System of manipulators and method for controlling such a system
AssigneeABB AB
InventorsHåkan Fortell, Henrik Jerregård
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Abstract
A system of manipulators including several manipulators, namely robots and/or external axes, such as workstations or transport tracks, whereby each manipulator is controlled by a control system via communication means and is programmed to carry out a plurality of tasks. The system of manipulators is movable in a first coordinate system. A second coordinate system is defined for each manipulator, so that one part of the manipulator, e.g. its tool center point, stands still in the second coordinate system, which is movable relative to the first coordinate system.
Claims6
A system including at least two manipulators each programmed to carry out a plurality of tasks, the system comprising:
- a controller configured to control the manipulators;
- and
- a handheld control tool for manually manipulating the manipulators, said handheld control tool comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with the controller, wherein each manipulator is movably oriented in a first coordinate system, wherein a second coordinate system is defined for each manipulator so that one part of each manipulator stands still in the second coordinate system, and wherein each second coordinate system is movable relative to the first coordinate system,
- wherein the controller is configured to switch the manipulators between independent movement and synchronized movement and, if synchronized movement is selected, receive information on which of said manipulators is selected as a leading manipulator, and which manipulators are to be moved synchronously with the leading manipulator, receive a movement command from the handheld control tool, create a move order for the leading manipulator, based on the received movement command and a current position of the leading manipulator, and create move orders for the manipulators to be moved synchronously with the leading manipulator, such that said parts of the manipulators, which stand still in the second coordinate systems, are moved such that the parts maintain positions relative to the second coordinate system of the leading manipulator, thereby controlling the manipulators such that the manipulators move together in a synchronized motion when the leading manipulator is manually moved utilizing said handheld control tool.
A method for controlling a system of manipulators including at least two manipulators, wherein each manipulator is movably oriented in a first coordinate system, the system comprising a handheld control tool for manually manipulating the manipulators, the method comprising:
- defining a second coordinate system for each manipulator so that one part of said manipulator stands still in the second coordinate system, wherein each second coordinate system is movable relative to the first coordinate system,
- selecting one of said manipulators as a leading manipulator,
- creating a memory list including all manipulators that are to be moved synchronously with the leading manipulator,
- receiving a movement command from the hand held control tool,
- creating a move order for the leading manipulator, based on the received movement command and a current position of the leading manipulator, and
- creating move orders for the remaining manipulators in the memory list, such that parts of the manipulators, which stand still in the second coordinate systems, are moved such that the parts maintain positions relative to the second coordinate system of the leading manipulator, thereby controlling the manipulators such that the manipulators move together in a synchronized motion when the leading manipulator is manually moved utilizing said handheld control tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.