features, the Docker image first came as a suggestion from one of our users. In this case, user robotguy on the RoboDK Forum asked us whether it was possible to install RoboDK as a Docker image…

At the time, it wasn’t possible, but now it is!

What Are the Benefits of Using RoboDK with Docker?

There are several benefits that you can gain when you use RoboDK with Docker.

For one thing, the new image makes it much easier to get started with RoboDK API programming than it was before.

You don’t need to worry about installing the right version of RoboDK and its dependencies. And there’s no chance of the RoboDK dependencies interfering with other programs on your computer. The entire program is installed in an isolated Docker container.

The new image also opens up more use cases for RoboDK to everyone.

7 Prominent Features of the RoboDK Docker Image

Here are 7 great features that you can access by using the new RoboDK Docker image. These are just the tip of the iceberg — once you become familiar with the possibilities, you will probably think of many more options.

1. Run RoboDK Features As Microservices

Microservice architectures are based around applications running as small, independent services that you can develop, deploy, and maintain independently.

The RoboDK Docker image allows you to use RoboDK features — such as robot simulation, collision checking, and offline programming — as microservices.

2. Integrate with Continuous Delivery Workflows

Continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) are development methodologies that introduce automation into your development workflow. They make it easier to get new features and updates out to your users.

3. Easily Deploy RoboDK in Any Environment

A great benefit of Docker images is that they allow you to deploy your applications in any environment, including on your own servers or in the cloud.

This flexibility means you can access RoboDK’s powerful features in many more environments.

4. Support Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open-source system for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications (such as those you can create with Docker).

The RoboDK Docker image now means we have support for Kubernetes, opening up more automation options for your robot application deployment.

5. Run Simultaneous Instances of RoboDK

Thanks to the Docker containers, you can now run multiple instances of RoboDK on the same machine, without them interfering with each other.

This is ideal when you need to run multiple robot programs completely independently. It also helps avoid potential conflicts or downtime that could occur when you are using different versions of RoboDK simultaneously.

6. Dynamically Start and Stop Instances

With the new Docker image, you can now dynamically start and stop instances of RoboDK as needed.

This feature makes it much easier for you to use RoboDK and its functionalities as a service in your environment.

7. Run RoboDK API Remotely

Another interesting possibility of the Docker image is that you can run instances of the RoboDK API remotely.

This means you can develop your application on one machine and deploy it on another, without having to install RoboDK on the target machine.

How to Get Started with RoboDK via Docker

It’s very easy to get started with the new RoboDK Docker image.

Just install Docker, then run the few simple commands on the RoboDK Docker image page on Docker Hub.

What applications can you think of for the Docker image? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post RoboDK is Available as a Docker Image! appeared first on RoboDK blog.

What does a post processor do and why would you want to edit one?

If you’re using offline programming, it’s very likely that you have interacted with a post processor. Maybe you’re using RoboDK to program a robot for robotic machining or another robotic application. Or perhaps you are using a CAD/CAM system that supports your CNC machines.

Even if you’re not aware of it, you are using a post processor whenever you use such a system to program your physical machines.

A post processor is the bridge between the simulated environment and your physical machine. It converts the simulated instructions into code that the robot can use.

But, what if you want to change how the program generates this code? That’s where a post processor editor comes in…

Why Would You Need To Edit a Post Processor?

Most people will never need to edit their post processor.

If you are using RoboDK, for example, you just download your robot model from our extensive Robot Library. We have already linked each model to one of the 80+ post processors within RoboDK. Whenever you send your simulated program to the physical robot, the post processor will convert the code for you “under the hood.”

However, there are some situations when you will need to edit your post processor.

Every robot manufacturer uses its own proprietary programming language, which runs on its own robot controller. Each controller has a range of different configuration options and features. The post processor is where you can set all of these custom configuration options.

For example, Techman robot controllers include a security option to ask the user for a password before they can reprogram the robot. The post processor is where you will find the options to enable, disable and set this password. Not all robots have this option.

What is a Post Processor Editor?

