Robot

The Robot view allows you to teach and manipulate robots in the 3D world.

1. Program Editor Panel
2. Manipulator
3. Connected External Kinematics Component
4. Interactive Joint
5. Robot Positions
6. Properties Panel
7. Jog Panel
8. Teach Overlay Menu

 

Access

To access the Robot view:

  • Click the PROGRAM tab.

Panels

The Robot view shows, by default, the following panels:

  • Program Editor for reading, writing and editing the programs of robots and other components in a layout.
  • Jog for teaching a selected robot in a layout.
  • Properties for reading and writing properties of selected objects in a layout. This includes components, robot controller data, and robot actions such as motion statements.

Context

The context of the Robot view is robot programming.

You can:

  • Teach positions, paths and other actions to a selected robot and any external joint.
  • Read, write and edit robot programs and controller data.
  • Perform offline programming, collision detection, limit testing, calibration and optimization.
  • Visualize and edit robot IO using wire connections.
  • Select, edit and manipulate robot positions.

Commands

Program

By default, the following commands are shown in the Ribbon when you click the Program tab.

Name Description
Acceleration Turns on/off acceleration limits for robots and other components in 3D world.
Align Aligns a selected object using two points. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Settings
Align position, orientation or both and in what axis.

Snap Type
Define the type of point to select in the 3D world.

Always Snap Turns on/off the automatic snapping of a selected object along an axis or plane at intervals when using the manipulator.
Automatic Size Turns on/off the automatic calculation of intervals for snapping a selected object along an axis or plane when using the manipulator.
Color Highlights Highlights node in 3D world exceeding its limits.
Connecting Lines Turns on/off the display of lines in the 3D world that connect and show the order of points to be reached by a selected robot when executing its Main routine, including calls to subroutines.
Copy Copies the current selection to the clipboard.
Delete Deletes the current selection.
Detectors Displays a list of options and tools for managing collision tests.

Detect collision
Detect first or all collisions.

Collision Tolerance
Detect collision at impact or within a distance tolerance.

Show Minimum Distance
If using collision tolerance, show/hide the shortest distance between objects in a detected collision.

Selection vs World
Detect if selected component collides with any other component in 3D world.

Create detector
Creates a new collision detector. Additional options are displayed in a task pane, which can be accessed by clicking a listed detector. Click a component in 3D world, and then use Mini toolbar or task pane to add component to either list A or B in detector. In task pane, use A and B tabs and node check boxes to include/exclude nodes from detector.

Note: Select the check box of listed detector to use the detector in collision test.

Detectors Active Turns on/off all detectors in collision test.

Exchange Robots

Allows the active robot to be exchanged with a robot selected in the 3D world, thereby the robots swap positions and programs. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Exchange Base/Tool Names
Turn on/off the exchange of base and tool frame properties.

Apply
Exchange a selected robot highlighted green with the active robot.

Interfaces

Allows components to be remotely connected in the 3D world using abstract interfaces. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Component
Select component that has the ability to remotely connect with other components. Only components with this capability are displayed as options.

Interface
Select interface in component used for remote connections.

Connections
Define connections to interface of component. An available connection is highlighted yellow in 3D world, whereas an active connection is highlighted green. Only compatible interfaces are displayed as options.

Display Network Map
Turn on/off the display of interface editors in the 3D world. If active, editor of selected component is visible as are the editors of connected components. Other components with compatible interfaces will display their editors, by default, as unfold buttons.

Show Connection Lines
Turn on/off the visibility of wires connecting interface editors in the 3D world. This option is also available on the editor of the selected component.

Show Non-abstract Interfaces
Turn on/off the option of using non-abstract interfaces. Generally, this is used to show and edit physical connections.

Note: By default, interface editors (nodes) for components are not displayed unless they have two matching interfaces with the selection. You can change this by editing "interfacesNodeVisibilityThreshold" in the app.config file.

Jog Allows the pointer to jog and interact with the joints of robots and other components in 3D world as well as directly select a robot, and then use manipulator to teach robot.

Note: The origin of manipulator depends on robot configuration in the Jog panel. For example, if a tool frame is used as a moveable TCP, manipulator will be at origin of tool coordinate system, the tool frame will move with the manipulator, and the location of tool frame will be referenced as the point and orientation for defining robot positions relative to robot/base coordinate system.

Joint Turns on/off joint limits for robots and other components in 3D world.
Measure Measures the distance and/or angle between two points in 3D world. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Mode
Measure distance, angle or both.

Settings
Define how to visualize a measurement and in which coordinate system to base measured values.

Snap Type
Define type of point to select in 3D world.

Tip: The results of a measurement are sent to Output panel.

Message Panel Output Sends info on exceeded limit to Output panel.
Move Allows a selected object to be moved along an axis or plane, rotated around an axis, and snapped and aligned to a point in 3D world.
Move Robot World Frame Allows the Robot World frame of a selected robot to be manipulated in 3D world.
Paste Adds the contents of clipboard to active area or field of workspace depending on data type.
Restore Windows Restores the workspace of current view to its default setting.
Select Allows for direct and indirect selection of robot positions in the 3D world using listed commands.

Rectangular selection
Select by drawing a selection box.

Free-form selection
Select by drawing a selection path to form a closed loop.

Select all
Selects all robot positions.

Invert selection
Forms a new selection of every robot position not in current selection.

Show Displays a list of panels that can be shown/hidden from the current view of workspace.

Signals

Allows signals of components and I/O of robot to be connected to one another in 3D world. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Component
Select component that has Boolean signals. Only components with this capability are displayed as options.

Signal
Signal of component. If component is robot, inputs are labeled "In" and outputs are labeled "Out". You can sort signals by direction and name. You can filter signals that are inputs and outputs as well as those with an active connection.

Connections
Define connections to signal of component. If signal in other component, select other component and then the signal. If input or output in other robot, select other robot and then the input or output. If action in robot, select output of robot and then use the Actions Configuration section to define the action. You have the option to disconnect all signals in component. If component is robot, you have the option to clear all actions, but use caution to avoid removing predefined actions for outputs 1 through 81.

Tip: For inputs and outputs of robot, we recommend using signals 100 onward for new signal connections and actions. This helps avoid conflict with predefined actions for robots.

Display Network Map
Turn on/off the display of signal editors in the 3D world. If active, editor of selected component is visible as are the editors of connected components. Other components with compatible signals will display their editors, by default, as unfold buttons.

Show Connection Lines
Turn on/off the visibility of wires connecting signal editors in the 3D world. This option is also available on the editor of the selected component.

Enable Signal Toggling
Turn on/off the ability to set value of connected signals during simulation. Click the connector (circle) of signal in task pane or editor in 3D world to toggle the value. Connector is green when value is true.

Singularity Turns on/off singularity limits for robots and other components in 3D world.
Size Defines the interval for snapping a selected object along an axis or plane when using the manipulator.
Snap Allows a selected object or arm/TCP of a selected robot to be snapped to a location in 3D world by using one to three points. Additional options are displayed in a task pane.

Mode
Snap to one point, the midpoint of two points, or the center of an arc made by three points.

Settings
Affect position, orientation or both and in what axis.

Snap Type
Define the type of point to select in the 3D world.

Speed Turns on/off speed limits for robots and other components in 3D world.
Stop at limits Stop a running simulation when an object exceeds any of its limits.
Stop on collision Stops a running simulation when there is a detected collision.
To Reference Locks robot positions to referenced coordinate system, thereby positions move with robot/parent in 3D world.
To World Locks robot positions to 3D world, thereby positions do not move with robot/parent.
Traces Turns on/off the visibility of traced motion paths for a selected robot in 3D world.