Abstract: A method for calibrating a robot coordinate system of a robot with a conveyor coordinate system of a movable conveyor member, the method including providing a sensor configured to detect positions of the robot in a non-contact manner; detecting a position of the robot when the conveyor member is positioned at a first operating position; detecting a position of the robot and/or of the conveyor member by the sensor in the sensor coordinate system when the conveyor member is positioned at a second operating position different from the first operating position; and determining a relationship between the robot coordinate system and the conveyor coordinate system based on at least one detected position of the robot in the sensor coordinate system. A robot system and a control system are also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling movement sequences of a robot, the method including predicting values of at least one parameter related to the execution of alternative movement sequences by the robot, where each movement sequence includes at least one movement segment associated with a handling location; selecting a movement sequence based on the predicted values of the at least one parameter; and executing the selected movement sequence by the robot. A control system for controlling movement sequences of a robot is also provided.

Abstract: An arrangement for handling objects on an object transporting device includes an industrial robot and an object handling control device. The device estimates candidate handling positions (OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, OP5, OP6, OP7) for at least one candidate object based on a first assumption; determines for each candidate handling position whether it lies within a working volume (wv1) of the robot; selects one of the candidate positions (OP1) at a first decision instant, the selection being at least partially based on the result of the determining; and handles an object at an actual handling position corresponding to the selected candidate handling position, the handling being performed after a usage time of the robot, the usage time including the time for moving the robot from the robot position at the first decision instant to the actual handling position, and the time for handling the object.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and a system including at least one industrial robot arranged with a tool, and a conveyance path transferring a plurality of objects within a working area of the at least one robot. The computer implemented method includes obtaining position data indicating a position for each of the plurality of objects and applying a first strategy to the at least one robot. The first strategy includes: determining a value for each object within a certain area of the at least one robot, wherein the determination is based on the position data, and the value indicates a uniformity measure of the flow distribution in the direction of the conveyance path for the remaining objects within the certain area if the object, for which the value is determined for, was excluded from the conveyance path; determining a selected object within the working area of the at least one robot based on the determined values; and controlling the at least one robot to handle the selected object.

Abstract: A method for controlling a velocity of a conveyance path of a system including an industrial robot, a first conveyance path configured to transfer items within a working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v1, and a second conveyance path configured to transfer empty places within the working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v2. The method includes: obtaining position data for a plurality of items and for a plurality of empty places; creating one or more pairs including one of the empty places of the plurality of empty places and a respective item of the plurality of items; calculating, for one of the one or more pairs, a time tAs for the empty place of the one pair and a time tBk for the item of the one pair to reach a border of the working area (b2) based on position data for the one pair and the velocities v1 and v2; and controlling the velocity v2 of the second conveyance path based on a difference between the time tAs and a time (tBk+?t), where ?t is a predetermined time difference.

Abstract: A method for avoiding collisions between two robots providing first movement information related to a first robot movement; determining for a plurality of second robot movements whether they involve a risk for collision between the first and second robots; and executing one of the second robot movements. Information about a movement of one robot enables a robot controller of another robot with an overlapping work area to select among available robot movements an appropriate one that does not involve a risk for collision between the two robots.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a robot coordinate system of a robot with a conveyor coordinate system of a movable conveyor member, the method including providing a sensor configured to detect positions of the robot in a non-contact manner; detecting a position of the robot when the conveyor member is positioned at a first operating position; detecting a position of the robot and/or of the conveyor member by the sensor in the sensor coordinate system when the conveyor member is positioned at a second operating position different from the first operating position; and determining a relationship between the robot coordinate system and the conveyor coordinate system based on at least one detected position of the robot in the sensor coordinate system. A robot system and a control system are also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling movement sequences of a robot, the method including predicting values of at least one parameter related to the execution of alternative movement sequences by the robot, where each movement sequence includes at least one movement segment associated with a handling location; selecting a movement sequence based on the predicted values of the at least one parameter; and executing the selected movement sequence by the robot. A control system for controlling movement sequences of a robot is also provided.

