Master-Control Communication Setup

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This guide shows you how to set up master-control communication with a KUKA robot.

Preparation

Check Controller and Software Compatibility

  • Controller model: KUKA KR C4

  • Controller system software version: KSS 8.2, 8.3, 8.5 or 8.6

    Click here for instructions

    1. Select robot icon, and then select Help  Info.

      kss version 1

    2. Check the controller system software version in the Info interface.

      kss version 2

  • Add-on software package: Ethernet KRL (V 2.2.8, 3.0.3 or 3.1.2.29)

    The correspondence between KSS and Ethernet KRL versions is as follows:

    KSS version Ethernet KRL version

    8.2 or 8.3

    2.2.8

    8.5

    3.0.3

    8.6

    3.1.2.29
    Click here for instructions

    Select Options in the Info interface to view the Ethernet KRL version.

    krl version

All teach pendant actions in this chapter are performed on KSS 8.6.

Set up the Network Connection

Connect the Hardware

  • KR C4 Compact: X66 port

    port1

  • Other KR C4 controllers: KLI port

    port2

Set the IP Address

  • Switch to the Expert mode:

    1. Select robot icon, and then select Configuration  User group to enter the log-on interface.

      change mode

    2. Select Expert, enter the password (the default password is kuka), and then select Log on.

      login

  • Set the IP address:

    1. Select robot icon, and then select Start-up  Network configuration to enter the network configuration interface.

      ip setting1

    2. Input an IP address in the same subnet as that of the IPC, and then select Save. Select Yes and OK, respectively, in the next two pop-up windows.

      ip setting2
      ip setting4

  • Restart the robot controller to finish setting the IP address:

    1. Select robot icon, and select Shutdown to enter the shutdown interface.

      reboot1

    2. Select Reboot control PC in the shutdown interface.

    reboot2

Load the Program Files to the Robot (Auto)

You can perform the following operations to allow the loader to auto-load master-control programs to the robot.

If the auto-load process fails and you cannot resolve the issue, proceed to Load the Program Files to the Robot (Manual).

  1. Navigate to Mech-Center/Robot_Server/Robot_FullControl/kuka/kuka_opt from the installation directory where Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz are installed, open the desired folder based on your robot system version, and then copy the Mech-Mind.kop file to your flash drive.

  2. Plug the flash drive into the robot controller and switch to the expert mode.

    Select robot icon, and then select Configuration  User group to enter the log-on interface.

    change mode

    Select Expert, enter the password (the default password is kuka), and then select Log on.

    login

  3. Select robot icon, and then select Start-up  Additional software.

    auto loading files1

  4. In the following interface, select New software  Configure  Path selection.

    auto loading files2
    auto loading files3
    auto loading files4

  5. In the following interface, select the disk that corresponds to the flash drive and select Save. In this example, disk F is selected. The actual disk may be different from the disk that is used in this example. Select the disk based on actual scenarios. Then, return to the preceding interface and select Save.

    auto loading files5
    auto loading files6

  6. In the installation interface, the Mech-Mind software package appears. Check the box next to the package to select the package and select Install.

    auto loading files7

  7. In the following pop-up windows, select OK  Yes  Yes.

    auto loading files8
    auto loading files9
    auto loading files10

  8. After the software is installed, select robot icon, select Start-up  Additional software, and then check whether Mech-Mind appears in the installed software list. If the software is installed, select Restart in the lower-right corner of the interface to restart the controller.

    auto loading files1
    auto loading files11

  9. After the controller is restarted, select S in the upper part of the teach pendant interface. If a green light is displayed in the State column of EX1 and the mm_server module is selected in the Selected module column, the installation is complete.

    auto loading files12

After the installation is compete, proceed to Test Master-Control Communication.

Load the Program Files to the Robot (Manual)

If you have completed operations in Load the Program Files to the Robot (Auto), skip this section.

Switch to the Expert Mode

  1. Select robot icon, and then select Configuration  User group to enter the log-on interface.

    change mode

  2. Select Expert, enter the password (the default password is kuka), and then select Log on.

    login

Back up the Robot Program

Make sure you have switched to the expert mode. Otherwise, the flash drive will not show up on the teach pendant.

  1. Plug the flash drive that stores the backup files into the controller, and make sure that the flash drive shows up on the teach pendant.

    backup1

  2. Select robot icon, select File  Archive  USB (cabinet)  All, and then select Yes in the pop-up window to start the backup process.

    backup2
    backup3
    backup4

  3. The following message is displayed when backup is in process. Once the backup is complete, this message disappears and a ZIP file is created in the flash drive. Lastly, remove the flash drive.

    backup5

Prepare the Files

  1. Navigate to Mech-Center/Robot_Server/Robot_FullControl/kuka/kuka_new from the installation directory where Mech-Vision and Mech-Viz are installed. Copy all program files to your flash drive.

    copy file
    Make sure you have switched to the expert mode. Otherwise, the flash drive will not show up on the teach pendant.

