Home Search Collections Journals About Contact us My IOPscience

Determining of a robot workspace using the integration of a CAD system with a virtual control

system

This content has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text.

2016 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 145 052010

(http://iopscience.iop.org/1757-899X/145/5/052010)

View the table of contents for this issue, or go to the journal homepage for more

Download details:

IP Address: 172.82.15.2
This content was downloaded on 07/09/2016 at 16:55

Please note that terms and conditions apply.

You may also be interested in:

TGeoCad: an Interface between ROOT and CAD Systems

C Luzzi and F Carminati

Development of a novel soft parallel robot equipped with polymeric artificial muscles
Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam, Abbas Kouzani, Keivan Torabi et al.

A framework for development of an intelligent system for design and manufacturing of stamping dies
H M A Hussein and S Kumar

A Parallel Algorithm for Connected Component Labelling of Gray-scale Images on Homogeneous

Multicore Architectures
Mehdi Niknam, Parimala Thulasiraman and Sergio Camorlinga

Utilizing SFM images in an FFDM CAD system

Michiel Kallenberg and Nico Karssemeijer

Decision optimization for CB-CAD systems with application to mammography

Maciej A Mazurowski, Piotr A Habas, Jacek M Zurada et al.

Comparison of the Feasible Schemes for HT-7U Assembly Simulation

Liao Zhuhua and Liu Xiaoping
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

Determining of a robot workspace using the integration of a

CAD system with a virtual control system

K Herbuś1 and P Ociepka2

1,2
The Silesian University of Technology, The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
The Institute of Engineering Processes Automation and Integrated Manufacturing
Systems, Konarskiego 18A, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. The paper presents a method for determining the workspace of an industrial robot
using an approach consisting in integration a 3D model of an industrial robot with a virtual
control system. The robot model with his work environment, prepared for motion simulation,
was created in the “Motion Simulation” module of the Siemens PLM NX software. In the
mentioned model components of the “link” type were created which map the geometrical form
of particular elements of the robot and the components of “joint” type mapping way of
cooperation of components of the “link” type. In the paper is proposed the solution in which
the control process of a virtual robot is similar to the control process of a real robot using the
manual control panel (teach pendant). For this purpose, the control application “JOINT” was
created, which provides the manipulation of a virtual robot in accordance with its internal
control system. The set of procedures stored in an .xlsx file is the element integrating the 3D
robot model working in the CAD/CAE class system with the elaborated control application.

1. Introduction
The dynamic development of systems of the CAD/CAE class allows creating motion simulation of 3D
models of technical systems with a complex structure of the kinematic chain. Motion analysis may
involve alike mechanisms characterized by the closed and open kinematic chain. In works [1,2,3] are
presented examples of the use of the system of the CAD class, Siemens PLM NX, for motion analysis
of technical means. Determination of positions that could be reached by the robot in the analyzed work
environment is important taking into consideration the correct implementation of the conducted
technological process. Therefore it should be ensured that the workspace of the analyzed industrial
robot allows achieving specific positions determined in the technological process. Ensuring itself the
possibility that the robot achieves the given position is a necessary condition but not sufficient to be
considered that the robot correctly fulfill its functions in the analyzed technological process.
Additionally it must be ensured that reaching the given positions by the robot is realized without the
occurrence of a collision between the robot and the elements of its environment. The use of the
CAD/CAE class systems allows simulating operation of the analyzed industrial robot within the
framework of the given technological process. Basing on the virtual tests it is possible to determine the
robot workspace and to predict the collision of robot elements with other elements of the system. It
allows eliminating such events like collisions at the stage of designing the given robotized
technological process. Such approach requires creating a 3D solid model both of an industrial robot
and of elements of its work environment. The process of creating the 3D model of a technical system

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

could be based on different methods. In works [4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13] are shown different methods
of designing the technical means.

2. Robot model preparation for motion simulation in the PLM Siemens NX system
In the analyzed system (figure 1) the kinematic chain of a robot represents the group of open
kinematic chains and consists of 7 kinematic pairs of the V class, which represent a rotational motion
(one degree of freedom - rotation about the selected axis) and one kinematic pair of V class which
represents a reciprocation motion.

