Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer for Industrial Equipment

DELMIA 3DEXPERIENCE Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer Role for Industrial Equipment (RARWI) provides an interactive 3D environment where robot programmers can create, simulate and validate an entire robotic workcell for arc welding, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, or any robotic application where the robot’s trajectory is based on part intersections.

Position resources, simulate robots and positioners, create robot arc welding trajectories, and create a complete workcell sequence between robots and other devices. Define, validate, optimize, and program robotic arc welding processes and setups prior to delivery to the shop floor.

RARWI automatically generates a trajectory based on the geometric design of the product and can be used in any robotic application where the robot’s trajectory is based on a curve, such as sealant or mastic deposition or laser and water jet applications. Users can perform feasibility studies while creating optimized, interference-free simulations that execute robotic operations. Once the robot trajectories are validated, a comprehensive set of tools is provided to import and export robot programs.

Engineers can offline-program multiple robots from several manufacturers and validate robot-specific syntax. Workcell validation can be further enhanced with PLC programs managed in CATIA Control Build. The tight integration between the PLC emulator CATIA Control Build and RARWI provides high performance communication for virtual validation of the workcell controls system.

DELMIA Robot Fabrication

Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer Benefits

Improved collaboration between simulation engineers and product or tool designers

Based on the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform, Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer supports collaboration throughout the extended enterprise. Powerful lifecycle and change management capabilities streamline the business process and improve the overall quality of work.

Fast, accurate 3D-based programming

Uses the surface, part, or curve representation of the 3D model to create robot trajectories. The product representation gives the user the most accurate path that follows the exact contour and intricacies of the product.

Weld quality assurance

Positioner programming capabilities optimally orient the weld joint so that proper welding procedures are followed. This ensures that weld trajectories and programs are of high quality. Integrated controller-specific weld tables ensure the accuracy of production programs and simulated cycle times.

Fast, simple robot path planning

Saves time by easily planning a collision-free robot trajectory for complex robot tasks. Based on a few user inputs, RARWI plans the robot path by computing a collision-free trajectory for the robot to follow. RARWI also can optimize the robot path to reduce the number of via points. The automatic path planning ability saves the user valuable programming time.

Program robots offline

Users can create production robot programs offline in the immersive 3D environment, while the production robot is working, without affecting production and revenue.

Virtually validate the PLC code

Users can connect their robot simulation to CATIA Control Build to validate the workcell’s automation controls. In this context, validation of the logic in the PLC program can begin before the actual workcell is built, allowing for the validation of the control code earlier in the production engineering phase, which greatly reduces the time required to system try-out and production.

DELMIA Robot Arc Welding

Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer Highlights

Generate and modify geometry-based arc weld trajectories

Generate and modify arc weld trajectories with a full suite of geometry-based capabilities. Automatically creates fully detailed robotic trajectories for both seam search and arc welding based on the CAD models of the parts to be welded. The trajectories include robot weld locations as well as approach and departure via points.

Supports advanced logic and I/O in the simulation

Create input & output signals between robots and other devices. Input & output ports can be easily created from an external file. Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer also provides advanced logic programming instructions through its easy-to-use interface. These logic commands let the user insert conditional statements (if-then-else) and looping statements into the robot task.

Creation, simulation and validation of robot tasks in the manufacturing context

Choose from an extensive library of robot and controller models from all major industrial robot manufacturers. Auto placement and workspace envelope tools help users position the robot in a reachable position. Collisions and clearances are detected while machines and robots are in motion and allow users to benefit from early feasibility studies. Create and validate robot tasks in a variety of manufacturing contexts. By performing multiple what-if scenarios, the result is the best possible performance of the workcell under multiple conditions or configurations.

Compute collision-free paths and optimize trajectories

Uses robust algorithms to compute a collision-free robot path. With a few clicks from the user, the ingress or egress for the robot is computed. RARWI also provides tools for optimizing the robot path to remove un-needed via points.

Simulate controller-specific weld profiles

Robot simulation engineers can fully simulate controller-specific weld schedules for a robot-controller combination with the arc welding profile user interface. Weld profiles include start, end, and included weld points; seam data such as motion parameters; weld data such as voltage and amperage; and weave data for the weld tip motion pattern, as well as speed and delays.

Import, export, and customize robot programs

Robust translators import or export robot native-language programs, and users create robot programs offline without affecting production and revenue. Fabrication Robot Workcell Programmer provides translators for Fanuc RJ/TPE; Motoman/Yaskawa; Nachi; Kawasaki; Panasonic; Daihen; ABB RAPID S4C/S4C+; C5; Kuka, Durr, Denso, Staubli, Universal, and Kobelco. When users prefer a customized approach to the robot translators, RARWI uses VB.Net for robot program translation to easily adapt translators to custom requirements.

Use Realistic Robot Simulation (RRS-I) and (RRS-II) for increased simulation accuracy

Simulate robot tasks using the motion control software found in the real robot controller. This provides extremely accurate motion trajectory and cycle-time simulations. The RRS protocol is used to connect the 3D simulation with the robot vendor’s motion control software. The user can integrate these native robot language programs into a larger, multi-mechanism, station-level simulation with full validation and offline programming capabilities.

Robot Simulation On-the-Go (Offline Mode)

Users can disconnect their session from the database and continue to work on robot simulations while disconnected from the database and the network. Data can be created and modified while disconnected. Automatic database reconciliation occurs upon reconnection.

Virtually validate controls programs

Validate controls programming in the 3D virtual environment. Easily create the input and output connections and run the robot simulation using control code managed by the controls emulator CATIA Control Build, or in a PLC via OPC communication. For ultimate realism and accuracy hardware-in-the-loop workcell simulation, in which actual hardware components (robot controller or PLC/PLC emulator) are connected to the simulation, engineers can test what-if scenarios to reduce time debugging programs on the shop floor during system start up.