Getting Started

Contents HideContents Show
  1. Step 1. Configure Stäubli Robotics Suite
  2. Step 2. Enable Stäubli add-on
  3. Step 3. Access Stäubli Add-on
  4. Step 4. Connect to Stäubli Controller
  5. Step 5. Map Robot
  6. Step 6. Teach Robot
  7. Step 7. Post-Processing

Step 1. Configure Stäubli Robotics Suite

If you are using Stäubli Robotics Suite (SRS) with a CS emulator version 7 or higher, you might need to make changes to two configuration files.

  1. Use a text editor to open the controller.cfx file in your local Stäubli documents.
  2. Verify or add this line of code
    <String name="simulMode" value="simulation" />
  3. Save the file.
  4. Use a text editor to open the default.cfx file in your local Stäubli documents.
  5. Verify or add this line of code
    <Bool name="ioWriteAccess" value="true" />
  6. Save the file.

Note:

  • The Stäubli add-on supports both CS8 and CS9 controllers.
  • Editing the profile is also feasible directly in the controller or in Stäubli Robotics Suite.

Step 2. Enable Stäubli add-on

The Stäubli add-on can be turned on/off using a backstage option.

  1. Click the File tab, and then on the Navigation pane, click Options.
  2. Click Add On, and then in Stäubli Add On, do one of the following:
    • To enable the add-on, click Enable.
    • To disable the add-on, click Disable.
  3. Restart your Visual Components Premium 4.9 product.

Step 3. Access Stäubli Add-on

The Stäubli add-on consists of one main panel: Stäubli Cell Configuration. You can show and access this panel in one or more contexts. For example, we recommend accessing the Stäubli add-on via the Program tab.

  • On the PROGRAM tab, in the Windows group, click the Show arrow, and then select the Stäubli Cell Configuration check box. If this panel is not listed, you either need to enable the Stäubli add-on and/or restart Visual Components Premium 4.9.

Note: It is optional to show the Stäubli Controller I/O Mappings panel since you can access it from the Stäublic Cell Configuration panel. For example, you can select the I/O element of an added emulator, and then use a shortcut or the Properties panel to show I/O mappings between the robot in 3D world and the connected Stäubli controller.

Step 4. Connect to Stäubli Controller

The Stäubli add-on allows you to connect to a real or emulated Stäubli controller.

  1. Verify the Stäubli controller is running and its network address, for example a local host address of 127.0.0.1.
  2. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, click Add Emulator.
  3. In the Edit Emulator Target task pane, set Host name to the network address of the controller as well as the Username and Password for logging into the controller.
  4. Click Test Connection and verify you are able to connect to the controller. If the connection attempt was not successful, verify the network address and login as well as whether or not you need to use a port other than 5653, which is the default port.
  5. If you can connect to the controller, click Apply to save the connection and add it to the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel.

Step 5. Map Robot

You can pair a robot in the 3D world with a connected Stäubli controller.

  1. Add a Stäubli robot to the 3D world, for example a RX 170 robot.
  2. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, right-click the Robot element of the connected emulator, and then click Change Connected Robot.
  3. In the 3D world, click the yellow highlighted robot to select and highlight it green, and then in the Change Connected Robot task pane, click Apply. If you cannot select the robot in the 3D world, the robot is either not compatible or you need to edit one or more settings in the controller.

Step 6. Teach Robot

The simulation mode of a connected Stäubli controller will determine how the Stäubli add-on and controller interact with one another, including the synchronization of data, the execution of robot programs, and jogging of robot joints.

Jog Joints - Controller

By default, every new connection has a simulation mode of Idle and the connection is active. Idle is a safe mode where the Stäubli add-on and controller are not synchronizing with one another. Generally, you would use either Polling or Virtual mode to teach a robot with the connected controller as well as simulate VAL 3 applications.

  1. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, select the listed emulator connection, and then in the Properties panel, set Simulation mode to Virtual.
  2. Run the simulation. The robot will instantly change to the arm pose defined in the controller. In Virtual mode, you can run the simulation at different speeds and use either virtual or real time.
  3. In the Stäubli controller, turn on robot arm power, enable Joint, and then use the joint numbered buttons to jog the joints of the robot in the 3D world.
  4. Stop the simulation.
  5. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, right-click the emulator connection, and then click Disconnect.
  6. Run the simulation, and then try to use the Stäubli controller to jog the robot in the 3D world. The connection is not active, so the robot in the 3D world will not move. The joint values of the robot should also be different from those in the controller.
  7. Stop the simulation.
  8. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, right-click the emulator connection, and then click Connect.
  9. Start the simulation. You should see the robot in the 3D world reconfigure its joints to match the joint values in the connected controller.

Note: You will need to reset a simulation in order to change the simulate mode of an emulator connection. For example, you can test the difference between Virtual and Polling simulation modes.

Jog Joints - Simulation

If simulation mode is Jogging, you do not need to run the simulation. Jogging allows you to teach a robot using controls in Visual Components Premium 4.9 and automatically update joint values in the Stäubli controller.

  1. Reset the simulation.
  2. In the Stäubli controller, turn off robot arm power.
  3. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, select the listed emulator connection, and then in the Properties panel, set Simulation mode to Jogging.
  4. Use the Jog command and panel to interact with the robot in the 3D world. Notice that joint values of the mapped robot are automatically updated in the Stäubli controller.
  5. In the Stäubli controller, turn on robot arm power.
  6. Repeat step 4. The robot will not move and you will receive a prompt informing you to turn off robot arm power. The simulation mode will also be automatically changed to Idle.
  7. Repeat step 4. The robot will move, but the Stäubli controller will not update its joint values.

Step 7. Post-Processing

The Stäubli add-on can be used to post-process a robot program and create a VAL 3 application.

  1. In the 3D world, teach the robot a couple of motion statements.
  2. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, right-click the Robot element of the connected emulator, and then click Post Process Program.
  3. In the Create VAL 3 application task pane, set Application name to Example. This will be both the file name and folder of your project.
  4. Set Application folder to the desired path, for example the usrapp folder in your local Stäubli documents.
  5. Click Post Process to create the VAL 3 application.
  6. In the Stäubli Cell Configuration panel, select the listed emulator connection, and then in the Properties panel, set Simulation mode to Virtual.
  7. Run the simulation.
  8. In the Stäubli controller, open and run your VAL 3 application, and then verify the robot in the 3D world executes the program running in the controller. Depending on the Jog mode of the Stäubli controller, you may need to press and hold Move.