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STA RTING FANU C R OBOTS IN AU TO
FILED UNDER: FANUC
You’ve finished programming your robot, tested it in T1, and now you want to run it faster.
If you’re like me, you sometimes forget the details on Remote vs. Local, UOP signals and
the di erent startup types available (RSR, PNS, Style, Other). For your (and my own)
reference, here’s a quick no-BS guide on how to get things running.
NOTE: If you like this post and are interested in the programming side of things, be sure to
check out my book on programming FANUC robots.
TH E MODE SELECT (T1/ T2 /AU TO) SW ITCH
T1 and T2 are for teaching and testing the robot. T1 limits the tool center point (TCP)
speed to a nice and safe 250mm/sec.
If your robot has T2, you probably have an older robot or you’re outside the US. This mode
became non-standard in the US several years ago, but it allows you to test-run programs
with the teach pendant at full speed. Be careful out there.
When the robot is switched into AUTO, you’re running programs without the teach
pendant. In fact, if the teach pendant is enabled, the robot will be in a fault condition.
Some other device (covered later) will issue signals to start the robot.
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FENCE CIRCUIT
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The fence circuit is bypassed in T1 and T2, but it must be closed when in AUTO mode.
LOCAL MODE
Now that your robot is in AUTO, you can choose to start it remotely or locally. This
configuration option is on the System Config screen (Menu > System > Config).
When in local mode, the robot will be started from the Standard Operator Panel (SOP)
buttons located on the controller.
Be careful: when the robot is in local mode, it will always run whatever program you have
selected on the SELECT menu. The robot will ignore any setup you have done on the
Program Select method screen.
I generally switch things over to AUTO/Local a er some thorough testing in T1. Start out
slow with your finger on the HOLD button, gradualling bumping up the override before
doing the same thing with the PLC in charge.
REMOTE MO DE
When the robot is in Remote mode, it will follow the Program Select method and
Production Start method you defined in the system config screen. You’ll probably always
use UOP as the Production Start method.
There are four Program Select methods: RSR, PNS, STYLE and OTHER, but I think OTHER is
best option.
OTH ER
Ah, OTHER: the simplest, most barebones and easy-to-use startup method. The robot
simply runs an explicitly stated program when it receives a start signal.
Set your Program Select Mode to OTHER on the system config screen and then specify a
program to run by hitting DETAIL. You can also set the program name via the
$shell_wrk.$cust_name
system variable.
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I find that keeping it simple, having the robot start some main task and handling any job
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requests, etc. from there is generally best, but I’ll briefly summarize the other methods as
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well.
ROB OT SERVICE REQUEST ( RS R)
I’m not sure why anyone would use this program select method. (If you have a compelling
reason, please let me know.) RSR basically lets you specify 8 numerically identified
programs that correspond to 8 input bits. You have the option to add an acknowledge bit,
but it’s not really a full handshake.
The setup screen has you associate a number with each of your 8 RSR bits (e.g. 10, 20, 30,
etc.). You can also specify a base that these numbers will get added to (e.g. 100). With
these example values, if the RSR1 input is given the robot will execute RSR0110 (base of
100 + RSR1 bit value of 10). RSR2 would execute RSR0120, RSR0130 for RSR3, and so on.
You have to follow this naming convention (RSRxxxx) exactly, but you can modify the RSR
prefix via
$shell_cfg.$job_root
.
I’m not a fan of these non-descriptive names (what the heck does RSR0150 do again?), so I
wouldn’t recommend using this method.
PROGRAM N UMBER SEL ECT ( PN S )
PNS is kinda like RSR, but it interprets the 8-bits as a binary number. You don’t have to
explicitly set numbers fo each signal, but you can define a base number
$shell_cfg.$pns_base
change the prefix with
. The naming convention is similar (PNSxxxx) unless you
$shell_cfg.$pns_program
.
This startup type is a bit more useful since it requires less setup and you get more jobs, but
I’m still not seeing the benefit here…
STYLE SELECT
Style is basically PNS without a naming convention. You have to explicitly setup a table
that associates a given TP program with the input job number.
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Additionally, you can enable/disable entries
via the setup table. You can also write a
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comment to remind yourself what your poorly named program does if that’s how you roll.
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TH E BOTTOM LINE WITH PRO GRAM S EL ECT METHODS
It seems to me that the RSR, PNS and STYLE Program Select methods are all remnants of
an earlier time. Who wants to name their programs
you could write something more descriptive like
RSR0001
or
UNLOAD_LATHE_A
PNS1000
when
?
If you can’t be bothered to setup your own logic for job requests, STYLE is probably your
best bet.
A SIMPLE JO B REQUEST HAN D S HAK E
Here’s how I might write a simple routine to get a job request:
! get_job.ls
LBL[1] ;
WAIT (DI[1:job request]) TIMEOUT,LBL[500] ;
R[1:job]=GI[1] ;
! GO[1:job] echos R[1] in BG logic ;
DO[1:job ack]=ON ;
LBL[2] ;
WAIT (!DI[1:job request]) TIMEOUT,LBL[501] ;
DO[1:job ack]=OFF ;
END ;
;
LBL[500] ;
! timed out waiting for job ;
JMP LBL[1] ;
;
LBL[501] ;
! timed out waiting for job request to go low ;
JMP LBL[2] ;
The PLC would be responsible for validating
GO[1]
a er
DO[1:job ack]
comes
on.
