Industrial robot comprising a portable operating unit which a movable key device for identification of the robot

A portable unit for teaching and programming a plurality of industrial robots, each robot comprising a manipulator, a control unit having means for automatically operating the manipulator, a movable key device configured to store information about the identity of the robot to which the moveable key device belongs, and a first receiving member configured to receive the movable key device of the robot to which the movable key device belongs, the operating unit comprising:

• a second receiving member for receiving one of the moveable key devices removed from one of the first receiving members of one of the robots;
• a sensor configured to read the robot identity from the received moveable key device;
• and
• a processor configured to establish wireless communication between the portable operating unit and the control unit of only the identified robot upon reading the robot identity from the moveable key device.

A method for controlling a plurality of industrial robots, each robot comprising a manipulator, a control unit comprising means for automatically operating the manipulator, a movable key device configured to store information about the identity of the robot to which the moveable key device belongs, and a first receiving member configured to receive the movable key device of the robot to which the movable key device belongs, the method comprising:

• moving one of the moveable key devices from one of the first receiving units of one of the robot to a second receiving unit operatively connected to the portable operating unit;
• transferring said information about the robot identity from the moveable key device to the portable operating unit;
• and
• establishing a wireless communication between the operating unit and the control unit only of the identified robot when the operating unit has received the information about the robot identity.