Robotics Lab Report

Robotics Lab Report (Group-8 SS-2015)

Professor: Dr.-Ing Konrad Wllhaf

Lab In-charge: Mr. Matthias Stark

Group 8 :
Bilal Risat Ali (26390)
Sourabh Agrawal (26389)
Rahul Nirhale (26400)
Rudra Pravat (26404)

Robotics Lab Report

Exercise 1
Tool/Base Definition, Robot Motion in various Reference Systems (Joint, world, base, TCPReference), Basic Programming etc.

AIM:

Move the robot with basic movements on manual mode

Define a new tool for the robot
Define a new coordinate base
Program using basic movements
Execute existing programs step by step or continuously and make the robot move
automatically around the pre-defined base coordinate

Tool Centre Point (TCP)

The TCP positions are set with six different tool orientations. This 4 point calibration is saved
as tool number 6 and under the tool name group_6. The calibration of the new tool was made
by the XYZ 4 Points Method, which consists of approaching a reference point from four
different directions.
Teaching a Base
The base is set according the work piece given. We got three points. First we set the origin
then we move along x-axis and then y-axis.
The 3point calibration is saved as base No. 6 with the base system name group_6
The 3 point method was employed. We had to locate a tool whose dimensions were already
known from the origin, the positive X axis and in the XY plane of the workpiece, so a new
coordinate system can be defined.

Robot in its base position

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Explain the advantage of teaching a TCP and a base. Give examples of industrial
applications.
Teaching a robot a TCP is helpful because when the robot learns the TCP, it will move
according to it otherwise movement of robot will take place according to the centre point of
A6.
When we use a base coordinate system, the robot can move along the base according to our
program, either along the edges or through a point in between the base. It can also learn to
move along an inclined base. Without a Base Definition, it can be very tough to move the
robot through the edges of the inclined base.
Industrial applications: Machine tending, arc welding, spot welding, applying adhesive sealing,
spraying, material handling. in automobile applications etc.
What is the difference between PTP and LIN motion?
During PTP movement the robot goes from one point to another making a spline, while during
a LIN movement it always draws a perfect straight line.
Which type of movement (PTP or LIN) uses the shortest connection between 2 points?
LIN, because it draws a straight line between the points.

LIN Movement from 1 point to another point of a Box

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Which type of movement takes the shortest amount of time to move from one point to the
other? Why?
PTP movement takes less time than LIN because for robots with rotational axes is easier to
move creating a spline than a perfect straight line. When making the LIN movement motors of
the axes have to slow down, thus making the robot move slower
You wrote a program that made the robot move along the edges of a body. Make a 3D
sketch that shows the body, the waypoints (P1-Pn), and the base. Make another sketch that
shows the body, after you have moved it.

P2P Movement in a curved Surface

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CONCLUSION
Worked in hands with KUKA Robot
Operated Control Panel of the Robot to reach a certain point in Work Space
Made the basic programming for LIN and P2P operation
Made a control program for the given tasks
Operated robot in various speed modes to avoid any accident
Followed the safety guidelines
After verification of the code in stagewise operatio, finally operated it on full speed.
Overall it was a good experience to work on hands with a Industrial Robot.

Robotics Lab Report

Robotics Lab- Exercise 2
Programming a KUKA Robot
Objective
The main objective here in this experiment is to program the robot through simulation via
Kuka Sim Pro and KUKA HMI (Human Machine Interface)
Set up the simulation environment:
Place the robot.
Connect the tool to robot flange.
Create the base (cuboid).
Connect to Virtual Robot Control (VRC).
Learn how to move the robot from Kuka Sim Pro and KUKA HMI.

Define Tool Center Point (TCP) and base coordinate.

Write a program for the Robot that moves the TCP to reach all four corners at the
upper side of the cuboid.
Modify the program to do the movement several times with a certain delay.

KUKA Sim Pro

KUKA Sim Pro was developed for the offline programming of KUKA robots. The product is
connected in real time to KUKA OfficeLite. The OfficeLite is a software implementation of the
KUKA Root Control (KRC) used generally for offline programming.
KUKA HMI (Human Machine Interface)
HMI Studio provides components for quick and easy creation of complex production screens
and cell visualization.
Performance Features:
Rapid familiarization and quick to use despite extensive range of functions
Quick and easy creation of solutions with minimal programming.
Low risk of errors
Fields Of Application:
Cell visualization
Operator control of machines
Process control systems

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Program

Screenshot of Simulation in KUKA Sim Pro

The objective of our program is to follow the Base in FRAMEs. Here our FRAME is myframe.
We have implemented While loops to follow each axis of the base.

Steps to execute the program

First teach the robot about the tool and base information.
Teach the required points. Here in our program we have already taught the point XP1.
Select the program

Run the program from the execution panel on the top right corner of the KUKA SIM
Pro application.

