Table of Contents

Preface
1 Overview
2 Instructions on DobotLink
3 Basic Operations
3.1 Register & Log in
3.2 Personal Center
3.3 All Courses
3.4 My Works
4 DobotBlock Lab
4.1 DobotBlock Lab Interface
4.2 Device and Extension
4.3 Sprite and Stage Settings
5 Python Lab
5.1 Python Lab Interface
5.2 Python Programming
6 Writing and Drawing Lab
6.1 Writing and Drawing Lab Interface
6.2 Tool Installation
6.3 Writing and Drawing (Without Sliding Rail)
6.4 Writing and Drawing (with a Sliding Rail)
7 Laser Engraving Lab
7.1 Laser Engraving Lab Interface
7.2 Installing a Laser Kit
7.3 Laser Engraving
8 Teaching and Playback Lab
8.1 Teaching and Playback Lab Interface
8.2 Installing an End-effector
8.3 Teaching and Playback
9 3D Printing Lab
9.1 Installing a 3D Printing Kit
9.2 3D Printing

1
10 Virtual Simulation Lab
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Block Programming Operations
10.3 Python Programming Operations
Appendix

2
Preface

Purpose
This manual introduces the method to use DobotLab, including basic operations and core experiment
modules, which is convenient for users to understand and use DobotLab.

Intended Audience
This document is intended for:

Customer
Sales Engineer
Installation and Commissioning Engineer
Technical Support Engineer

Change History
Date Change Description

Add description in chapter Device and Extension, for block programming with
2025/02/13
multiple devices, ensure each device is configured with its designated trigger event

Update description on basic operations and each lab based on the latest software
interface (v2.3.1)
2022/10/28 Add description on AI authority in Personal Center
Add description on installing and operating sliding rail in Writing and Drawing Lab
Add description on Virtual Simulation Lab

Add description on Writing and Drawing Lab, Laser engraving Lab, Teaching and
2022/03/15 Playback Lab and 3D Printing Lab
Update interface of Personal Center, DobotBlock Lab and Python Lab

2021/11/15 Add description on sprite and stage settings, instructions on DobotLink and Appendix

Add instructions on basic operation

2021/08/05
Delete block commands (see DobotLab Block Programming Manual)

2021/06/01 The first release

3
1 Overview
DobotLab is an integrated software platform specially designed for artificial intelligence (AI) education. It
contains three function modules: teaching, experiment and class management. You can visit
https://dobotlab.dobot.cc/ to enter DobotLab. Hardware devices supported by DobotLab include Dobot
Magician, Dobot Magician Lite, Magic Box, AI-Starter, Mobile Platform and Arduino Smart Kit.

DobotLab has seven core experimental modules, namely DobotBlock Lab, Python Lab, Writing and
Drawing Lab, Laser Engraving Lab, Teaching and Playback Lab, 3D Printing Lab and Virtual Simulation
Lab. You can realize AI experimental projects through online programming or operations in these modules.
The main page of DobotLab is shown and described below.

No. Description

1 Return to DobotLab main page

Currency: View the guidance for using DobotLab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
2
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

4
3 Select a language

4 Login: Log in with your account

5 My Course: Study online courses

6 Personal Works: View and edit the project that you have saved before

7 DobotBlock Lab: Program with blocks

8 Python Lab: Program in Python

9 Writing and Drawing Lab: Control the robot arm to write and draw

10 Laser Engraving Lab: Control the robot arm to engrave a bitmap image using a laser

Teaching and Playback Lab: Teach the robot arm to move, record the movement and then
11
make the robot arm play back the recorded movements

12 3D Printing Lab: Control the robot to perform 3D printing

Virtual Simulation Lab: Simulate robot movements through programming, combined with
13
a virtual scene and robot model

NOTE

It is recommended to use Google Chrome to enter DobotLab (latest version).

As DobotLink is the driver software of DobotLab hardware devices, you need to install and run
DobotLink before using the hardware devices. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

You can upgrade DobotLab-supported hardware devices through DobotLink.

5
2 Instructions on DobotLink
As DobotLink is the driver software of DobotLab hardware devices, you need to install and run DobotLink
before using the hardware devices. After you enter any of the labs, if DobotLink is not installed or started,
the “DobotLink is not started” window will be displayed, as shown below.

If you do not download DobotLink, click , and install it as prompted. If you

have downloaded DobotLink, click . Now you will see two pop-up windows: “DobotLink is
starting” and “Open DobotLink?”, as shown below.

6
You need to click Open DobotLink. Now you will see DobotLink started successfully.

7
3 Basic Operations

8
3.1 Register & Log in
It is recommended to log in every time you use DobotLab to ensure full use of DobotLab functions, such
as viewing courses and saving projects. You need to register an account before you log in DobotLab, as
described below.

Step 1: Click to enter "DOBOT LAB login" page.

Step 2: Click to enter "Welcome to register" page.