Abstract: A method for controlling a velocity of a conveyance path of a system including an industrial robot, a first conveyance path configured to transfer items within a working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v1, and a second conveyance path configured to transfer empty places within the working area (b2) of the robot with a velocity v2. The method includes: obtaining position data for a plurality of items and for a plurality of empty places; creating one or more pairs including one of the empty places of the plurality of empty places and a respective item of the plurality of items; calculating, for one of the one or more pairs, a time tAs for the empty place of the one pair and a time tBk for the item of the one pair to reach a border of the working area (b2) based on position data for the one pair and the velocities v1 and v2; and controlling the velocity v2 of the second conveyance path based on a difference between the time tAs and a time (tBk+?t), where ?t is a predetermined time difference.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and a system including at least one industrial robot arranged with a tool, and a conveyance path transferring a plurality of objects within a working area of the at least one robot. The computer implemented method includes obtaining position data indicating a position for each of the plurality of objects and applying a first strategy to the at least one robot. The first strategy includes: determining a value for each object within a certain area of the at least one robot, wherein the determination is based on the position data, and the value indicates a uniformity measure of the flow distribution in the direction of the conveyance path for the remaining objects within the certain area if the object, for which the value is determined for, was excluded from the conveyance path; determining a selected object within the working area of the at least one robot based on the determined values; and controlling the at least one robot to handle the selected object.

Abstract: An arrangement for handling objects on an object transporting device includes an industrial robot and an object handling control device. The device estimates candidate handling positions (OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4, OP5, OP6, OP7) for at least one candidate object based on a first assumption; determines for each candidate handling position whether it lies within a working volume (wv1) of the robot; selects one of the candidate positions (OP1) at a first decision instant, the selection being at least partially based on the result of the determining; and handles an object at an actual handling position corresponding to the selected candidate handling position, the handling being performed after a usage time of the robot, the usage time including the time for moving the robot from the robot position at the first decision instant to the actual handling position, and the time for handling the object.

Abstract: A method for avoiding collisions between two robots providing first movement information related to a first robot movement; determining for a plurality of second robot movements whether they involve a risk for collision between the first and second robots; and executing one of the second robot movements. Information about a movement of one robot enables a robot controller of another robot with an overlapping work area to select among available robot movements an appropriate one that does not involve a risk for collision between the two robots.

Abstract: A robot system is disclosed which includes at least two robots, each having a related processing unit. The processing units are connected to each other via a network bus for data transmission, and distributed sensors are provided for gathering first and/or second measurement data within a local extension of the robot system. First measurement data gathered by at least one first sensor are transmissible to at least one processing unit related thereto. Second measurement data gathered by at least one second sensor are feedable into the network bus and provided to the at least two processing units connected thereto. The processing units can analyze the second measurement data as a variable dynamic share of workload for feeding result-data of the analysis into the network bus.

Abstract: A robot system is disclosed which includes at least two robots, each having a related processing unit. The processing units are connected to each other via a network bus for data transmission, and distributed sensors are provided for gathering first and/or second measurement data within a local extension of the robot system. First measurement data gathered by at least one first sensor are transmissible to at least one processing unit related thereto. Second measurement data gathered by at least one second sensor are feedable into the network bus and provided to the at least two processing units connected thereto. The processing units can analyze the second measurement data as a variable dynamic share of workload for feeding result-data of the analysis into the network bus.

Abstract: Method for optimizing the movement performance of an industrial robot for a current movement path with respect to thermal load on the driving system of the robot, wherein the method comprises the following steps: for at least one component in the driving system, the thermal load is calculated for the whole or parts of the movement path if the calculated thermal load is compared with a maximally allowed load for the component; and dependent on said comparison, a course of accelerations and velocities for the current movement path are adjusted.

Abstract: Method for optimising the movement performance of an industrial robot for a current movement path with respect to thermal load on the driving system of the robot, wherein the method comprises the following steps: for at least one component in the driving system, the thermal load is calculated for the whole or parts of the movement path if the calculated thermal load is compared with a maximally allowed load for the component; and dependent on said comparison, a course of accelerations and velocities for the current movement path are adjusted.