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RoboDK’s TwinTool gives robotic instrument calibration for industrial robots. | Supply: RoboDK
Canadian robotics software program supplier RoboDK has launched TwinTool, an software that provides absolutely automated robotic instrument calibration for industrial robots. TwinTool is a cheap, fast and straightforward answer to enhance the instrument’s accuracy in all kinds of producing purposes. It’s a aggressive different to expensive and sophisticated robotic calibration providers at the moment obtainable available on the market.
Industrial robots are more and more used for high-accuracy manufacturing duties, equivalent to meeting, soldering, and machining. Nonetheless, new customers are typically upset by the obvious low accuracy of their robots. They spend money on costly robotic calibration programs to attempt to enhance the accuracy.
“Many customers don’t understand how necessary it’s to calibrate the instrument correctly,” Albert Nubiola, CEO of RoboDK, stated. “They consider they should calibrate the entire robotic. Nonetheless, correctly calibrating the instrument heart level (TCP) can present a big enchancment in accuracy.”
Repeatable, not correct: the issue with industrial robots
Industrial robots have excessive repeatability, however low accuracy. This implies they’ll transfer to the very same place each time (repeatability), however their place doesn’t precisely match the world coordinate system (accuracy).
There are two foremost varieties of calibration procedures for bettering a robotic’s accuracy. Robotic calibration requires precision laser programs to calibrate the robotic mechanism itself. Device heart level (TCP) calibration is an easier process to make sure the programming system has an correct mannequin of the robotic’s instrument.
“TwinTool is a fast and reasonably priced answer to mechanically calibrate the robotic’s TCP in comparison with different options equivalent to laser trackers. Laser calibration is pricey, and plenty of robotic purposes don’t want such excessive accuracy,” Samuel Bertrand, software program developer at RoboDK, stated.
TwinTool achieves instrument calibration with an off-the-shelf sensor
The standard means of calibrating a robotic instrument heart level (TCP) is by a 4-point technique, which include taking a sequence of not less than 4 joint readings when shifting the instrument to the identical level with completely different orientations. This course of is time consuming and fewer correct because the person wants to maneuver the robotic in numerous place manually.
TwinTool calibration performance is distributed as a RoboDK App, a plugin that extends the capabilities of RoboDK’s robotic programming software program.
RoboDK TwinTool requires an off-the-shelf linear gauge sensor (or LVDT) to immediately talk with any robotic and to calculate the robotic instrument heart level (TCP) with out human intervention. TwinTool mechanically information a limiteless variety of factors, and the linear gage sensor gives nice accuracy for instrument definition.
The app is suitable with a variety of sensors from main manufacturers together with Mitutoyo, KEYENCE and Sylvac, permitting it to be versatile with any {hardware}. Different sensor manufacturers may also be built-in on request.
RoboDK TwinTool helps greater than 600 robotic arms from 50 completely different robotic producers and is suited for a lot of industrial environments. This follows RoboDK’s well-established philosophy of remaining brand-agnostic for {hardware}.
Ease of use and security on the coronary heart of the method
Equally necessary, RoboDK locations nice emphasis on the convenience of use and security of its merchandise. TwinTool runs immediately from RoboDK, making the bridge between the robotic controller and the sensor. No programming expertise are required. Customers solely want RoboDK simulation software program, a robotic, its instrument (spherical or conical), and a sensor. Singularities and collisions are prevented, and trajectories mechanically calculated.
“We’ve created a user-friendly wizard to make sure that the calibration is finished accurately and safely,” Bertrand stated. “That is easy sufficient that it may be utilized by operators that don’t have robotics data.”
To calibrate a robotic instrument, the person merely follows this 3-step process in RoboDK’s software program:
- Choose their robotic mannequin from RoboDK’s in depth robotic library.
- Join RoboDK to the robotic and to the sensor.
- Transfer the robotic on the sensor and begin the calibration.
“The process is absolutely automated and doesn’t require any handbook intervention,” Nubiola stated. “It mechanically avoids collisions and doesn’t require customers to put in writing a single line of code.”
With TwinTool, customers can rapidly and mechanically enhance the accuracy of their instrument by as much as 0.250 mm with some robotic setups. This offers an accuracy enchancment by 2 to 10 occasions, relying on the robotic and the instrument.
“With out this calibration, robotic errors will be within the vary of 2-5 mm. With this instrument calibration, you possibly can normally cut back robotic errors as much as 0.250-1 mm relying in your software,” Nubiola stated.
This accuracy enchancment is greater than sufficient for many robotic purposes, even those who require precision. This may save customers some huge cash on pointless robotic calibration providers.
Future plans
Customers can now request so as to add TwinTool to their copy of the RoboDK software program as an elective RoboDK App.
Bertrand explains they are going to proceed to enhance TwinTool’s performance. “At present, the instrument is oriented in the direction of upkeep modes,” he stated. “Nonetheless, we’re working in the direction of a mode that can run the calibration process mechanically throughout manufacturing.”
RoboDK additionally plans to increase its App interface by making a RoboDK App Market. They are going to invite corporations to develop and publish their very own apps for the software program.
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