System for evaluating the capability of a work-performing robot to reproduce a programmed series of motions

A method for evaluating the performance capability of a relatively massive, work-performing, multi-link, multi-degree of freedom robot with respect to a series of programmable motions, said robot having different velocity limitations for each of said links, comprising:

• manually manipulating through said series of motions a relatively lightweight robot simulator having multiple links connected to permit relative motion therebetween to define plural degrees of freedom for simulating said work-performing robot,
• generating, with velocity transducing means associated with said simulator links, actual velocity signals correlated to the actual velocity of said simulator links when said simulator is hand manipulated through a series of programmable motions,
• generating velocity limitation reference signals correlated to velocity limitations of said work-performing robot links,
• comparing said actual velocity signals and said velocity limitation reference signals and providing in response thereto different alarm signals when alarm conditions exist for different links due to the velocity of said simulator links exceeding said velocity limitations of said work-performing robot links, and
• providing, in response to said alarm signals, a humanly perceptible alarm indication substantially concurrently with the occurrence of an alarm condition.

A system for evaluating the performance capability of a relatively massive, work-performing, multi-link, multi-degree of freedom robot with respect to a series of programmable motions, said robot having different acceleration-induced stress and/or deflection limitations for each of said links, comprising:

• a relatively lightweight hand manipulatable robot simulator having multiple links connected to permit relative motion therebetween to define plural degrees of freedom, said simulator links and degrees of freedom simulating those of said work-performing robot,
• acceleration transducing means associated with said simulator links to provide actual acceleration signals correlated to the actual acceleration of said simulator links when said simulator is hand manipulated through a series of programmable motions,
• means for establishing acceleration limitation reference signals correlated to acceleration limitations of said work-performing robot links,
• alarm condition sensing means responsive to said actual acceleration signals and said acceleration limitation reference signals for providing different alarm signals when alarm conditions exist for different links due to the acceleration of said simulator links exceeding said acceleration limitations of said work-performing robot links, and
• alarm indicating means responsive to said alarm signals for providing a humanly perceptible alarm indication substantially concurrently with the occurrence of an alarm condition.