L4
L5

L3 L2
J4
J3
J5 L6

L1 L7

J2
Slider joint J1
L0
Revolute joint

Figure 1. The model of FANUC R-2000iB R-30iB robot prepared to the motion simulation.

Preparation of a solid model of an industrial robot for motion simulation consists of:
 Creation the components of the “link” type L0, L1 to L7. It should be noted that all elements
being a part of the component of “link” type does not change their position in relation to each
other during motion, and the whole component is treated as a rigid body.
 Creation the components of the “joint” type J1, J2 to J7 determining the possible movement in
relation to each other between the components of the “link” type.
 Creation the components of the “joint” type (fixed) preventing displacement of the component
L0 for proper operation of the system.
The next stage of creation the model prepared to motion simulate was associated with the imposition
of constraints on the individual axes of the robot manipulator (figure 2). Imposed constrains allow
faithfully reflecting the ranges of motion performed by the robot manipulator in its internal layout.
This allows narrowing research area. The range of movement has been reflected on the basis of the
documentation robot FANUC R-2000iB R-30iB manufacturer: axis J1 -180 to +180; axis J2 -90 to
+46; axis J3 -200 to +112, axis J4 -360 to +360, axis J5 -125 to +125.

2
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

J3+
J1+

J2- J2+
J1- J3-

J4+ J5+

J4-
J5-

Figure 2. Implementation of movement ranges for particular kinematic pairs of an industrial robot
using the PLM Siemens NX system.

Then, such prepared model of the robot has been implemented as a component of a robotized
production workcell. It should be noted that the subject of implementation was elaborated robot
model, prepared for motion simulation with components of the “link” and “joint” types and not only
its geometrical form itself. The production system, analyzed in the paper, was designed for pressure
welding of elements using an industrial robot. It consists of the following major subsystems (figure 2):
 Fanuc R-2000iB (1) robot model.
 Model of a turntable, on which are situated welded elements (2).
 Model of a floor panel (3).
 Model of a control cabinets, fencing and elements of a process control interface (4).
Because of the transparency of an environment area, in which the robot moves, it was hidden parts of
the fencing (figure 3). Analysis of work space of the robot is important in order to ensure the proper
course of the welding process of joined elements. The location of the robot, in the analyzed production
system, must provide proper cooperation between him and the turntable on which are located the
elements for welding - what is the most important from the point of view of the primary task of the
designed system. It should be also examined the possibility of a collision between the moving
executive system of the robot and elements of its environment. This information is important because
of the implementation of the algorithm designated to control the robot. Analysis of the position held
by a suitably positioned tooling, mounted on the robot wrist, requires defining six values of the
angular displacements (for each axis - a kinematic pair) of the robot.

3
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

Figure 3. The model of the robotized production workcell.

Control in this way the robot work realized in the system of the CAD/CAE class is a time consuming
process and is non-intuitive deviating from the control of a real robot using a real control panel.

3. Integration of the model prepared in the CAD/CAE class system with a virtual controller
The process of integration of different systems supporting engineering works using Dynamic Data
Exchange (DDE) is described in next papers [14,15,16,17,18]. For the purposes of the process of
intuitive manipulation of the executive system of the industrial robot FANUC R-2000iB R-30iB, used
in the robotized workcell, it has been created the virtual control panel shown in figure 4.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Figure 4. Virtual control panel designated for the robot control.

4
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

Within the virtual control panel it could be recognized the following areas:
 Area connected with the approval of the coordinate system in which the manipulation of the
executive robot system is realized (1).
 Area connected with the manipulator control of in its particular axes (2).
 Area in which is displayed the current position of the elements of robot arm in each of its axes
(3).
 Area in which is defined the range of movement of the manipulator (4).
 Area in which is defined the step of movement in each manipulator axis (5).
 Area in which it is possible to enter the desired position which should be reached by the
manipulator (6).
The created virtual control panel allows controlling the virtual model of the robot manipulator in its
machine system of the JOINT type. The control is possible, as is the case of controlling using the real
control panel, only when the type of a coordinate system of manipulator work is selected and the
“SHIFT” key is pressed (1). Using the keys J0i- and J0i + (i = 1, ..., 5) it is possible to control the
movements of the individual axes of the robot (2), in accordance with the given step of movement (5)
in the permitted range of motion (4). The current value of the angular position of each axis is
displayed in the area “ANGLE” (3). In the case, in which the desired position of the manipulator is
known, it is possible to enter it in the field “SET THE VALUE FOR EACH AXIS” (6).

