Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - Johannes @ Robots in Architecture

#961
Support / Re: Adding a tool that has ABC not at zero
March 07, 2017, 08:47:03 PM
Hello,

Where did you get your XYZABC values from? It is important to remember that KUKA|prc uses the X-axis as the tool axis.
See attached an example how that may work, in this case with the exemplary values of Z= 208 and B=-90. B is that value, because if you look at the figure of the Custom Tool screen, X is facing "downwards", which would be 0/0/0. If the toolaxis is normal to the flange, the least rotation would be turning B by negative 90 degrees. Note that of course there are more valid combinations.
Also, take care to place your tool geometry as if the Rhino coordinate system were the flange coordinate system (where +X is facing "downwards"). The tool geometry should be only one single mesh, with not too many vertices in order to optimize the speed of Grasshopper. Having an extremely complex mesh may slow everything down.

Hope that helps, let me know if you still get stuck somewhere!
Best,
Johannes
#962
General Discussion / Re: Help With Roboteam.
February 28, 2017, 11:28:05 PM
Hello,
You should have a box with the RoboTeam TechPackage, or at least a DVD or USB stick that is labeled as such. The DOC subfolder should contain PDFs with the instructions in several languages.
If you cannot find or don't have the documentation, I would recommend calling the KUKA technical hotline as they are usually very helpful and will send you a link from where you can download it!
Best,
Johannes
#963
General Discussion / Re: Vacuum Gripper
February 23, 2017, 10:31:32 PM
Hello Ben,

That one is a FIPA vacuum gripper: http://www.fipa.com/en_GB/products/2357872-vacuum-grippers
It's optimized for porous objects with several outlets that close themselves if they are not used, in case you are not using the entire width of the gripper. So duplicating that is definitely possible, but not easy. If it's just about vacuum generation, basically any compressor will work, and you can probably get an ejector cheap from eBay.
I don't really have  any "hard numbers" for the specs of the components, though - but I'm confident that it won't be very demanding for a block of foam. It will just be important to achieve a good seal.

Best,
Johannes
#964
Support / Re: Reset Axis with TURN Input
February 23, 2017, 10:18:45 AM
Hello Patrick,

Theoretically it's not difficult at all, the problem is just defining a "universal" solution. The "hacky" solution would be to take the calculated axis values from the Analysis component, set the TURN values accordingly and output the final code through another core component.
Of course that doubles the calculation time, but depending on the complexity of your toolpath that may not be an actual problem.

Best,
Johannes
#965
General Discussion / Re: Vacuum Table / Workholding
February 22, 2017, 07:15:11 PM
I've seen all kinds of solutions, we use a steel welding table which can be useful for clamping. I've also worked with a company milling massive stone, and they simply put gypsum around the block of stone, for example.
The issue with a vacuum table can be that the workpiece may move around a bit if the vacuum is enabled.
So it very much depends what material and in what scale you are milling.

Best,
Johannes
#966
Support / Re: Reset Axis with TURN Input
February 22, 2017, 06:32:29 PM
Hello Patrick,

Basically with the TURN value you define if an axis value is >= 0 or not. In your example, the issue is that the workpiece is quite in front of your robot and you are assigning the same TURN to all positions. So you define with the TURN value, that A1 is >=0. So now if the robot would move to -5, with a defined TURN value it would move to 355 instead.
So you either need to provide different turn values, or you just move your workpiece, so that all positions are on one "side" of the robot, thus circumventing the problem.
Also, I would strongly recommend to enable the smooth robot simulation as well as movement interpolation, as it makes spotting problems much easier!

Best,
Johannes
#967
Hello Ludo,

I would personally recommend to do this with a Custom KRL component, as you then have the complete freedom how to toggle it, add any additional WAIT commands that may be needed etc.
An example is attached!

Best,
Johannes
#968
Support / Re: Fixed (Stationary) Tool Setup
February 15, 2017, 08:04:58 AM
Hello Andrew,

I quickly adapted an old example from our ACADIA 2014 workshop, you can download it from below.
Due to the X-axis being used as the tool axis in KUKA|prc, it needs 90/90/90 as the ABC values of the tool - sorry for that.

Best,
Johannes
#969
Hello,

Here's the edited file back.
In this particular case, to have the simulation match the movement of the actual robot, you would now need to go to Startup/Calibrate/Tool/Numeric Input and set the tool number to 8, X and Y to 0, Z to 44, A to 0 and B and C to -90, as per the message balloon of the component.
Also note that you would usually use a base system, rather than moving elements around in the robot's global workspace. That makes e.g. drawing on a surface that is slightly tilted (as most tables are, if you are looking closely) much easier.

Best,
Johannes
#970
Hello Toni,

I'll send you a link to try out in a few minutes!

Best,
Johannes
#971
Hello,

From a screenshot it is hard to do troubleshooting - so if my post doesn't help, then please send the GH file to me via eMail!
In any case, there seem to be two separate issues:
- The tool geometry should be placed as if the Rhino coordinate system where the tool coordinate system, with Z+ being the normal of the flange, and X+ facing "downwards" when the robot is in its default home position.
- If you define the tool frame with a plane, then the origin should be at the tip of your tool geometry (i.e. somewhere close to the Rhino origin), with the plane oriented the same way you would like it to be positioned - in your case probably Z+ of the plane facing global Z-.

Personally, I would recommend measuring the tool at the robot, then entering the actual XYZABC values in the Custom Tool component and if necessary transforming your tool geometry so that it fits together. Otherwise take care to enter the generated XYZABC values (you can get them e.g. by clicking the grey message balloon on the component) at the robot, so that the simulation is correct.

Best,
Johannes
#972
Hello Toni,

Thanks for letting me know, I've tried to replicate your issue, but it seems to be working fine here. Does that happen when you start Rhino "regularly", or when you start it for debugging through VisualStudio?

Best,
Johannes
#973
General Discussion / Re: Noob
February 08, 2017, 09:00:41 PM
Hello Wade,

In my experience, the capabilities of robotic arms are very similar across all the manufacturers, with the exception of some special models like the KUKA LBR iiwa or ABB YuMi. The main thing to consider is the local support, as well as the interfaces. In my experience, for example, the local KUKA office is awesome in some regions and not very helpful in others. So if you have got local support from a company that is already an advantage. However, I'm not aware of a plugin that supports Yaskawa robots from Grasshopper or Dynamo, so it may be complicated to get the data across and to properly simulate the robotic process.
From the KUKA side, you could try to get in touch with Branch Techology as they are based not far from Alabama in Chattanooga. Maybe they could recommend a good, local contact!

Best,
Johannes
#974
Hello,

There should not be any RAR file, are you sure that you've got the right download?
What you get is a  *.zip file that you can then unpack, and it contains the installer.
I just tested the download from both Food4Rhino and our homepage, and both times it would download and unpack fine. I tested it both with Windows Explorer as well as 7Zip.
Maybe something went wrong with your download, could you please give it another try? Sending an executable file via eMail will most likely not work.

Best,
Johannes
#975
Hello,

Is there a particular reason why you installed the very outdated 2013 release? There has been a version jump, and files are no longer compatible (though the old and new KUKA|prc can peacefully co-exist, you just must not mix components).
In any case, it seems like you are trying to load a file made for the recent release with an old software version installed, hence the problem with the missing components.
So simply get the most recent release from Food 4 Rhino and you should be good to go.
Note that the free Food4Rhino version is always quite some time behind the member version, which also contains additional features.

Best,
Johannes