A post processor editor is a dedicated software that is used to edit robot or CNC post processor files. This makes post processor editing more intuitive than with a standard text editor, which is the only option for many programming systems.

An example of such software is the post processor editor that is included in RoboDK.

RoboDK post processors are written in the Python programming language. For each of the supported post processors, there is a compiled library (a PYC file) and an editable Python script that holds all of the configuration properties.

These configuration files can be edited with any standard text editor if you want full control of the configuration. However, RoboDK also offers a more intuitive post processor editor. This allows you to change the parameters of your chosen robot without having to get involved in the code at all.

How to Edit a Post Processor the Easy Way

In RoboDK, the easiest way to edit your post processor is to use our post processor editor. It provides information about when you are most likely to use each of the parameters and recommended values. With this tool, you will cover the vast majority of use cases for your robot.

Each post processor contains a list of configuration properties. These will vary depending on your robot manufacturer.

Some post processors include very few properties. For example, the post processor for Mecademic robots only includes one property (the file type of the program file).

Other post processors include many properties. For example, the ABB_RAPID_IRC5 post processor for ABB robots has 16 properties, ranging from the default speed of the robot to configuration flags for external turntables.

Whatever robot you are using, the simplest way to edit its post processor is to load it up in the RoboDK editor. You will be able to see all of the available configuration properties and decide which are the most suitable for your application.

The Simple Post Processor Editing Guide

When you open the post processor editor, you will be greeted by a list of the available properties.

How do you decide which properties to adjust and what values to set them?

Let’s use a specific example to show the process… We’ll look at the AUBO post processor for the company’s collaborative robot range.

The AUBO post processor contains the following properties:

• PROG EXT — This is the program extension and is included in many post processors. It specifies the file type that RoboDK will generate.
• SPEED MS and SPEED RAD — This specifies the speed in meters per second and radians for circular movements.
• ACCEL MSS and ACCEL RADSS — This specifies the acceleration of the robot in meters per second squared or radians per second squared for circular accelerations.

As you can see, the properties are often clear just from their naming conventions. However, where the purpose of a property is not immediately obvious, there is usually a description of it in the editor and often recommended values as well.

If you still can’t work out the purpose of a particular property, you may be able to find information in your robot’s manual or you can ask a question in the RoboDK forum.

Where to find the New RoboDK Post Processor Editor

Started editing your robot’s post processor with the RoboDK editor!

You can find information about how to activate and use the editor on our documentation page.

Questions? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post What is a Post Processor Editor and How Do You Use One? appeared first on RoboDK blog.

You can now apply a robot to a vast range of different applications, helping improve the efficiency, consistency, and productivity of your entire manufacturing and logistics process. It’s important that you are familiar with this range of applications so you can get the most from robot automation.

In this article, we explore 17 of the most common industrial robot applications that manufacturers are using to stay ahead.

Listed in alphabetical order, these robot applications are:

1. Assembly

Assembly involves combining parts to create a whole completed product. It can be difficult to keep assembling products by hand as your orders grow and assembly operations require more precision.

In many cases, robots are the perfect solution for assembly tasks. They are more accurate and consistent than even the most skilled human worker.

2. Cutting

Cutting involves splitting a part or piece of material with one of a variety of cutting tools (e.g. a saw, a laser, or high-pressure water).

Many manufacturers use robots to either assist in cutting operations or complete the entire task autonomously. They improve both the efficiency and the consistency of the cutting compared to manual cutting.

3. Drawing

Drawing and engraving are often used at the final stage of manufacturing. They are a great way to incorporate personalization into your products.

Compared to manual drawing, robots can create a far more consistent pattern. They can even produce images at a scale that look like they have been created by hand.

4. Drilling

Drilling is the process of creating holes in materials using a drill bit. For example, for inserting screws or other fasteners, or creating passages for wiring.

Drilling can be a strenuous and time-consuming task when done by hand. It can be hard to keep the drill bit straight and easy to unintentionally damage the material. Robotic drilling is more precise than manual drilling and can often be much faster.

5. Gluing

Gluing involves sticking together parts of your product with glue or another adhesive. It can be done by hand or with the help of automated machinery.