9
Step 3: Enter your information as prompted and click Register.

Step 4: Enter "DOBOT LAB login page" again. Input your account and password, then click Login.

10
Step 5: Click , and you can view relevant information. * Account: user name, account type, valid
period for account (for education account) * Authority: Personal Center, All Courses, My Works

11
3.2 Personal Center
Click Personal Center.

Personal Data
In Personal Data, you can view your basic account information. Click To Modify if you need to modify
your profile photo, nickname, email or country.

AI Authority
In AI Authority, you can view the usage of AI data.

12
AI data usage counts the number of times that AI blocks are called when the program is running in
DobotBlock Lab, or the number of times that the AI or Image recognition commands are called when the
program is running in Python Lab, as shown in the figure below. For details about programming
operations, see 4 DobotBlock Lab and 5 Python Lab.

DobotBlock Lab
The AI blocks corresponding to each type of AI data are described as follows.

Face recognition: face recognition blocks

OCR recognition: OCR text recognition and OCR ID card identification blocks
Speech recognition: text to speech and voice recognition blocks
Other AI authority: analysis of emotional tendency and machine translation blocks
Python Lab

13
Account Settings
In Account Settings, you can modify your password or cancel your account. After cancellation, you will
not be able to log in, and the relevant personal information will be cleared.

14
3.3 All Courses
Step 1: Click All Courses.

Step 2: Click Choose Category to view the courses.

Step 3: Click a course to enter the corresponding course page. For example, If you choose AI Teaching
Kit, the page is shown below. You can click Start Experiment to view and learn the courses.

15
16
3.4 My Works
Click My Works.

On My Works page, you can enter the project name to search a work that you saved before, or click
Choose Lab drop-down list to search according to the lab type.

If you need to delete a work, click on the right top of the work, or click Delete in Batches, select
works and click Confirm deletion.

17
4 DobotBlock Lab

18
4.1 DobotBlock Lab Interface
DobotBlock Lab is specially designed for users without programming experience. You can complete AI
programming tasks by dragging blocks in the lab.

The main interface of DobotBlock Lab is shown in the figure and described in the table below.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for using DobotLab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

3 File It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from local, etc.

Project
4 Display the name of the current project
name

5 Save Save the current project to My Works

Provide blocks for programming, including general modules such as

6 Block area control, operators, variables, communication, and blocks of extended
module

19
7 Code area Edit a program by dragging blocks to the area

Display roles and corresponding programming works

: run the program
: stop running the program
Display
8 : Press to stop running in emergencies
area
: Clear alarms
: Switch the layout
: Enter full screen mode

Device: Select a device and connect the device; set coordinate system,
Control
9 speed, end tool, etc.
area
Sprite: Add and set sprites and backdrop

20
4.2 Device and Extension
DobotLab supports multiple Dobot hardware devices. You need to install and run DobotLink before
connecting devices to DobotLab. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

This section takes Magician Lite+ Magic Box as an example to introduce the basic operation of
DobotBlock Lab.

Step 1: Click in the main page of DobotLab to enter DobotBlock Lab.

Step 2: Click . Select Magic Box in "Choose a Device" page, as shown below.

21
Step 3: Click on the left bottom of block area to enter "Choose an Extension" page, as shown
below. Select Magician Lite, and click Add extension.

22
Step 4: Click in Magic Box tab, as shown below.

23
Step 5: Click Connect.

You will see the page below if Magic Box and DobotLab are connected successfully.

Step 6: Switch control object from (car) to (robot) in control area.

Step 7: After connecting Magician Lite + Magic Box to DobotLab, you can program by dragging the
blocks from block area to code area.

Set the parameters corresponding to each block based on actual requirements.

The program edited with blocks requires a triggering condition to run. Therefore, you need to select a

command from the event block as the triggering condition. For example, means the

program starts to run once you click .

NOTE

24
 When programming multiple devices simultaneously using blocks, it is recommended to use
different event blocks as trigger conditions.

For example: If there exists blocks in both Magician and Magician Lite programming areas and
shares the same event block, the blocks in the Magician programming area will be executed first
— even if the connected device is Magician Lite.

Step 8: Start running the program.

Step 9 (optional): Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

25
 NOTE
If you need to realize more AI applications through block programming, you can add other extended

blocks in , such as AI Extension module, as shown below.

Now the AI blocks appear in the block area. You can drag the blocks to the code area to edit a
program. The figure below shows a face recognition program.

26
4.3 Sprite and Stage Settings
This section introduces the sprite and stage settings of DobotBlock Lab.

Step 1: Click in Sprite tab. The sprites that DobotBlock Lab supports are shown as follows.

Step 2: After selecting a sprite, click if you need to add extension blocks. Click
corresponding extension kits to add programming blocks into block area.

27
Step 3: Click . Choose a backdrop, as shown below. You can also upload or draw a backdrop.

Step 4: Drag the blocks to code area to control the sprite and stage.

