TCP/IP

I should be able to dig up some old references / documentation later today...

Generally speaking your options on S4 generation is fairly limited - when you say "works better" - better than what, doing what ?

The only (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) native protocol is Ethernet, Serial and DeviceNet and actually not even that since the S4C\C+ platform uses CAN (yes, I know, CAN is the carrier for DeviceNET) with an adoption of DeviceNet, but when developed / released DeviceNET wasn't a (ODVA) standard yet so everyone was kind of doing their own thing, this is why the adoption / compatibility of certain I/O devices had to be developed (I/O Plus option).

When it comes to AB RIO, Interbus (Slave) and Profibus (Slave), these are "gateways" or translators (hence, imho, non-native).

Ethernet supports FTP, NFS and BootP

Serial 232/485 (actually I think it's more of 422) does basic serial channel stuff like reading/writing Ascii/Binary, with RAP you have more control over specific robot functions, I don't remember which ones off hand, but it was used for file transfer (sloooow since it's still serial) among other things.

For seam tracking on S4's you need to use rs232/485.
You'll also need arcware plus option.

While you theoretically could write your own sensor interface and use the corrwrite function, this is not something you want to waste your time doing. (Plus it's not going to be as good as the built in function)

Quote from sandeep.lerio

Are you sure it's possible with RS232/485 for real time tracking seam tracking ?

Yes, positive.... That said, the tracker/sensor must support ABB's sensor protocol which both Servorobot and Meta does (not sure who else had it for S4/serial comm).

Quote from sandeep.lerio

Do you have any programming example with laser seam tracking?

There isn't much difference to the actual tracking programming, you simply add the optional argument \Track:=MyTrackData; to your ArcL/ArcC instructions and that's pretty much it.
The physical setup, calibration and configuration is a bit trickier and setting up your joint in the laser used to be a royal pain (it's much better now than it used to be back in the early S4 days ~95-96)

I'll dig up some examples later...

This is from a pretty cool/fun project, TIG welding butt-joints of 4mm square titanium tubes, 100% penetration no blow through.
IRB140 with a ServoRobot Mini-i10 camera.

Irb 140
  Calib. Pendelum RAPID
  Advanced Functions
  Advanced Motion
  LoadId and ColDetect
  Multitasking
  Developer Functions
  IO Plus
  Sensor Interface
  ArcWare
  ArcWare Plus
  ArcWare Plus Advanced Tracking

SIO.cfg

SIO:CFG_1.0:4:0::
#
COM_PHY_CHANNEL:


      -Name "COM1" -Connector "MC/SIO1"


      -Name "COM2" -Connector "IOC1/SIO1" -Baudrate 19200


      -Name "COM3" -Connector "IOC1/SIO2"


      -Name "LAN1" -Connector "LAN"


      -Name "SER1" -Connector "SERVICE"
#
COM_TRP_TYPE:


      -Name "RTP1" -Driver "mc/rtp1"
#
COM_TRP:


      -Name "TCPIP1" -Type "TCP/IP" -PhyChannel "LAN1"


      -Name "laser1:" -Type "RTP1" -PhyChannel "COM2"

Proc.cfg

PROC:CFG_1.0:4:0::
#
AW_SYSTEM:


      -name "TIG_BASIC" -aw_units "SI_UNIT" -aw_functions "TIG_FUNC"\
      -aw_equipment "TIG_EQIP" -aw_weldguide "NO_WG" -aw_tracksensor "MINI-i-10"
#
AW_UNITS:


      -name "SI_UNIT" -velocity_unit "mm/s" -length_unit "mm" -feed_unit "mm/s"


      -name "US_UNIT" -velocity_unit "ipm" -length_unit "inch" -feed_unit "ipm"
#
AW_FUNCTIONS:


      -name "TIG_FUNC" -restart_on  -restart_dist 5 -regain_speed 10\
      -scrape_width 3 -scrape_cycle_time 0.5 -ignition_on \
      -ignition_move_delay_on  -weave_on  -track_on  -precond_on  -autoinhib_on \
      -track_mode_on 
#
AW_EQUIPMENT:


      -name "TIG_EQIP" -di_arc_OK "di_Svets_OK" -ign_timeout 2 -arc_ok_delay 0.2\
      -di_gas_OK "diGAS_OK" -do_power_ON "doWeld"
#
AW_WELDGUIDE:


      -name "NO_WG"
#
AW_TRACKSENSOR:


      -name "MINI-i-10" -sensor_period 50 -ipol_gain 0 -corr_filter 10\
      -path_filter 10 -path_servo_filter 1 -sen_err_ramp_on \
      -angle_beam_camera 10

Weld

PERS trackdata trSrchTW:=[3,1,5,0,3,0.2,0,0,0,0];
  PERS trackdata trTW:=[3,1,2,9,3,0.1,0.13,0,0,0];