The screenshot of the simulation of robot is shown below.

Robotics Lab Report

Screenshot of our program

Observations

The robot could be easily taught about the tool and base by giving specific co-ordinate
information for both.

The information of the points could be easily loaded by moving the robot with the help
of the axes and the Touch Up command.
The program written was executed sequentially.
The robot could follow all the edges of the base smoothly.

The simulation was also carried out at different speeds of robot working.
Conclusion

We could run the simulation without any safety hazards to the Robot.
Redoing the program in case of error was easy.
It was a very good experience as we got an experience similar to that of working with
the real Robot.

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EXERCISE 3
Palletizing the balls with a KUKA Robot in Simulation
THE TASK
The lab task consists of using the simulation environment to conduct an experiment of sorting
tennis balls according to their weights. The weights are distributed as light, medium and
heavy. There is a weighing machine inside the simulation, the output of which can be set
manually by user. Upon which the robot has to decide which pallet it has to put the ball (light
weight pallet, medium or heavy).
The steps to carry out this process are stated as below:
1) Collect the ball from feeder
2) Place the ball on weighing scale 1.
3) Store the result of scale 1 and pick up the ball from scale 1
4) Place the ball on scale 2 and store the results
5) Decide the weight of ball from readings of scale 1 and 2
6) According to the calculated weight, move to the respective pallet position and place
the ball
7) Continue this process for a specified number of balls
REQUIREMENTS
There are six stopping points for TCP. The stopping point is a point in robot working
environment at where it will collect or place the ball. These positions are located as: 1- feeder,
2-scale1, 3-scale2, 4- pallet1, 5- pallet2, 6- pallet3. To move the robot on any of these stopping
points, the base is taught to move to the origin of the respective stopping point. To place the
ball on pallet, a special function is used called palletize(). This function takes in as parameter
the current count of occupied positions within pallet (which must be maintained in the main
program), also the depth the pallet, and return point after the robot has placed the ball on
pallet.
CODE
The code is listed as below in the jpeg format:

Robotics Lab Report

Robotics Lab Report

Advantages of simulation
1) Algorithms can be tested in virtual world to see if the system is working as expected
2) There is no danger of collisions or hazardous movement as everything happens inside
the virtual world
Disadvantages of simulation
1) In simulation, robot can move around near singular position with ease but when
implemented on real robot, electrical drives are limited to produce high forces and
torque to move robot smoothly around near singular positions.
2) In simulation the physical models are always limited. For example the ball can be
dropped from a rather high position and it lands perfectly on pallet but in reality the
ball can bounce off if dropped from such height.
Conclusion:
We came to know about the external palette function, Boolean function and learned to set
the base coordinate of each pallet by using translate tool which is faster than moving the
TCP to three points in the base.
Got enough confidence in ourselves to perform the same task on a real robot.

Robotics Lab Report

EXERCISE 4
Palletizing the balls with a KUKA Robot

OBJECTIVE
To implement the program written in Exercise 3 for the ball palletizing exercise with an actual
KUKA 6 Axis Robot and check the working of the code and examine the differences between a
real and simulation environment
SETUP

The program is transferred to the robot connected programming tool

The base data are then set in the new programming environment. There are six bases
in total: one for the feeder, two for the weight measuring devices and three for the
pallets
The gripper command is checked to examine if it closes and opens properly
The robot is moved slowly to check the errors from the simulation environment to the
real environment
The program is reconfigured for the errors and the collisions if any. Also it is checked if
the robot reaches any position of singularity
Then the program is run in T1 mode to check for smooth operation

PROGRAM
The program picks the ball from feeder and checks their weight. Depending on the
weight the robot places the balls on the appropriate pallet
The palletizing function is used for the ball placement. It has a counter which
determines the ball position on the pallet and also checks if the pallet is full
CODE

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WORKING OF ROBOT

Robot picking up the ball from feeder

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Robot checking the weight of the ball

Robot palletizing the balls

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PROBLEMS FACED

Some problems are faced in transferring from simulation to real environment, the
major being the configuration of apparatus might be different due to which some
positions have to be reconfigured.

In simulation there is no consideration for the optimum height from which the ball
should be released or picked up due to which the distance in the Z Axis above the
base had to be reconfigured using the Touch Up command from the panel.

In simulation near singular positions are not a problem but in reality it is not
recommended to get the robot in near singular positions so that has to be checked
in initial slow running mode and avoided.

CONCLUSION
It was a good learning experience after teaching the robot what to do and observing how it
is done. Also a very clear idea as to what the problems might be from simulation to real
environment was learned. The efficiency of the code could also be seen when working with
the real robot.
When run in T2 mode with full velocity it was exciting to watch the robot perform the task
with amazing speed
Also the functionality of the fence was observed when an object was thrown into the
workspace of the robot resulting in the robot to stop completely