Synchronization with moving objects and circular interpolation

INFORMATION

The MOVIKIT® Robotics add-on ConveyorTracking license is required to use the function.

The "synchronization with moving objects" (conveyor tracking) function enables the robot to approach path points in a moving USER coordinate system. The USER coordinate system can, for example, move along a conveyor belt (conveyor tracking) or rotate around an axis with a rotary table (rotary table tracking). The same "conveyor tracking" function is used for both types and is merely configured differently. The function is usually used to remove parts from a conveyor belt or a rotary table. "USER" is set in the SRL program of the coordinate system for this purpose.

In addition, it is possible to automatically align a rotary table temporarily in such a way that it extends the robot's degrees of freedom. As a result, it is possible, for instance, for a robot to move with 3 degrees of freedom (Z, X, RotZ) in a 4-dimensional space (X, Y, Z, Rot Z). This additional degree of freedom afterwards enables 4-dimensional palletizing on a rotating pallet. The robot controls the movement of the transport device and moves to the path points in the USER coordinate system it controls. The "USER_ControlledByRobot" coordinate system is set in the SRL program for this purpose. If "USER" or "USER_ControlledByRobot" is selected as the current coordinate system, the robot moves to the subsequent path points in this coordinate system until either a change is made to another USER coordinate system or back to the BASE coordinate system. The transformation, i.e. the position of the USER coordinate system/USER_ControlledByRobot coordinate system is set in the IEC program as described in the following chapters. The current version of the software has the following limitations:

  • Direct switching between two conveyor belts is only possible if they have the same orientation (transformation parameters alrOrigin[4..6] are identical). Otherwise, it is necessary to switch to the BASE coordinate system in between.
  • A change from one rotary table to another USER coordinate system must always be made via the BASE coordinate system.

To use conveyor tracking, you have to activate its function in the Additional functions configuration menu of the software module. The MOVIKIT® Robotics add-on Conveyor Tracking is required for each robot instance for this purpose.

For further information, refer to the chapters Synchronized movement with a conveyor belt (conveyor tracking), Synchronized movement with a rotary table and Special features of controlling a rotary table by the robot.