Teach Pendant Machine Tool Data Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In machining systems where robots perform loading and unloading operations, the need for operators to frequently stop the robot to check machine tool conditions or perform settings deteriorates production efficiency, as safety fences must be opened, causing interruptions and reduced working efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A robot control system that connects a robot controller via a communication network to a machine tool controller, allowing a portable teach pendant to display machine tool information, enabling operators to check and manage machine tool conditions without entering the safety fence, thereby reducing robot stoppages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety fence surrounds the robot operating range and the display/control panel are installed inside the fence, then operator safety is improved, but the operator must stop the robot and open the safety fence to check or adjust machine tool settings, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
A portable terminal serves as an intermediary device that allows operators to access machine tool information and settings from outside the safety fence. The terminal receives data from the machine tool controller via communication network and displays it locally, enabling operators to monitor and adjust parameters without physically entering the restricted zone or interrupting robot operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically accessing the control panel inside the safety fence with an electronic information transmission system. Data is transmitted through a communication network to a portable terminal, allowing operators to interact with the system remotely without mechanical entry into the protected zone.
2Ease of operation
If the display and control panel are installed near the safety door for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but the location cannot be separated from the robot operating range by a safety fence, compromising operator safety
Solution Approach 1:
The portable terminal acts as a mobile intermediary that brings the control interface to the operator's location outside the safety fence. Instead of fixing the display near the safety door, the system transmits control data to a portable device that the operator can use from any safe location, maintaining both accessibility and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the control interface from a fixed two-dimensional location near the safety door to a mobile interface accessible through wireless communication. This adds a spatial dimension to the control system, allowing operators to interact with the machine tool from multiple locations outside the restricted zone.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot control system provided in a machining system including a robot and a machine tool. The robot control system includes a robot controller controlling the robot, a portable teach pendant connected to the robot controller, and a communication network adapted to connect the robot controller to a machine tool controller controlling the machine tool. The teach pendant includes a display section configured to display information relating to the robot and the machine tool. The robot controller includes a processing section configured to obtain information relating to the machine tool from the machine tool controller through the communication network, make the display section of the teach pendant display a machine tool-related screen in accordance with a given screen program, and make the machine tool-related screen of the display section of the teach pendant display the information, as obtained, relating to the machine tool.