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Introduction 1

EASY-ROB™ is a powerful, comprehensive modeling andsimulation tool, to create high quality and high speed renderedimages for animation of 3D Scenes. Processes from therobotics and mechanical engineering field are programmed andvisualized immediately. The program is a 32-bit MicrosoftWindows® application using the Microsoft Foundation Classes(MFC) and the capabilities of OpenGL™. It is especiallydesigned to fulfill requirements for several industrial roboticapplications and for the small industry. EASY-ROB™ is as wellas especially designed for educational purposes.The most important benefit of EASY-ROB™ is the individualadaptability, for a various number of technical purposes.

Applications

EASY-ROB™ is used in a wide range of automatization fields.Typical applications for EASY-ROB™ are,

• Layout Planning• Programming of processes

Offline Programming• Visualization of mechanical system

(Robots, NC machines)• Feasibility studies• Virtual test• Assembly processes• Training and educational purposes• Research and development• Sales support and sales improvement

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BASIC - Overview

EASY-ROB™ BASIC module allows the planning and design ofrobotic workcell layouts consisting of a robot, tool andenvironment. A simple 3D CAD system is provided to createbasic geometric parameterized primitives like cubes, cones,cylinders, pyramides, etc.. In addition a CAD interface isavailable to import other 3D formats such as STL format (binaryans ascii). Created and imported geometries are assigned tothe robot group to active or passive joints, to the tool group or tothe environment group. Using a 3 button mouse, each geometrycan be translated and rotated about its axis, as well as enteringabsolute or relative cartesian values to set the cartesianlocation. A modification of the view point (pan, tilt, zoom in andzoom out) in full shaded mode allows various world views. Therobot motion can be programmed using the commands givinwith the EASY-ROB™ Program Language ERPL. A specialTeach Window supports the user to create robot motionprograms. The built-in motion planner is implemented for themotion types: Point to point (PTP), Linear (LIN) and Circular(CIRC). The orientation interpolation for the LIN and CIRCmotion type is realized for different modes, such as variable, fix,tangential and quaternion. Several online output windowsallows to view and monitor robot joint values, cartesian TCPlocation as well as simulation states such as cycle time, stepsize, override, etc.. All data (workcell, robot, tool, body, viewand program files) saved into documented ASCII text files,which allows the user to edit with every standard editor, such asnotepad.

ERCL - EASY-ROB Command Language

The ERCL (EASY-ROB Command Language) is an extensionof the EASY-ROB Programming Language available in theBASIC Module. ERCL allows it to automate nearly all userinteractions inside a robot program. Examples are: SwitchON/OFF the TCP trace, collision, TCP coorsys, load anotherview, render bodies to flat, wire or invisible, set a new color,change the simulation step size or the motion planner step size,

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move bodies, define and move body lists, move the robotsbase, etc.

COLL - Collision Detection

The collision detection allows to check collision between therobot, tool and the environment bodies during simulation. Thecollision is checked between the following groups:

- Tool group (attached to the robots tip) and the robot group,- Tool group and environment group loaded in the workcell- Robot group and environment group- Grabbed environment group and the robot group- Grabbed environment group and not grabbed environment group.

The collision is checked during jogging of the robots TCP,moving the robots joints and during program execution. Collidedgeometries highlighted in different colors. The shortest distanceis calculated and visualized by a red colored line. The collisioncan be enabled and disabled by the user at any time duringsimulation and through a program using the ERCL. Thehierachical collision detection algorithm is fast and powerful.This functionality is useful to verify the robot program and therobot motion.

LIBRARY - Robot Library

The library inside EASY-ROB™ gives the user the ability tostore workcells, robots, tools, and accessories (environmentbodies) with an Image and a description in a library. This visualfile interface makes it easier to organize your project files. Thebasic library contains some workcells, robots, tools and usefulaccessories.

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ROBMOD - Robot Modeling

The robot modeling functionality allows it to modify and createnew robot kinematics. 5 different kinematics types are available.RRR:RRR standard robot type with 6 degrees of freedom(DOF). All joints are revolute. The RRR:RRR Back Link robottype where joint 2 and joint 3 are coubled by a so called BackLink. The TTT:RRR Simple robot type with 3 translational jointsand 3 revolute joints.The solution for the inverse kinematics problem for these threerobot types is analytical solved and complete parameterized bythe robot kinematics lengths. Automatic generated defaultgeometries allow a fast prototyping. Yellow colored coorsysvisualize the joint directions. Each robot is represented byattributes such as homeposition, travel range, maximum jointspeeds and accelerations, etc.Two additionally robot kinematics "Variable" types are availableto modell non standard robot kinematics with less or more than6 DOF. The first type can be described in "UniversalCoordinates" up to 12 DOF for active and passive joints. Usingthe universal type, it can be defined wether the joints arerotational or translational in/about X,Y or Z direction. Thesecond variable type is based on the well known notationDenavit Hartenberg Parameters (DH). The mathematicaldescription is semilar to the universal coordinates, but isrestricted by translation and rotation in/about Z-direction. Tomove the TCP of these variable robot types in cartesian spacewith respect to the robots base a user defined solution for theinverse kinematics is required using the application programinterface (API). EASY-ROB™ APIKIN or NUMSOL for DHkinematics.

NUMSOL – Numerical Solution

EASY-ROB NUMSOL is used when a robot kinematics iscreated based on Denavit Hartenberg (DH) Parameters. TheNumerical Solution for the inverse kinematics solutioncalculates the joint values for the TCP location with respect tothe robots base. All joints can be weightend. A mask vector

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blanks out cartesian directions. A translational and rotationaltolerance value influences the accuracy of the result and thenumber of iterations. NUMSOL is especially useful for robotwith more or less than 6 DOF.

