Fanuc Corporation

Ryuichi Hara

Kazunori Ban

Toru Mizuno

Hiroji Nishi

Hidetoshi Kumiya

Taro Arimatsu

Atsuo Nagayama

Atsushi Watanabe

Shinsuke Sakakibara

Kenichi Toyoda

Ichiro Kanno

Eiichi Kobayashi

Tooru Mizuno

A robot control unit 42 and an image processing control unit (control unit of the image processing apparatus) 43 are incorporated into a robot controller 40. A camera CM is connected to the image processing control unit 43. A main body 1 of a robot is connected to the robot control unit 42 through an amplifier 41. A portable robot teaching pendant 80 connected to the robot control unit 42 is provided with a monitor display, and functions also as a teaching pendant of the image processing apparatus. Therefore, by using the teaching pendant 80, manipulation of image processing, and issuing of an instruction to a program for processing an image can be performed. Furthermore, an image obtained by a camera CM, and information relevant to the manipulation of the image processing apparatus such as an operation menu, etc. can be displayed on the monitor display. Therefore, an operator can efficiently perform all operations relevant to the robot, the camera, processing an image, etc. while watching a monitor screen.

Image processing apparatus for robot

There is provided a measurement device being capable of obtaining an image being free from a distortion even if the position of a measurement object varies in image pickup and being capable of performing a precise measurement according to the image. Camera calibration is executed by using a dot pattern or the like, and parameters of a camera model are stored (S ). The image of a reference object is fetched (S ), a corrected reference image being free from a lens distortion and a distortion caused by image pickup in a diagonal direction is formed on the basis of the equation of the camera model (S ), and parameters for detecting the measurement object are set in accordance with the image (S ). In a system operation, the image of the measurement object, the position of which varies, is acquired (S ), and the corrected reference image being free from a distortion as in S is formed (S ). The measurement object is detected by using the parameters for detecting the measurement object (S , S ), necessary data for an application is formed and output (S ). In failure to perform detection, an appropriate message is output (S , S ).

Measurement apparatus

A robot controller capable of finding a mistaught path and avoiding dangers involved in a real motion of a robot without using an off-line simulation system. An operation program for confirming safety is played back with the robot control system arranged such that a simulation function is on, a real motion is off, and comparison processing is on. When a played-back path designated by each block is compared with a reference path using data on interpolation points, an interpolation point ordinal index i is incremented by &ldquo;1&rdquo; (K ), an interpolation point on a reference path Tref(i) is read (K ) and compared with a corresponding interpolation point on the played-back path T(i). An index of distance d(i) and a distance evaluation index &Dgr;d(i) are calculated (K K ), and tool-tip orientation difference indices f(i) to h(i) and orientation-evaluation indices &Dgr;f(i) to &Dgr;h(i) are calculated (K K ). Based thereon, it is determined whether or not there is a path difference exceeding a reference value. The processing may be started with a real motion in an on-state, and the real motion of the robot may be nullified when a large path difference is found.

Robot control device having operation route simulation function

A method for executing calibration without having to dismount a force sensor from a robot, and an apparatus for executing this method are provided. When a robot mounted with a calibrated force sensor begins to be operated, any tool whose position of the center of gravity and weight are immune from change is fitted, and a command for acquiring reference data is given to execute operational programs. Reference data V of matrices consisting of differences between strain gage outputs (S , S ) of the force sensor in any predetermined posture and strain gage outputs in other predetermined postures differing both from that posture and from one another are calculated and stored (S - to S ). When the measuring accuracy of the force sensor drops, the tool used when the reference data were acquired is mounted on the robot, and the same procedures S to S are executed, and the data V corresponding to the reference data are calculated. From the data V&prime; and the reference data V is calculated a parameter M for updating the calibration matrices.

