Mech-Center 1.6 Release Notes

This chapter introduces the new features, improvements, and resolved issues of Mech-Center 1.6.

Mech-Center 1.6.1 Release Notes

This section introduces the new features, improvements, and resolved issues of Mech-Center 1.6.1.

New Features

Support Modbus TCP Protocol

Mech-Center 1.6.1 can be used as a slave device software, providing the standard interface option MODBUS TCP SLAVE for data communication with the master device (PLC or robot controller).

You need to set the slave IP, port number, host address, and byte order in Mech-Interface ‣ Deployment Settings. For specific samples, please see Modbus TCP: Siemens SIMATIC S7 PLC and Modbus TCP: Mitsubishi Q series PLC.

Support Standard Interface Integration with UR Robot

Mech-Center 1.6.1 has the newly added URCap plugin Mech-Mind 3D Vision Interface, which supports the seamless integration of UR robots with the Mech-Mind Vision System through the Standard Interface.

The plugin provides plug-and-play programming templates to reduce programming difficulty for users and instantly enable UR robots to perform vision-guided picking tasks.

The plugin supports the following UR robots:

  • UR E series (Polyscope 5.3 and higher)

  • UR CB series (Polyscope 3.9 and higher)

Support Standard Interface Integration with TM Robot

Mech-Center 1.6.1 has added a TM Standard Interface program. The integration of the robot with the Mech-Mind Vision System can be implemented instantly by burning the TM standard interface program to the TM robot.

Updated the TM Full-control Program

Mech-Center 1.6.1 has been re-adapted to the newer-version TM robot system. After upgrading the software, please re-load the TM full-control burn-in program.

Added Version Check for FANUC, ABB, KUKA, and Kawasaki Robot-side Full-control Burn-in Programs

To avoid errors in flange poses during calibration due to the out-of-date programs on the robot side, Mech-Center 1.6.1 added a version check function for the full-control programs of FANUC, ABB, KUKA, and Kawasaki.

Attention

Version check will be performed only when the full-control function is upgraded and the robot program version needs to be updated. Therefore, it is not necessary to re-load the robot program every time the software is upgraded. For temporary full-control, or if the full-control program has been modified on-site, the technical support team can help upgrade the robot program to be compatible with Mech-Center 1.6.1.

Improvements

Added a Pop-up Prompt When a Virtual Camera Was Detected

When a Mech-Vision project uses a virtual camera to guide a real robot, the software will pop up a window to remind the potential risks of the ongoing operation to avoid production accidents caused when the user forgets to switch the virtual camera to a real camera in Mech-Vision.

Added the Function of Sending Flange Pose for Command 201 of the Standard Interface

To avoid the position error caused by using joint angle calculation under EIH, Mech-Center 1.6.1 has the new function of sending the flange pose with command 201 of the Standard Interface, which helps more accurately set the robot poses for image capturing.

Optimized Error Log Messages

In Mech-Center 1.6.1, the log can print error codes for some error messages, and the log supports linking to instructions related to the error codes in the user manual. This improvement helps you intuitively understand the codes and error messages received by the robot, thus quickly locating and solving problems.

Optimized the Sync Button of the Mech-Vision Project List

In Mech-Center versions earlier than 1.6.1, when the Sync button was clicked, the entire project numbering would be reset to the order in which Mech-Vision auto-loaded the projects, after which the order you edited would be reset. In Mech-Center 1.6.1, the Sync button has been optimized to facilitate adding Mech-Vision projects.

Attention

  • After adding a new project in Mech-Vision, clicking the project list Sync button in Mech-Center will not affect the order of previous projects.

  • When deleting or renaming a project in Mech-Vision, the project’s number in Mech-Center will be reset. Before clicking the Sync button, please keep a record of the original order.

Interface Optimizations

If Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz are already running, clicking Start in the toolbar of Mech-Center will bring the Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz software windows to the front.

Resolved Issues

Failed to Start Automatically After the Computer Was Started

Mech-Center 1.6.0 might fail to start automatically after the computer was started. This issue has been fixed in Mech-Center 1.6.1.

Siemens Snap7 Interface Service Failed to Start

The issue that Siemens Snap7 interface service failed to start has been fixed in Mech-Center 1.6.1.

Slow Startup of the Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz Software

The issue of slow startup of the Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz software has been fixed in Mech-Center 1.6.1.

Issues in Kawasaki, ABB, YASKAWA Standard Interface Example Programs

In Mech-Center 1.6.1, the running errors of Kawasaki, ABB, YASKAWA Standard Interface example programs have been fixed.

Mech-Center 1.6.0 Release Notes

New Features

Logs Formatted as a Table

To effectively help locate issues, in Mech-Center V1.6.0, logs have been improved in the following respects:

  • Added log source information in the log panel. Log sources currently include Mech-Vision, Mech-Viz, Mech-Center, Interface, and Adapter.

