Robot Controller Virtual Validation for Collision-Free Teaching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for validating industrial robot workflow sequences either risk collisions during physical validation or lack effective visualization, leading to increased operational safety concerns due to limited visualization and imagination required for offline validation.
Innovation Solution
A method where the robot controller creates a virtual robot model from stored data, allowing for validation of workflow sequences on an output unit, enabling simulation of various states and collision detection without endangering the physical robot, and allowing switching between physical and virtual validation at any time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If validation is performed directly on the physical robot, then the correctness of positions and hardware functions can be checked, but collisions with components in the work cell can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual robot model that replicates the physical robot's structure, parameters, and workflow sequences. This virtual copy allows validation to be performed on the replica rather than the original physical robot, eliminating collision risks while maintaining validation accuracy through precise modeling of the robot's geometry and motion characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual robot model serves as an intermediary between the programming stage and physical validation. It acts as a safe mediator that can execute and validate workflow sequences without the harmful effects of physical collisions, while still providing meaningful validation results that transfer to the physical robot.
2Reliability
If offline validation is performed on an external computer, then program paths can be verified, but visualization of actual conditions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using generic offline validation software with limited visualization, the patent creates a virtual copy of the specific robot and its work cell environment. This virtual model preserves all visual and spatial information about the actual robot's appearance, dimensions, and surroundings, allowing operators to view validation results with the same level of detail as physical validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions validation from a two-dimensional screen display to a three-dimensional virtual environment that mirrors the physical workspace. This dimensional enhancement allows operators to visualize robot positions, movements, and potential collisions in spatial context, greatly improving comprehension of actual conditions compared to traditional 2D graphics.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If validation is performed at reduced speed on the physical robot, then safety is improved, but the validation process takes longer
Solution Approach 1:
By performing validation on the virtual robot model, the patent eliminates the need to reduce physical robot speed for safety reasons. The virtual model can execute workflows at any simulated speed without risk, allowing rapid validation while the physical robot remains stationary or operates independently, thus resolving the time-safety tradeoff.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual validation serves as a preliminary check before physical robot operation. All potential issues are identified and resolved in the virtual environment first, allowing the physical robot to then operate at full speed with confidence that validation has already been completed, eliminating the need for slow-speed physical validation.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a robot (5) and/or robot controller (17) and a method for validation of programmed workflow sequences or teaching programs (20) of a robot (5) preferably with a robot controller (17), wherein the robot (5) is preferably mounted on or next to a processing machine, in particular an injection molding machine (4), and serves for the extraction, handling, manipulation or further processing of injection-molded parts (3) which have just been produced. The travel parameters, equipment features and functionalities of the physical robot (5) are stored in a configuration file (27) on the control side. The robot controller (17) creates a virtual robot model (21) from these stored data. For validation of a workflow sequence, the robot controller (17) uses the current teaching program (20) in the robot controller (17) whereby the visualization of the workflow sequence is displayed directly on an output unit of the robot controller (17).