Table 1. Fixed Station Main Menu (FStn Listing) Items
ITEM |
DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
FStn Range: A list of up to 32 names, each can contain 21 characters. |
This column contains the names of all the defined fixed stations. Even if a fixed station is not defined yet, user can press MODIFY to setup its properties. |
Table 2. Fixed Station MODIFY Items
ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
Name This is a 21 character name. |
A unique name for the fixed station. Ex: FStn 1. |
Bypass Range: YES/NO |
A Fixed Station may be bypassed during production run. To not use it, set Bypass = TRUE. You would want to use this property if you defined a Fixed Station during your testing, you want to keep it, but do not want the robot to go to during production run. If the Fixed Station is to be used during production run, set this item to FALSE. |
Robot |
The name of the robot that performs an operation at this station. The name can be selected from the [CHOICE] menu. |
Operation Range: PICK, PLACE and BUFFER. |
The type of operation performed by a robot at this station. If this Fixed Station is to be used as a buffer, then select Buffer as operation. To use buffers, refer to the setup of the PT Robot also. In the PT Robot menu, you select this FStn as the buffer, and provide cycle time data such as time in milliseconds from Infeed Station to Buffer, etc. |
Pick Qty Range: 1–6 |
The number of parts that the robot picks or drops at this fixed station in each pick and place cycle. |
Pick Or Drop Multiple Range: YES/NO |
If the robot is to pick or drop multiple parts (i.e., when the Pick Qty > 1), select YES. |
Approach Height Range: 0.00–99999.99 |
Specify the approach height from the pick or drop reference position. Ordinarily, you would teach an approach position in the PickTool TP programs such as PTPKFS11.TP, PTPKFT11.TP, PTDPFS11.TP or PTDPFT11.TP. Then, PickTool would display the actual approach height here. However, you can force the approach height to be whatever you want from this property. |
Tray |
The name of the tray that is used at this fixed station. |
Station Ready Range: 0–1024 |
Enter the port number of the Digital Input that comes on when the station is ready for the robot to perform its operation. Enter 0 if station ready signal is not used. This signal can be used as an ok-to-pick or ok-to-place signal. A utility program PKGTFSDI is provided for you to use this feature in your TP programs. |
Index Out DO Range: 0–1024 |
Enter the port number of the output to turn on to index the the station. When a tray is not used at this FStn, then the Index Out DO is turned on as soon as the robot places its parts via PKINDXFS program in PTDPFS11.TP program. When a tray is used at this fixed Station, then when the tray is full (place operation) or tray is empty (pick operation), the Index Out DO will turn on via the PKINDXTR program in PTPKFT11.TP or PTDPFT11.TP. If this FStn is an indexing buffer, then when the tray is filled, the full tray is indexed out using this signal. Once this output comes on, the station should index (PickTool should see the Ready DI go low) and the new empty station should come in (PickTool should see the Ready DI go high) before the robot will start picking or placing parts. |
Index In DO Range: 0–1024 |
Index In DO can only be specified when the Operation type is Buffer. If you specify this item, Index Out DO, a tray, and operation-type=BUFFER, then PickTool will infer that this Fixed Station is an indexing buffer. PickTool will turn on the Index In DO when it needs a part from the buffer, but the current tray is empty. In other words, when this output comes on, a full tray will be indexed in. |
Simulate Indexing Range: Yes/No |
If you specify YES after entering valid I/O values for the Station Ready and Index Out Signals, PickTool will automatically simulate the indexing using an Index Delay specified in the property “Index Delay”. Without this feature, or when this feature is disabled, when it is time for indexing the station, PickTool will turn on the Index Out signal. It will then wait until the Station Ready DI first goes low and then comes back high. With this feature, it will turn on the Index Out Signal, simulate the Ready DI port to go low and then come back on after an Indexing Delay. The robot is then able to continue servicing this fixed station. |
Index Delay Range: 0–999 |
Specify the Index delay for simulation of indexing in milliseconds. The value is used only if simulation of indexing is enabled. |
Table 3. Fixed Station MODIFY —> ORIGIN Items
ITEM |
DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Origin |
Record an origin for this station. This is required only if the station carries Trays. |
Pointer UTOOL |
Typically, the origin teaching is performed using a pointer mounted on the EOAT. If you are instead using the Gripper cups or tines directly, you need to enter the value of the UTOOL x, y, z, w, p, r in this item. If you perform the UTOOL determination from another menu such as Setup – Frames menu, then after completing the teaching, you need to enter the values of the UTOOL here. |
Frame Points |
You need three points to teach a Frame. The fist point P1 is the origin point. The second point P2 is the X-direction point. The third point P3 is the Y-direction point. Use SHIFT+TEACH to record each position. (Sometimes, long after you taught the points, PickTool may display the points as ****** instead of “TAUGHT”. Don't be concerned about it if the value of the ORIGIN below this field is initialized). |
FStn Origin |
When you are done teaching P1, P2, P3, you will see the value of the frame displayed here. |