Abb Ab

Asea Brown Boveri Ab

Other

Torgny Brog&aring;rdh

Gregory F Rossano

ZhongXue Gan

Stig Moberg

Xiongzi Li

Yunquan Sun

Staffan Elfving

Quing Tang

Karl-Gustav Ramstr&ouml;m

Alexander H Slocum

Ingvar Jonsson

John-Erik Snell

Jan Smede

H&aring;kan Dahlquist

Tord Henriksson

H&aring;kan Brantmark

Fredrik Skantze

H&auml;kan Brantmark

Patrick Willoughby

Alec Robertson

Henrik Jerreg&aring;rd

A method for fine tuning of a robot program for a robot application comprising an industrial robot, a tool and a work object to be processed by the tool along a path comprising a number of desired poses on the work object, the robot program comprises a number of program instructions containing programmed poses corresponding to the desired poses, wherein the method comprises: defining a fine tuning coordinate system Xft, Yft, Zft, selecting one of said programmed poses pi, calculating said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, running said one or more program instructions by the robot, determining the difference between the pose obtained after running the program instructions and the desired pose, adjusting the fine tuning coordinate system in dependence of said difference, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the adjusted fine tuning coordinate system Xft&prime;, Yft&prime;, Zft&prime;.

Method for fine tuning of a robot program

A method for programming of a robot application comprising an industrial robot having a robot coordinate system, a tool having a tool coordinate system and a work object ( ) to be processed by the tool. The application is programmed by means of a position-measuring unit ( ) adapted for measuring positions relative a measuring coordinate system (db). The programming method comprises: selecting an object reference structure ( ) on the object, defining a mathematical model for the object reference structure, defining an object coordinate system (o ), providing measurements by the position-measuring unit on the surface of the object reference structure, determining the object coordinate system in relation to the measuring coordinate system (db) by best fit between said measurements and said mathematical model of the object reference structure.

Method for calibrating and programming of a robot application

A device for monitoring operation of a driving arrangement including at least a servo-mechanism, which includes a regulator, a driving motor controlled by the regulator, and an element which can be set in motion by the driving motor. A detection arrangement detects deviations between intended and actual movement positions of the element and an operation inhibiting and/or alarming arrangement inhibits operation of the driving arrangement and/or starts an alarm when impermissible deviations are detected. The monitoring device includes a redundant driving arrangement, which include at least one auxiliary servomechanism including a redundant regulator, a redundant driving motor controlled by the redundant regulator, and a redundant element which can be set in motion by the redundant driving motor. The regulator and the redundant regulator are connected to an arrangement delivering control information or imparting to the element and the redundant element the same movements or movements having a predetermined relation to each other. The detection arrangement is arranged to detect the deviations concerning the relative position or movements of the element or an object connected thereto, and the redundant element.

Device for controlling the operation of driving apparatus

A device for relative movement of two elements ( ) comprises two link arrangement ( ) coupled in series by means of a connection arrangement ( ). A first link arrangement ( ) comprises at least three links ( ), which have substantially equal length and which are substantially parallel, said links ( ) being oriented in a substantially triangular relation, viewed along the longitudinal direction of the links, between the connection arrangement ( ) and the element ( ). The second link arrangement ( ) comprises at least one parallelogram acting between the connection arrangement ( ) and the element ( ). First the second force-applying arrangements ( ) are adapted to cause the first link arrangement ( ) to pivot. A third force-applying arrangement ( ) is adapted to cause the second link arrangement ( ) to pivot.

Device for relative displacement of two elements

An equipment for controlling an industrial robot, which robot has a plurality of rotation and/or translation axles (ax ), comprising a motor ( ) at each of said axles for generating desired movements of the arms and/or the wrist, of which the robot is constituted, a sensor at each of the axles for measuring axle angle and/or axle position, a servo ( ) for each of the axles for controlling the motors based on measurement values from the sensors, and a path generator ( ) for generating at least one reference (&phgr; , &phgr; , &tgr; ) for each of the servos ( ). The equipment comprises an apparatus ( &plus;parts of A&plus; B) at least one of the axles, which apparatus comprises a first device ( A) for calculation of the expected interference moment value (&tgr; ) of said axle when the movable parts of the robot is not exposed to any external forces by interaction with the operator ( ) or other things in the surroundings of the robot, and a second device ( B) for comparing this expected interference moment value (&tgr; ) with values of the moment reference (&tgr; ) of the servo ( ) and/or with values of the moment (&tgr; ) of the motor and/or with values of the moment of the axle ( ) and for forming, based on this comparison, a signal (&tgr; ) for controlling the path generator ( ). A method for programming/adjusting the movement of a robot is also included.

Method and apparatus for controlling an industrial robot

A robot for movement of a moveable element ( ) relative to a base element ( ) comprises at least two link devices ( ) coupled between the elements. These link devices comprise each at least two mutually articulated link units ( ) and power exerting arrangements ( ) adapted to pivot the link devices for changing the relative position of the elements. A first ( ) of the link devices is connected with the moveable element ( ) via a hinge connection ( ) so that there are, on consideration of the robot in its entirety, at least two degrees of freedom in the form of relative pivotability about two pivot axes, real or imaginary, extending at an angle relative to each other between the first link device ( ) and said element ( ). A further ( ) of the link devices is connected to the base element ( ) via a hinge connection ( ) which on consideration of the robot in its entirety provide for freedom of movement between the further link device ( ) and the base element ( ) with respect to at least two degrees of freedom consisting of pivotability about two different pivot axes, real or imaginary.

