The Material Handling Gripper option provides the controller with the ability to set up, configure, and control the functioning of vacuum or clamp-style material handling gripper valves. You define the gripper valve type, characteristics, and I/O. Then you can control the gripper valve using specific macro commands that are called from within a teach pendant program, run from the Manual Functions screen, or run by pressing a teach pendant user key.
The following terms are used in the descriptions of setting up and operating the Material Handling Gripper. Review them for a better understanding of the Material Handling Gripper.
This is a "gripper-like" mechanism.
This is a mechanism that picks up objects using vacuum suction cups.
This is a mechanism that picks up objects using clamps.
This is a sensor that indicates whether an object is being held by a gripper valve.
This is a sensor that indicates whether the vacuum suction is on.
This is a signal that indicates whether the gripper valve is in the A position. When the signal is on, the gripper valve is in the A position. The A and B positions must be opposite.
This is a signal that indicates whether the gripper valve is in the B position. When the signal is on, the gripper valve is in the B position. The A and B positions must be opposite.
Table 1. Valve Signals
I/O SIGNAL | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Clamp inputs - signals referred to by name on the I/O MatHandling screens | |
Clampn open n = 1 to 64 |
This signal indicates that the specified clamp n is open. You can give the signal any 16-character name. The signal can be either an RI or DI. |
Clampn closed n = 1 to 64 |
This signal indicates that the specified clamp n is closed. You can give the signal any 16-character name. The signal can be either an RI or DI. |
Part present (PP) inputs - signals referred to by name on the I/O MatHandling screens | |
Part presentnn = 1 to 29 |
This signal indicates that the part present sensor is on. You can give the signal any 16-character name. The signal can be either an RI or DI. |
Vacuum (VacMade) inputs - signals referred to by name on the I/O MatHandling screens | |
Vacuumn made n = 1 to 29 |
This signal indicates that the vacuum has been made for the specified tool n . n is any of the tools that were defined at Controlled start. You can give the signal any 16-character name. |
Valve outputs - signals referred to by name on the I/O MatHandling screens | |
Valven to A n = 1 to 29 |
This signal indicates that the valve is in the A position. You can give the signal any 16-character name. |
Valven to B n = 1 to 29 |
This signal indicates that the valve is in the B position. You can give the signal any 16-character name. |
Table 2. Material Handling Setup Screen Items
ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
Tool |
This item indicates which tool you are using. |
Vacuum Valve | |
Valve #n |
This item is the number and name of the valve you are setting up. |
Valve Type |
This item specifies the type of valve, which is VACUUM. |
Valve Type |
This item specifies the type of valve, which is VACUUM. |
No. of Vacuum Sensor min: 0 max: 18 |
This item specifies the number of Vacuum sensors. |
Vac Feedback default: NO |
This item indicates whether the valve
has a feedback sensor.
|
Ignore Feedback min: 0 ms max: 10000 ms default: 750 ms |
When Vac Feedback is YES, this item specifies the amount of time to wait after the vacuum was turned on to start checking whether feedback has been received. |
Continuous Check default: NO |
When Vac Feedback is YES, this item specifies whether to check that feedback stays on until the vacuum is turned off.
|
Max Feedback Delay min: 0 ms max: 10000 ms default: 750 ms |
When Vac Feedback is YES, this item specifies the amount of time to wait before giving an alarm if no feedback has been received. When Vac Feedback is NO, this item specifies the amount of time to wait after turning on or off the vacuum to make sure the vacuum is in the desired state before continuing. |
Blow off time min: 0 ms max: 10000 ms default: 1000 ms |
When releasing a part manually, this item specifies the amount of time to pulse the vacuum valve to position B. |
No. of parts present min: 0 max: 6 default: 0 |
This item specifies the number of parts present sensors used by this valve. NOTE: If you change the number of parts present, the Material Handling Valve I/O setup will be changed. Increasing the number of parts present will add an entry with default data on the tool I/O screen. The existing data will be left unchanged. The newly added data will remain unchanged. Decreasing the number of parts present will remove the last entry for that data type. The rest of the data will remain unchanged. |
Continuous Check default: NO |
After a part has been picked up, this item specifies whether to check that the part present sensor stays on until the part is put back down.
|
Clamp Valve | |
Tool |
This item indicates which tool you are using. |
Valve #n |
This item is the name of the valve you are setting up. |
Valve Type |
This item specifies the type of valve, which is CLAMP. |
No. of clamps min: 0 max: 4 default: 0 |
This item specifies the number of clamp sensor pairs used by this clamp valve. NOTE: If you change the number of clamps, the Material Handling Valve I/O setup will be changed. Increasing the number of clamps will add an entry with default data on the tool's I/O screen. The existing data will be left unchanged. The newly added data will remain unchanged. Decreasing the number of clamps will remove the last entry for that data type. The rest of the data will remain unchanged. |
Check Opened default: NO |
Before a part has been picked up and after a part has been put down, this item specifies whether to automatically check that the valve's clamps are all open. |
Check Closed default: NO |
After a part has been picked up, this item specifies whether to automatically check that the valve's clamps are closed. |
Operation Timeout Min: 0 ms Max: 9999 ms Default: 750 ms |
The Operation Timeout description is the time in milliseconds the sensor is checked before posting a fault. As soon as the sensor is checked and in a valid state, the Over Stroke Delay is executed. |
Over Stroke Delay Min: 0 ms Max: 9999 ms |
After the close sensor becomes active, the gripper will wait this amount of time in milliseconds and check the sensor again. This is used when a gripper may go past the “closed” switch to an overstroke condition if there is not a part present. |
No. of parts present Min: 0 Max: Default: 0 |
This item specifies the number of parts present sensors
used by this valve. NoteIf you change the number of parts present, the Material Handling Valve I/O setup will be changed. Increasing the number of parts present will add an entry with default data on the tool's I/O screen. The existing data will be left unchanged. The newly added data will remain unchanged. Decreasing the number of parts present will remove the last entry for that data [TYPE]. The rest of the data will remain unchanged. |
Continuous Check Default: NO |
After a part has been picked up, this item specifies
whether to check that the part present sensor stays on until the part
is put back down.