28
29
5 Python Lab

30
5.1 Python Lab Interface
DobotLab supports multiple Dobot hardware devices. You need to install and run DobotLink before
connecting devices to DobotLab. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

The main interface of Python Lab is shown in the figure and described in the table below.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for Python Lab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from

local, etc.
Import and Upload from Local can be used to open script files
3 File in Python Lab, but for Import, the file should be in .py format,
and for Upload from Local, the file should be in .json format.
The format requirements for Export and Save to Local are the
same as Import and Upload from Local respectively.

4 Project name Display the name of the current project

5 Save Save the current project to My Works

31
 : Start to run the program in the code area,
and will appear on the screen
6 Program control : Download the current program in the code area
to Magic Box
: Install the Python extension library, after
which you can call the functions in the extension library

Log: Display alarm information. You can click Clear Alarms or

Running
7 click to clear alarms
information
Run window: Display running process

: Select a target device and establish a communication

connection with the device

8 Device control : Press to stop running in emergencies

: Control Magician Go

: Control Dobot Magician or Magician Lite

Provide programming commands. You can double click the

9 Command list
commands to display their corresponding codes in code area

10 Code area Edit programs using Python

32
5.2 Python Programming
This section takes Magician Go+Magician Lite as an example to introduce operations of Python
programming.

Procedure

Step 1: Click on DobotLab main page to enter Python Lab.

Step 2: Click the drop-down list of device connection panel, as shown below. Select Magician
Go+Magician Lite, and click Connect.

Now DobotLab is connected to Magician Go+Magician Lite successfully, as shown below.

Step 3: Start to edit programs.

Double click commands in the command list, and the corresponding code will be displayed in the
code area. You can modify the parameters according your actual requirements.
You can also enter the script directly in the code area.

Step 4: Click to run the current program.

33
Step 5: Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

Step 6 (Optional): Click to download the script to Magic Box.

NOTE

The script can be downloaded from DobotLab to Magic Box only in wired control mode.

34
6 Writing and Drawing Lab

35
6.1 Writing and Drawing Lab Interface
Writing and Drawing Lab supports multiple Dobot hardware devices, including Magician, Magician Lite
and Magician Lite + Magic Box. You need to install and run DobotLink before connecting devices to
DobotLab. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

This chapter takes Magician as an example to introduce Writing and Drawing Lab. The main interface of
Writing and Drawing Lab is shown in the following figure, and described in the table below.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for using DobotLab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from local,
3 File
etc.

4 Project name Display the name of the current project

5 Save Save the current project to My Works

：Click to make Magician or Magician

6 Program control Lite start drawing. and will appear on the

36
 screen
: Download the file to device

Settings: Set the pen lifting height, descent height and speed.
The default value of pen lifting height and descent height is 20
7 Position settings Auto Z: Save the height of the pen nip
Synchronize: Control the robot arm to move over the starting
point for drawing text or images

8 Log Display alarm information

: Select a target device and establish a communication

connection with the device
9 Device control
: Press to stop running in emergencies

: Control Dobot Magician or Magician Lite

X, Y: Set the coordinates of images

W, H: Set the width and height of images. When you select ,
10 Image settings the image is adjusted in accordance with a certain horizontal and
vertical proportion

: Flip or center the image

Click ，after entering text in the box, and the added text

Add text or will be displayed in the drawing area. The icon turns
11 after you click the added text
image
Click to import an image from local and convert it into
SVG format

The area surrounded by dotted line is the effective working area. You
12 Drawing area
can right-click the image to copy, delete or flip it

37
6.2 Tool Installation
This section takes Magician as an example to introduce how to install a writing and drawing kit and sliding
rail kit.

Installing a writing and drawing kit

A writing and drawing kit consists of a pen and a pen holder.

Step 1: Place a pen in the pen holder.

Step 2: Fasten the writing and drawing kit to the end of Dobot Magician with a clamp fixing screw.

Step 3: Place a piece of paper on the work surface within the workspace of Dobot Magician.

Installing a sliding rail kit

When the workspace of the robot is not enough, you can extend the space with a sliding rail kit, so as to
realize such tasks as long-distance picking, couplet writing and so on. The steps for installing a sliding rail
kit are described as follows.

Step 1: Mount Dobot Magician on the plate a with four M3*10 countersunk head cap screws (make the
counter bore of plate a outward), as shown below.

38
Step 2: Fix the plate a (with the robot) on the plate b with three M3*8 hexagon socket head cap screws.
Please make the back of the base of Dobot Magician towards the rabbet on the plate b.

Step 3:: Connect the end of the wire set to the plate b with a M3*6 countersunk head hexagon screw.

39
Step 4: Connect the interfaces on the end of the wire set to Dobot Magician.

Step 5: Connect the interfaces on the other end of the wire set to the power adapter, USB interface of PC,
motor interface and homing interface of the sliding rail respectively. The figure below shows the interfaces
on the other end of the wire set.