Method for calibrating force sensor mounted on robot, and robot

A group of bolts are suppled into a placing surface of a tray, an isolated bolt is searched for by a visual sensor, and its deviation from a standard position at the time of teaching is determined. The isolated bolt is picked up by a robot that has been taught how to pick up an isolated bolt laying in a standard position. The position of the robot's hand is corrected according to the deviation from the standard position before the robot attempts to pick up the located isolated bolt. If no isolated bolt is found, a shaking device,is operated to loosen the piled-up bolts, and a new isolated bolt is again searched for by the visual sensor. The isolated bolt, if found, is picked up. The picking-up operation may be performed by searching for an isolated small set of bolts using a three-dimensional visual sensor. The oscillating excitation can also be provided by a robot. Also, the piled-up bolts may be loosened or disentangled using a robot equipped with a tool for leveling the pile of bolts or by using a gas jet.

Apparatus for picking up articles using a vision controlled robot

Force-controlled robot system with visual sensor for performing fitting

Time constant setting method for a track program of a robot

A method of obtaining a force of each axis of a robot from the product of positional deviation and positional gain. A vector having components of the forces as many as the number of axes is defined and transformed into a vector on the base coordinate system. Based on the vector, a normal line vector on the profiling object plane is determined. The attitude of the robot is controlled so that the direction of the normal line vector may coincide with the Z axis of the tool coordinate system. Next, the positional gain of each axis, which would serve to make the force in the direction of the normal line vector constant, is determined, with the position deviation fixed. Further, the tangential direction of the moving path at the position is obtained, and the moving target position of the robot is determined in that direction. Then, the amount to be added to the position deviation of each axis, which is required to realize the speed for moving the robot RB toward this moving target position, is calculated, and is added to a positional deviation calculation section of a position control loop.

Robot profile control method

Attitude control method of a visual sensor utilized for an industrial

A method of tracking a robot with respect to a circularly moving workpiece W. When a workpiece on a disc-shape conveyer remains stationary at a reference position W0, positions P0 and Q0 are taught to the robot in a stationary coordinate system .SIGMA.0 and the robot is placed on stand-by at a position A. The angular displacement of the disc-shape conveyer is detected by a pulse encoder and counting of the output pulses starts when the workpiece W arrives at the reference position W0. A CPU of a robot controller reads the counted amount in a short cycle and transforms it into a rotation amount .theta. of the conveyer from the reference position. Updating of matrix data for setting a rotary coordinate system .SIGMA.rot based on the rotation amount .theta. is repeated. When the workpiece W reaches the reference position W0, the CPU executes interpolation calculation for successively determining a target point to which the robot is moved, based on the position data of the waiting position and the position data of teaching points P0 and Q0. The position data obtained by the interpolation calculation in the rotary coordinate system .SIGMA.rot is converted into the position data in the stationary coordinate system .SIGMA.0 and the position of the robot is controlled based on thus obtained position data.

Circular tracking method for robot

Method of controlling a robot with a supplementary axis

The robot is started after a groove line of a workpiece to be welded is taught to the robot as a target movement locus for the distal end of a welding torch, by using a fixed coordinate system. A control unit of the robot calculates a position (Pi) of an individual interpolation point in the fixed coordinate system in accordance with data specified in a program (S5), and successively calculates corrected positions Pi' (Xi+.SIGMA.xr', Yi+.SIGMA.yr', Zi+.SIGMA.zr') of respective interpolation points by using a cumulative value of correction amounts (S8). The correction amounts are obtained through transformation of an output of a visual sensor, representing a deviation of a current moving position of the torch from the groove line in a predetermined coordinate system defined by the current position and a current moving direction of the torch end, into a correction amount in the fixed coordinate system. In accordance with the result of a second transformation of the corrected positions Pi, individual axes of the robot are controlled such that the torch end is moved sequentially to the corrected positions (S9), to thereby move the torch end along the target locus. The correction is carried out each time the position of the workpiece is moved.

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Yamanashi, Japan

Ryuichi Hara