🦾Teach & Pneumatic

Table of Contents

1) Teach & Pneumatic Workflow

2) Set Up for First Use

3) Use Basic Functions

4) Teach & Playback

5) Use Pneumatic Functions with G-code

1. Teach & Pneumatic Workflow

Step 1: Set up Pneumatic Kit and Air Pump Box

Step 2: Start Teach & Play with Rotrics Studio / Touchscreen

2. Set Up for First Use

Read the Quick Start Guide to check the items, assemble the pneumatic module, connect with Air Pump Box and set up DexArm for the first use.

3. Use Basic Functions

Pneumatic Module Status

1) Air pump box working status

The air pump box has 3 working status:

• Pump in

• Pump out

• Release air

• Close all pumps

2) Suction cup working status

The suction cup has 2 working status:

• Pick (pump in)

• Place (pump out)

So you only need to control Air Pump Box to pump in or pump out for a picking/placing task.

3) Soft gripper working status

The soft gripper has 3 working status:

• Pick (pump out)

• Place (pump in)

• Neutral (release air)

Except for pump in and pump out, you need to return soft gripper to neutral status after each action is done.

With Rotrics Studio software

1) ClickBasic -> Front Endto choose relevant modules.

2) ClickPick / Placeunder Air Pick orGrip / Release / Neutralunder Soft Gripper to control pneumatic functions.

3) After picking items up, clickX±、Y±、Z±buttons inControlsection to control DexArm's movement.

With Touchscreen

1) Connect the touchscreen with the robot arm, clickPneumaticto select the module.

Here, we are using Air Pick as an example.

2) Click HOME to move DexArm to the HOME position first.

3) Click X±、Y±、Z± buttons to move DexArm to the item position.

4. Click Pick to pick up the item.

5. Click X±、Y±、Z± buttons to move the item to the destination

6. Click Place to place the item.

7. Repeat Step 3-6 to move all the items.

8. Click Stop to turn OFF Air Pump Box after finished.

4. Teach & Playback

Rotrics Studio software can control the picking/placing functions and record robot arm movements, you can also control robot arm movement with G-code programming.

With Rotrics Studio software

1) ClickBasic -> Teach & Play -> Onto enter Teach&Play mode.

After turn on the teach&playback function, select the right module and click OK.

2) Drag the Arm to a position and click Record to record this position and module status

There will be a new record in the Record List

3) Click Pick to pick the item up, and click Record to record this position and module status

4) Move up for a target distance( such 5cm), and click Record to record this position and module status.

5) Drag DexArm to a position 5cm higher than the target position, and click Record to record this position and module status.

6) Drag the Arm to the target position, and click Place to place item down. Click Record to record this position and module status.

7) Click Off button beside Teach & Play Mode to complete teaching.

8) Scroll Record List, and check all recorded action. Clic Set Delay to add waiting time between every action.

9) Click to playback all the actions.

With Touchscreen

1) Connect the touchscreen with the robot arm, clickBasic -> Reset -> Hometo move DexArm to HOME position.

2) Click Teach -> Air Pick / Soft Gripper.

Here we use Air Pick as an example.

3) Click DISABLE to start Teach&Play,

4) Drag the Rotrics Arm and move it to the target position.

5) Tap PICK to pick the item up.

6) Click RECORDto record this position and the module status

7) Drag the arm to another position, click PLACE to place item down

8) Click RECORD to record this position and the module status

9) Repeat Step 4-8 to record every action and position.

10) Click REPLAY to play the whole process.

Function Update

Old Version

• M893 obtain the magnetic encoder position;

• M894 move to the magnetic encoder position;

• The above commands remain in the new version.

New Version (for firmware V2.2.0 and above)

• M895 inversely obtains the front end module position via the magnetic encoder value and the module off-set value.

• M896 moves to a specified position under Fast, Line, Jump moving mode.

P0-2, corresponding to the three moving modes of Fast, Line, and Jump respectively. The default is Fast mode.

• Fast mode corresponds to G0 or M2001,

• Line mode corresponds to G1 or M2000, added over-limit detection of interpolation points during line mode,

• Jump mode is divided into three steps, from the current position to raise the height of H, move horizontally to the target position, and move vertically to the target position.

• F corresponds to the moving speed, H corresponds to Jump height, the F default value is 3000unit/min, the H default value is 50mm.

SampleObtain the current position

• Send: ​M895​

• recv: ​X:0.00 Y:320.00 Z:0.00​

Set to tech&play and setup JUMP height, ​M896 P2 F5000 H20, ​Move to the target position, ​M896 X0 Y320 Z0 Function Updated-In the previous version, the target position is not exceeding the limit, but the interpolation point goes beyond the limits during line mode. In the new version, the over-limit detection of the interpolation point is added during Line Mode under G1 and M2000. -After the M17 three-axis motor is enabled, the current position value can be obtained and set through the magnetic encoder value, and the front-end module offset value by inverse solution, no need to send M1112 to return to HOME.

5. Use Pneumatic Functions with G-code Programming

To use G-code for pneumatic work, you need to create a new .gcode file, open it with the notepad or a third-party text editor, enter the robot arm motion control commands, and send it to the robot arm through Rotrics Studio software to start picking and placing.

1) G-code commands instructions

Motion control commands:

• G0 X300 Y20 Z0 -move to position (300, 20, 0)

• G0 F3000 -move speed 3000mm/min

• M2000- straight line mode

• M2001- fast mode

Air pump box control commands:

• M888 P2 -identify the end effector as pneumatic module

• M1000 -air pump box to pump in

• M1001- air pump box to pump out

• M1002- air pump box to release air,

• M1003- stop air pump box,

2) Pneumatic G-code workflow:

A. Use command M888 P2 to identify the end effector as pneumatic module.

B. Use command M2000 or M2001 to set robot arm motion mode.

C. Use command G0 to control robot arm movement.

D. Use command M1000-M1003 to control air pump box.

Workflow for the suction cup:

• Use command M1000to pump in and pick up items.

• Use command M1002to release air, relieve the internal pressure of the air pump and place the item down.

• Use command M1003to close all air values.

Workflow for the soft gripper:

• Use command M1001 to make the air pump box to pump out, the soft gripper will grasp, and pick up the item.

• Use command M1000 to make the air pump box to pump in, the soft gripper will release and place the item down.

• Every time the soft gripper stops, use command M1002to release air and relieve internal press of the air pump box.

• Then use command M1003 to close all air values.