|
Toggle Retry Enabled (Grip) Default: FALSE |
When this item is enabled, and the clamp closed state input is not sensed, the Alarm Recovery menu is displayed and provides a choice “Toggle I/O and recheck”. When this recovery choice is selected, the clamp will toggle through open, delay and then re-close. If the clamp is in the proper state after toggling, the cycle will continue, if it is not, the alarm recovery menu will return. |
Auto Retry (Grip) Default = 0 Min = 0 Max = 5 |
When the Toggle Retry (Grip) is enabled, then the user may select the number of auto retries for toggling the clamp automatically before the alarm recovery is executed when the Clamp Closed input is not being sensed. If the toggle retry (Grip) is DISABLED, the user cannot edit the new Auto Retry (Grip) value. |
Toggle Retry Enabled (Release) |
When this item is enabled, and the clamp open state input is not sensed, the Alarm Recovery menu is displayed and provides a choice “Toggle I/O and recheck”. When this recovery choice is selected, the clamp will toggle through close, delay and then re-open. If the clamp is in the proper state after toggling, the cycle will continue, if it is not, the alarm recovery menu will return. |
Auto Retry (Release) Default = 0 Min = 0 Max = 5 |
When the Toggle Retry (Release) is enabled, then the user may select the number of auto retries automatically before the alarm recovery is executed when the Clamp Open input is not being sensed. If the toggle retry (Release) is DISABLED, the user cannot edit the new Auto Retry (Release) value. |
Cancel Recover Option (Grip) Default = FALSE. |
When Cancel Recover (Grip) is TRUE, then during alarm recovery for the Clamp close alarm, a choice is presented to the user to “Cancel and Recover”. If this choice is used, then it cancels the current operation and reverses it. For example, on a “grip” fault, the robot will “ungrip”. To use this option, the recovery path must be programmed in the pick or drop program. When this option is selected, all valves that were closed with the “Grip Part(x,y,z) macro are attempted to be reversed to starting state. If the valves all have the opposing Cancel Recovery enabled, then all clamps will be opened and confirmed to be in the open state as long as the “Check Opened” item is also enabled. The Flag[40] is set to 1, this is to be used by the user for indicating that the program must use the users programmed recovery to exit or back away. If the “Grip Part” macro has multiple clamps, it is recommended that ALL clamps have the same setup, or exit recovery may not be able to execute. For instance, if a “Grip Part(1,2,4)” is executed, clamp fault occurs on clamp#4. When the user selects Cancel and Recover, the clamps are opened in the opposing order they were closed and checked to proper state (if the sensor checking is enabled). If any of the clamps closed have the Toggle option DISABLED. The recovery will write a message to the top of the teach pendant “'Gripper# x Clamp# y Toggle is DISABLED'” delay 2 seconds then, post an error message 'Open Grip to Exit NOT Possible' indicating that the recovery is not available to be completed do to the current setup of all valves are not allowed to exit recovery. The flag 40 will be set to zero in this case. It is recommend that you use the AUTO EXIT PATH option when using the Cancel Recovery. The Auto Exit Path option allows the robot’s exit path to be recorded. with minimal Path programming. See example program tmptpick.tp. |
Cancel Recover Option (Release) Default = FALSE. |
When Cancel Recover (Release) is TRUE, then during alarm recovery for the Clamp Open alarm, a choice is presented to the user to “Cancel and Recover”. If this choice is used, then it cancels the current operation and reverses it. For example, on a “ungrip” fault, the robot will “grip”. To use this option, the recovery path must be programmed in the pick or drop program. When this option is selected, all valves that were opened with the “Release Part(x,y,z) macro are attempted to be reversed to starting state. If the valves all have the opposing Cancel Recovery enabled, then all clamps will be closed and confirmed to be in the close state as long as the “Check Closed” item is also enabled. The Flag[40] is set to 1, this is to be used by the user for indicating that the program must use the users programmed recovery to exit or back away. If the “Grip Part” macro has multiple clamps, it is recommended that ALL clamps have the same setup, or exit recovery may not be able to execute. For instance, if a “Release Part(1,2,4)” is executed, clamp fault occurs on clamp#4. When the user selects Cancel and Recover, the clamps are closed in the opposing order they were opened and checked to proper state (if the sensor checking is enabled). If any of the clamps closed have the Toggle option DISABLED. The recovery will write a message to the top of the teach pendant “'Gripper# x Clamp# y Toggle is DISABLED'” delay 2 seconds then, post an error message Close Grip to Exit NOT Possible' indicating that the recovery is not available to be completed do to the current setup of all valves are not allowed to exit recovery. The flag 40 will be set to zero in this case. It is recommend that you use the AUTO EXIT PATH option when using the Cancel Recovery. The Auto Exit Path option allows the robot’s exit path to be recorded with minimal Path programming. See example program tmptpick.tp. |
Undefined Valve (*****) | |
Tool |
This item indicates which tool you are using. |
Valve #n |
This item is the name of the valve you are setting up. |
Valve Type |
This item specifies the type of valve, which is NONE. |