Abstract: A part machining cost estimating server includes: an inputted estimate data accepting unit that accepts inputted estimate data; a determination unit that determines whether the inputted estimate data satisfies predetermined estimate conditions or not; an estimate reference price memory unit in which estimate reference prices derived in accordance with first predicted data of the inputted estimate data in advance based on experiences are stored in association with the first predicted data of the inputted estimate data; an estimate coefficient memory unit that derives coefficients in accordance with second predicted data of the inputted estimate data in advance based on experiences are stored in association with the second predicted data of the inputted estimate data; an estimated sum calculating unit that calculates an estimated sum by multiplying the estimate reference price by the coefficient; and an estimate number assigning unit that assigns an estimate number to the estimated sum.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus for determining a position of a tool center point (31) of a tool (30), which is attached to a tool attachment surface (32) of a robot (1), with respect to the tool attachment surface (32) includes: a camera (4) attached to the arm tip portion of the robot (1); a touch-up point (an origin of ?m) disposed in a working space of the robot; a measurement section (11a) for measuring the position of the touch-up point by using the robot and the camera; a first storage section (12a) for storing the measured position of the touch-up point; a second storage section (12b) for storing a position of the robot (1) when the tool center point is aligned with the touch-up point by moving the robot; and a calculation section (11b) for calculating the position of the tool center point with respect to the tool attachment surface of the robot by using the stored positions of the touch-up point and the robot.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus for determining a position of a tool center point (31) of a tool (30), which is attached to a tool attachment surface (32) of a robot (1), with respect to the tool attachment surface (32) includes: a camera (4) attached to the arm tip portion of the robot (1); a touch-up point (an origin of ?m) disposed in a working space of the robot; a measurement section (11a) for measuring the position of the touch-up point by using the robot and the camera; a first storage section (12a) for storing the measured position of the touch-up point; a second storage section (12b) for storing a position of the robot (1) when the tool center point is aligned with the touch-up point by moving the robot; and a calculation section (11b) for calculating the position of the tool center point with respect to the tool attachment surface of the robot by using the stored positions of the touch-up point and the robot.

Abstract: A calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system. The calibrating device includes a main body having an upper surface, and a characteristic portion, which serves as a benchmark for calibration and is in the form of a recess formed in the upper surface of the main body, wherein the characteristic portion includes a side surface extending in a direction crossing the upper surface, and a bottom surface extending in a direction crossing the side surface, the bottom surface has an optical reflectance lower than an optical reflectance of the upper surface in relation to light identical to each other. This can provide a calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system, which can detect the characteristic portion on the calibrating device stably, precisely and independent of the illumination conditions, which is less costly and can be easily handled.

Abstract: A teaching position correcting apparatus corrects plural teaching point positions of a robot in a robot operation program, by sequentially moving the robot to each of the plural teaching points and by sequentially reading a current position of the robot at each of the plural teaching points. The apparatus includes: a position correction amount calculating unit that calculates a position correction amount, based on corrected teaching point positions and teaching point positions before correction; and a corrected-position calculating unit that calculates corrected positions of teaching point positions before correction out of the plural teaching points, based on the position correction amount. At the time of moving the robot to uncorrected teaching points, a moving unit moves the robot to corrected positions of the teaching point positions before correction.

Abstract: A measuring system and a calibration method for automatically calculating errors of mechanical parameters with high accuracy and correcting the parameters, by means of a relatively small and inexpensive measuring device. In relation to a plurality of positions of measurement, a robot is automatically moved such that, on a light receiving surface of a camera, the distance between the centers of an ellipse indicating a mark of a target and a circle of representing the shape of the target, and the difference between the length of the long axis of the ellipse and the diameter of the circle are within a predetermined error range.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus for determining a position of a tool center point (31) of a tool (30), which is attached to a tool attachment surface (32) of a robot (1), with respect to the tool attachment surface (32) includes: a camera (4) attached to the arm tip portion of the robot (1); a touch-up point (an origin of ?m) disposed in a working space of the robot; a measurement section (11a) for measuring the position of the touch-up point by using the robot and the camera; a first storage section (12a) for storing the measured position of the touch-up point; a second storage section (12b) for storing a position of the robot (1) when the tool center point is aligned with the touch-up point by moving the robot; and a calculation section (11b) for calculating the position of the tool center point with respect to the tool attachment surface of the robot by using the stored positions of the touch-up point and the robot.

Abstract: A calibration device and method for automatically determining the position and the orientation of a robot used for measurement. First, an initial position of a preliminary position is generated based on a designated basic position, and it is judged whether the initial position is within an operation range of the robot. If the robot cannot reach the initial position, the preliminary position is adjusted close to the basic position. Otherwise, the preliminary position is evaluated by calculating an evaluation index of the preliminary position. When the evaluation index does not satisfy a predetermined condition, an initial value of an posture angle is increased.

