RapidPlan Control 2.1 - Configure and Command Modes

The Control Panel initially opens up in Configure Mode. The current mode is displayed at the top of the panel. Click on the Configure or Command button in the Navigation Bar to change modes.

Control Panel Configure Mode

Configure Mode is where you upload and set up projects, choose a controller and settings for the robots, enter their IP addresses, create or update targets, and set other parameters. In this mode, the Realtime Controller is not actively controlling the joints of the robots.

Open

Control Panel Configure Mode

Project

The name of the current project, plus access to the Project dropdown.

Project dropdown

You can create a new project using this dropdown. Creating a new project is the first operation you perform when you open the Control Panel the first time.

You can have multiple projects loaded in the Control Panel. They will be listed here.

Open

Manage Projects – Make a project the default; download a project from the Control Panel as a zip file; or delete a project from the RTR Controller entirely.

+ Upload New Project - Upload a new project to the Control Panel.

Controller & Settings

There are three types of controllers:

Internal Simulated: Send commands only to the simulated robot in the 3D view, not to actual robots.

Robot Controller: Send commands from the Realtime Controller to a hardware controller when using physical robots.

Third Party Simulated: Send commands from the control panel in a format external simulators can read. 

Enable Auto Acquire: Auto Acquire is enabled when the box is checked. A RTR controller will automatically acquire control of the robot when a move command is received, and release control of the robot when the move has completed. This allows teach pendant programs to continue and execute additional commands.

Settings

The Settings cog toggles the display of the controllers and a list of settings available for the project. The settings will vary depending on the specific robots assigned to the project.

Load button

Loads the project and displays the indicator LOADED at the top of the 3D View, which will then change to CONNECTED when the robot(s) is/are automatically connected.

Unload button

Unloads the currently loaded project.

Disconnect

Disconnect or reconnect all robots with Realtime Controller.

After a RTR project is loaded and connected, robot dilation is visualized.

Robots in Project

A list of the robots in the currently selected project. A robot can be selected from this list or by clicking on it in the 3D View.

Robot Name

The name of the currently selected robot.

Robot Type

The make and model of the robot.

Robot Settings

Used to set and/or manage the settings for the currently selected robot. The Realtime Controller will only display the settings and configurations necessary for each robot in the project.

Robot IP Address or Hostname

If connecting to a physical robot, its IP address is entered here.

Enable Servos on Load

Check this box if RTR projects should be automatically uploaded and started on robot controller. To manually control the active project with another device, uncheck this box.

Advanced Settings

After a RTR project is loaded, robot joint dynamics parameters are entered and edited here for each robot.

Control Panel Command Mode

In Command Mode, you’re actively connected to the robot so you can send motion commands.

Robots in Project

A list of the robots in the currently loaded project. Robots can be selected from this list or by clicking on a robot in the 3D View.

Robot Preset

A list of robot presets that have been created for the selected robot. The 3D View will update to reflect the preset selected.

Simulation Starting Target

A list of targets to which you can teleport the robot in robot Configure Mode. The robot snaps immediately to the selected target without following its planned motion or path. You must be in robot Configure Mode (as opposed to robot Operation Mode) and the controller type must be Internal Simulated to teleport a robot to a target.

In robot Operation Mode, a target can be selected from the list for a robot to move the the target using the Move Parameters.

Manage Targets

In robot Configure mode, you can create and adjust targets without having to go back to the RapidPlan Create application.

For example, if you discover that a target created in RapidPlan Create is not in its correct location, you can manually jog the robot to where you want the target to be, then click Update Target. The system will move the target and recalculate all the roadmaps.

Robot Configure/Operation Mode

Robot Configure Mode and Robot Operation Mode can be toggled by pressing Enter Configure/Operation Mode button from the top of the 3D view.

Robot Configure Mode is for editing robot setting:

• Changing robot dynamics parameters under advanced settings from Control Panel configure tab.

• Creating or updating targets from Control Panel command tab.

• Teleporting a robot to a target in Internal Simulated mode.

Robot Operation Mode is for moving the robot to targets and poses using its planned motions. The settings available on the Control Panel Command tab (move speed, timeout, etc.), which is used to define how those motions will take place.

Robot Operation Mode settings

Behavior Settings

This cog/button displays the Interrupt Behavior and Alternate Location settings.

Interrupt Behavior

Replan and timeout settings can be modified for both target and pose moves.

The replan number sets the number of times the Realtime Controller will attempt a move before quitting and displaying errors. Set it to any negative value, and it will attempt infinite replans.

The timeout limit sets how many seconds the Realtime Controller should continue trying to find a path if one cannot be found initially. Set it to any negative value, and it will continue trying indefinitely.

Apply Globally toggle can be turned off, in order to apply settings to an individual robot.

Reset will return the settings to their previous state, but without saving to the RTR controller.

Save & Close will issue an ASCII API command “SetInterruptBehavior“ to save the settings to the RTR controller.