The following figure shows the connection between the sliding rail and the wire set.

40
41
6.3 Writing and Drawing (Without Sliding Rail)
This section takes Magician as an example to describe how to write or draw.

Prerequisite

The end writing kit has been installed.

The robot arm has been powered on and connected to DobotLab.

Connecting DobotLab

Step 1: Click on DobotLab main page to enter Writing and Drawing Lab.

Step 2: Click the drop-down list of device connection panel, as shown below. Choose Magician and click
Connect.

Now DobotLab is connected to Magician successfully.

Importing Image/Text & Setting Parameters

Step 1: Enter the text in the rectangle box (such as 10), and click . Now the graphic appears in the
drawing area.

42
If you need to insert an image, click to select a image from local. If the image format is not SVG,
the "SVG Format Conversion" prompt box will pop up. In this case, select the conversion scale and click
OK.

Step 2: Drag the graphic to an appropriate area. You can set the position, size, rotation angle or flip mode
of the graphic through the image settings in the upper left corner.

NOTE
The image in the drawing area should be placed within the annular area. If not, the robot arm reaches
its limited position and cannot draw or write. In this case, the image is highlighted with a red border,
as shown below.

43
Step 3: Press and hold the unlock button on the forearm to move Magician to lower the pen nib until it
slightly squeezes the paper. You can also jog Magician in Arm Control Panel to slowly pull the Z

coordinates down to a suitable position for writing. Click to obtain and save the current value
of Z axis.

Step 4: Click to move the nib over the starting point of drawing.

NOTE
If you do not click Synchronize before running, the graph can also be drawn normally. After you
click Running program, the robot arm moves directly over the starting point to draw.

Drawing
Step 1: Click , and Magician starts to draw the image. Now the cursor shows the
position of the nib in real time. The running progress is displayed below the drawing area. You can click

to pause or click to stop drawing.

Step 2 (Optional): Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

44
Step 3 (Optional): Click to download the file to the device.

45
6.4 Writing and Drawing (with a Sliding Rail)
This section takes Magician as an example to describe how to use a sliding rail for writing a couplet.

Prerequisites

The sliding rail kit has been installed and connected to the Dobot Magician. See Tool Installation for
installation steps.
The writing kit has been installed, and ink, inkstone and paper have been prepared.
Dobot Magician has been powered on and connected to DobotLab successfully.

Connecting DobotLab

Step 1: Click on DobotLab main page to enter Writing and Drawing Lab.

Step 2: Click the drop-down list of device connection panel, as shown below. Choose Magician and click
Connect.

Now Magician is connected to DobotLab successfully.

Connecting Sliding Rail

Step 1：Enable Rail on the arm control panel.

46
The drawing area is shown in the figure below.

47
Step 2：Click L+ or L- to test whether the sliding rail can move properly.

Step 3：Click Home in the arm control panel. The sliding rail moves to its home point, and then the Dobot
Magician starts homing.

Importing Image/Text & Setting Parameters

Step 1: Enter the text in the rectangle box (take “AI Application” as an example), and click . Now
the graphic appears in the drawing area.

48
If you need to insert an image, click to select an image from local. If the image format is not
SVG, the "SVG Format Conversion" prompt box will pop up. In this case, select the conversion scale and
click OK.

NOTE
If the coordinate system of the imported image and the drawing area are set differently, the imported
image will be displayed in an inverted direction. In this case, you can flip the image to the correct
direction. If you want to make the robot arm write the text in a certain order, you need to import an
image with a defined point order. If you enter the text and then click Add, the Magician will write
the text overall from left to right.

Step 2: Drag the graphic to an appropriate area. You can set the position, size, rotation angle or flip mode
of the graphic through the image settings in the upper left corner.

NOTE
The image in the drawing area should be placed within the rectangular area. Otherwise, the robot arm
reaches its limited position and cannot draw or write. In this case, the image is highlighted with a red
border.

Step 3: Click to set the pen lifting height, descent height and speed.

49
Step 4: Press and hold the Unlock button on the forearm to move Magician to lower the pen nib until it
slightly squeezes the paper. You can also jog Magician in Arm Control Panel to slowly pull the Z
coordinates down to a suitable position for writing.

Step 5: Click to obtain and save the current value of Z axis.

Step 6: (Optional) Set trigger line and ink dipping position.

1. Right-click a position on the drawing area and select Add Trigger Line in the pop-up window. When
the brush pen finishes writing the text with a trigger line, it will automatically move to the inkstone to
perform the ink dipping actions.

A blue trigger line appears in the drawing area. Move the trigger line to a proper position, as shown

50
 below.

2. Click to enter the "Trigger Trajectory" page for setting a ink dipping path.

3. Press the Unlock key on the forearm, move the forearm over the writing area, and release the Unlock
key to record the first point.

