Robot Safety Zone Verification Using Test Path Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods face challenges in verifying the correct interaction between a robot's safety zone and its movement program, leading to potential false triggering and ensuring the correct configuration of the safety area in robot controllers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the specification of a test movement path with path points near the safety area's limit points, using a tolerance range to avoid false triggering, and executing a test movement program to verify the safety area's correct configuration and interruption functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the robot TCP is moved exactly to the limit points of the safety area for testing, then the verification precision of the safety area configuration is improved, but false triggering of the safety interruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The method performs preliminary verification by approaching the safety area boundary from outside with a tolerance range, rather than directly testing at the exact limit point. This preliminary action with offset path points allows verification of the safety system without causing false triggering, resolving the contradiction between verification precision and reliability.
2Device complexity
If manual simulation methods are used to verify safety area functionality, then the complexity of automated verification systems is reduced, but the verification precision and completeness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The robot controller automatically generates and executes test movement programs with path points calculated near the safety area boundary. The system performs self-verification by using its own control functions and safety monitoring mechanisms, eliminating the need for complex external simulation equipment while maintaining high verification precision.
3Reliability
If the safety area is configured with strict boundary enforcement, then the safety protection level is improved, but the productivity of the robot system deteriorates due to frequent interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies partial action by testing only the critical boundary regions with path points near the limit points, rather than exhaustive testing of all possible positions. This selective verification approach ensures safety protection at critical boundaries while avoiding unnecessary interruptions during normal operation within the safety area, thus maintaining productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for checking a robot (12, 102) having a robot controller (104) having a predeterminable safety range (14, 16, 44), wherein the robot (12, 102) is provided to interrupt the travelling of the robot tool centre point (TCP) into the safety range (14, 16, 44) in case the robot tool centre point (TCP) travels into the safety range (14, 16, 44) during the execution of a movement program. The method comprises the following steps: fixing a safety range (14, 16, 44) which is surrounded by boundary surfaces (18, 46, 48, 50) spanned between respective boundary points (52, 54), predetermining the safety range (14, 16, 44) on the robot controller (104), if the safety range (14, 16, 44)is not yet predetermined, fixing a test movement path (20, 60) which in principle lies outside the safety range (14, 16, 44) having a plurality of path points (56, 58, 72, 82), wherein at least one path point (56, 58, 72, 82) is located in the immediate vicinity (62, 64) of one of the boundary surfaces (52, 54), executing a test movement program by means of moving the TCP along the test movement path (20, 60), checking whether the execution of the test movement program is interrupted.