Expanding application to Yaskawa Electric's pendants for collaborative robots and vertical articulated robots

Yaskawa Electric has expanded the applicable models of the tablet-type programming pendant "Smart Pendant" for the collaborative robot "MOTOMAN-HC" series to small vertical articulated robots, and is offering them as the "Smart" series. started. The smart series can now be used with four new models, "MotoMINI", "MOTOMAN-GP4", "Same 7" and "Same 8" (Fig. 1). In addition to realizing intuitive operation like a smartphone, it is equipped with functions for beginners.

Figure 1 "Smart" series (left) and newly compatible models (right) (source: Yaskawa Electric) [Click image to enlarge] * Yasukawa Electric news release: https://www.yaskawa.co. jp/newsrelease/product/206056

The smart series uses a 10.1-inch touch panel LCD display. It is larger and easier to see than the screen of the conventional programming pendant (5.7 inches). At the same time, we minimized the number of physical operation keys so that most of the operation keys are displayed on the screen when necessary (Fig.2). It is possible to intuitively operate without getting lost in which key to operate.

Fig. 2 Screen display example (source: Yaskawa Electric) [Click image to enlarge]

Equipped with a "smart mode" that allows the robot to move in the same direction as the operator sees it (Fig. 3). With conventional programming pendants, you always had to be aware of the coordinate system of the robot and the orientation of the operation keys when selecting the key to press, but with smart mode, you can operate without being aware of the coordinate system.

In consideration of ease of use, the robot language is also prepared as words that can be understood by looking at them, rather than abbreviated forms (Fig. 4). Even if you don't remember the robot language in advance, you can learn it while teaching and programming. On the other hand, it is also possible to switch to the robot language used in the conventional "MOTOMAN" series.

Fig. 3 Operation image in "Smart Mode" (Source: Yaskawa Electric) [Click image to enlarge] Fig. 4 Example of robot language (Source: Yaskawa Electric) [Click image to enlarge]

For beginners It is also equipped with a "guidance/help display function". The main menu can be displayed at any time, and all screens can be accessed from there, so it is easy to get lost in displaying the screen you need (Fig.5). In addition, icons that display function explanations are placed throughout the screen so that the user can easily understand the operation screen.

Fig. 5 Image of the "guidance/help display" function (source: Yaskawa Electric) [Click image to enlarge]

The robot controller is compatible with the compact and lightweight "YRC1000micro" and the closed structure "YRC1000". You can choose according to the installation environment. It is expected to be used for transporting and assembling small workpieces and for inspection and testing processes.