Figure 5. Integration of the virtual control panel with the motion simulation in PLM Siemens NX.

5
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

In order to integrate created the virtual control panel of the robot manipulator with the model of the
robot manipulator, prepared for motion simulation in the adopted work environment, it was created a
swap file for data exchange basing on Microsoft Excel program (figure 5). In the described case, the
angular positions on each axis are transferred using Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) from the virtual
control panel to the appropriate cells in the Microsoft Excel application, from where they are
downloaded by the PLM Siemens NX system. These values are automatically implemented to the
appropriate joints of the model that is prepared for motion simulation. Such a solution of the problem
of control the virtual model of the robot manipulator, in the adopted work environment, allows
mapping the operation of a real system in a virtual environment.

4. Motion simulation basing on the integration of the CAD/CAE class system with the
virtual control system
Basing on the used method of integration of the model prepared for motion simulation in the CAD
class system with the virtual control panel was carried out the process of controlling the virtual robot
in its work environment (figure 6).

Figure 6. Visualization of the movements ranges of the robot manipulator in the axles J1 and J2.

6
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

Figure 6 shows the selected position of the robot in axes J1 and J2 to illustrate the possibility of
controlling by the elaborated control panel. On the basis of conducted analyzes (of manual control) the
correctness of positioning of the robot manipulator in the adopted robotized production system was
stated. The robot placement position in the system, designed for pressure welding allows free
accessing to the turntable on which components are respectively arranged and prepared for welding.
Another considered issue was the problem of the collision occurrence between the robot performing
the technological process and elements of the production workcell. For this purpose, the capacity of
the CAD/CAE class system PLM Siemens NX, in analyzing the collisions of systems being in motion
have been utilized. It was assumed that the individual system components are in a collision when its
volume or surface area, at the given moment of time, occupy the same position in the stationary
(immovable) reference system. Table 1 presents the selected angles of robot motion chosen to
minimize the risk of occurrence the collision between the robot manipulator and other elements of the
robotized production workcell.

Table 1. Determined range of

movements of the analyzed manipulator
of the industrial robot

Axis Movement range

number ()
J1 -30 to +30
J2 -90 to +46
J3 0 to 112
J4 -360 to +360
J5 -125 to +125

It should be emphasized that the specific ranges of movement are the preliminary one and should be
treated as narrowing of the field of possible moves when programming the robot motion within the
real robotized system.

5. Conclusion
The elaborated method of determining the robot work space using integration of the CAD/CAE class
system and the virtual control one allows specifying the location of the robot in the previously
determined work environment because of the ability to implement the established technological
process and to minimize the risk of collision occurrence at the designing stage of the real robotized
system.
The created model of the robot manipulator, prepared for motion simulation, is the independent system
and it is fully controllable using the virtual control panel and it could be used in any robotized
production system.
The presented control method could be adapted, for control purposes, to solid models of industrial
robots of any class that are created in the CAD/CAE class system PLM Siemens NX.
The motion analysis of a model of a robot is carried out in the CAD/CAE class system, while the
control operation is realized through the virtual control panel. This control method lets to combine the
capabilities of the CAD/CAE class systems, regarding to motion simulation and the intuitive control
process of a real robot using the real control panel.
The developed method of integration of the CAD/CAE class systems and virtual controls ones could
be adapted to simulate the movement of any solid models of robotized production systems.

