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Exercise 10

Linear Slides

EXERCISE OBJECTIVE

In this exercise, you will learn to use a linear slide. You will learn how to use theLinear Slide, Model 5209, to extend the work envelope of the Servo Robot.

In the Procedure section, you will experiment with the operation of the Linear Slide.You will design a flow chart to create a program in which many external devices areused to simulate a transfer and assembly process.

DISCUSSION

Since the robots have no body, they cannot attain objects farther than the length oftheir arm. The linear slides act as “legs” to expand the work envelope of the robots.

The Linear Slide of your training system is shown in Figure 10-1. It consists of amobile metallic base on which the Servo Robot is mounted. The base slides on twotransverse shafts via four linear ball bearings. The base is driven by a servo motorvia a lead screw.

Figure 10-1. Linear Slide.

The servo motor is of the same type as those that drive the Servo Robot and itscontrol is also quite similar.

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Connection and Configuration

The Linear Slide connects to CH 1 or CH 2 on the Robot Controller. Once theconnection is made, the Robot Controller must be configured to detect the LinearSlide.

To configure the Robot Controller when using the Hand-Held Terminal, press the5 key in the Main menu to select Configuration. In the Configuration menu, place thecursor beside the channel where the Linear Slide is connected, and press the Enterkey as required to select L Slide. Press the S key to save the configuration.

To configure the Robot Controller when using Robotics, select the Hardware optionin the Options menu. Select Linear Slide in the selection field of the channel wherethe Linear Slide is connected. Click the Save button to save the configuration.

Operation

The operation of the Linear Slide is controlled by clicking the CH 1 or CH 2 arrowsin Robotics or by pressing, on the Hand-Held Terminal, the 7 or Z keys if it isconnected to CH 1, or the 8 or / keys if it is connected to CH 2.

Like the Servo Robot, the Linear Slide must be hard homed at the beginning of eachsession. Make sure that the Servo Robot has sufficient free space to move whenexecuting a hard home positioning.

The speed is controllable the same way as the motors of the Servo Robot.

Since the position of the Servo Robot depends on the position of the mounting baseof the Linear Slide, their position must be saved simultaneously. Unlike the RotaryCarousel, the Robot and External Device check boxes must always be enabled whenyour Servo Robot is used with the Linear Slide.

Task Commands

In this exercise, you will be introduced to the Message task command.

Message: This command displays the string parameter data in the Message fieldof the Task Status window. The Message command does not stop execution ofthe program, so if you need the user to respond to your message, follow thecommand with a DELAY 0 instruction. The syntax and the parameters associatedwith the Message command is as follows: MESSAGE <string>. Example:MESSAGE FEED THE PNEUMATIC FEEDER.

Procedure Summary

In the first part of the exercise, Set-up, you will install and connect the equipment.

In the second part, Experiment with the Linear Slide, you will experiment with theLinear Slide by creating a program in which the Servo Robot picks up parts from theGravity Feeder and transfers them in a container located at the other extremity of theLinear Slide.

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In the third part, Additional Experiment - Simulation of an Assembly and TransferProcess. You will use the Gravity Feeder, Pneumatic Feeder, Rotary Carousel, BeltConveyor, Linear Slide and Servo Robot to create a program that simulates anassembly and transfer process. You will design the flow chart, prepare theconnection diagram, and create the program.

In the last part of the exercise, Shutdown Procedure, you will shut down the system.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Refer to the Equipment Utilization Chart, in Appendix A of this manual, to obtain thelist of equipment required to perform this exercise.

PROCEDURE

CAUTION!

When you work with moving equipment, make sure you are not wearing

anything that might get caught, such as a tie or jewelry. If your hair is

long, tie it out of the way.

Set-up

G 1. Install the Linear Slide and Gravity Feeder as shown in Figure 10-2.

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Figure 10-2. Location of the equipment on the Work Surfaces.

Note: Refer to the Equipment Layout shown in Figure E-2 inAppendix E.

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G 2. Mount the Servo Robot on the mobile base of the Linear Slide as shown inFigure 10-3.

