Kuka ArcTech Power scource not ready

    Hello,

    I'm trying to connect Esab 4004i pulse power source to my Kuka robot, i have configured project in work visual and outputs seem to work fine, when I turn them on manualy I get wire feed working. The problem is when I try to use user keys I get this error: "Wire feed error - power source not ready"
    Probablly I'm missing somethng simple, because this is my first time setting up a robot.
    Any help would be great!

    Connected via Ethercat
    WorkVisual 4.0
    KRC4, KSS 8.3.22
    Power scource: Esab 4004i pulse with W82

    Too many potential options to say with certainty, but my bet would be that there's a missing input from either the wire feeder or the welder, one that indicates that the welder or feeder is ready. This is probably an input signal whose assignment needs to be changed in the ArcTec configuration.

    I have checked the arctech configuration, got the file from esab describing inputs/outputs and compared it with description file and everything matches.
    I'm suspecting this might be option in esab power source interface. Maybe someone here worked with esab equipment and know what parameters needs to be setup in U82?

    Okay,


    To Panic mode:
    Comunication is working fine, drivers on, comunication established.
    To SkyeFire
    The signal is digital input 5, it lights up for a short time when I try to feed wire, but nothing happens. But if I press wire feed button few times wire comes out a bit sometimes.

    Now what I find out.
    I got this comment from Esab:
    "I know that KUKA have problems to set the remote on with an output, because that signal is a pulsed signal, the signal needs to be a steady signal"
    Attached output maping.

    How I understand communication:
    1. Firstly controller asks if power source is ready(sending output 8 in this case). When I press wire forward output 8 goes TRUE for a second(I think this is the pulse signal esab talks about).
    2. Power source sends that he is ready (input 4 in KRC4) which also goes on for a second the same time output 8 from the controler sending true.

    Ok so i set output 8 TRUE mnualy(ask is it ready) and as expected welder sets input 4(respond that welder is ready) to TRUE. And now I can feed wire freely.
    Now I can bypass this problem(power source not ready) like mentioned above, but I want to fix it properly.
    So my question is how can I configure output lenght or type in WorkVisual4.0, I need that when I press wire feed forward it sends constant output 8 as long as I hold the button?

    I don't know if everything is understandable, but I tried.

    It's not an issue with the signal mapping, it's an issue with the signal configuration. ArcTech should have an option for configuring these signals as either Pulsed or Steady State. Working this out will probably require you to closely examine the manuals for your version of ArTech, or contacting KUKA Service.

    One thing that puzzles me is that the Esab wire feeder, from your description, only seems to send back a "ready" signal if you are sending it a "wire feed" command signal. That seems very backwards to me -- the wire feeder should send the "ready" signal at all times when it has power and is not faulted, and the robot is obviously checking for that signal before sending the "wire feed" signal. The manual buttons do not have that check, which is why they work. I have to wonder if the Esab has a different signal for "ready", and perhaps you have the "wire feeding" status signal connected where the robot expects to see the "ready" signal?

    we have a training area with couple of robots for arcwelding and bunch of different welders (ESAB, Fronius, Lincoln, ...you name it...) and dedicated weld expert who sets them up and does training. ESAB works nicely (like all others).

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

    Yeah, I'm assuming that it's an ArcTech configuration option issue. Since AT obviously works with Esab units elsewhere, if the signal behavior is as described, then either AT is looking at the wrong signal(s), or there's a configuration option where AT should only check the input signal after sending the trigger output (plus some delay for the Esab to respond). The latter option seems a bit unlikely, though.

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