In fact, benefits of robotic gluing include less wastage in adhesives, more consistent gluing, and less human exposure to harmful solvents.

6. Inspection

Inspection involves checking products at the end of the manufacturing process. This ensures there are no defects and that the product meets your quality standards.

Robot inspection is the perfect solution to remove “the inspection bottleneck” — a common situation where completed products are held up from leaving your facility because of the inspection process.

7. Machine Tending

Machine tending involves loading, unloading, and operating a CNC machine. This is often done by hand, but it is a time-consuming task that is not the best use of your workers’ valuable time.

Instead you can easily program a robot to tend a CNC machine, allowing your workers to move to more value-added tasks.

8. Machining

Machining refers to any process where materials are cut to size or shaped using a machine. It is a core task for many manufacturers.

In general, robotic machining offers various benefits over conventional CNC machining, including better flexibility and a larger workspace.

9. Milling

Milling is a specific machining process using rotary cutters to remove material from a workpiece. In either the horizontal or vertical directions.

However, a significant advantage of robotic milling over more conventional methods is that you can create very complex shapes with high precision. In other words, a robot can move the milling tool in almost any direction and orientation.

10. Palletizing

Palletization is the process of arranging products or other items onto a pallet for shipping, transportation, or storage. Manual palletizing takes a lot of time and effort, with significant physical dangers to workers as they perform repetitive movements.

Robotic palletizing is an increasingly popular task in manufacturing environments. Moreover, with the RoboDK Palletizing Plugin, you can program the task quickly and easily.

11. Picking and Placing

Picking and placing is a very common task in any manufacturing environment. It simply involves moving items around, such as in packing tasks.

Robotic pick and place is often more effective than the equivalent manual process. Robots move more quickly and accurately than humans. The repetitive nature of the task is ideal for automation.

12. 3D Printing

There are several ways to manufacture 3D printed parts, but most methods produce a 3-dimensional product layer by layer. An advantage of any 3D printing process is that you can create complex shapes that would be impossible with other manufacturing methods.

Robotic 3D printing offers even more benefits as robots are more flexible and have much bigger workspaces than conventional 3D printers.

13. Product Testing

Product testing is an important step in the manufacturing process. Like inspection, it helps to ensure that all products meet your company’s quality standards before you release them to customers.

Robots can greatly speed up the product testing process. They can also help reduce the mistakes that can occur in manual product testing.

14. Screwing

Screwing is the process of attaching two pieces of material together using a screw or other threaded fastener. In many manufacturing environments, this process is semi-automated as operators use a screw gun or nut runner.

Robotic screwing offers even more automation by giving the entire screwing process over to a robot. This is a very flexible approach to screwdriving.

15. Sorting

Workers typically perform the task of sorting products or other items. For example, they may separate items by type, size, order number, or some other quality. This is a time-consuming and tedious process.

Therefore, robots can be a great way to relieve some of this pressure from human workers. Even with simple sensors, you can program a robot for a variety of sorting tasks.

16. Surface Finishing

Surface finishing refers to a collection of processes for smoothing, polishing, or otherwise preparing the surface of your products. This is usually done for aesthetic reasons, to improve the material’s durability. Moreover, it can be used to prepare it for further processing.

In short, robotic surface finishing can improve the consistency of the process as well as increase efficiency.

17. Welding

Finally, welding involves joining two pieces of material using one of several welding methods. This including arc welding, resistance welding, or gas welding.

Robotic welding is a tried and tested way to reduce the time welding operators spend on routine welding tasks. Many manufacturers are experiencing a shortage of skilled welders. Adding a robot is extremely valuable to many companies.

As you can see, there are many robot applications you could choose.

And it’s easy to program all of them with RoboDK!

Which application will you choose?

Which robot application did we not include on this list that you would have liked to see? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.. Also, check out our extensive video collection and subscribe to the RoboDK YouTube Channel

The post 17 Industrial Robot Applications for Smart Manufacturers appeared first on RoboDK blog.

And spend less time programming it?

Offline programming could be the perfect way to get more from your FANUC robot. But, it’s not always clear what’s the best way to get started.

