IRVision and Master Alignment

    Hello Everyone,
    we have a Kowa b/w camera attached to our Fanuc 710ic load/unload robot. Using IRVision and a 30mm Grid, is it possible to master the robot using using
    a 30mm grid that is Permanently mounted to another Fixed machine?


    Basically, what i'm trying to do is replace the alignment marks on robot (which in our case 1 isn't legible). scale is wiped off. Robot is currently working properly, However,
    if we should loose Robot Encoder positional data, with No viable mark to align up J6 to, it would take quite a while to get operational again, too many different production parts would require touchups.


    Just wondering, since our 30mm grid is Fixed mounted on a Machine, if i had it do the camera do the Dance on grid and got a known position. Is it possible after a major
    robot failure, bzal battery failure (our operators have a bad habit of cycling power if they have a glitch or something (on a fairly regular basis)) and if batteries are bad, have a potential problem of loosing Encorder positional data.


    1) repair robot, new batteries, align all the marks on axis, best as possible, and have robot mounted camera do the Dance on 30mm grid.
    2) do a Single Axis Master on all Axis to the Known (previously saved Grid position).
    3) up and running in couple hours maybe.


    Only problem i'm seeing at this point is the RECORD position for Irvision, if this changes, my values i'm getting for the Dance change also! as in , my known grid position
    is no longer valid, since the original start point is no longer valid (if encoder info was lost).


    Is it possible to MASTERCAL the robot using a 30mm Grid and IRVision ? and what steps do i need to take to make it happen? :smiling_face:


    1) major failure, encoder positional data lost, etc...
    2) get functional
    3) enter old known grid start point, move to position (trickey point, this wont be exact same if Axis was move by someone, during Encoder data lost).
    4) have robot mounted camera do dance on fixed 30mm grid
    5) enter old known postional data into all axis using Single Axis master, calibrate
    6) and hope for the best :smiling_face: Will this work ??????


    just wondering if there is an easier way using a Robot mounted camera to Master align a Robot.


    thanks.... Paul.....

    under irvision i have 5 options, 1)vision setup 2) vision runtime 3) vision log 4)vision config 5) vision utilities


    under vision utilities 1) Robot Generated Grid Calib 2) Automatic Grid Frame Set 3) Vision Log Menu Normally use only 2), never used option 1) before.


    Under 1) Robot Generated Grid Calib i get the 3 following options
    1 Calibration Data :
    2 Target Position : Not Recorded
    3 Program Generation :


    would Robot Generated Grid Calib be the Vision Mastering option you are referring to ? if so, how do i run it?


    thanks... Paul

    Robot-generated grid calibration
    The function moves a target, mounted on the robot end of arm tooling, in the camera's field of view to
    generate a virtual grid pattern for camera calibration. Unlike grid pattern calibration, this calibration
    method does not require a calibration grid as large as the camera’s field of view and is therefore suitable
    for calibrating a wide-view-angle camera. When the robot-generated grid calibration is used, a
    calibration grid is unnecessary. Prepare the target that can be attached to a robot. When performing
    the calibration of the fixed camera, the robot-generated grid calibration can be used. When using a
    robot-mounted camera, the robot-generated grid calibration cannot be used. When using a robot-mounted
    camera, perform the grid pattern calibration for a camera calibration. For details about the
    robot-generated grid calibration, see Section 10.1, “ROBOT-GENERATED GRID CALIBRATION” in
    the iRVision operator’s manual (Reference).


    As stated above, I guess this isn't the option you referred to... Since my camera is attached to the Robot, it says i need to preform
    a Grid Pattern Calibration.


    I wonder how much this Vision Mastering Option costs :smiling_face:

    Hi HawkME,
    thanks for the responce :smiling_face: i'm getting closer :smiling_face:


    Under
    Menu>Utilities>IRCalibration i have the following options
    1 Vision Master Recover
    2 All-Axis Vision Mastering


    Under Vision master recover it has 9 options
    1 robot group: 1
    2 work tool frame number : 9
    3 set robot axis to recover not done
    4 create program not done
    5 run reference: vmrc1 not done
    6 check the measurement for reference
    7 run for recover: VMRCV1 not done
    8 recover master CT not done
    9 view result


    under all-axis mastering have 4 options
    1 robot group: 2
    2 Exposure time: 33.3ms
    3 Cal. Camera pos:
    4 move to Start pos
    measure: not done
    update master CT


    the OEM builder of our system did NOT give us any of the Fanuc Robot Manuals, another OEM for another one of our Fanuc 710ic 's did,
    but its camera is different, so i don't appear to have a manual that covers these :frowning_face: will either of these work ?


    thanks in advance Paul.......

    There you go. In the event that you need to remaster the robot, what I would do is first line up each joint as best you can to the witness marks and zero them all out. This will give you a rough mastering. Then run the Vision Master - all axis to get them accurate. It actually only does J2-J5, but that is all you need to be accurate. J1 & J6 are fine with the rough zero mastering.


    There really isn't work you need to do ahead of time for this to work, just make sure you have your calibration grid. If you want to test it out then just make sure you take a backup of your current master counts before you do it.

    Hi HawkME,


    On the Teach pendant, where do i look for the Master counts ? I know how to make the Image backup, and regular backup of the system, I however do not
    know where to look on the pendant for Master Counts.


    I've used the Master/Cal single axis master, numerous times. Our aux rotary axis, has to be reset / zeroed fairly often. However to look at/for a actual count valve
    of the location, i personally do not know where to look for the encoder/resolver type positional data on the Pendant!


    Thanks.. Paul.......

    If you look at your backup files you will find a file named sysmast. This is where the counts are stored. You can view them as text with the .va file and restore them to the robot with the .sv file.


    To view them on the teach pendant you would go to menu>system>variables>$DMR_GRP[1].$MASTER_COUN


    the "1" in $DMR_GRP[1] is the group number. Group 1 is typically the robot and group 2 would most likely be your rotary table.

    Edited once, last by HawkME ().

    Vision mastering is reported to be very accurate and one of a couple of valid solutions. However there is a way to restore your robot mastering in the bzal situation without remastering because remastering inherently will give you slightly different positioning every time. Search for my posts and u will find a full description of how this works and is likely the fastest/cheapest way to get ur robot back to the EXACT same positioning as before bzal.

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