Figure 10-3. Mounting the Servo Robot on the Linear Slide.

G 3. Make sure that the emergency stop button is released (in the up position)and easily accessible.

G 4. Connect the equipment as shown in Appendix B. Refer to the User Guideof your training system for detailed instructions.

G 5. Connect the Linear Slide cable to CH 2 on the Robot Controller. Make surethe connector is all the way in before it is screwed.

Experiment with the Linear Slide

G 6. Turn the Robot Controller on.

Note: Use Robotics to perform the following steps.

G 7. Configure your Robot Controller to detect the Linear Slide on channel 2 asdescribed in the discussion of this exercise.

G 8. Execute a hard home positioning.

Note: You must be very careful when using the Linear Slide.Make sure that the movement of the Servo Robot does notinterfere with the movement of the Linear Slide.

G 9. Move the Linear Slide in both directions using the CH 2 arrow keys.

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G 10. Feed the Gravity Feeder with parts.

Place a metallic can with the opening on top at position (R9,C3).

G 11. Create a program in which the Servo Robot picks parts from the GravityFeeder and drop them in the metallic can. The process stops when thefeeder is empty.

Note: Do not forget to enable both the Robot and External Devicecheck boxes to save the position of the Servo Robot and LinearSlide simultaneously.

G 12. Execute your program.

If it executes correctly, save it as EXE_10_A.

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Figure 10-4. Location of the equipment on the Work Surfaces.

G 13. Once your experiment is completed, turn off the Robot Controller.

Additional Experiment - Simulation of an Assembly and Transfer Process

Program Description

You will create a program in which a robot assembles parts. Once the assembly iscompleted, it is placed on a conveyor where it is transferred to another section of theproduction line.

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You will use the Servo Robot, Gravity Feeder (Square Parts), Pneumatic Feeder(Cylindrical Parts), Rotary Carousel, Belt Conveyor, and Linear Slide. You will alsouse the two Delrin blocks, p/n 93485-00, supplied with your system. The equipmentwill be placed as shown in Figure 10-4. Do not place the equipment now.

To do so, the Servo Robot picks a Delrin block from the Gravity Feeder and placesit on the Rotary Carousel as shown in Figure 10-5. Then the Rotary Carousel startsto rotate in the clockwise direction and continues to rotate until the Delrin block isdetected by the limit switch. At this moment, the Servo Robot is moved using theLinear Slide to pick a cylindrical part from the Pneumatic Feeder.

Figure 10-5. Gripper placing a part on the platter of the Rotary Carousel.

Then the Servo Robot moves back to the Rotary Carousel and places the cylindricalpart into the bore of the Delrin block to complete the assembly. The Servo Robotpicks the assembly and places it in the detection zone of the Belt Conveyor. Thenthe Belt Conveyor starts to move in the reverse direction and stops when the part isdetected by the limit switch. The process repeats twice or stops if parts are missingin one the feeder.

At the beginning of the program, Relays 1, 2 and 3 are set at low. The program alsoensures that the Belt Conveyor is stopped and the direction is set at reverse.

Messages and Warnings

At the beginning of the execution, the program checks if there are parts on theRotary Carousel and on the Belt Conveyor. If this is the case, the program displaysone of the following messages "REMOVE THE PARTS FROM THE ROTARYCAROUSEL" or "REMOVE THE PARTS FROM THE BELT CONVEYOR", the LEDof Relay 2 will light, and the program will wait for the parts to be removed beforeproceeding with the next instruction line.

Before moving to pick a Delrin block from the Gravity Feeder, the system will checkif the Gravity Feeder and the Pneumatic Feeder are not empty. If this is the case, the

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program will display one of the following messages "FEED THE GRAVITY FEEDER"or "FEED THE PNEUMATIC FEEDER", the LED of Relay 3 will light, and theprogram will wait for the feeders to be fed before proceeding with the next instructionline.

The LED of Relay 1 will light to indicate that the Servo Robot is moving.

