142.2.1 - Robotics

Robot Programming Methods

Robot Safety

General Robot Safety Best Practices:

- NEVER bypass any safety measures/devices, either within the Robot, within the Robot's cell, or within the programming

Industrial Robot Safety

- Industrial Robots & Humans DO NOT MIX:
  - Humans should never be able to enter the work envelope of an Industrial Robot without REDUNDANT, active & passive safety precautions, including:
    - Cages/Enclosures
      - The best way to keep people safe is to prevent people from getting anywhere near the Robot
      - Some modern machines are being built & designed with industrial robots already inside their enclosures, that way machine operators should never be able to directly interact with them
  - Sensors that detect humans within proximity of the Robot & halt the Robot's movement immediately upon detection:
    - Light Curtains
    - IR Sensors
    - Vision Systems (Cameras)
    - ...and many more
  - Multiple Emergency Stops:
    - Inside the robot enclosure, outside the robot enclosure, right next to the robot, on the robot, on the robot teach pendant, etc.

Cobot Safety

- Cobots CAN STILL INJURE/KILL YOU
  - Just because Cobots are designed to be used around & in conjunction with humans, doesn't mean they are not also dangerous:
    - It is extremely easy to create pinch points between a Cobot, a hard surface, and your fingers/hair/other body parts
    - DO NOT wear jewelry, baggy clothing, hanging long hair, or other items on your person that can be caught & pulled by the Cobot or it's attachments (end effectors, tubing, cabling, etc.)
    - If a Cobot has something sharp attached to it (blades, needles, etc.), the object can potentially pierce/slice your skin/body/organs without achieving sufficient enough torque feedback to cause the Cobot to stop

Online Programming

Online Programming requires the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming.
- Advantages include:
  - Immediate feedback & opportunity for adjustment/improvement of the program
  - Can be used for tasks that require manual manipulation of the robot's movements
  - Easier to program complex tasks that require human intuition and decision-making
- Disadvantages include:
  - Requires the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming, resulting in costly system downtime
  - Requires the operator/programmer to have knowledge/experience/training of proprietary teach pendant interface(s) and robot programming languages
  - Difficult to program long or repetitive tasks due to operator fatigue
Methods that fall under this category include:
- Teach Pendant Programming
- Tracing / Lead-Through
- Teleoperation

Example of a traditional/conventional Industrial Robot Teach Pendant

The style of teach pendant used on Industrial Robots for years, this style is highly proprietary and often difficult to use/understand without significant operator experience

Example of a more modern, Collaborative Robot Teach Pendant

Newer teach pendant designs have made great strides in UI/UX improvement and are typically easier to program, being similar in fashion to modern touchscreen tablet computers/devices.

Offline Programming

Offline Programming does not require the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming. Instead, the programming is done on a computer entirely separate from the robot system.
- Advantages include:
  - Allows for easy modification, testing, & iteration of robot programs without risk of damage to the robot, other systems, or the operator
  - Reduces programming time and increases efficiency
  - Programs/applications can be researched, developed, simulated, & "proven-out" for efficiency, speed, ROI, & other metrics before even purchasing the physical robot(s)
  - If coming up with new programs for an existing robot, these programs can be made while the robot is actively running other programs, resulting in little-to-no downtime of the system
  - If programming for multiple, duplicate robot applications, you can utilize the same program for all of them
- Disadvantages include:
  - May not account for real-world conditions or variations that can impact the robot's movements
  - Difficult to program tasks that require human intuition and decision-making
  - Requires CAD models or other virtual representations of the robot's workspace, that can take time to model accurately
  - If using software, these can incur addition licensing/costs/hardware separate from & in-addition to the robot system itself
  - Requires the operator/programmer to have knowledge/experience/training of proprietary software and/or robot programming languages
Methods that fall under this category include:
- Robotic CAM
- Scripting
- Parametric/Modular Programming

Hybrid Programming

Hybrid Programming does not require the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during the majority of programming. In practice, this typically starts with offline programming and then transitions to online programming for fine-tuning & dealing with unaccounted-for variation.
- Advantages include:
  - Combines the strengths of both online and offline programming methods
  - Allows for more efficient and comprehensive robot programs
  - Can reduce operator error and improve safety
- Disadvantages include:
  - More complex and time-consuming than using a single programming method
  - May require additional hardware or software to facilitate the combination of different programming methods
  - May require additional training/cross-training between robot operators and programmers

2.1✔ CHECKPOINT

Robot Safety/Operation Walkthrough

With instructor supervision, do an in-person Robot Safety/Operation Walkthrough on all the different Robot Arms in the Lab, going over & demonstrating the following competencies:
- Robot Safety Standards, PPE, & Rules
- Safe shut-down & Power-Off of a Robot
- Safe Start-Up of a Robot
Once done, certify that you have done so and affirm to the safety and operation standards given during the walkthrough by completed the 2.1 Checkpoint quiz on Canvas

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse