An off-line robot-programming system with graphics simulation

This paper describes an experimental off-line robot-programming system. This integrated robot-programming system, PC-R, was designed to be independent of the robot as well as to provide off-line graphics simulation of the work situation so that evaluation of the performance could be done rapidly. PC-R comprises several modules, including (a) a robot language compiler; (b) a graphics simulator for modelling the robot and its work environment; (c) a solid-modeller based on the CSG scheme using the technique of ray tracing for solid analysis and visualisation, which interfaces with the simulator and performs interference analysis of the robot programs; and (d) a link to the industrial robot ASEA IRB-6. This ASEA link module is capable of manoeuvring the robot according to the robot programs in real time as well as saving the sequence of robot movements to the robot-controller for later playback execution by the robot.