KUKA Standard Interface Commands

The KUKA Standard Interface provides the following subprograms:

When writing your own program, pay attention to the following:

  • Multiple parameters should be separated by commas.

  • All parameters should be defined as runtime variables in the program file.

  • Parameters can be defined as IN or OUT parameters.

This Standard Interface is over the TCP/IP protocol.

Initialize Communication

MM_Init_Socket(XML_Name[]:IN,Alive_Flag:IN,Recv_Flag:IN,Time_Out:IN)

This subprogram sets the name of the XML file used for setting up the TCP/IP communication, flag for successful communication, flag for successful data reception, and wait time before the program stops trying to establish the communication.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    XML_Name[]

    Name of the XML file, case-sensitive

    Alive_Flag

    ALIVE flag number in the XML file

    When the flag is set to ON, the communication is successfully established

    Recv_Flag

    RECEIVE flag number in the XML file

    When the flag is set to ON, the robot has successfully received data

    Time_Out

    Wait time in seconds before stopping connection attempt

Example

MM_Init_Socket("XML_Kuka_MMIND",873,871,60)

This example sets the XML file for setting up communication as XML_Kuka_MMMIND, the flag for successful communication as 873, the flag for successful data reception as 871, and wait time as 60 seconds.

Start Mech-Vision Project

MM_Start_Vis(Job:IN,Pos_Num_Need:IN,SendPos_Type:IN)

This subprogram is for applications that use Mech-Vision but not Mech-Viz. It runs the corresponding Mech-Vision project to acquire and process data.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    Job

    Mech-Vision Project ID, from 1 to 99

    Can check and adjust in Mech-Center ‣ Deployment Settings ‣ Mech-Vision

    Pos_Num_Need

    Number of poses for Mech-Vision to send, from 0 to 20, where 0 means “obtain all”.

    SendPos_Type

    Set the image-capturing pose for the robot to send, from 0 to 2

    0: Do not send image-capturing pose (for Eye To Hand) 1: Send image-capturing pose as joint positions 2: Send image-capturing pose as robot flange pose

Example

MM_Start_Vis(1,1,1)

This example runs Mech-Vision project No. 1, and asks the project to send over 1 pose, and the robot sends its joint positions when this subprogram is called as the image-capturing pose to Mech-Center.

Get Vision Target(s)

MM_Get_VisData(Job:IN,Last_Data:OUT,Pos_Num:OUT,MM_Status:OUT)

This subprogram is for applications that use Mech-Vision but not Mech-Viz. It obtains the vision result from the corresponding Mech-Vision project.

Parameters

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    Job

    Mech-Vision Project ID, from 1 to 99

    Can check and adjust in Mech-Center ‣ Deployment Settings ‣ Mech-Vision

  • OUT parameters

    Name

    Description

    Last_Data

    Variable, indicating whether all vision result has been sent, 0 or 1

    0: NOT all vision result has been sent (more on the way) 1: All vision result has been sent

    Pos_Num

    Variable for storing the number of received poses

    MM_Status

    Variable for storing status code. Please see Status Codes and Trouble Shooting

Example

MM_Get_VisData(1,Last,Pose_Num,Status)

This example obtains the vision result from Mech-Vision project No. 1. Whether all vision result has been sent is stored in Last, the number of poses received is stored in Pose_Num, and the status code is stored in Status.

Start Mech-Viz Project

MM_Start_Viz(SendPos_Type:IN)

This subprogram is for applications that use both Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz. It runs the corresponding Mech-Viz project (which triggers the corresponding Mech-Vision project to run), and sets the initial joint positions of the simulated robot in Mech-Viz.

Parameter

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    SendPos_Type

    The initial joint positions for the simulated robot in Mech-Viz, 0 or 1

    0: Set the initial joint positions of the simulated robot to [0,0,0,0,0,0] 1: Set the initial joint positions of the simulated robot to the current joint positions of the real robot

    Note

    When the scene contains object models that obstruct the robot to move from [0,0,0,0,0,0] to the first target, this parameter must be set to 1.

Example

MM_Start_Viz(1)

This example runs the corresponding Mech-Viz project, and sets the initial joint positions of the simulated robot to the current joint positions of the real robot.

Get Planned Path

MM_Get_VizData(Jps_Pos:IN,Last_Data:OUT,Pos_Num:OUT,VisPos_Num:OUT,MM_Status:OUT)

This subprogram obtains the planned path from Mech-Viz.