4. Move the forearm to the inkstone position as shown in the figure below, and record these points on

51
 the “Trigger Trajectory” page.

5. Drag the forearm to raise the writing brush up, for avoiding touching the inkstone.

Step 7: Click to move the nib over the starting point of drawing.

NOTE
If you do not click Synchronize before running, the text can also be written normally. After you
click Running program, the robot arm moves directly over the starting point to draw.

Drawing
Step 1: Click , and Magician starts to write the text. Now the cursor shows the
position of the nib in real time. The running progress is displayed below the drawing area. You can click

to pause or click to stop writing.

52
Step 2 (Optional): Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

Step 3 (Optional): Click to download the file to the device.

53
7 Laser Engraving Lab

54
7.1 Laser Engraving Lab Interface
Laser Engraving Lab only supports the use of Dobot Magician. You need to install and run DobotLink
before connecting devices to DobotLab. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

The main interface of Laser Engraving Lab is shown in the following figure, and described in the table
below.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance on DobotLab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from local,
3 File
etc.

4 Project name Display the name of the current project

5 Save Save the current project to My Works

：Click to make Magician or Magician Lite

6 Program control
start drawing. and will appear in the screen

Settings: Set the pen lifting height, descent height and speed.

55
 The default value of pen lifting height and descent height is 20
7 Position settings Auto Z: Save the height of the pen nip
Synchronize: Control the robot arm to move over the starting
point for drawing text or images

8 Log Display alarm information

: Select a target device and establish a communication

connection with the device
9 Device control
: Press to stop running in emergencies

: Control Dobot Magician

X, Y: Set the coordinates of images

W, H: Set the width and height of images. When you select ,
the image is adjusted in accordance with a certain horizontal and
vertical proportion

10 Image settings : Flip or center the image

Grayscale range: Set the grayscale of the image. Value range:
0~255
Laser power range: Set the range of laser power. Value range:
2~100
Border: Set the border width of the image. Value range: 0~50

11 Import image Click Open to import images from local

The area surrounded by dotted line is the effective working area for
12 Engraving area
laser kit. You can right-click the image to copy, delete or flip it

56
7.2 Installing a Laser Kit
The procedure for installing the laser kit is shown below.

Step 1: Fasten the laser kit to th end of Dobot Magician with a clamp fixing screw.

Step 2: Connect the power cable of the laser to the SW4 connector on the forearm, and the TTL control
cable to the GP5 connector.

Step 3: Place a piece of brown paper on the work surface within the workspace of Dobot Magician.

57
7.3 Laser Engraving

Device connection

Step 1: Click on DobotLab main page to enter Laser Engraving Lab.

Step 2: Click the drop-down list of device connection panel, as shown below. Choose Magician and click
Connect.

DobotLab is connected to Magician successfully, as shown below.

Importing image and setting parameters

Step 1: Click to import an image from local.

58
Step 2: Drag the image to an appropriate area. You can set the position, size, rotation angle or flip mode of
the image, or set the grayscale and border effect.
>

NOTE
> The image in the drawing area should be placed within the annular area. If not, the robotic arm reaches
its limited position and cannot engrave. In this case, the image is highlighted with a red border, as shown
below. > >

Step 3: Click in arm control panel.

59
Step 4: Select Laser as the end tool in arm control panel, and click Open after enabling it. Now the laser
kit will emit laser. You can adjust the laser power range.

Step 5: Adjust the laser focal length. Press and hold the unlock button on the forearm to move the robotic
arm to raise and lower the height of the laser kit until the laser is the brightest with a smallest possible spot

size. Now you can see the laser beam burning the paper. Click to obtain and save the current
value of Z axis.

Step 6: Click to move the laser kit over the starting point of engraving.

NOTE
If you do not click Synchronize before running, the graph can also be engraved normally. After you
click Running program, the robot arm moves directly over the starting point to start engraving.

Engraving
Step 1: Click , and Magician starts to engrave. Now the cursor shows the position of
the laser in real time. The running progress is displayed below the engraving area. You can click

to pause or click to stop engraving.

60
Step 2 (Optional): Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

61
8 Teaching and Playback Lab

62
8.1 Teaching and Playback Lab Interface
Teaching and Playback Lab supports multiple Dobot hardware devices, including Magician, Magician Lite
and Magician Lite + Magic Box. You need to install and run DobotLink before connecting devices to
DobotLab. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for details.

This chapter takes Magician as an example to introduce Teaching and Playback Lab. The main interface of
Teaching and Playback Lab is shown in the following figure, and described in the table below.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for using DobotLab

Help: View the documents related to DobotLab and devices
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about DobotLab experience
About: View the basic information on DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from local,
3 File
etc.

