TCP/IP sockets communication with KR C5 micro

Quote from CoTer

workvisual does not work with KR C5 micro

It does work for kr c5 micro.

As for iiQKa i have no idea. Never used it. Saw somewhere they dont support raw krl, got disgusted and never looked back

On a normal robot you would use EKI for tcp communication. Or an EL6692 or EL6695 or EL6695-1001 bridge for straight buscommunication over EtherCat between two ethercat masters.

If using the bridge modules is an option on iiQKa i wouldn't touch anything else. Why start building a complicated system when you can have a simple one? Ofc if you want communication over either EIP or PNET is also a valid option, however only one of them can be active on the same controller assuming iiQKa behaves as a standard robot. Both of these buses require software options for the robot. By far cheapest and simplest option is ethercat bridge in my opinion.

Quote from CoTer

I have an LBR iisy with a KR C5 micro running Kuka's new OS on it, iiQKa.OS 1.1.5 with Kuka Linux OS 1.1.13, and I am trying to communicate to the robot controller to send waypoints from a Beckoff CX8090 controller to the robot for it to move to (the data would be a floating number for x,y,z,rx,ry,rz individually).

that is a fairly new platform so knowledge around it will be limited.

i have only seen it for 5 seconds.

Quote from CoTer

from what I understand, as long as I am connected to the KLI port, I should be able to setup a TCP socket communication with the robot. However, while I know how to set it up from the PLC side, I am lost on how to do this on the robot side

and that is the problem. robot systems are proprietary so communication is done through means that manufacturer has made available. i do not know enough about the iiQKa architecture but KRC4/KRC5 based hardware (including Sunrise) tend to allow free and easy access to EtherCat. That may be your best bet.

Normally KRC is only working as bus master and since connection requires Master/slave relationship, either your PLC is to act as a slave or you need a bridge between PLC and KRC.

An example of CPU with EtherCat slave is CX8010.

An example of CPU with EtherCat master is CX8090.

An example of EtherCat bridge that allows Master to Master communication is EL6692 (it also needs an EK1100 for primary side connection. Ethernet ports on the bridge itself are secondary side).

Attempting to write your own client/server can work - if you know how to access robot variables. As mentioned this is typically proprietary and therefore not public knowledge. And without that, path using own TCP client server is doomed. This can only work if you have documentation on specific protocol or if someone made the necessary software option that is documented.

The other option could be to explore what tech options are available from KUKA. There may be an OPC or similar thing for your platform.

You can check the details on Xpert and from what i can see there are only two options

• iiQKA.OS 1.2 has the following options (2)
  • iiQKA.Gripper CoAct Toolbox 1.3
  • iiQKA.Gripper Toolbox 1.3

In comparison to KSS or Sunrise that is nothing, as they both have long list of optional packages.

keep in mind that bridge can be obtained both through Bechhoff and KUKA. Hardware is the same but the firmware is not. whichever version you get, use the device description file from that manufacturer.