Tutorial 3

This tutorial will create a simple machine loading cell, this will provide a basic overview of machines
in roboguide and some of the more advanced properties of cell objects. After this tutorial you should
be able to:

Create and modify machines within the workcell.

Use simple IO commands to drive machines in the cell.

Assign multiple parts to cell objects.

Setup user frames and tool frames with the robot.

Use the cell browser effectively.

Step 1: Workcell Creation

Select new cell from the top toolbar to open the workcell creation wizard, name this new workcell
tutorial 3. Create the cell using the default handlingPRO config, leave all the options as their defaults
except for the robot model which is to be an M20iA and set EOT later, click finish to create the
workcell.
Once the teach pendant opens, set up the robot as follows:
Robot type setting. 2: M20iA (20 Kg mode)
Cable dress-out type setting. 1: Cable integrated J3 arm
J1 motion range setting. 2: -185 185 Degrees

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Step 2: Insert Parts

Click on to open the cell browser (from the top toolbar), right click on ‘parts’ and select ‘Add Part’ >
Single CAD file. This will open a new window in which to select the CAD file, in the directory
C:\Roboguide Training\CAD Files select the file called ‘‘machined part.igs’ and click open, this will
insert the CAD model and open its properties window, and then OK to close the properties box.

Next add a part as a cylinder with a diameter of 60mm and a length of 150mm.

Name this part ‘raw part’. Click OK to close the properties box.

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Step 3: Define the Robot Tooling

From the cell browser expand the robot by clicking on the + next to GP:1-M-20iA, then expand the
Tooling in the same way.
Double click or right click on UT:1 and select EOAT1 properties.

In the properties window assign the tooling CAD as ‘gripper open.igs’.

Select the path C:\Roboguide Training\CAD Files and open ‘gripper open.igs’ click ‘apply’ and adjust
the location values such that the cad model is positioned correctly and lock the location values. In
the gripper parts tab assign both the machined and raw part to the gripper, edit the location for both
these parts and enter the following values:

Machined Part:

X: 0

Y: 0

Z: 110

W: 90

P: 0

R: 0

Raw Part:

X: 0

Y: 0

Z: 110

W: 0

P: 0

R: 0

Apply the changes and open the simulation tab, from this tab a CAD model can be defined for the
grippers closed state, click the folder icon next to ‘Actuated cad’, select the path C:\Roboguide
Training\CAD Files and open ‘gripper closed.igs’ and apply the changes. The gripper CAD will now
change between these open and closed states when the relevant pick and drop commands are read
in programs, the open and close states can also be toggled by clicking the ‘Open/Close Hand’
icon from the top toolbar.

Attach and detach delays can also be assigned to parts in the simulation tab, if this delay is set it
automatically adds a wait command to all pick and drop commands in simulation programs that have
the relevant part assigned. Highlight machined part in the left-hand window and type 1 second into
both the attach and detach delay, then repeat this for the raw part.

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Step 4: Adding the Infeed/Outfeed Fixtures

First an infeed fixture needs to be created, right click on fixtures in the cell browser and select Add
Fixture > Box. In the properties window specify the following location and scale.

Location:

X: 500

Y: 1000

Z: 900

W: 0

P: 0

R: 0

Size:

X: 600

Y: 200

Z: 900

Rename the fiixture ‘Pick Fixture’ and click apply. Open the parts tab and assign the raw part to the
fixture , enter the following position for the part and click apply;

X: -200

Y: 0

Z: 75

W: 90

P: 0

R: 180

Next 2 more raw parts are to be added to the fixture, whilst the raw part is highlighted in the left
window click ‘Add’ in the top right of the window, this will open a new dialogue box which allows for
an array of parts to be created, set the X part count to 3 and the Y & Z part count to 1, enter 200 into
the X distance and 0 into the Y & Z distance. Click Ok, this will create an array of 3 parts with an
offset of 200mm in the X direction.

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There should now be 3 raw parts assigned to the fixture shown in the left of the parts tab, next the
pick/drop assignments are specified for all 3. Select the simulation tab from the top of the properties
tab, highlight part1 in the left hand side of the window and tick the box labelled ‘Allow part to be
picked’, in the text field ‘Create delay’ enter 10 seconds. Click apply, repeat for 2 and 3, then OK to
close the properties box.

Add an outfeed fixture using the same method, right click on fixtures in the cell browser and select
Add Fixture > Box. In the properties window specify the following location and scale;

Location:

X: -500

Y: 1000

Z: 900

W: 0

P: 0

R: 0

Size:

X: 600

Y: 200

Z: 900

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Rename the fixture ‘Place Fixture’ and click apply. Open the parts tab and assign the machined part
to the fixture, enter the following position for the part, untick the ‘visible at run time’ box and click
apply;

X: -200

Y: 0

Z: 75

W: 0

P: 0

R: 0

Next 2 more machined parts are to be added to the fixture using the same method as the previous
fixture. There should now be 3 machined parts assigned to the fixture shown in the left of the parts
tab, next the pick/place assignments are specified, for all 3 of the parts set ‘Allow part to be placed’
and a destroy delay of 10 seconds, click apply and Ok to close the properties window.

Step 5: Adding the Machine Tool

Right click on machines in the cell browser and select Add Machine > CAD File, search for the file
‘machine tool body.igs’ and name the object ‘Machine Tool’, The location values for the machine
are:

X: 1300

Y: 0

Z: 0

W: 90

P: 0

R: -90

Open the parts tab in the machine’s properties window and assign both the Machined & Raw part to
the machine; the location values for the parts are as follows:

Machined Part:

X: 200

Y: 1000

Z: 0

W: -90

P: 0

R: 90

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Raw Part:

X: 200

Y: 1000

Z: 0

W: 180

P: 0

R: 90

Open the simulation tab and allow both parts to be picked and placed, leave the ‘create and destroy’
delays at 0 seconds, click apply and then close the properties window.