4 Project name Display the name of the current project

5 Save Save the current project to My Works

：Click to make Magician or Magician Lite

6 Program control

63
 start drawing. and will appear in the screen

Settings: Set speed and acceleration

Running
7 Loop: Set the number of times the commands run. Value range:
settings
1~999999

8 Log Display alarm information

: Select a target device and establish a communication

connection with the device
9 Device control
: Press to stop running in emergencies

: Control Dobot Magician or Magician Lite

Set motion mode, pause time, end-effector, lost step detection, I/O
10 Command panel
trigger, and save points.

Display added commands. You can right-click a command to copy,

11 Command area
paste, or delete it

64
8.2 Installing an End-effector
The end tools mainly used in Teaching and Playback Lab include gripper and suction cup. This section
takes Magician as an example to introduce how to install a gripper or suction cup on the end of robot.

Installing a suction cup

When using the suction cup kit, you need to install an air pump.

Please install a suction cup kit according to the figure below.

65
Installing a Gripper
An air pump should be used with the gripper kit to open or close the gripper.

Step 1: Install a gripper kit to the servo with a 2.5 mm hexagon wrench.

66
Step 2: Connect the gripper kit and an air pump to the robot arm in the same way as the suction cup kit.
You can refer to the installation of suction cup for details.

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8.3 Teaching and Playback
This section takes Magician as an example to introduce the operations in Teaching and Playback Lab.

Procedure

Step 1: Click on DobotLab main page to enter Teaching and Playback Lab.

Step 2: Click the drop-down list of device connection panel, as shown below. Choose Magician and click
Connect.

Now DobotLab is connected to Magician successfully.

Step 3: Set commands in Command panel.

1. Motion mode MovJ: Point-to-point movement in the Cartesian coordinate system.

MovL: Linear movement in the Cartesian coordinate system.
Jump: Move from the current position to a target position in a door-shaped mode
Arc: Move from the current position to a target position in an arc interpolated mode.
2. Save points Method 1: Press and hold the unlock button on the forearm and then release it to
automatically save the point.
Method 2: Open the arm control panel, adjust the coordinates by jogging the axis icon, and click Save
point in the Command panel.

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For Jump movement, you need to click to set the lifting height and
maximum lifting height, as shown below.

For Arc movement, you need to set the coordinates of the start, intermediate and end points. When
setting the start point, you should select the mode of moving to the start point at the same time, and
then save the point, as shown in the following figure.

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 After saving the intermediate and end points in sequence, you will see the following commands.

3. Pause time You can set the pause time after executing a command as required, and click .

4. End-effector You can select the end tool to gripper or suction cup as required, and set its state: ON,
OFF or STOP.

5. Lost step check Lost step detection is used to detect whether a robotic arm loses step during
operation. When lost step is detected, the robot arm will stop moving and the indicator light will turn
red. The robot arm can run normally only after the lost step alarm is cleared and the robot arm returns

to home point again. You can set the lost-step detection threshold as required and click .

6. I/O trigger setting You can set the triggering mode to execute a command. For details, refer to
related documents on interface description. (For Magician users, see Dobot Magician Interface
Description (V2). For Magician Lite+Magic Box users, see Magic Box Pin Assignment.)

7. Loop Click Loop to set the number of times the commands run.

Step 4: Click to run the commands.

Step 5 (Optional): Click . Enter the project name and save the project to My Works.

Step 6 (Optional): Click to download the script to device. Before downloading, determine
whether the robot arm returns to home point before running offline.

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If you select Yes, the robot arm will return to home point every time the offline script is executed.

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9 3D Printing Lab

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8.1 Installing a 3D Printing Kit
After installing 3D printing kit on the end of Dobot Magician, you can import 3D model into the 3D
printing software for 3D printing.

3D printing kit contains extruder, hot end, motor cable, filament, and filament holder.

Step 1: Press down the lever on the extruder, and push down the filament to the bottom of the hole via the
pulley.

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Step 2: Connect the end of the PTFE tube to the hot end and push it down to the bottom of the hot end, and
connect the other end to the extruder.

Step 3: Press the lever on the extruder, insert the filament into the PTFE tube and push it down to the
bottom of the hot end.

Step 4: Fix the hot end on Dobot Magician with clamp fixing screw.

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Step 5: Insert the heating cable to SW3 on the forearm, the fan cable to SW4 and the thermistor cable to
ANALOG.

Step 6: Connect the extruder to the Stepper1 interface on the back of the base using motor cable.

Step 7: Place the filament and the extruder to the filament holder.

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9.2 3D Printing
3D printing control software is required for 3D printing. You can use Repetier Host or Cura software to
complete 3D printing. This section takes Repetier Host as an example to introduce how to perform 3D
printing.

Prerequisite:

The 3D printing model has been prepared.

The printing platform has been prepared and placed within the workspace of Dobot Magician.
Dobot Magician has been powered on, and connected to DobotLab successfully (Only USB
connection is supported).
The 3D printing kit has been installed.
DobotLink has been enabled.

Burning Firmware

Click on DobotLab main page, and you will see the following pop-up window.