Abstract: A calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system. The calibrating device includes a main body having an upper surface, and a characteristic portion, which serves as a benchmark for calibration and is in the form of a recess formed in the upper surface of the main body, wherein the characteristic portion includes a side surface extending in a direction crossing the upper surface, and a bottom surface extending in a direction crossing the side surface, the bottom surface has an optical reflectance lower than an optical reflectance of the upper surface in relation to light identical to each other. This can provide a calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system, which can detect the characteristic portion on the calibrating device stably, precisely and independent of the illumination conditions, which is less costly and can be easily handled.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus includes a control apparatus body fixedly installed and connected to a robot and a portable teaching pendant connected to the control apparatus body to operate the robot through the teaching pendant. The teaching pendant includes an imaging device connector for connecting an imaging device to the teaching pendant so as to enable the image picked up by the imaging device to be directly input to the teaching pendant through the imaging device connector.

Abstract: A teaching position correcting device which can easily correct, with high precision, teaching positions after shifting at least one of a robot and an object worked by the robot. Calibration is carried out using a vision sensor (i.e., CCD camera) that is mounted on a work tool. The vision sensor measures three-dimensional positions of at least three reference marks not aligned in a straight line on the object. The vision sensor is optionally detached from the work tool, and at least one of the robot and the object is shifted. After the shifting, calibration (this can be omitted when the vision sensor is not detached) and measuring of three-dimensional positions of the reference marks are carried out gain. A change in a relative positional relationship between the robot and the object is obtained using the result of measuring three-dimensional positions of the reference marks before and after the shifting respectively.

Abstract: A calibration device and method for automatically determining the position and the orientation of a robot used for measurement. First, an initial position of a preliminary position is generated based on a designated basic position, and it is judged whether the initial position is within an operation range of the robot. If the robot cannot reach the initial position, the preliminary position is adjusted close to the basic position. Otherwise, the preliminary position is evaluated by calculating an evaluation index of the preliminary position. When the evaluation index does not satisfy a predetermined condition, an initial value of an posture angle is increased.

Abstract: A first masking image of an input image is created by assuming that pixels in an area including the area of a target in all sample images are valid pixels while pixels in the remaining area are invalid pixels. The first masking image is used in a first comparison between the input image and each sample image to select an image that provides a best match as a provisionally selected sample image. In a second comparison, a second masking image corresponding to the provisionally selected sample image is used to select a final sample image. The second masking image is created from an individual sample image by assuming that pixels in an area including the area of the target are valid pixels while pixels in the remaining area invalid pixels.

Abstract: An offline programming device capable of automatically generating a measuring program by which the time and the workload for making an offline program may be greatly reduced.

Abstract: A measuring system and a calibration method for automatically calculating errors of mechanical parameters with high accuracy and correcting the parameters, by means of a relatively small and inexpensive measuring device. In relation to a plurality of positions of measurement, a robot is automatically moved such that, on a light receiving surface of a camera, the distance between the centers of an ellipse indicating a mark of a target and a circle of representing the shape of the target, and the difference between the length of the long axis of the ellipse and the diameter of the circle are within a predetermined error range.

Abstract: (1) Orthogonal transformation is applied to sample images based on the images of a normalized orthogonal system, and component groups are determined. A plurality of comparison target images are selected from an input image, and a partial normalized orthogonal system is created from the normalized orthogonal system by decreasing the dimensions. (2) Based on the partial normalized orthogonal system, orthogonal transformation is applied to the comparison target images, so as to determine the partial component group for each comparison target image. A comparison target image having high consistency with one of the sample images is extracted by comparison and collation between these partial component groups and the partial component groups which include each element of each partial normalized orthogonal system among component groups of each sample image.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus includes a control apparatus body fixedly installed and connected to a robot and a portable teaching pendant connected to the control apparatus body to operate the robot through the teaching pendant. The teaching pendant includes an imaging device connector for connecting an imaging device to the teaching pendant so as to enable the image picked up by the imaging device to be directly input to the teaching pendant through the imaging device connector.

Abstract: The entire region of variation in the viewing range of the attitude of a workpiece is divided roughly, and images of the workpiece are captured from each direction. The images are stored together with imaging direction data as a first teaching model. Images captured by varying the imaging direction at a narrow pitch within a predetermined range of attitude variation in the workpiece are then stored together with imaging direction data as a second teaching model. Images of the workpiece are captured and compared with the teaching models. The position and attitude of the workpiece are determined by the imaging direction and imaging position of the selected teaching model.

Abstract: A teaching position correcting apparatus (1) corrects plural teaching point positions of a robot (2) in a robot operation program, by sequentially moving the robot (2) to each of the plural teaching points and by sequentially reading a current position of the robot (2) at each of the plural teaching points. The teaching position correcting apparatus (1) includes: a position correction amount calculating means (11a) that calculates a position correction amount (A), based on corrected teaching point positions and teaching point positions before correction; and a corrected-position calculating means (11b) that calculates corrected positions of teaching point positions before correction out of the plural teaching points, based on the position correction amount (A). At the time of moving the robot to uncorrected teaching points, a moving means (15) moves the robot to corrected positions of the teaching point positions before correction.

Abstract: An offline programming device capable of automatically generating a measuring program by which the time and the workload for making an offline program may be greatly reduced.