Posts by Robot2

Hello guys

I am back thanks for all the comments it really helped me focus on the real things that I needed to do to get the project going.

But I encountered a problem in the development and I wanted to talk with you guys in order to know if you could answer.

I got the RoboDK trial license and I have been trying different things with it and ithink that the software alone will be sufficient for the use that we are planing on doing .

I dont know if I mentionned it but I wanted to use a turntable to maximize the workspace. The problem is that I dont know how to make my software now where is the part that I want to cut in the real life, Is there a proper way to make the code adapt to the real position of the apart either by using renishaw probes, cameras or even Uraco ? If so do you know software/company that sells those programs/tools

Right Now I am trying some sketchy thing with RoboDK API and open-cv sift detection algorithm simulating 2 cameras at the same time trying to get a 3d image or something near to calculate an estimation of the part pose and trying to move it accordingly in the turntable.

Thanks in advance,
Robot2 .

Quote from SkyeFire

I hate to say it, but there's nothing simple about it. Even for a CAM path that appears simple to the human eye, there's a lot of computation involved, and a lot of software engineering required to make sure it works with sufficient reliability across all use cases.

Also, the cost of creating this software doesn't really "scale down" -- the cost of creating a good CAM software for "simple" tasks really is any less than creating it for "complex" tasks, except when you make complexity jumps like going from 3-axis to 4+ axes. And a robot has 6 degrees of freedom that have to all be taken into account, so you're almost automatically in the expensive end of the pool.

yeah it does make sense that the complexity lead to much bigger prices.

Quote from SkyeFire

I know that RoboDK can generate 3D printing paths for robots -- I would assume CNC paths are possible. But I would recommend talking to someone at RoboDK. I do know there's a module in RoboDK named KUKA_CNC, although that might only be a postprocessor for KUKA.CNC.

OctoPuz is supposed to have similar abilities. And I know there's a KUKA Post-processor for Fusion 360, though I've never used it. Still, for a low-cost proof of concept, it might not be a bad place to start.

I will look onto those thanks.

Quote from SkyeFire

What kind of cutting job is this? Would it be doable with a simple 3-axis CNC path, or would it require something more equivalent to a 4- or 5-axis CNC? For a simple 3-axis path, it's possible to create a simplistic post processor to convert GCode commands into KRL commands. I built one several years ago just to show that it was possible (attached). I wouldn't use it for production, but for dead-simple GCode (simple G1 commands, no Arc/Circle commands, etc), it worked.

It would probably be possible in a 3 axis CNC path but maybe required 5 axis for it to be validated by my internship supervisor.
I saw a post from years ago featuring your post processor I might try with it.

But I still need to generate the toolpath for it to be working and I have no clue on how to generate a 3 axis toolpath .

Thanks for your interest and answer,
Help me a lot processing everything,
Robot2 .

Quote from panic mode

is diametrically opposite of :

i would say good luck...

Yeah maybe I am not being self conscious about my capability ...
the thing is that I am supposed to have studied those thing but without hands-on experience I would say that its very confusing.

Quote from panic mode

you can contact manufacturers for trial versions of software. some may have it. some may have trials that last a month though i would not be surprised if that is limited to shorter interval (week or maybe two) if at all. you may have much better success talking to CAD/CAM companies directly and requesting demo.

Will do that I'll try with robotmaster/robodk since it look like they pair pretty good

Thanks,

Robot2 .

I understand that it might be clever to go with KRL programmation but the proof of concept that I am supposed to make is nearly automated part cutting .
So even tho it is expensive I need to come with a thing that can be easy to use with what we already have...

Can I use free trials ? In one month I think I can have pretty good results.
I know that the project is likely to not get a green light but I mean I will not be here for too long so ...
thanks for your interest and help,

Robot2 .

Quote from panic mode

Kuka.CNC is one of the most expensive options. If i recall it was more than $10kI USD. One of the advantages is the it could run huge NC programs. You can check READ FIRST for more info and getting documentation from Kuka Xpert portal.

Yeah a bit expensive knowing that you still need to generate the nc toolpath using another soft.

Does it gives better results or just usefull for running huge nc programs ?
Unfortunatly I cannot acces Kuka Xpert portal for now I am still waiting for my company email.

thanks,

Robot2 .

Well for now it is just to prove to the company that robotizing application such as cutting can be a game changer in term of efficiency as well as safety for employee

(this is my intership project btw) .

And I would say that in our industry and with the rate that we are producing rihgt now .

It will be most likely an on going process because we have to make a lot of different parts but at some point we would have to reuse the program because it is kind of a cycled operation of manufacturing.

thanks for the kindness,

Robot2 .

Oh I did not know that you could do that .
We already have native CATIA CAD files and we want to cut the real part using a robot.
Tho we dont have the process module for CATIA (the one that can create toolpaths) and a lot of the options available are very expensive considering the relativly simple task that we are trying to achieve.

So our goal is to find the easiest and most affordable option that can respond to our need but frankly I dont know the limits of any of those soft.

For example from what I understood robotDK is not capable of creating toolpaths and I dont know if it is worth it to get another software + RoboDK for what we are trying to achieve.

thanks for the response,

Robot2 .

Hello,

So my problem is a bit odd I guess but my company is about to buy a robot for cutting composite parts, the robot will most likely be a kuka robot (thats why I am pisting here) runing a KRC4 with KSS8.3.
My question is about the way of controlling it .

Since I will be the one in charge of controlling it I need to chose the right software for that and all I can say is that with my low experience in the field and no experience with CAM software I am lost.

I briefly understand that you can either use a CAD/CAM soft to create toolpath and then use some kind of offline programming software to transform it into KRL.
But I also ehard that you could use CAD/CAM and upload the post processed G-code directly to the robot using Kuka.CNC module.

I would like to know which one is the best method(easiest) considering your experience/knowledge and if offline programming software are the best which software should I go for?

I read a thing about KRL being approximate and kuka cnc gcode being absolute but I dont think I understood.

anykind of help would be greatly appreciate,

thanks in advance,
Robot2 .