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Then your main routine might look something
like this:
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! main.ls
LBL[1] ;
CALL GET_JOB ;
SELECT R[1:job]=1,CALL SOME_JOB ;
=2,CALL SOME_OTHER_JOB ;
ELSE,CALL INVALID_JOB ;
! maybe put a job done handler here ;
JMP LBL[1] ;
In 2016 I think it’s a little silly to pass integers around… I haven’t personally seen anyone
do it this way, but you could (in theory) use Explicit Messaging to set a string register and
call the result:
! main.ls
LBL[1] ;
! populate SR[1] ;
CALL GET_JOB ;
CALL SR[1] ;
! maybe put a job done handler here ;
JMP LBL[1] ;
UOP SIGNAL S
I’m willing to bet you’re going to start your robot with a PLC communicating via
Ethernet/IP. I won’t go over the Ethernet/IP setup here (maybe a topic for another post),
but let’s quickly cover the various UOP signals and what they do.
UOP INPUT SIGNALS
On the input side (from the robot’s perspective), you get up to 18 signals, but you’ll
probably only need the first 8.
NOTE: You have to enable
UI
screen. Set “Enable UI Signals” to
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signals from the
TRUE
MENU > System > Config
.
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Leave this on all the time. When it drops, the robot will stop
UI[1:*IMSTP]
immediately, but this should not be used for safety purposes.
Leave this on unless you want to pause the robot. If this signal ever
UI[2:*Hold]
dips, the robot will slow to a controlled stop, pause its program and wait for a start signal
to resume.
This annoying little signal is normally on. When it drops, it will pause
UI[3:*SFSPD]
the robot and clamp the override to
the override to
$scr.$sfrunovlim
$scr.$sfjogovlim
UI[4:Cycle stop]
.
This signal can be used as a cycle stop or immediate abort signal
depending on the value of
$shell_cfg.$use_abort
abort signal. If set to false, you’ll have to check
ABORT
. If you’re in teach, it’ll clamp
UI[4]
. If set to true, it will act as an
in your program and
by hand.
UI[5:Fault reset]
Normally o , this signal will attempt to reset any errors on your
robot. Note: your robot cannot start or resume if any faults are present.
UI[6:Start]
UI[6]
start]
This one depends on
$shell_cfg.$cont_only
will only resume a paused program, and you’ll have to use
. If set to true,
UI[18:Prod
to start from scratch. If set to false, it will resume or start an aborted program
from the cursor position.
Pretty useless, but the idea is that your robot will execute a home macro
UI[7:Home]
when this signal is received.
UI[8:Enable]
When this signal is high, the robot can move.
So basically, to start the robot:
1. Turn on
UI[1:*IMSTP]
2. Turn on
UI[2:*Hold]
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3. Turn on
UI[3:*SFSPD]
4. Turn on
UI[8:Enable]
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5. Pulse
UI[5:Fault reset]
6. If there are no faults, pulse
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to clear any faults
UI[6:Start]
If the robot is paused (from dropping the hold signal, a fault or e-stop):
1. Keep
UI[1:*IMSTP]
UI[8:Enable]
,
UI[2:*Hold]
,
UI[3:*SFSPD]
and
high
2. Pulse
UI[5:Fault reset]
3. Pulse
UI[6:Start]
if necessary to clear faults
UOP OUTPUT SIGNALS
You’ll get some signals back from the robot if you want. Feel free to use any or all of them
to make your PLC more intelligent.
UO[1:Cmd enabled]
This is ON when the robot is in Remote mode and not faulted.
You can only start/resume the robot when this is ON.
UO[2:System ready]
UO[3:Prg running]
Servo motors are on
A program is running
A program is paused
UO[4:Prg paused]
UO[5:Motion held]
On when the robot is actively being held (e.g.
UI[2:*Hold]
is low)
UO[6:Fault]
On when there is a fault that needs to be cleared/reset
UO[7:At perch]
UO[8:TP Enabled]
When the robot is at reference position #1
When the teach pendant is on
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UO[9:Batt alarm]
When the CMOS RAM battery voltage is less than 2.6V or robot
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battery voltage is low
UO[10:Busy]
When the robot is thinking
I’m not a PLC guy, but I would:
1. Make sure
UO[1:Cmd enabled]
is on before issuing any start signals
2. Don’t bother issuing any start signals if
held]
or
UO[6:Fault]
UO[3:Prg running]
,
UO[5:Motion
is on
3. Know that you’ll have to give a reset if
UO[6:Fault]
is on
4. Maybe prohibit a start from the top unless `UO[7:At perch] is on
5. Tell the operator to turn o the TP if you want to run and
UO[8:TP enabled]
is
on
6. Tell someone to change the batteries if
UO[9:Batt alarm]
is on
That about does it. At this point you should know how to start your robot both locally and
remotely while in AUTO via whichever program select method serves you best. We also
covered the UOP Startup Method which you’ll probably use 99% of the time. (The other
option is OTHER, which looks at a system variable
$shell_wrk.$cust_start
,
usually used when the robot is controlled by a PC.)
Let me know if you have any questions or know something about RSR/PNS/STYLE that I’m
missing!
If you enjoyed this post and want to learn more about FANUC robot programming,
please check out the book I wrote, Robot Whispering: The Uno icial Guide to
Programming FANUC Robots.
THERE ' S MO R E WHER E THAT CAME FR O M .
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