Next a door will be added to this machine, expand the Machines folder in the cell browser and right
click on Machine tool, select Add link > CAD file and browse for the file ‘Machine tool door.igs’. This
will open the properties tab for the link, rename the link ‘Machine Door’. A Machine link differs from
other cell objects in that it can be actuated and driven with either IO signals from the controller or as
an extended axis. The axis origin defines the direction of this movement, the z axis must be aligned
with the direction of linear travel or with the axis of rotation for angular motion. Tick the ‘Edit axis
origin’ box and enter the location shown below, then tick the ‘Lock Axis Location’ tick box and click
apply.

X: 0

Y: 0

Z: 0

W: 0

P: 90

R: 0

Now that the axis origin has been moved the CAD is no longer in the correct location, select the ‘link
CAD’ tab and enter the following Location, then tick the ‘Lock Axis Location’ tick box and click apply:

X: 0

Y: 0

Z: 0

W: 0

P: -90

R: 0

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Part Actuation is controlled from the ‘Motion’ tab click the motion control type drop down box and
select ‘Device I/O Controlled’, select the axis type as linear and the two speed values as 300mm/sec.
The first speed value controls the link speed in the +z direction, the second is the speed in the –z
direction.

Next the I/O controls are defined, using the drop down boxes, double click and edit, as the table
below: then click apply;

Output Dev IO tag Value Location

Robot Controller 1 DO[1] On 500
Robot Controller 1 DO[1] Off 0

This table defines the 2 positions for the machine door, when DO[1] is on the machine door will
move 500mm from its origin in the Z direction (closed), when DO[1] is off the machine door will
move back to is origin (open). Highlight the output and then ‘Clicking’ the test button will switch
the door between its open and closed states. Next add the feedback for door open DI [1] & door
closed DI [2] states.

Input Dev IO tag Value Location

Robot Controller 1 DI[1] On 500
Robot Controller 1 DI[2] On 0

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Step 6: Assigning UFRAME & UTOOL Settings

Open the properties window for the robot tooling, select the ‘UTOOL’ tab and tick the Edit
UTOOL box, enter 110 into the z field and click apply.

The robot’s user frames are found in the cell browser in Robot Controllers > GP:1 M20iA > User
Frames. Double click UF:1 to open its properties window, rename this frame pick fixture. Open
the drop down list labelled ‘Attached’, from this list select ‘Pick Fixture’ and click apply, the
frame is now defined relative to the fixture origin rather than the robot origin. Tick the ‘Edit
Uframe’ box and set all the values to zero. Repeat this process in UF:2 for the place fixture, and
in UF:3 for the machine tool.

Step 7: Infeed & Outfeed Programs

Right click on Programs (Robot Controllers > GP: 1

M20iA) in the cell browser and select ‘Add simulation
program’, in the properties window rename the program
Infeed.

Right click on the program name in the cell browser and

select Properties.

Expand the UTOOL & UFrame settings this will allow you
to specify the UTOOL and UFRAME the program will use.
Using the two drop down lists select EOAT1 and UF1
then click apply and close the properties window.

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 Open the program editor by double clicking on the
program in the cell browser, move the robot to the first
raw part on the pick fixture either by manually jogging
the robot or with a move to command and record the
position. Insert a pickup command and select the
following from the drop down boxes.

Add an approach and retreat point for the pick position to finish the program.

Right click on Programs (Robot Controllers > GP: 1 M20iA) in the cell browser and select ‘Add
simulation program’, in the properties window rename the program Outfeed.

Expand the UTOOL & UFrame settings this will allow you to specify the UTOOL and UFRAME the
program will use. Using the two drop down lists select EOAT1 and UF2 then click apply and close
the properties window

Open the program editor by double clicking on the program in the cell browser, move the robot to
the first machined part on the place fixture either by manually jogging the robot or with a move to
command and record the position. Insert a drop command and select the following from the drop
down boxes.

Add an approach and retreat point for the pick position to finish the program.

Step 8: Machine Loading Program

Create a new simulation program and from the properties screen name it ‘Machine_Load’, expand
the UTOOL & UFrame settings and select UT1 and UF3, click apply and close the properties window.

Create a program with 5 positions, Perch Point > Approach Position > Machine load Position >
Retreat Position > Perch Point. After the Load position add a drop command to place a raw part from
UT1 on the machine tool. Insert the relevant I/O commands to control the door of the machine tool
and to check its current state, or create a new program for DOOR_OPEN and DOOR_CLS.

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 Create a new simulation program and from the properties screen name it ‘Machine_Unload’, expand
the UTOOL & UFrame settings and select UT1 and UF3, click apply and close the properties window.

Create a program with 5 positions, Perch Point > Approach Position > Machine Unload Position >
Retreat Position > Perch Point. After the Unload position add two pickup commands, 1 to remove
the raw part from the machine tool and 1 to show the machined part in the gripper. Next at the
beginning of the program, Insert the relevant I/O commands to control the door of the machine tool
and to check its current state.

Finally Create a MAIN program to call the infeed, outfeed, load & unload programs plus any other
ones that you have created to simulate the process or open / close the machine door as these could
also be separate programs.

Step 8: Running Programs

The program can now be test run using the run panel as before.
Once the program has been tested OK, look at offsetting the pick and place positions.

Depending on how you have created your programs and how many you have, you may have the
following:

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