Before you can start programming your robot offline, you need to decide which offline programming software you will choose. You also need to be clear on the steps you should take once you have chosen your software.

Here’s a quick guide to getting more from your FANUC with offline programming.

Using the Manufacturer’s Offline Programming Software

If you’re just getting started with offline programming, you might think that you are required to use the offline programming tool offered by the manufacturer. In this case, that would mean FANUC’s Roboguide.

After all, you might think, if the manufacturer provides both the robot and the software, won’t they be the best pairing?

In reality, there are often restrictions caused by using those offline programming software. And the best software for you is not always the one provided by the manufacturer.

Type 1: The Default Option

The offline programming software offered by FANUC is Roboguide. This is a simulator program that is only usable with FANUC robots.

The software’s core functionality allows you to program the robot in a simulated environment. Later, you can download the program to the robot itself.

Users often comment on Roboguide high price. The specific price range of the software varies depending on where you buy it. One new user, for example, explained that the software was “half the price of a new robot!”

For application-specific functionality, you have to pay for add-ons for the software, such as WeldPRO, PalletPRO, and PaintPro.

The cost of the software is recurring as it is based on a subscription model. This is a common situation with manufacturer-supplied offline programming tools.

Type 2: A More Flexible, Accessible Option

What if you want to access the flexibility of offline programming without the restrictions?

There are more options available that you might not have considered yet.

One such option is RoboDK. It is a combined simulator and offline programming software that is brand independent.

It is compatible out-the-box with over 600 robots from 50 brands, including a huge selection of FANUC robots. If you use RoboDK and you ever decide to use a robot from a non-FANUC brand, you aren’t tied into buying yet another software for offline programming and going through even more training.

Compared to Roboguide, the investment for RoboDK is a lot more accessible. Its one-time price is less than half of what many users pay for a one-year license lease with FANUC’s software. And the price listed on our website is the price that you’ll pay. You can also pay for additional years of maintenance at a reduced cost, but only if you want to.

Plus, the wizards in RoboDK that allow it to perform applications such as welding, palletizing, painting, etc, are included in that one-time price.

5 Steps to Use Offline Programming With a FANUC Robot

Getting your FANUC robot started with offline programming couldn’t be easier.

Here are the 5 steps to program a FANUC offline:

1. Select Your FANUC Robot Model in the Robot Library

The first step to getting your robot up and running with offline programming is to load your robot model. With RoboDK, this is simply a case of opening the Robot Library, filtering for FANUC robots, and selecting your specific robot model. This will load it into your simulation space.

It’s highly likely that your model is already listed. However, if it is not available yet, just let us know and we can add it for you.

2. Add Any Extras to the Simulated Cell That You Need

As well as the robot model, you will also need to add the additional extras to your cell that will be needed for your task, e.g. tables, objects, end effectors.

Less is more. Only include virtual objects that are vital for the programming of the robot. It is a waste of your time to include objects just so that the simulation “looks nice.” So, no models of people, safety fences, or other items unless they are absolutely necessary.

3. Program the Robot Using the Graphical Commands

There are various ways to program a robot in RoboDK, including using your favorite programming language. However, the easiest way to get started is with the graphical programming icons.

A good place to learn how to program with RoboDK is via our YouTube channel where we often post step-by-step tutorials.

4. Export the Robot Program

When you have created your robot program, it is a simple task to convert the program into one of FANUC’s robot languages. RoboDK supports both the TP programming language for the FANUC teach pendant and the Karel programming language.

5. Run It on Your Robot

Finally, you just download the program onto the robot’s controller and run it. As you are using offline programming, you will need to use a lot less debugging than with conventional robot programming methods.

Try Out Offline Programming With Your FANUC Today

Still not sure which offline programming tool is the right one for you?

You can try out RoboDK for yourself right now. Just download a copy and you will get a free 30-day trial.

Test it out with your FANUC robot and see if it works for you!

What’s holding you back from trying offline programming? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or in the RoboDK Forum.

The post 5 Steps to Use Offline Programming With a FANUC Robot appeared first on RoboDK blog.