A Working Guide to Setting Up the Robot

+ KR 9 R600 + Calibration + A Quick Introduction to Plotting + Running a Job on the Pendant + Results + Technical Appendix Table of Contents

[1] [3]

[2]

[4] [5] [6]

[6]

KR 9 R600

KR 9 R600

[1] Envelope Switch permits automatic operations when activated by closing plexiglass gates. Otherwise, jobs are run in manual mode with constant supervision.

[4] The workspace consists of 10 panels of a modular welding table with 5/8� holes spaced at 2� for clamps and holdfasts.

[5] The pendant has an enabling device using a three position [2] The envelope demarcates the switch which, when continuously safegaurded area, that seals the held in a detented position, workspace when operations are permits motion. Release of or compression past the midpoint run in automatic mode. detent of the device stops robot motion [3] The Kuka Robot sits on an aluminum plate. The world axis for jogging the machine assumes [6] Robot movement is arrested by dynamic braking systems the origin atop the aluminum rather than simple power cutplate at the center of joint 1. off when emergency stop is activated.

KR 9 R600

SmartPAD Teach Pendant

Manipulator

Connecting Cable Data Cable

Robot Controller

Motor Cable

Power Cable

KR 9 R600

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual KR 9 R600

+

156º 4

-1

11

-

º -

5 +

-

3 +

+

350º

º

20 +1

+ 120º

-

2

+

+

1

-

340º

KR 9 R600

6

-

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual KR 9 R600

Figure A. XYZ 4 point calibration of tool

Calibration

Calibration

Home Screen. Press on the house icon to go back.

To start the calibration, press “start-up” from the Home Screen.

The stages of calibration of the tool and the base are a very important, although manual, step in the set-up.

point in space, i.e. the tip of the nail in figure A, approaching it in 4 different directions.The lower the error between the four, the better the calibration.

By calibrating the “tool” you let the robot know where the actual tip of the tool to be employed is, relative to itself. In the method discussed in this chapter, the tip of the tool must touch a fixed

By calibrating the “base” you specify the origin and XY plane, relative to which the job will be executed.

Calibration

Press “Calibrate”.

Press “Tool”, then XYZ 4-Point.

In this menu, you can specify the tool details if necessary.

Press “Caalibrate”.

Calibration

Now you can choose between different modes to jog the robot and achieve the 4 checks. The “Axis” mode let’s you rotate each joint of the robot clockwise or counter-clockwise, from A1 at the base to A6, at the tip. “World” mode let’s you move in X, Y, or Z in a fixed coordinate system with origin at the base of the robot. You can alternate between both by changing modes.

Once you achieve one of the checks, “apply current position”. Then press Calibrate.

By pressing the key at the top, right corner, you can change the increments of the jogging, or switch to “continuous” motion.

The panel in the center lets you adjust your position relative to the robot so that the movements you try to achieve are more intuitive.

Continue this process for directions 1 to 4. Then press “save”.

Calibration

The second step is to calibrate the “Base”, a coordinate system whose origin you define, for example, in the Rhino 3D interface. The origin and XY plane orientation correspond to those of your toolpath.

Enter the details of the Base if necessary.

The first step is to locate the “origin” of the plane with the tip of the tool. Then press “Calibrate”.

Now locate a point along the X-Axis of the “Base” plane. Then press “Calibrate”.

Calibration

Now move the tip of the tool to a positive point in the XY plane. Press “Calibrate” and “Save”.

The information in the screen will be needed during the toolpath set-up in MasterCam.

Figure B. Example of base calibration.

Point along X-Axis Positive point in XY Plane Origin

Calibration

Plotting

A Quick Introduction to Plotting The following portion will document the steps needed to set up the tool paths to plot with the robotic arm. The process walks through bringing in geometry from Rhinoceros, setting toolpaths in MasterCam, and simulating in RoboSIM.

Plotting

The first step is to open MasterCam and set the Machine type to RobotMaster_V6_Kuka.