If the 3D printing firmware has been burned, you nned to confirm whether yu have installed a 3D
printing software. If not, click the link in the figure below to download and install the software.

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If the firmware is not burned, click Unburned, and the "Firmware Update" window will be displayed.
Select Magician and the connected port will be automatically selected. Click Connect, as shown
below.

Set the Firmware Type to 3D Print Firmware. Click Select Firmware to select a firmware to be
burned. Then click Start Upgrading.

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 After burning successfully, please download and install a 3D printing software.

3D Printing
Step 1: Open Repetier Host.

Step 2: Set printing parameters. You need to set printing parameters for the first time.

Click Printer Settings on the top right corner of the Repetier Host page, and the Printer Settings page
is displayed.
Set the corresponding parameters on the Connection tab as shown in the red box below. Other
parameters are set by default. Then click Apply.

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Unselect the corresponding options on the Printer tab as shown in the red box below, and other
parameters are set by default. Then click Apply.

Set the corresponding parameters on the Extruder tab as shown in the red box below. Other

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parameters are set by default. Then click Apply.

Set the corresponding parameters on the Printer Shape tab as shown in the red box below. Other
parameters are set by default. Then click Apply.

Click OK.

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Step 3: Click Connect on the Repetier Host page to connect Dobot Magician. After the connection is
successful, the current heating temperature will be shown in the lower part of the Repetier Host page.

Step 4: Test extruder. Before printing, you need to test the extruder to check whether the melted filament
flows from the nozzle of the extruder. The temperature of the extruder should be above 170℃. Dobot
Magician will not start 3D printing until the filament is in the melting state. So you need to heat the
extruder first.

Set the heating temperature to 200℃ on the Manual Control tab of the Repetier Host page and click

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 DANGER
The heating rod will produce high temperature up to 250℃. Please be careful. Do not let children
play with it alone. The process needs to be monitored when it is running. After the process is
completed, please turn off the equipment promptly.

Click the extruder feeder when the heating temperature is up to 200℃ to make the feed length
between 10mm and 30mm. If the melted filament flows from the nozzle of the extruder, the extruder
is working properly.

NOTICE

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 If the filament extrusion is in the opposite direction, please remove the filament, and turn the
extruder around, then re-push down the filament.

Step 5: Adjust the printing space and get the printing coordinates.

NOTE
During printing, if the distance from Dobot Magician to the printing platform is too large or too
small, the first layer may not be pasted and the nozzle will be blocked. For increasing the stickiness
of the first layer, you can place a masking paper on the platform.

Press and hold the unlock button on the forearm and drag Dobot Magician to make the printing head
exactly touch the surface of the masking paper (The distance between the printing head and the
surface of the masking paper is the thickness of a sheet of A4 paper). Then release the unlock button.
Enter "M415" on the G-Code command window and press Enter to get the current coordinates, as
shown below. You can also press the Key button on the back of the base to get the current
coordinates.

NOTE
If you cannot find the G-Code command window, please click EASY to close Easy Mode.

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Step 6: Click Load to import the prepared 3D printing model. The format of 3D model is STL. You can
design 3D model and transform it into STL format.

After importing the model, you can center, zoom, or rotate the model on the Object Placement page.

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Step 7: Set slicing parameters and slice up. You need to set the slicing parameters before printing for the
first time.

Select Slic3r from Slicer on the Slicer tab of the Repetier Host page, and click Configuration. The
Slic3r page is displayed as below.

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Set the slicing parameters on the Slic3r page.
Click Slice with Slic3r on the Slicer tab of the Repetier Host page.

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Click on the top left corner of the Repetier Host page to print.

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10 Virtual Simulation Lab

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10.1 Introduction
Virtual Simulation Lab integrates virtual scenes and robot arm models, and simulates the motion of a robot
arm through programming, thus helping you understand the use of the robot arm in real scenes. This Lab
contains five scenes:

Base scene
Drugstore scene
Factory scene
Community scene
Supermarket scene
The five scenes, despite some differences in their layout diagrams and props, are basically the same in the
main interface and operations. This chapter takes the basic scene as an example to introduce the specific
operations.

Click in DobotLab main page to select a scene.

After selecting Basic scene, you will see "Open programming--select Laboratory" window, as shown
below.

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Virtual Simulation Lab supports block programming and Python programming. You can choose between
DobotBlock Lab and Python Lab to operate in the corresponding interface. 10.2 Block Programming
Operations and 10.3 Python Programming Operations introduces operations of block programming and
Python programming respectively.

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10.2 Block Programming Operations

Main interface
The block programming interface is shown and described as follows.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for DobotBlock Lab

Help: View and download documents related to DobotLab
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about using DobotLab
About: View the basic information of DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

Program : Start running the program

3
control
: Stop running the program

4 Back Back to scene selection page

It includes functions such as new, open, save as, save to local, upload from
5 File
local, etc.