API - Application Program Interface

API-INV - Inverse Kinematics

The API for inverse kinematics is used when a robot kinematicsis created based on Universal Coordinates or DenavitHartenberg (DH) Parameters. The API for inverse kinematicsallows to develop user defined functions written in C to solvethe inverse kinematics problem. Many exported functions givefull access to all robot data, i.e. kinematic robots lengths,software travel ranges, joint directions, tool frame, TCPlocation, etc. Mathematical routines to handle homogeneoustransformation matrices are available as well as trigonometricalfunctions for angle, triangle and trapezoid calculations. Aproject for the Microsoft™ Visual C++ Compiler is available andwill generate the Dynamic Link Library (DLL) er_kin.dll.Inside this Dll, different solutions are kept.

API-IPO - Motion Planner

In a semilar way as for the inverse kinematics solution, anApplication Program Interface (API) for the motion planningrespectively the interpolator exist. The build-in motion planningroutines inside the EASY-ROB BASIC module implemented forthe point to point (PTP) and continuous path (CP) motion type.The continuous path motion type covers linear (LIN) andcircular (CIRC) motion. The API for the motion planning allowsit to develop user defined functions written in C for the motiontypes PTP, LIN and CIRC. Before the robot moves to its newtarget location, the preparation routine, which returns therequired motion time for that move is called. Afterwards,supposed the preparation was successful, the execution routineis called every interpolation step size to calculate intermediatelocations for the robots TCP. Many exported functions give fullaccess to the current motion planning values such asprogrammed speeds and accelerations. Mathematical routinesto handle homogeneous transformation matrices are available.

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A project for the Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler is available andwill generate the Dynamic Link Library (DLL) er_ipo.dll.Inside this Dll, different routines for the motion types PTP, LINand CIRC are kept.

API-DYN - Dynamics

The Dynamics functionality allows to consider the dynamicmodel of the robot and the position controller during simulation.The build-in dynamics routine for the dynamic robot model usesa simple uncoupled 1st order model in the discrete z-spacedefined by the inertia, the viscous friction and the gear ratio foreach joint. Based on the system step the discrete model iscalculated. The build-in position controller is represented by thewell known PPI Cascade Controller with pseudo analog PIvelocity controller. During the robots motion a green traceshows the desired TCP location and a red trace the actuallocation of the robots TCP. An output window shows the errorsin joint and cartesian space at any time. The ApplicationProgram Interface (API) for Dynamics allows to develop userdefined functions written in C for the dynamic robot model andthe position controller. Herein it will be possible to consider thereal non linear coupled model of the robot and use anintegration algorithm such as Runge Kutta to solve the inversedynamic modell. Furthermore, a special position controller suchas an adaptive or a robot modell based controller can beimplemented. Many exported functions give full access to therobot attributes as well to the parameter for the positioncontroller. Mathematical routines to handle homogeneoustransformation matrices are available. A project for theMicrosoft Visual C++ Compiler is available and will generate theDynamic Link Library (DLL) er_dyn.dll. Inside this Dll,different routines are kept for an easier comparison of differentcontroller.

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Hardware Requirements

• IBM compatible Pentium PC

• Windows® 9x, NT, 2000 or XP

• 128MB (256MB for NT, 2000, XP recommended)

• less than 64MB hard disk space

• No special graphics cards are required, but Graphicaccelerator boards will enhance the performancesignificantly

EASY-ROB™ and other programs

3D CAD

EASY-ROB™ has a simple 3D CAD functionality, which allowsit to create primitives, such as a parameterized cube, wedge,cone, cylinder, pyramide and sphere. An interface to import 3Dpolygon geometries from other 3D CAD programs is availablefor the STL format (binary and ascii) and for the IGRIP®www.delmia.com partfile format up to version 14.A very powerful 3D CAD program is Rhinoceros® from RobertMcNeel & Associates www.rhino3d.com. Rhinoceros® is a 3DNURBS modeling program for Windows and has the capabilityto polymesh a selected solid and export it to a binary STL files,which can be imported into EASY-ROB™. A direct importinterface for polymeshed 3dm files is planned. The importedgeometries are scaled in X, Y and Z direction and coloredinside EASY-ROB™.

Offline Programming

EASY-ROB™ is a simulation tool for robots, NC machines andother applications. To create work piece oriented programs forrobots or NC machines, an Offline Programming Tool such asFAMOS® or an CAD/CAM System is needed.

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FAMOS robotic©, a property of the carat robotic innovationGmbH www.carat-robotic.de, is a work piece orientedprogramming tool for industrial robots and used for processoptimization. It is conceived both for use on site as well as forwork preparation, and offers a Microsoft-Windows® (95/98/NT)standard user interface. A postprocessor in FAMOS© createsprograms for EASY-ROB™ in the ERPL-Syntax. This allows tosimulate and verify the process before downloading into the realrobot controller. FAMOS© has the capabilities to generateprograms for other robot controller, such as ABB S3/S4, KukaKRL, Stäubli, Fanuc and Reis.

Technical Support

In case you have any questions regarding the usage ofEASY-ROB™, please feel free to contact.

Support is available via e-mail or telephone.

E-mail: support@easy-rob.com

Telephone: +49 (0) 69 677 25 622

EASY-ROB™ offers also consulting for individual technicalneeds.

• Machine or robot modeling• NC-Code adaption• Modeling of miscellaneous. kinematic devices/chains• 3D CAD• Offline programming

Contact: sales@easy-rob.com

Telephone: +49 (0) 69 677 24 287Telefax: +49 (0) 69 677 24 320