Alternate Location

After Enable alternate location moves toggle is on, Alternate locations can be defined as none(disabled), Target, Pose, or Partial Move. If a Target or a Pose is selected, The robot will move to the specified, position when obstructed. If Partial Move option is selected, the robot will move along its path as far as it can before a robot-based obstruction is present.

Complete Original Move toggle specifies if the robot should continuously try to plan a motion to the original target after it has successfully moved to the alternate location.

Apply Globally toggle can be turned off, in order to apply settings to an individual robot.

Reset will return the settings to their previous state, but without saving to the RTR controller.

Save & Close will issue an ASCII API command “SetAlternateLocation“ to save the settings to the RTR controller.

Robots tab

Choose to display either the Robots or Objects tab.

Target Move tab

Used for moving the selected robot’s end effector to a specific target.

Target Move Settings

Robot Preset - Robot presets created in RapidPlan Create are selected from this list box.

Desired Target - A dropdown list of targets to which the robot’s TCP will move according to its planned path. Target lists can be filtered automatically by starting to type the target’s name.

Target Move Parameters

Move Speed

Determines the speed at which the robot moves, to a target or pose. This number is a percent of maximum tool speed. The default is 20%. The speed factor will affect maximum velocity but not acceleration and jerk.

Smoothing

A value from 0.0 mm to 500 mm indicating how far from a node the robot should begin smoothing it’s trajectory. Default value is 0.0 mm.

Move from off roadmap to a target

When checked, the robot will move from any location it is currently in to a known target on the roadmap.

Move near obstacles checkbox

This option is only enabled for offroad moves. If checked, the offroad move to a hub will come within the dilation distance of an obstacle. The system will reduce the speed of the robot to 2.5% and allow you to select a path quality.

Path quality

These settings, low, medium and high, apply to off roadmap moves when the Move from off road to a target option is checked. The settings determine how efficient the moves will be when made near obstacles.

• High: Shorter path between the targets, meaning the robot can move closer to obstacles.

• Low: Path quality may be safer, further from object, but not as efficient.

• Medium: Splits the difference between low and high.

Move to Target button

Sends the move to target command and moves the robot.

Cancel Move button

Cancels a robot move in progress. The Control Panel will display an error message.

Release Control/Acquire Control buttons

The Release Control button is used to hand off control of the robot to an external device controller. Most of the other controls will be disabled since the robot is no longer under Realtime control. The status of the robot changes from Active to Released. The button toggles to Acquire Control, which, when clicked, regains control of the robot from the external device controller.

Pose Move Tab

Used to move the robot’s end effector to an X, Y, Z location and roll, pitch, yaw orientation in 3D space.

Pose Move Settings

Robot Preset – Robot presets created in RapidPlan Create are selected from this list box.

Desired Pose: X, Y, Z; Rx, Ry, Rz –

Enter X, Y, and Z and Rx, Ry, and Rz values for the desired pose of the robot’s end effector.

Interpolation – Choose whether the final move of the robot’s end effector when leaving the roadmap to complete a move will be a Joint Space or Cartesian straight-line move.

Actions - Set to Current TCP Pose

This selection will fill in the Desired Pose X, Y, and Z and Rx, Ry, and Rz boxes with the coordinates and rotation values of the current TCP pose. A red pyramid is displayed in the 3D View at the TCP.

Actions - Copy

This selection will copy the coordinates and rotation values of the current TCP pose.

Actions - Paste

This selection will Paste the coordinates and rotation values of the current TCP pose.

Pose Move Parameters

Move Speed – Adjust the speed at which the robot moves, to a hub or to a pose, by changing the value (percent of maximum speed) in the this box. The default is 20%. The speed factor will affect maximum velocity, but not acceleration and jerk.

Smoothing – A value from 0.0 mm to 500 mm indicating how far from a node the robot should begin smoothing it’s trajectory. Default value is 0.0 mm.

Interpolation – Choose whether the final move of the robot’s end effector when leaving the roadmap to complete a move will be a Joint Space or Cartesian straight-line move.

Make a direct move to pose – A direct move allows you to move the robot directly from its current position to any pose within 0.5m following either a joint path or a linear path. The robot will not follow any of the motions defined in RapidPlan Create and its motion will be collision checked against the static scene and other robots.

Ignore static scene collisions – If you choose this option, the system will allow collisions between the robot and static elements when moving off roadmap. A message strongly recommends proceeding with caution.

This option should only be used very carefully and should be tested on simulated robots first.

Ignore DSM collisions – Check this option only if the desired move intentionally involves contact with an object in the workcell, and the Realtime Controller will make the move even if a collision is detected.

This option should only be used very carefully and should be tested on simulated robots first.

Pose Preview

The red pyramid displayed in the 3D View is a preview of the next pose move. Entering new translation and rotational values moves the pyramid to the new location, showing you a preview of where the robot will move. 

Objects tab

Click on the Objects tab to display the Objects panel. The object’s states are selected and modified here.