  • Added the function of filtering logs by level. Log levels currently include “debug”, “info”, “warning”, and “error”.

  • The Log Viewer supports viewing logs generated by Mech-Vision, Mech-Viz, and Mech-Center.

Changes in Standard Interface Commands

The Standard Interface of Mech-Center V1.6.0 must be used with Mech-Viz V1.6.0. In Mech-Viz V1.6.0, the Task ID parameter is added to Tasks. The Standard Interface also supports setting branches and indexes using Task names or Task IDs. The usages of the following commands have been modified in Mech-Center V1.6.0:

  • When command 203 is used to set the branch exit in the Mech-Viz project, the branching Task is specified by Task ID instead of Task name.

  • When using command 204 to set the move index, the move-type Task is specified by Task ID instead of Task name.

  • When using command 206 to obtain the DO signal list of suction cup blocks, the parameter “Receiver” of Task “set_do_list” should be set to “StandardInterface”. Besides, this command puts no constraints on the names, Task names, and numbers of Tasks of Mech-Viz projects.

  • When using command 601 to receive user-defined notifications, the “notify” Task’s name no longer needs to be manually set to “Standard Interface Notify”; instead, the “notify” Task’s parameter “Receiver” needs to be set to “StandardInterface”.

Added TCP Interface Commands

To work with Mech-Viz V1.6.0, the following TCP interface commands have been added to Mech-Center V1.6.0:

  • Command 110: used to support sending user-defined port data when the parameter “Port Type” of Step “Procedure Out” is set to “Dynamic”.

  • Command 210: used to get the planning results calculated by Task “visual_move” (a new feature of Mech-Viz V1.6.0).

  • Command 207: used to get Mech-Viz Task parameters from configuration files.

  • Command 208: used to set Mech-Viz Task parameters to configuration files.

Multiple TCP Client Connections to Mech-Center

Mech-Center V1.6.0 supports multiple TCP clients to connect to Mech-Center at the same time, which is convenient for multiple robot stations to communicate with the vision system simultaneously.

Built-in Python Environment in the Software

To facilitate the setup and usage of the software, Python 3.6.5 environment is built into Mech-Center V1.6.0. The software package no longer contains the environment checking tool. The built-in Python environments of Mech-Center V1.6.0 and the computer’s system are separated. If an Adapter project needs an extra Python library, please install it to the “python” directory of the file location of Mech-Center.

Tip

A Python library can be installed as follows:

  1. Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell program.

  2. Switch to the “python” directory of the Mech-Center software, such as C:\Mech-Mind\Mech-Center-1.6.x\python.

  3. Execute the following command: ./python -m pip install library_name.

Online Help Documentation

The online help documentation is available for Mech-Center V1.6.0. You can access the Mech-Center V1.6.0 online help documentation via Help ‣ User Manual. In the online help documentation, instructions on full-control programming and interface programming will be updated timely and extensive instructions on using interface examples of PLC and robots are available.

Improvements

Added Robot and PLC Example programs

Mech-Center V1.6.0 has example programs for performing simple picking through the Standard Interface for five robot brands: ABB, FANUC, KUKA, KAWASAKI, and YASKAWA. In addition, Mech-Center V1.6.0 has function block samples of various interface commands for Siemens PLC S7, which makes it easy for you to quickly build PLC projects.

Added Fanuc CRX Robot Plug-in Installation Package

Mech-Center V1.6.0 has a teach pendant plug-in for Fanuc CRX robots, which modularizes the Standard Interface functions after the smart teach pendant plug-in is installed to achieve code-free robot programming.

Added Adaptations to Doosan and Dobot Robots

Mech-Center V1.6.0 supports full control for Doosan and Dobot robots.

Support for 4K Display

Mech-Center V1.6.0 supports 4K monitors.

Resolved Issues

Fixed Pose Transmission Errors

In earlier Mech-Center versions, if the Standard Interface was called by multiple Mech-Viz projects, there would be wrong numbers of poses transmitted. This issue has been fixed in Mech-Center V1.6.0.

Fixed Kawasaki RS Robot Project Execution Issue

When a KAWASAKI RS robot was under full control by Mech-Viz, if the Mech-Viz project involved linear motion, the project might not be executed properly. This issue has been fixed in Mech-Center V1.6.0.

Fixed YASKAWA Robot Calibration Program Issues

In Mech-Center V1.6.0, the issues in the calibration program of YASKAWA robots using the Standard Interface have been fixed.

Fixed Quaternion Calculation Errors

In Mech-Center V1.6.0, the issue of quaternion calculation errors has been fixed.