7
ModTech International Conference - Modern Technologies in Industrial Engineering IV IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 145 (2016) 052010 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/145/5/052010

References
[1] Herbuś K and Ociepka P 2015 Analysis of the Hexapod Work Space using integration of a
CAD/CAE system and the LabVIEW software IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and
Engineering 95 012096
[2] Gwiazda A, Herbuś K, Kost G, Ociepka P 2015 Motion analysis of mechatronic equipment
considering the example of the Stewart platform, Solid State Phenomena 220/221, 479-484
[3] Dymarek A, Dzitkowski T, Herbuś K, Kost G and Ociepka P 2014 Geometric analysis of
motions exercised by the Stewart platform, Advanced Materials Research 837 351-356
[4] Dymarek A, Dzitkowski T, Herbuś K, Kost G, Ociepka P 2013 The simulator for teaching how
to drive a car for people with disabilities, Solid State Phenomena 198 59-64
[5] Ociepka P, Banaś W, Herbuś K, Kost G 2014 Simulator of the Car for Driving Courses for the
People with Mobility Impairments Advanced Materials Research 1036 817-822
[6] Banaś W, Gwiazda A, Herbuś K, Kost G, Ociepka P, Reclik D 2015 Analysis of the dynamic
properties of the mechatronic integrator of control procedures of the vehicle driven by
persons with disabilities Solid State Phenomena 220 3-8
[7] Herbuś K, Ociepka P, Gwiazda A 2014 Application of functional features to the description of
technical means conception Advanced Materials Research 1036 1001-1004
[8] Świder J and Herbuś K 2006 Zastosowanie funkcyjnych obiektów elementarnych do
wspomagania modelowania maszyn zorientowanego na analizę ruchu Monografia
(Wydawnictwo Politechniki Śląskiej Gliwice: Polish)
[9] Płaczek, M.; Wróbel, A.; Baier, A 2015 Computer-aided strength analysis of the modernized
freight wagon IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 95 012042
[10] Ociepka P and Herbuś K 2015 Strength analysis of parallel robot components in PLM Siemens
NX 8.5 program IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 95 012101
[11] Grabowski Ł, Baier A, Buchacz A, Majzner M, Sobek M 2015 Application of CAD/CAE class
systems to aerodynamic analysis of electric race cars IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science
and Engineering 95 012044
[12] Sobek M, Baier A, Buchacz A, Grabowski Ł, Majzner M 2015 Carbon fiber based composites
stress analysis. Experimental and computer comparative studies IOP Conf. Series: Materials
Science and Engineering 95 012011
[13] Ociepka P and Herbuś K 2015 Application of CBR method for adding the process of cutting
tools and parameters selection IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 95
012100
[14] Herbuś K, Kost G, Reclik D and Świder J 2014 Integration of a virtual 3D model of a robot
manipulator with its tangible model (phantom) Advanced Materials Research 837 582-587
[15] Banaś W, Herbuś K, Kost G, Nierychlok A, Ociepka P, Reclik D 2014 Simulation of the
Stewart platform carried out using the Siemens NX and NI LabVIEW programs, Advanced
Materials Research 837 537-542
[16] Herbuś K, Ociepka P, Gwiazda A 2014 Conception of the integration of the virtual robot model
with the control system Advanced Materials Research 1036 732-736.
[17] Herbuś K and Ociepka P 2015 Integration of the virtual 3D model of a control system with the
virtual controller IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 95 012084
[18] Herbuś K, Ociepka P 2015 Mapping of the Characteristics of a Drive Functioning in the System
of CAD Class Using the Integration of a Virtual Controller with a Virtual Model of a Drive
Applied Mechanics & Materials 809/810 1249-1254
[19] Gwiazda A 2014 Adv. Mat. Res. 837 393-98 doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.837.393
[20] Gwiazda A, Knosala R 1997 J. of Mat. Pr. Tech. 64/1-3 181-88 doi:10.1016/S0924-
0136(96)02566-6
[21] Topolska S and Łabanowski J 2015 Mat in Tech. 49/4 481-86 doi:10.17222/mit.2014.133
[22] Grajcar A, Płachcińska A, Topolska S and Kciuk M 2015 Mat in Tech. 49/6 889-894
doi:10.17222/mit.2014.148