March 6 , 2006
Welcome to the March 2006 issue of Motoman Direct, containing news, product information, and updates from Motoman Inc.
Featured Products
|
« MotoSim
EG New generation of Motoman's comprehensive PC-based simulation software features enhanced graphics, improved file import without translation, new simulation markup and measurement tools... |
PACK
IT! STACK IT! TRACK IT! Yes, I would like a member of Motoman's sales team to contact me about the above product(s). |
Corporate News
Motoman
Awarded Multi-Million Dollar Contract by Kaiser Permanente for Laboratory
Automation Solution
This $6.7M contract with the largest
not-for-profit integrated health maintenance organization (HMO) in the
United States will include various automation platforms for aliquoting,
sorting, capping, decapping, routing, and archiving of clinical laboratory
specimens...
« Beckman
Coulter Expands Automated Solutions for Biomedical Research with Industrial
Robot Arm
Beckman Coulter has selected the Motoman HP3JC robot for integration
with the company's automated liquid handling solutions, providing drug
discovery/screening and sample prep customers with an industrialized
solution for ultra-high throughput...
Editorials, Case Studies, & Articles
Robots
Help Assembler Break the Mold
Assembly - February 2006
Featured
cover article on TASUS Corp. relates how this auto parts manufacturer
uses 13 Motoman robots to perform a variety of applications, including
assembly, dispensing, material handling, and integrated vision...
Putting
the Shopping Cart in Front of the Robotic Workhorse
Welding
Design & Fabrication - January 2006
Leading
shopping cart manufacturer, Technibilt/Cari-All uses Motoman welding and
material handling robots to increase productivity and quality...
Flexible
Automated End-of-Line Solutions for Packaging and Palletizing: Systems
Integration is Key to Success
Robotics Online - February 16, 2006
Featured
article discusses how systems integration is critical to the success
of your automation projects involving packaging and palletizing production
lines...
Flexible
Robots Mimic Humans
Automation World - January 2006
Motoman's
new generation of IA- and DA-series highly flexible industrial robots are
designed to coexist with humans and closely mimic human capabilities...
Refurbished
Robots Can Save Replacement Costs
February 2006 - Robotics World
Should
you invest in new robots or refurbish your existing ones? Read this article
to help you decide whether the advantages of purchasing state-of-the-art
robot technology outweigh the cost savings of purchasing older refurbished
robots that still have a lot of production life in them...
Star
Pourer: The High-Tech RoboBar Out-Paces and Performs While Pleasing
Patrons
Nightclub & Bar Magazine - January 2006
New
RoboBar high-production model is designed for use in casinos and other
high-volume locales...
Automated
Barkeep: Are customers ready for a robot bartender?
Casino
Journal - January 2006
RoboBar
serves beer,
wine, and a variety of mixed drinks, quickly, efficiently and inexpensively...
Helpful Hints
Each issue of Motoman Direct will now include "helpful hints" designed to provide bits of practical advice and programming tips that will help our customers maximize the productivity of their Motoman robots.
Problem: How do I access the Reserve Display on the NX100 controller?
Solution: Reserve display no longer has a dedicated key like it did in previous generation controllers. To utilize reserve display you must set up Key Allocation. From the Main Menu, Touch [Set Up], Touch {KEY ALLOCATION}. Touch {DISPLAY} at the top of the screen. Select {ALLOCATE EACH KEY} Move the cursor to "FUNCTION" of the key to be allocated and press [SELECT]. Select "DISPLAY." Move the cursor to "ALLOCATION CONTENT" and press [SELECT]. Input a name for the reserved window and press [ENTER]. (This could be what ever you want to call it). Go to the page you want to Reserve. Press [INTERLOCK] key and the allocated key at the same time. A message "Reserved window registered" appears, and the window is registered. Due to the fact that you have to use the Interlock key to register the screen, you lose the Sim Key functionality for that particular key. To use the Reserve display, simply press the key allocated for the window allocation and the allocated window appears. You may use more than one key and have multiple displays reserved. You cannot go from one reserved display to another without canceling the first. Also if you have a dual application controller, you must press the page key and set the second application's key to display as well.
Problem: There is a star in place of my data on the Home position screen.
Cause: Possible causes of this could be if the motor became disconnected or if the battery was changed with the power off. If the encoder of the motor ever loses power, it will reset.
Solution: Both XRC and NX100 have a function called Home Recovery Function. On previous generations, if we lost data there was no recovery. We had to recalibrate the home position, possibly affecting job data. The Home Recovery Function allows the operator to easily restore the accurate "home position." This function is enabled only when Alarm 4311 "Encoder backup error" occurs and home position has not been restored or re-entered yet.
Resetting the Alarm
- Move the target axis to the "tentative" home position. This is within 400 pulse counts from the original home position. Use home position arrows or positioning pins to ensure the axis is close enough to the home position.
- Select robot - home position on the pendant menu. (This must be performed in management security level).
- Select utility, and select restore backup alarm in pull-down menu. Then, only the axes that need to be recovered are displayed with the original home position pulse).
- Select the axis with the cursor key, push "select" and select "yes" option.
- Repeat the same operation for all the remaining axes until the menu system automatically returns to the normal home position menu.
Problem: I got an alarm 4107 Out of Range (Absolute Data) alarm. Does this mean I have to recalibrate my robot?
Solution: No, often times, people mistake this alarm for lost calibration. This alarm simply means that the robot, at boot up, is not at the exact same position as it was when it was shut down. This deviation can be as little as a single pulse count.
To recover from an Out of Range condition, first reset the alarm. Then, from the pendant menu, go to the Robot icon, then Second Home Position. You will see three columns of data. The left most is the Specified position. This position is settable to any location we choose, so this column could be populated with data. Default setting is the zero position of the robot. The middle column is the current position, and the last column is the difference between the specified and current positions. With the servo's on, press and hold the FWD key on the pendant. The robot will move at the selected jog speed to the Specified position. If needed, you may jog the robot manually to avoid collisions with equipment. Continue holding the FWD key until the robot stops, the difference column will be all zeros. Visually inspect the position of the robot. If the Specified position is all zeros, the arrows should line up. If all checks out ok, pull down the Data menu at the top of the screen and choose Confirm Position. You are now ready to return to production. If the position does not look correct, or you have any questions, call the Motoman Hotline (937) 847-3200 for assistance.
Customer Satisfaction & Training
NEW! Motoman
offers three new Web-Based Training Demos
for NX
Macro Job, NX Second Home, and NX Encoder Recovery...
Register Online for Motoman Training Classes
You can
now register
for all Motoman training classes in the U.S. and Canada on-line
through Motoman's website.