Kuka Robot Milling

I don't see an actual question in your post.

More information about what?

You need a robot - you picked one out.

You need a turn table if the robot cannot reach all sides of your part - you planned on using one.

You need a milling attachment/tool/spindle

Maybe a KUKA.CNC software package:
https://www.kuka.com/en-de/pro…ication-software/kuka_cnc

Your sales representative can take care of you and provide the necessary equipment required together with pricing.

Think you will need an offline programming tool like just for example Robodk. With those tools you can and should check the workspace, distances between robot and turntable in accordance to your workpieces.

If you are still wondering - the easiest solution is to download a trial version of Sprutcam - it is fully functional.

Choose a robot, there is also a rotary positioner available and insert your part to test the reach.
I would position the table on about 1200-1500mm from the robot.

The height of the table surface is another issue - it all depends of the maximum size object you want to mill.

But for sure lowest point cannot be too low - may be around the robot base (root)

It also depend of the spindle holder and the spindle as well - the TCP is going down if the spindle is bigger.

so for 1m table i would use like 800mm pedestal or something - needs to be tested of course

robot milling softwares powermill robot / sprutcam robot / robodk

have different prices but except from price which is better

for robot milling with spindle and cutting with plasma-laser-waterjet ?

Quote from SavageInT1

Hello, vvelikov, I have just started messing around with SprutCam Robot 14 and I'm having a problem finding KUKA model, I have looked for models here Sprut Cam Storage, but I can't find any of them with an existing rotary table. Could it be because it's a trial version? I've looked into some tutorials but only older versions. Am I missing something?

Cheers,

For specific cell you will need it to be done either from your representative or you can amend the current cell to match your situation
Just use the available model for test, that should be fine
I have used PowerMill in the past and it wasnt very user friendly - too many submenus etc sometimes it is hard to find the option you need.
RoboDK i think is not yet on the level of Sprutcam or the others CAM packages in terms of strategies for milling and the options they have. RoboDK is better used for simulation of a robotic cell with sensors, pick/place jobs etc

Robodk is absolutely exceptional at what it does, but what it isn't is a cad cam system, however where it does excel is converting CAM programs written in whatever your favorite CAM program is and very quickly creating robot tool paths.

I use powermill to create my tool paths, and although I do have the powermill robot plug in I find using robodk for the robot tool path conversion much more powerful and a lot faster than powermill robot plug in, also with the added advantages of being able to write python scripts, and the ability to calibrate a robot to increase accuracy.

So if you need a cad/cam system to create tool paths sprutcam may be your way forward, if you already have and are familiar with another cad/cam you may find robodk easier as it's one less new thing to learn in a new system.

Hi,

the CAD/CAM sytem is not the IMPORTANT item; they are only giving a cloud of points

the important item is the POST PROCESSOR with DATA REDUCTION included!

The post processor has to create a program the robot can execute with the requested accuracy and velocity.

Another important thing is DATA REDUCTION

Most of the CAD/CAM systems are not able to handle this at all for robot movements (maybe only for CNC machines)

I started to work with "Milling with kuka robots" in 1990 and i had to do the data reduction after the post precessor to get a good result (quality and timing).

I do not know how RoboDK is handling this problem so any feed back is welcome

@welikov

your picture in post #7 is not the venus I know, how was this done?

This is

What cad-cam used in this video for robotic diamond saw wire ?

Hi MOM ,

I would like to clarify what we do with respect to "DATA REDUCTION", but I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that.

CAM systems have the tendency to create a path with overkill point density for a robot, preventing the tool from performing the path smoothly and with a constant speed. So we do clean things up during the post-processing phase if that's what you mean. You can enter a minimum step size in mm or in deg for an arc and RoboDK will filter your program accordingly.

But if you mean otherwise, let me know.

Jeremy

If I understand correctly

Having a straight line with the length of 30 mm

You would set a point every 1 mm (if this is the default)

Setting the minimum step size to 5 mm you would have a point set every 5 mm instead of 1 mm.

Because this is a straigth line there is no need to set any points beside the first and the last point

Thios is not what I mean with DATA REDUCTION

robodk can calculate toolpaths with saw wire for kuka/fanuc robots?

Hi MOM ,

We don't do that kind of data reduction, you are right, but I wonder why you would want to do that?

There's one major reason why we don't do data reduction and it's our Calibration and Accuracy package.
Having more points let's us better filter the program in a more accurate way to account for robot error (mainly kinematic discrepancy).

But I'm still very interested to hear your reasons behind data reduction.

Jeremy

Hi javaman ,

There isn't any feature specific for wire cutting in RoboDK.
Some of our customers did create such applications using our very open python/C++/C# API, but that requires a bit more work.

Jeremy

There are several software in the market as you know, I would suggest to try ABB robot studio and robotmaster. Both are best.

Hi Jeremy RoboDK

Quote from Jeremy RoboDK

But I'm still very interested to hear your reasons behind data reduction.

This would be on of the reasons

circular-parameter-inadmissible-error-brings-robot-to-a-halt