💡 In this class, the students can learn the basics of manipulating the operation of industrial robot arms (EPSON robot). The class introduces two types of robots, Pro-6-Axis robots, and SCARA robots, but only utilizes Pro-6-Axis robots in exercises. The main subjects include Introduction to Industrial Robot Arm, Software and Simulation, Calibration and Alignment, I/O port Communication, Human-machine interface (HMI), and Machine vision. In the end, the students possess the capability to design an automatic work cell with the robot.

• Basic and Challenging tasks:
  • Basic tasks
  • Challenging tasks
• Level of capability:
  • Level 1,2,3,4,5.
• Resources (CAD files, manuals):
  • CAD software
  • CAD files (tool, fixture, tray...)
  • CAD files from vendors, Chelic. (Solenoid, Gripper, vacuum nozzle)
  • EPSON manuals
• Extra-exercise time booking:
  • 2 shifts per week. (3 hours/shift)

The suggested basic tasks can help students familiarize the setting of the World, Local, and Tool coordinates with the robots and utilize essential functions and commands. The challenging tasks provide ideas and drill exercises for students to improve their coding and planning skills. These tasks only depicted the targets (specification or functionality) without detailed instructions. Students should use their creativity to leverage the functions and commands they learned in the lectures and robot manuals.

• Task 1. Exploring the robot envelop and the work cell:

Install tools and components (feeder, fixture, tray) and explore their coordinates with tools (extra parts may be required to proceed the calibration)

1. Define the World (local0), Local, tool(tool0), tool coordinates. (Based on the robots and works cell)
2. Measure the tool dimension and the center offset between tool0(J6, robot) and tools.(Tool1: gripper, Tool2: vacuum nozzle)
3. Decide the space between "objects"(tokens and blocks) at pick-up and approach gap when place

Exercise: Transfer tokens from the feeder to the fixture first, then move them to the tray.

• Task 2. Building the simulation environment:

There are two ways to build the simulation environment:

1. Use the measured dimension of the robot envelope and the work cell in Basic: Task 1.
2. Start a new layout arrangement with the CAD files Exercise: Insert CAD models in a robot envelope.

• Task 1. Tools

1. Gripper - high accuracy (can skip the alignment process in specific circumstances); can be used as a tool to align objects at fixtures (alignment)
2. Vacuum nozzle - with the pressure sensor, can be used to check objects and as a tool to align objects.
3. Explore the status by vacuum pressure gauge (sensor): check feeder, fixture, and tray status. (quantity, occupied or vacancy)

• Task 2. Feeder

1. Two feeders (A, B)
2. Mixed tokens and blocks
3. Stack up not neatly (not aligned)
4. Unfull-fill the feeder (checking quantity)

• Task 3. Fixture

1. Two fixtures (for different orientations - block 20 mm x 24 mm)
2. How to distinguish the block in (20 mm x 24 mm) or (24 mm x 20 mm)

• Task 4. Tray

1. One tray
2. Two trays stack up (two layers)
3. Two trays, one at the essential location and one at another with an angle(30 degrees).

• Task 5. Others

1. HMI - check token or block
2. HMI - Check the orientation of "rectangle" blocks
3. ......... with any idea you can think of. (continue)

To measure the capability of implementation of a robotic project.

The goal is to make the robot run continuously without human intervention.

CAD software, files, and manuals.

1. Mechanical Engineering Department - CAD software https://www.me.ntust.edu.tw/p/405-1005-35690,c2568.php?Lang=zh-tw
2. Free auto cad, register with student id. https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/education
3. Education account apply https://www.autodesk.com/education/support

1. Tooling End Effector: https://a360.co/44fONAx
2. Token: https://a360.co/3pmQSv7
3. Block: https://a360.co/3NmZcTH
4. Fixture, Tray: https://a360.co/3JyIhw6
5. Alignment/Infeed fixture: https://a360.co/3NNyUKD
6. Reference Point Setup Tool: https://a360.co/3PyeMhJ

1. Chelic components download: https://chelic.partcommunity.com/

1. EPSON manual: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://files.support.epson.com/far/docs/epson_rc_pl_70_users_guide-rc700a_rc90_t(v73r4).pdf
2. Delta HMI manual: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://filecenter.deltaww.com/Products/download/06/060302/Manual/DELTA_IA-HMI_DOPSoft_UM_EN_20211230.pdf