Posts by sandrot

Request software to service.robotics@comau.com

It's always good to show you're working on an actual robot, so have at hand robot and controller serial number.

Sure you can, (heck, I was running 5 NOHOLD on the C3G!) but be careful what to do. CPU has a bandwidth.

Comau Robotics has the OpenArm solution, where you'd run with B&R drives directly and program G-code. Robotics will sell the robot arm and you'll have to work with B&R for all the rest.

There's also an alternate solution in the hands of the skilled programmer... Write a pre-processor converting G-code to PDL2. If you are that good, just let everybody know.

I would always recommend using the standard users:
PU = programmer
MU = maintenance
GA = general access (or God access)
admin = administrator (and can generate new users)

Using the backward date is deprecated and I would not take for granted it will be supported in the future.

Go to home page on teach pendant to re-login.

You have two options depending on what you're tryin gto accomplish.

Configure C5G as a Profinet controller: use the SYCON.net external application do configure your Profinet fieldbus, do the intermediate WinC5G step to prepare the files for C5G and upload them. Then go on with IO_INST and IO_MAP internal programs to complete.

Configure C5G as a Profinet device: upload the GSDML file you find in system disc to yourPLC project. Assign C5G Profinet device a name. Then go on setting up device on C5G side using internal configuration programs.

You probably want to explain better what you are attempting to do.

You're better off though to buy the TCP/IP communication option and develop something in house.

Loonwed, for what generation of controller? C3G, C4G or C5G?

At the moment the only official releases are Italian and English. Depending on active and past projects you can find other languages, but they are not regularly kept updated.

IO_MAP works on three categories of I/O: digital, analog, flex. You will therefore use IO_MAP to configure $FMI/O's.

$IO_STS is not certainly one of the most used system software variables. Why do you want to use it?

PDL2 manual tells us: This predefined variable has a dynamic number of elements: it changes every I/O is compiled. If you map new I/O $IO_STS will change its content.

Comau Robotics After Sales have a template Step7 PLC program where PLC controls two C5G's through Profinet. Write to service.robotics@comau.com and ask them if they can send, with instructions.

$FMI and $FMO are Flexible Multiple Ports, reserved to application programs. They are INTEGER values. They group bits into an INTEGER value, but with the advantage that the bits don't need to be contiguous.

e.g. in an automotive plant three bits were dedicated to select up to 8 program codes, but now programs need to become 10, and available spare bits are not contiguous... No problem, you map them adding into the $FMI you were using before. But in the past, this would have been a major headache, with plant wide ripercussions.

$DIN and $DOUT ports are digital input or output signals. They are BOOLEAN values. You need to use IO_MAP configuration program to have digital I/O associated to $DIN and $DOUT. If you are using a C5G you can map:
discrete I/O from an I/O card plugged into a bus coupler
fieldbus I/O from a master or slave card plugged into bus coupler
and also the few I/O signals present on SDM board

For more info, read Programming Language and Control Unit Use manuals.

$FDIN and $FDOUT ports allow a program to access system signals as if they were digital I/O's. They are BOOLEAN values like ON or OFF (or TRUE or FALSE). You can find system signals like:
$FDIN[10] state selector on AUTO
$FDIN[17] DRIVE ON softkey
$FDIN[27] Enabling Device pressed
$FDOUT[22] U2 softkey higlighted

These signals are not for PLC communication.

Depending, if external axis has an encoder you need to do a calibration, if it has a resolver, the axis will have its own calibration procedure (like motor of a servo weld gun).

Encoders are absolute within a turn. When an axis is calibrated a certain value of encoder is stored in memory as "zero", and from then, system keeps track of number of turns of encoder. If you lose the count of this number of turns you need to perform a turn-set, which restores turn count to zero.

No, macros are not possible. But if you use application software (e.g. SmartHand) you have readily available commands to move your hardware. If I recall correctly that is mostly what macros were used for on Fanuc.

Please check, in regards, C4G or C5G CONTROL UNIT USE manual.

I am glad it worked out. Sorry I am not on forum more often, but I already put in long hours at work.

If you will ever work on a C4G, I/O info is stored differently, inside the .C4G file.

.C4G and .C5G. files can be opened by WinC4G and WinC5G through drag&drop when you have full license.

WinC4G and WinC5G "Full Edition" allow (provided you know the password) to unprotect or protect a .COD program. Once unprotected, .COD program can be opened.

You can contact service.robotics@comau.com for a quote of:
CR17920415 C4G Software "PDL2 Read/Write on TCP/IP"
CR17926300 C5G Software "PDL2 Read/Write on TCP/IP"

Some basic programming examples are also available.

On a C5G, look into:
UD\sys\cnfg\

If your C5G $SYS_ID is CNTRLC5G_xxxx, you should find a file named CNTRLC5G_xxxx_sys.cio

You can copy that file on your PC, and then you can drag and drop inside your WinC5G.

The file contains declaration of all the data structures needed to represent I/O (in VAR syntax), all variables needed to store I/O configuration (in VAR syntax) and also, at the end a representation of the controller I/O (cio) in semi graphical format, including I/O present in SDM or Powerlink or bus-coupler.

The format of .cio files is undocumented, it's up to you to figure out the content. Also, the .cio extension is not automatically associated to WinC5G, and that's why you open .cio files with a drag&drop.