Device for relative movement of two elements

A device for calibration of an industrial robot, which calibration device is adapted for being in contact during the calibration with at least one plane of reference arranged on the robot, the calibration device includes an angle measuring member arranged for measuring an angle relative to the vertical line. The device further comprises two contact elements each having a curved surface, and the contact elements are arranged for being in contact with the plane of reference.

Device and a method for calibration of an industrial robot

A device for relative movement of two elements ( ) comprises three link arrangements (A, B, C) and drives ( ) for these arrangements. The link arrangements have forearm and upper arm components hinged to the upper arm components and to the second element respectively.

A method for determining a number of load parameters (m , x , r , &agr; , I , I , I ) for a load ( ) which is carried by a manipulator. The manipulator comprises a number of links ( ) which are movable in relation to one another, a handling member ( ) for supporting a tool, which handling member is movable in relation to said links, a number of axes (A -A ) around which the links or the handling member are/is movable as well as a motor for each axis which drives the movement of the axis in accordance with supplied reference values for the torque of the motor. According to the method, the manipulator adopts two selected axis configurations. A number of identification axes are appointed. The manipulator is run such that the identification axes carry out a plurality of movements according to predetermined patterns. During these movements, the motor torque and the axis angle are measured. The moments of gravitational force of the identification axes are calculated on the basis of measured motor torques during a first movement. The mass inertia is calculated with correlation between measured motor torques and calculated acceleration during a second movement. The load parameters are calculated from the calculated moments of gravitational force and the mass inertias with the aid of the movement equations of the identification axes.

Method for determining load parameters for a manipulator

A device for relative movement of two elements comprises two link arrangements coupled in series using a connection arrangement. A first link arrangement comprises at least three links which are substantially equal in length and parallel. The links are positioned in a substantially triangular relation viewed along the longitudinal direction of the links, between the connection arrangement and a second of the elements. A second link arrangement comprises at least one parallelogram acting between the connection arrangement and a first of the elements. First and second force applying arrangements are adapted to cause the first link arrangement to pivot. A third force applying arrangement is adapted to cause the second link arrangement to pivot.

A method for control of an industrial robot, which has a plurality of movement axes with a position sensor for each of said axes which is adapted to deliver an output signal which defines the current position of the axis, and a control system for control of the axes of the robot. Continuously during operation of the robot for at least one mechanically critical point (i) of the robot, the relevant load (&tgr;,) during a predetermined period of time (&Dgr;t) is calculated on the basis of the output signals (&phgr;,,&phgr;,. . . &phgr;,) from the position sensors and a mathematical model of the robot. Further, the rate of fatigue

Method for control of an industrial robot

A method for supervision of the movement control of a manipulator. The manipulator comprises at least one movement axis, a servo (9) for controlling the axis in accordance with supplied reference values for position, speed and acceleration (&psgr;,, {dot over (&psgr;)},, {umlaut over (&psgr;)},). A plurality of dynamic parameters (dyn-par) are calculated in dependence on reference values for the position and speed of the axis and a dynamic model (7) which describes the static and dynamic properties of the robot. A torque signal (&tgr;,) is generated by the servo in dependence on the control error torque (&tgr;,) of the servo. An alarm value (LV) is calculated as a function of the current acceleration ({umlaut over (&psgr;)},), at least any of the dynamic parameters and one or more of the following signals: the control error torque (&tgr;,) of the servo, the reference value for the acceleration ({umlaut over (&psgr;)},) and the torque signal from the servo (&tgr;,), and while using one or more signal filters. An alarm limit (LG) is calculated as a function of one or more of the following parameters: a constant, the current position (&psgr;,), the current speed ({dot over (&psgr;)},), the current acceleration ({umlaut over (&psgr;)},) any of the dynamic parameters, the control error torque (&tgr;,) of the servo, the reference value for the acceleration ({umlaut over (&psgr;)},) and the torque signal from the servo (&tgr;,). The alarm value is compared with the alarm limit and an alarm signal (ALARM) is generated in dependence on the comparison.

Method for supervision of the movement control of a manipulator

An equipment for calibration of an industrial robot which has a plurality of axes of rotation and wherein, the equipment comprises a measuring device is adapted for rotatable connection to a reference point the position of which is known, is adapted to be in contact with the robot, or a tool carried by the robot, during the calibration process, and has an axis of rotation which intersects the reference point when the measuring device is connected to the reference point. The measuring device further comprises a gravity sensor which is so mounted so that the axis of the gravity sensor is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the measuring device, whereby the gravity sensor measures the angle between the gravity vector and axis of rotation.

Growing community of inventors

Västerås, Sweden

Torgny Brogårdh

Growing community of inventors

Västerås, Sweden

Torgny Brog&aring;rdh

Torgny Brogårdh