Parameters

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    Jps_Pos

    Whether Mech-Viz should send targets as joint positions or TCPs, 1 or 2

    1: Mech-Viz sends joint positions 2: Mech-Viz sends TCPs

  • OUT parameters

    Name

    Description

    Last_Data

    Variable, indicating whether all targets have been sent, 0 or 1

    0: NOT all targets have been sent (more on the way) 1: All targets have been sent

    Pos_Num

    Variable for storing the number of received targets

    VisPos_Num

    Variable for storing the position of the first visual_move target in the path

    Example path: move-1, move-2, visual_move-3, move-3, visual_move-2 In this path, the position of the first visual_move target is 3. If the path does not contain visual_move target, the return value is 0.

    MM_Status

    Variable for storing status code. Please see Status Codes and Trouble Shooting.

Example

MM_Get_VizData(2,Last,Pose_Num,VisPose_Num,Status)

This example obtains the planned path from Mech-Viz in the form of TCPs. Whether all targets have been sent is stored in Last, the number of targets received is stored in Pose_Num, the position of the visual_move target is stored in VisPose_Num, and the status code is stored in Status.

Obtain Pose

MM_Get_Pose(Serial:IN,MM_P:OUT,MM_Label:OUT,MM_Speed:OUT)

This subprogram stores a pose returned by Mech-Vision or a target (as TCP) returned by Mech-Viz in the specified variable.

Parameters

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    Serial

    Specify the index of the pose to be stored

  • OUT parameters

    Name

    Description

    MM_P

    Variable for storing the specified pose

    MM_Label

    Variable for storing the label corresponding to the specified pose

    MM_Speed

    Variable for storing the speed corresponding to the specified pose

Example

MM_Get_Pose(1,XP1,Label,Pose_Speed)

This example stores the first received pose to XP1, the corresponding label to Label, and the corresponding speed to Pose_Speed.

Obtain Joint Positions

MM_Get_Jps(Serial:IN,MM_J:OUT,MM_Label:OUT,MM_Speed:OUT)

This subprogram stores a set of joint positions returned by Mech-Viz in the specified variable.

Note

As Mech-Vision does not output joint position data, this subprogram can only be used with Mech-Viz.

Parameters

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    Serial

    Specify the index of the set of joint positions to be stored

  • OUT parameters

    Name

    Description

    MM_J

    Variable for storing the specified set of joint positions

    MM_Label

    Variable for storing the label corresponding to the specified set of joint positions

    MM_Speed

    Variable for storing the speed corresponding to the specified set of joint positions

Example

MM_Get_Jps(1,JP1,Label,Pose_Speed)

This example stores the first set of received joint positions to JP1, the corresponding label to Label, and the corresponding speed to Pose_Speed.

Switch Mech-Vision Recipe

MM_Switch_Model(Job:IN,Model_Number:IN)

This subprogram specifies which parameter recipe of the Mech-Vision project to use. For more information on parameter recipe, please see Parameter Recipe.

Note

  • This subprogram must be called BEFORE MM_Start_Vis.

  • The corresponding Mech-Vision project must have parameter recipes already configured and saved.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    Job

    Mech-Vision Project ID, from 1 to 99

    Can check and adjust in Mech-Center ‣ Deployment Settings ‣ Mech-Vision

    Model_Number

    The number of a parameter recipe in the Mech-Vision project, from 1 to 99

Example

MM_Switch_Model(2,2)

This example switches the parameter recipe used to No. 2 in Mech-Vision project No. 2.

Select Mech-Viz Branch

MM_Set_Branch(Branch_Num:IN,Export_Num:IN)

This subprogram is used to select along which branch the Mech-Viz project should proceed. Such branching is achieved by adding branch_by_msg Task(s) to the project. This subprogram specifies which exit port such Task(s) should take.

Note

  • MM_Start_Viz must be called BEFORE this subprogram.

  • When the next Task to be executed in Mech-Viz is a branch_by_msg Task, Mech-Viz will wait for this subprogram to send the exit port number it should take.

  • The name of all branch_by_msg Tasks in the Mech-Viz project must be changed to integers between 1 and 99, and the names should be unique among all Tasks in the project.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    Branch_Num

    Name of the branch_by_msg Task, from 1 to 99

    Export_Num

    The number of the exit port to take, from 1 to 99

Example

MM_Set_Branch(1,3)

This example tells Mech-Viz to take exit port 3 for the branch_by_msg Task named 1.