Program Flow Chart

G 14. Draw a flow chart for this program in Figure 10-6.

Note: If necessary, refer to the Suggested Flow Chart(Figure D-3), Input/Output Connection Table (Table D-2),Suggested TTL Input/Output Connection Diagram (Figure D-4),Suggested Belt Conveyor Settings, and Suggested ProgramListing shown in Appendix D.

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Figure 10-6. Flow chart for the assembly and transfer process program.

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TTL Input/Output Connection Table

G 15. Complete the TTL input/output connection Table 10-1.

EXTERNAL DEVICESROBOT CONTROLLER

TTL INPUT TTL OUTPUT

Gravity Feeder

Limit SwitchNO contact

Limit SwitchNC contact

Pneumatic Feeder

Limit SwitchS2-BNO contact

Rotary Carousel

Limit SwitchNO contact

Limit SwitchNC contact

Belt Conveyor

Limit SwitchNO contact

Limit SwitchNC contact

StopExt. Input

MotorExt. Input

DirectionExt. Input

Table 10-1. TTL input/output connection table.

TTL Input/Output Connection Diagram

G 16. Complete the TTL input/output connection diagram of Figure 10-7.

G 17. Install the equipment as shown in Figure 10-4.

Note: If you do not have a Pneumatic Feeder (Cylindrical Parts),use the Pneumatic Feeder (Square Parts) and position the parton top of the Delrin block.

G 18. Fill the Gravity Feeder with 2 Delrin blocks.

Note: The Delrin blocks must be oriented the same way eachtime the program is executed. Note the orientation if necessary.

G 19. Make the connections shown in Figure 10-7.

Note: Use the long leads of the Belt Conveyor to connect theGravity Feeder to the Robot Controller.

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Figure 10-7. TTL input/output connection diagram.

G 20. On the control panel of the Belt Conveyor, set the controls as required byyour program.

Connect the Belt Conveyor to an AC power source.

G 21. Turn on the Robot Controller and Belt Conveyor by setting their powerswitch at the I (on) position.

G 22. Execute a hard home positioning.

G 23. Use the Hand-Held Terminal to create the position points, and Robotics tocreate the task.

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Note: Do not forget to enable both the Robot and External Devicecheck boxes to save the position of the Servo Robot, RotaryCarousel, and Linear Slide simultaneously.

Pick the parts from the Pneumatic Feeder as shown inFigure 10-8.

Figure 10-8. Servo Robot picking a part from a Pneumatic Feeder.

G 24. Execute your program once.

G 25. Does your program execute correctly?

G Yes G No

G 26. Test the execution of the program with and without parts in the GravityFeeder, Pneumatic Feeder, Rotary Carousel, and Belt Conveyor.

Note: You will have to execute the program many times to test allconditions and check if the messages appear correctly.

Do the messages appear correctly?

G Yes G No

G 27. Do the LEDs light as defined in the program description?

G Yes G No

G 28. Once your program is completed, save it as EXE_10_B.

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Shutdown Procedure

G 29. Make sure that there is nothing inside the gripper.

G 30. Clear the area around the Servo Robot so that it will not hit anything whenit moves.

G 31. Execute a hard home positioning.

G 32. Turn off the Robot Controller and Belt Conveyor by setting their powerswitch at the O (off) position.

G 33. Disconnect the system and return the equipment to its storage location.

CONCLUSION

In this exercise, you were introduced to the use of a linear slide to extend the workenvelope of a robot.

You experimented with the use of the Message command to introduce messagesand warnings during the execution of a program.

You designed a flow chart, prepared a connection diagram, and created a programthat simulates an assembly and transfer process.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the Linear Slide used for?

2. Explain why it is important to save the position of the Servo Robot and LinearSlide simultaneously.

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3. Name a parameter for which you must be very careful when using the LinearSlide.

4. Describe what will happen if the Simulation of an Assembly and TransferProcess program is launched without parts in the Gravity Feeder.

5. Describe will happen if the Simulation of an Assembly and Transfer Processprogram is launched with parts on the Belt Conveyor.