Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an industrial robot system comprising a workpiece handling apparatus having first revolute joints for moving a workpiece, and a tool moving apparatus having second revolute joints for moving a tool so as to move the workpiece and the tool on a predetermined trajectory between two adjacent teaching points, there are calculated a position and an attitude of a predetermined coordinate system of a predetermined workpiece attachment reference point based on a coordinate system of a baseplane of said workpiece handling apparatus, and a position and an attitude of a predetermined coordinate system of a predetermined tool attachment reference point based on a coordinate system of a baseplane of said tool handling apparatus, from inputted teaching data. Further, there are calculated joint variables of the first and second revolute joints for moving tile workpiece and the tool on the trajectory, from the calculated data.

Abstract: An industrial robotic system related to the present invention provides a workpiece handling robot manipulating a workpiece and a tool handling robot manipulating a tool processing the workpiece. A teaching control device for manual operation of the robotic system controls not only the execution of a conventional sole-acting manual mode of operation, but also the execution of a co-acting manual mode of operation. According to a co-acting manual mode of operation, "a relative position and a relative attitude of a tool against a workpiece" are maintained substantially constant.When the manipulation of the workpiece is executed in order to get a new setting state by means of a co-acting manual mode of operation from an initial setting state, the tip point of the tool is remained at an aimed point on the workpiece and an attitude of the tool against the workpiece is maintained without interference between the tool and the workpiece.