Set Move Index

MM_Set_Index(Skill_Num:IN,Index_Num:IN)

This subprogram sets the value for the Current Index parameter of Mech-Viz Tasks. Tasks that have this parameter include move_list, move_grid, custom_pallet_pattern, and smart_pallet_pattern.

Note

  • MM_Start_Viz must be called BEFORE this subprogram.

  • The name of all Tasks with index parameters in the Mech-Viz project must be changed to integers between 1 and 99, and the names should be unique among all Tasks in the project.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

Skill_Num

Task ID of the Task with the index parameter. The Task ID can be read in the Task’s parameters.

Index_Num

The index value that should be set the next time this Task is executed.

When this command is sent, the current index value in Mech-Viz will become the parameter value minus 1.

When the Mech-Viz project runs to the task specified by this command, the current index value in Mech-Viz will be increased by 1 to become the parameter’s value.

Example

MM_Set_Index(2,10)

This example sets the Current Index value to 9 for the Task named 2. When the Task is executed, the Current Index value will be added 1 and become 10.

Get Software Status

MM_Get_Status(MM_Status:OUT)

This subprogram is currently capable of checking whether Mech-Vision is ready to run projects. In the future, this subprogram can be used for obtaining the execution status of Mech-Vision, Mech-Viz and Mech-Center.

Parameter

  • OUT parameter

    • MM_Status

      Software status. 1101 means the Mech-Vision project is ready to run. Other codes mean the project is not ready.

Example

MM_Get_Status(Status)

This example obtains the status code and stores it in Status.

Input Object Dimensions to Mech-Vision

MM_Set_BoxSize(Job:IN,Lenght:IN,Width:IN,Height:IN)

This subprogram inputs object dimensions to the Mech-Vision project.

Note

  • This subprogram must be called BEFORE MM_Start_Vis.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    Job

    Mech-Vision Project ID, from 1 to 99

    Can check and adjust in Mech-Center ‣ Deployment Settings ‣ Mech-Vision

    Lenght

    Length of object in mm

    Width

    Width of object in mm

    Height

    Height of object in mm

Example

MM_Set_BoxSize(1,500,300,200)

This example sets the object dimensions in the Read Object Dimensions Step in the Mech-Vision project No. 1 to 500*300*200 mm.

Get DO Signal List

MM_Get_DoList()
MM_Set_DoList()

These two subprograms obtain the planned DO Signal list for controlling multiple sections of a sectioned vacuum gripper and set the DOs accordingly.

Note

  • MM_Get_VizData must be called BEFORE this subprogram.

  • Please deploy the Mech-Viz project based on the template project in XXXX\Mech-Center-xxx\tool\viz_project\suction_zone, and set the suction cup configuration file in the Mech-Viz project.

Parameters

No parameters.

Example

MM_Get_DoList()
MM_Set_DoList()

These two examples obtain the DO signal list planned by Mech-Viz, store it in Do_Port[i], and input the values to the corresponding digital outputs.

Input TCP to Mech-Viz

MM_Set_Pos(Out_Pos:IN)

This subprogram inputs TCP data to the outer_move Task.

Note

  • This subprogram must be called BEFORE MM_Start_Viz.

  • Please deploy the Mech-Viz project based on the template project in XXXX\Mech-Center-xxx\tool\viz_project\outer_move, and put the outer_move Task at a proper position in the workflow.

Parameter

  • IN parameter

    Name

    Description

    Out_Pos

    Variable for storing the TCP data to be sent to Mech-Viz

Example

MM_Set_Pos(XP50)

This example sends the TCP data stored in XP50 to the outer_move task in the Mech-Viz project.

Calibration

MM_CALIB(Move_Type:IN,PosJps:IN,WaitTime:IN,E1:IN)

This subprogram is used for hand-eye calibration (camera extrinsic parameter calibration). It automates the calibration process in conjunction with the Camera Calibration function in Mech-Vision. For detailed instructions, see KUKA Calibration Program.

Parameters

  • IN parameters

    Name

    Description

    Move_Type

    Motion type, 1 or 2

    1: LIN 2: PTP

    PosJps

    Pose as flange pose or joint positions, 1 or 2

    1: flange pose 2: Joint positions

    WaitTime

    The time the robot waits to avoid shaking after it moves to the calibration point; the default value is 2 (s)

    E1

    Data of the external 7th axis in mm

Example

MM_Calib(2,1,2,0)

This example moves the robot in PTP type, receives pose data in the form of flange pose, and sets the wait time to 2 seconds to avoid the robot from shaking after it moves to the calibration point. This robot does not have an external axis installed.