  2. Plug the flash drive into the controller, select the flash drive on the left side of the teach pendant, and then locate the folder that contains the program files.

    copy file1

  3. Select the mm_motion file, select Edit, and then select Copy in the pop-up menu bar.

    copy file2

  4. Navigate to C:\\KRC\\ROBOTER\\Config\\User\\Common\\EthernetKRL, select Edit, and then select Paste in the pop-up menu bar. Repeat the above operations to copy the mm_status file to the target folder.

    copy file3

  5. Refer to the above operations to copy the other five files to the mechmind folder in the R1 folder. If the mechmind folder does not exist, create the folder.

    Long-press and drag to select multiple adjacent files.

    Create the mechmind folder:

    Select the R1 folder and select New.

    copy file4

    Input mechmind as the folder name in the pop-up window and select OK to create the mechmind folder.

    copy file5
    copy file6

Set Autostart for Background Program

Switch to the expert mode based on the preceding instructions.

  1. Select S on the teach pendant and then select Display/Assign.

    select program1

  2. Select Cold start configuration to jump to the Cold start configuration interface.

    select program2

  3. Select the blank in the drop-down menu on the right of SYS.

    select program3 1

  4. Then, clear the Autostart checkbox on the right of SYS.

    select program3 2

  5. Similarly, select mm_server in the drop-down menu of EX1 and make sure that Autostart is checked.

    select program4

  6. Select Current display/assignment to jump to the current display/assignment interface. Select the text box to the right of SYS, and then select Deselect.

    select program5

  7. Select the text box to the right of SYS again, and select the blank in the drop-down menu.

    select program5 1

  8. Similarly, select mm_server from the drop-down menu of EX1 and select Select/Start.

    select program6

Test Master-Control Communication

Select Foreground Program

Open the mechmind folder, select mainmodule.src, and then select Select.

select program7
select program8

Run Program in the AUT Mode

  1. Switch the mode: Turn the key switch to horizontal, select T1 or AUT in the pop-up dialog box on the screen, and then turn the switch back to vertical.

    change aut1

  2. Switch to the T1 mode as described in the above step. Select O, and then select I in the pop-up window to switch the status of Drives. If the status of Drives is I at the start, ignore this step.

    change aut3

  3. Set an appropriate velocity for the robot before moving the robot, and observe its movements to avoid accidents. Press the enabling switch (either one of three) on the back of the pendant and the green start button on the front at the same time to move the robot back to the Home position. When the screen displays a message saying Programmed path reached (BCO), release the enabling switch and the green start button.

    change aut4
    change aut5

  4. Switch to the AUT mode based on the preceding operations, and press the start button to run the master-control program (the R icon should turn green).

    change aut6

Create a Mech-Viz Project

  1. Open Mech-Viz, press Ctrl+N on the keyboard to create a new project. Select the robot model corresponding to your real robot brand and model on the interface as shown below.

    Unnamed image

  2. Press Ctrl+S and create or select a folder to save the project.

  3. Right-click the project name in the left panel in Mech-Viz and select Autoload Project.

    Unnamed image

Connect to the Robot

  1. Click Master-Control Robot on the toolbar of Mech-Viz.

  2. Input the IP address of the real robot in Robot IP address (the IP address in the picture is only an example). Click Connect the robot.

    Unnamed image

    If Mech-Viz successfully connects the real robot, the current status will change to Connected. Meanwhile, the icon in the toolbar will turn from blue to green.

    Unnamed image

    If the connection fails, please double-check the robot IP address.

Move the Robot

  1. In the toolbar of Mech-Viz, change the Vel. (velocity) and Acc. (acceleration) parameters to 5%.

    Unnamed image

  2. Click Sync Robot in the toolbar, and you can synchronize the poses of the simulated robot in the 3D simulation space with the poses of the real robot. Then click Sync Robot again to unselect it.

    Unnamed image

  3. In the Robot tab, slightly adjust the value of J1, for example, from 0˚ to 3˚. This operation will move the simulated robot.

    Unnamed image

  4. Click Move real robot and check if the real robot has moved. If the real robot has reached the joint positions set for the simulated robot, the master-control communication is working.

    When moving the robot, please ensure the safety of personnel. In the case of an emergency, press the emergency stop button on the teach pendant!
    Unnamed image

Precautions

  1. If you failed to master-control the robot by using Mech-Viz but can successfully ping the robot IP on the IPC, please restart Mech-Viz software.

  2. If the robot lost communication with Mech-Viz when running, it will automatically try to reconnect. If the robot still cannot connect Mech-Viz, you can try restarting the background program by performing these operations:

    Select S, select mm_server from the drop-down menu, select Deselect, and then select Select/Start. If an error message pops up, select Confirm all. After restarting the program, complete operations in the Run Program in the AUT Mode section.

    connect fail

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