ABB RobotWare 6 Automatic Calibration
This topic introduces the process of automatic calibration via Standard Interface communication between the ABB RobotWare 6 robot and Mech-Mind Vision System.
Preparation before Calibration
Make preparation before calibration according to the camera mounting method. You may refer to the links below.
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If the camera is mounted in the Eye to Hand method, refer to Preparation before Calibration in Automatic Calibration in the Eye-to-Hand Setup.
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If the camera is mounted in the Eye in Hand method, refer to Preparation before Calibration in Automatic Calibration in the Eye-in-Hand Setup.
Pre-calibration Configuration
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Open Mech-Vision, and click the Camera Calibration (Standard) button in the toolbar. The Configuration before Calibration window will be prompted.
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In the Select how to calibrate window, select the New calibration radio button, and then click the Next button.
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In the Select calibration task window, select Hand-eye calibration for listed robot from the drop-down list box, click the Select robot model button to select the robot model used by the project, and then click the Next button.
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In the Select camera setup window, select the camera mounting method in this project, and then click the Next button.
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In the Calibration method and robot control window, select Automatic and Standard Interface, and then click the Next button.
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In the Communication mode window, keep the default value of Protocol. Click the Start interface service button in the Connect the robot area, and the message on this button will change to Waiting for the robot to connect....
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The port number for the Host IP address parameter is 50000 by default. If the port number determined in the communication solution is not 50000, please change it as required.
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After finishing the previous steps, do not close the Configuration before Calibration window.
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Select and Modify Calibration Program
| Before starting, ensure that you have set up Standard Interface communication with the ABB robot. |
In the manual mode, select , and locate and open the program module MM_Auto_Calib in T_ROB1. Ensure that the IP address of the MM_Init_Socket line in the program module is the IP address of the IPC, and the port is the same as the setting in Mech-Vision. For detailed instructions on the operation, refer to select and modify the communication test program.
Teach the Calibration Start Point
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Move the robot to the start point for calibration.
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Select the line in the image below and then select Modify Position. Select Modify in the dialogue box to save the robot’s current pose to P0.
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If there is a 7th axis which is controlled by the robot on site, modify IsAxis7 :=0; to IsAxis7 :=1; and modify the value of Axis7 accordingly (Axis7 = XX, XX refers to the current value of the 7th axis). If there is not a 7th axis, or the 7th axis is controlled by a PLC, you may skip this step.
Run the Calibration Program
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In the manual mode, select in the interface of the program MM_Auto_Calib.
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After selecting MM_Calibration, select OK.
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Switch the key in the controller to the automatic mode, and ensure that the motor indicator light is on.
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Follow the steps in the image to modify the speed to 25%.
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Press the start key when the interface displays the content below. When, in the Configuration before Calibration window in Mech-Vision, the current status changes to connected and the button Waiting for the robot to connect… changes to Disconnect robot, click Calibrate. The Calibration (Eye to hand) window will be prompted.
If the robot is connected successfully, the Console tab of Mech-Vision Log panel will display a log.
Calibration Procedure
Conduct calibration according to the camera mounting method. You may refer to the links below.
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If the camera is mounted in the Eye to Hand method, refer to Calibration Procedure in Automatic Calibration in the Eye-to-Hand Setup.
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If the camera is mounted in the Eye in Hand method, refer to Calibration Procedure in Automatic Calibration in the Eye-in-Hand Setup.
Change the Extrinsic Parameter File
If the camera’s extrinsic parameter file has been used by a Mech-Vision project, you need to change the extrinsic parameter file used by the Mech-Vision project to a new one after you finish the hand-eye calibration.
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Select the Capture Images from Camera Step.
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In the Step Parameters panel, click
of the Camera Calibration Parameters parameter, and select the newly calibrated extrinsic parameter file.
Calibration-Related Status Codes
During automatic calibration via Standard Interface communication, the vision system returns data together with the status code to the robot. Status codes, which are categorized into error codes and normal status codes, indicate the command execution status. Calibration related status codes are listed in the tables below.