Best offline programming software???

[slinky]

What is/are the best offline programming package out there and what are the costs involved?
I hear Delmia and EM Workplace are good. Does anyone have experience of these?

[Werner Hampel]

well, both are very good for Automotive, but also very expensive.

[Jim Tyrer]

I would agree, it depends to a large degree what type of process you need to implement, and how often you do it in order to justify cost of the software.
In many cases there are other ways of doing it that are much more cost effective for small numbers of deployments.

[slinky]

Yeh, I see where your both coming from.
I think it just as easy to write the program structure offline and modpos online when only on smaller jobs.
What programs would you suggest for Motoman and ABB for this?

[Jim Tyrer]

You can use Ultraedit (commercial) or jEdit (freebee, but java based) or notepad++ (freebee, my current favourite) for writing
code offline for XRC/NX100 and S4/IRC5. You could potentially set up a text editor to behave like a development environment
that tells you when you make coding mistakes, but it's a fair deal of work, and it's rare that you find syntax files for robot languages. I normally just fudge up a file that will colour the keywords and help me find IF--ENDIF statements etc.
I have files for jEdit (see http://www.robot-forum.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=201.0) and I have Motoman file for notepad++ if you want it.

JimT

[vulpes_h]

ABB have a very strong softvare for simulation of several robots "Robot Studio " it is great.
it is esy to set upp and get going to program.

find out more att http://www.abb.com/product/seitp327/78fb236cae7e605dc1256f1e002a892c.aspx
  and the price is good.

[OkiePC]

Hello, I am just beginning to learn industrial robot programming.  My experence is with three Fanuc M410 series robots in box palletizing applications.  I have in hte past 6 months been investigating problems with our robot "behavior", updating them to better handle new products, and doing all sorts of troubleshooting.

I do have 11 years experience with PLC controls, motion controllers, and factory automation in general, as well as a background in early (pre-windows) graphics/game computing.

I have a ton of beginner questions, one of which applies to this topic:

Are there generic physics engines or development applications out there that are non-robot specific?

It would seem to me that robotics has probably evolved to a point where there are good standard practices, control methodologies, and geometric functions that I need to study first.

I am like one lumberjack hacking at a big twisted tree, and I need to step back and learn the forest a little better on my way to the chainsaw dealer.

Thanks in advance!
Paul
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Go OU!

[JTIPP]

I'm a huge fan of Motosim EG with NX100 Job Editor.  It is very fexible for any environment

[TylerRobertson]

Delmia and EM Workspace are both full automation PLM systems - very powerful, fantastic software. If you're just looking to use a couple robots for palletizing, it may be a bit of overkill.

I work in applications for Robotmaster, which is a CAD/CAM system for programming/simulating industrial robots (6axis) of most popular manfucaturers, and the same thing; If you're just doing pick and place applications, our software is going to be overkill. However if you're thinking about cutting/trimming, finishing, grinding etc. then the benefits of programming CAM toolpaths on your robot is a useful tool. If you're familair with Mastercam or any other cad/cam software, you're away to the races.

I feel the rubbing shoulders - I'm one of the few robot guys in a sea of CNC programmers.

I just registered here - OLP always gets me excited
and I saw Jim was from Canada - solidarity!

[Jim Tyrer]

Welcome to the forums, Tyler.
I drive past your 401/Hespeler branch twice on most days..

[TylerRobertson]

Haha small world - here I thought you would be from B.C.  or something
Going from k/w to mississauga?

[Jim Tyrer]

I do once in awhile. Just done an install @ 401/Martin Grove but I have a phobia for snow traffic

[TylerRobertson]

I don't blame you - the rush hour traffic on the 401 is unbelievable. I'm used to Sudbury where no-one is going anywhere fast

[asimo]

Delmia is really powerfull and fully integrated with Catia. Robotmaster seems really to be a good product, depending on what you want to do (and what you already know), but I've heard that you can use only one robot at a time and that there is no motion planner (I am not sure).

[TylerRobertson]

Hi asimo - You can program two different robots, and simulate two different robots but it would have to be a mutually exclusive process, yes - you can have jobs running at the same time, but generating the programming would be one robot at a time - Motion planning is done from a CAD model - the path is selected by using the model geometry, and whatever parameters are associated with a toolpath.  The types of geometric features used in the chaining of the path determines what type of motion the robot uses - approaches would be joint movement, circles would be arc moves, and so on. These motion parameters can all be customized. The motion planner in itself then is the CAD/CAM system