6 Project name Display the name of the current project

7 Save Save the project to My Works (log in before saving)

Switching
8 Switch to Python programming
programming

9 Block area Provide blocks for programming.

10 Code area Edit a program by dragging blocks to the area

End module displays the end tool for robot to obtain the object, including
Tool and
11 gripper, suction cup and pen. Props module displays the props used in the
prop area
specific scene (basic scene includes all the props)

Simulate the robot actions in the current scene

: Connect the robot (virtual). After connection, the icon turns to

: Center the simulation area in full screen

: Zoom in the simulation scene

Virtual : Zoom out the simulation scene

12
reality area
: Restore the simulation scene to the default size

: Select a robot for virtual simulation. Only

Magician Lite is supported.

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 : Observation view, including center view, left view and
top view

Robot jog control, speed control, end-effector control, etc.

Robot
13 : Clear alarms
control area
: Restore the robot to the home position

## Basic operations Before performing the following steps, you need to start DobotLink. See [2
Instructions on DobotLink](../Instructions on DobotLink/Instructions on DobotLink.html) for details.
Connecting to robot

Click in the virtual reality area. Click Connect in the pop-up window, as shown below.

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After connection, close the following window or click Go to Editor. You will see "Connected" shown in
the virtual reality area, and now you can operate in the robot control area.

Setting end tool and props

Select an end tool: Select an end tool in End module.

Select props: The prop will be displayed in the virtual reality area after you click it in Props module.
If you need to delete the prop, click the prop in Props module again.
Set the status of end tool: You can set the end tool action in Current End. For example, when you
select Flexible Gripper as the end tool, you can set the action to Catch, Put or Stop.
Move to props: Right-click a prop in the simulation area to select it. Click Move to props in the
robot control area to move the robot to the position where the prop is placed, and execute the action
set in Current End.

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Editing and running the program

Edit a program: Select proper blocks from the block area and drag them to the code area, and modify
the parameters according to the actual condition. Taking the supermarket scene as an example, the
following program demo shows that a robot in the supermarket scene picks the fruits and places them
in the specified box.

Run the program: After editing the program, click Go to run the program. The virtual scene is
shown as follows.

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10.3 Python Programming Operations

Main interface
The Python programming interface is shown and described as follows.

No. Function Description

Currency: View the guidance for DobotBlock Lab

Help: View and download documents related to DobotLab
1 Menu
Feedback: Enter your feedback about using DobotLab
About: View the basic information of DobotLab

2 Home Back to DobotLab main page

: Start running the program

: Install the Python extension library, after which you
Program can call the library functions in the extension library
3
control
: Display running process

: Undo/Redo

4 Back Back to scene selection page

5 File It includes functions such as new, open, save as, upload from local, etc.

6 Project name Display the name of the current project

7 Save Save the current project (log in before saving)

Switching
8 Switch to block programming
programming

Command
9 Provide commands used in the program.
area

10 Code area Program editing area.

End module displays the end tool for robot to obtain the object, including
Tool and
11 gripper, suction cup and pen. Props module displays the props used in the
prop area
specific scene (basic scene includes all the props)

Simulate the robot actions in the current scene

: Connect the robot (virtual). After connection, the icon turns to

: Center the simulation area in full screen

: Zoom in the simulation scene

Virtual : Zoom out the simulation scene
12
reality area
: Restore the simulation scene to the default size

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 : Select a robot for virtual simulation. Only
Magician Lite is supported.
: Observation view, including center view, left view and
top view

Robot jog control, speed control, end-effector control, etc.

Robot
13 : Clear alarms
control area
: Restore the robot to the home position

Basic operations
Before performing the following steps, you need to start DobotLink. See 2 Instructions on DobotLink for
details.

Connecting to robot

Click in the virtual reality area.. After connection, the icon turns to . You will see "Connected"
shown in the virtual reality area, and now you can operate in the robot control area.

Setting end tool and props

Select an end tool: Select an end tool in End module.

Select props: The prop will display in the virtual reality area after you click it in Props module. If

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 you need to delete the prop, click the prop in Props module again.
Set the status of end tool: You can set the end tool action in Current End. For example, when you
select Flexible Gripper as the end tool, you can set the action to Catch, Put or Stop.
Move to propsRight-click a prop in the simulation area to select it. Click Move to props in the robot
control area to move the robot to the position where the prop is placed, and execute the action set in
Current End.

Editing and running the program

Edit a program: Double-click the commands in the command area, and the corresponding command
will be displayed in the code area. You can modify the parameters according to the actual condition;
or you can also enter the script in the code area. Taking the basic scene as an example, the following
program demo shows that a robot picks the blocks and places them in the specified position.

Run the program: After editing the program, click Running program to run the program. The
virtual scene is shown as follows.

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Appendix
To download user guide for Dobot Magician, Dobot Magician Lite and
Dobot Magician Go, please visit:
https://en.dobot.cn/service/download-center?keyword=&products%5B%5D=45&data_type%5B%5D=7

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