PROC Weld1()
    PDispOff;
    MoveL [[380.07,-195.96,60],[1.1E-05,-0.569889,0.821722,2.6E-05],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],v200,fine,tWeldGun;
    ScanRef 10,[[380.15,-198,50],[1.2E-05,0.590362,-0.807139,2.1E-05],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],poseResult,poseWeld1,v50,trSrchTW,tWeldGun,wobj0;
    PDispSet poseResult;
    ArcL\On,[[385.8,-212.25,49.33],[0.001675,0.565114,-0.825011,0.001075],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],v200,smTW1,wdTW1,wvTW1,fine,tWeldGun\Track:=trTW;
    ArcC [[389.02,-222.51,49.37],[0.001159,-0.54012,0.841588,0.000701],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],[[392.66,-236.01,49.37],[0.004535,-0.512473,0.858687,0.003089],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],v200,smTW1,wdTW1,wvTW1,z1,tWeldGun\Track:=trTW;
    ArcC\Off,[[394.99,-247.89,49.32],[0.002331,-0.489709,0.871883,0.000905],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],[[396.52,-258.33,49.24],[0.000834,0.469526,-0.882918,0.00041],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],v200,smTW1,wdTW1,wvTW1,fine,tWeldGun\Track:=trTW;
    MoveL [[396.74,-258.31,60],[3E-06,0.459359,-0.888251,-1E-06],[-1,0,-2,0],[9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09,9E+09]],v200,fine,tWeldGun;
  ENDPROC

Hello...TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network either an intranet or an extranet. When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.
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While I doubt they'll configure the robot for you, the supplier (who are you considering ?) should at the very least be able to supply you with the camera information you need to do it.

Sorry, a bit of a non answer I know...
My experience is that the sensor people are not robot people and as such you're on your own when it comes to integrating it.
This was a while ago though, so hopefully the sensor people have brought onboard robot people to better serve their customers.

Which sensor are you using ?

Well...

It seems to me that the sensor by itself doesn't interface directly with robots (for tracking anyway).
They do list a "interface" called Lamia so I would check with Riftek if it's compatible with ABB's "Sensor Protocol":
https://riftek.com/media/docum…amia/Riftek_Lamia_eng.pdf

Lamia appears to be Ethernet based on the robtot side in which case you're out of luck either way.

From RW6 tech specs...

Quote

If the RS232 link is used, the sensors have to be adapted to the ABB standard
application protocol, LTAPP. Sensors that are adapted to LTAPP are available from
companies like Servo Robot, Meta, and Scout.
The Ethernet link is available for optical sensors from ServoRobot, which use the
application protocol Robo-Com Light, defined by ServoRobot.

(LT = Laser Tracking)

I'm going to be blunt and tell you that you should start by not doing it....

Rapid is not meant to be a data-processor !
Thanks to the power and versatility of Rapid it is definitely possible, at least theoretically (background task / multitasking, traps/ivarvalue and corrwrite).
It's been done in the past for simpler applications (height control for TIG / Plasma) and this is no different "just" a heck of a lot more data to process.

But you'll end up in a world of hurt with killing the controller with processing the serial stream and you'll kill yourself trying to add filters to your "algorithm" applying corrections.

So - if you really want to code, I'd...
A) talk Riftek into adding the sensor protocol (small snippet below, contact ABB for the official version) .
B) Write your own "Lamia" for a PC to translate the sensor data to the Robots sensor protocol.

Quote

Seam Tracking
1. Write Variable - Reset
2. Write Variable - Joint number.
3. Write Variable - Resume. Repeated as long as SensorSystem returns 'Not ready yet'.
4. Read Variables - X, Y, Z, (Gap, Width, Area) as long as returned status indicates
'OK'.
5. When at end of path: Write Variable - Suspend.

Display More

Variable    		
1.	Version id. Some value that identifies the version of the SS software. Read.
2.	Type. e.g. the type of seam to look for in a seam tracker. Read/Write.
3.	Reset. SS to an initial state, whatever state it is in currently. Write.
4.	Ping. 'Are you there?' SS should return a response indicating its presence and what status it is in. Write.
5.	Camcheck. Start Camcheck of SS. If this cannot be done within 		the time limit specified in the link protocol a 'not ready yet' status should be returned. CS should then repeat the request until an OK status is returned. Write.
6.	Start. Initialize filters in SS and Turn on=1 camera. Turn off=0. Read/ Write.
7.	Suspend. Temporarily suspend=1 measuring. Resume=0. Read/ Write.
8.	X. =0  Read.
9.	Y. Measured value, unsigned word, units are choused with variable Unit. Read.
10.	Z. Measured value, unsigned word, units are choused with variable Unit. Read.
11.	Gap. The gap between two sheets of metal, unit like Y, Z, -32768 if not valid. Read.
12.	Mismatch. , unit like Y, Z, -32768 if not valid. Read.
13.	Area. The seam area, units in mm2, -32768 if not valid.Read.
14.	Thickness. Plate thickness of sheet that SS shall look for, LSB=0.1mm. Read/Write.
15.	Stepdirection. Step on left=1 or right=0 side of weldingdirection. Read/Write.
16.	Joint. Active joint number. Read/Write.
17.	Time. Time stamp, unsigned word, time since profile acquisition (ms). Read.
18.	Angle. Normal to joint angle in 0.1 degrees. Read.
19.	Unit. Units of Y, Z, Gap and Mismatch. 0= 0.1 mm, 1= 0.01 mm. Read/Write.
20.	SensorNo. Sensor id number 0 - 15. =0 if only one sensor . Read/Write.