Next we use File Merge/Pattern to import our

geometry into MasterCam.

Plotting

Once we have geometry imported, we need to set up a toolpath, in this case we will set up a Contour. A menu will pop up to allow you to

select the contours to generate a toolpath for.

Plotting

Due to the fact that we are not using a defined tool, under the tool tab simply enter 1 for Tool #, Len. Offset, Head #, and Diameter Offset. We will

set the Feed Rate to 50 and select Rapid Retract.

Under Cut Parameters, turn off Compensation Type because we want the pen directly on the path.

Plotting

Under Linking Parameters we want to set a Retract about .25� above the base surface, a feed plane slightly beneath that, and the top of stock

set to 0 because we are drawing on paper. Select Absolute for all of these parameters and click ok.

Nex we click the generate path option to preview.

Plotting

Enter RoboSim by clicking the Robotic Arm symbol on the top right. This will bring up a new window.

In the top Left, click Global settings to begin the

simulation. We select our Robot , KR6R900, and tool. In this instance, we are faking the tool since there is not a model built in.

Plotting

Under Frame Data we set information for the base and tool. Since, we stated we aren’t using premade settings, we need to enter this information

from KUKA Pendant under tool+base information.

Plotting

For plotting and simple toolpaths we can leave the defaults under Approach/Retract and Tool and configuration.In the Motion tab we set the positioning type. This is an important step as “Exact“ will make the robot attempt to hit every point in a line by decelerating into the position then reaccelerating which can add a tremendous amount of time to the job, while Continuous will

run it through points based on Criterion you select. If we use distance, under Positioning Criteria Values, we can set the tolerance that it can pass through points within. In most cases this will develop a slight fillet of the radius based on the distance you select. After we select this, click ok, and move on to setting Local settings.

Plotting

This first setting is Axis Configuration which shows how the machine will approach a surface from different orientations. In our case this isn’t important but on more complex geometry

needs to be adjusted to avoide collisions. Under Optimization we can check if there are any collisions detected.

Plotting

If there are, we can slide the points out of range by clicking the point and moving it up or down. This changes the angle on which the tool approaches

the surface, after adjustment, click Calculate and if the line is green, click okay. The screen will now show the predicted movement of the robot.

Plotting

Now using the play button in the bottom left corner we can run through the simulation of the toolpath. If the path is clear, click Generate Program, save to a flash drive, it will be time to

insert the flashdrive into the KUKA and start setting up on the pendent covered in the next portion.

Plotting

Pendant

Running a Job on the Pendant

Pendant

Switch on the device.

Insert the USB with the G-Code into the back of the pendant.

You will not be able to see the USB device until you log in. First we will log in.

Pendant

You may need to skip through a ‘cold start’ alerts by pressing OK

Pendant

Click Main menu (the roboic arm)

Pendant

Select ‘configuration’ and then ‘user groups’

Pendant

Select ‘log on’

Pendant

Scroll down to ‘Administrator’ Type the password. Then select ‘log on’.

Pendant

Return to the Navigation screen, and you will now be able to see USB sticks. Click on the USB stick

Pendant

Navigate to your file. Highlight it, and then click on edit

Pendant

Select Copy

Pendant

Navigate to the R1 folder

Pendant

Once you have opended the R1 file, click edit

Pendant

Paste your file into this folder

Pendant

With your file highlighted, click ‘Open’

Pendant

This will open the G code - verify, and then click the marker to edit it

Pendant

Use the editor to change the z height for a test.

Pendant

Pendant

Once you have completed your edits, press the marker again to remove the editor. Then, whilst holding down the grey safety switches, press and hold the green ‘play’ button

Pendant

Pendant

Results

Technical Appendix

Arm

In Line Wrist Link Arm

Rotating Column

Electrical Installations Base Frame

Appendix

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual Appendix

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual Appendix

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual Appendix

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual Appendix

Above information are taken from the Kuka Manual Appendix