Set up Standard Interface Communication with YASKAWA

This topic introduces the process of setting up the Standard Interface communication with a YASKAWA robot.

The process consists of the following steps:

Please have a flash drive ready at hand.

Note

A USB 2.0 flash drive is recommended. Otherwise, the robot controller may not recognize the flash drive.

Check Controller and Software Compatibility

  • Robot: 6-axis YASKAWA robot

  • Controller: YRC1000 or YRC1000micro

  • Option function requirements: must have the MotoPlus and Ethernet functions enabled.

Note

The following instructions are based on YRC1000 controller.

Set up the Network Connection

Hardware Connection

Plug the Ethernet cable into:

  • An Ethernet port on the IPC

  • LAN2 (CN106) port on YRC1000 controller

Note

  • LAN1 port on YRC1000 is for connecting the teach pendant only.

  • If LAN2 port is occupied, please use LAN3 (CN107) instead.

IP Address Configuration

To allow communication between the IPC and the robot controller, the IP addresses of the two must be in the same subnet.

  1. Press MAIN MENU when powering on the controller to enter the maintenance mode.

    Note

    If the robot is already powered on, please shut it off and power it on again while pressing MAIN MENU.

  2. Select SYSTEM ‣ SECURITY ‣ MANAGEMENT MODE.

    ../../../../_images/ip_configuration_12.png
  3. Enter the password (the default password is sixteen 9 ‘s), and then press on Enter.

    ../../../../_images/ip_configuration_22.png
  4. Select SYSTEM ‣ SETUP ‣ OPTION FUNCTION ‣ LAN INTERFACE SETTING.

    ../../../../_images/ip_configuration_32.png
  5. In IP ADDRESS SETTING(LAN2), select MANUAL SETTING, and then set the IP ADDRESS to one in the same subnet as the IPC, and the SUBNET MASK to 255.255.255.0.

    ../../../../_images/ip_configuration_42.png
  6. Press the ENTER key, and then press on YES in the pop-up message.

    ../../../../_images/ip_configuration_52.png

Set up “Robot and Interface Configuration” in Mech-Vision

  1. Click Robot and Interface Configuration on the toolbar of Mech-Vision.

  2. Select Listed robot from the Select robot drop-down menu, and then click Select robot model.

  3. Select the robot model that you use, and then click Next.

  4. Select the following options and click Apply.

    • Interface Type: Standard Interface

    • Protocol: TCP Server and ASCII

  5. Make sure the Interface Service is started: on the toolbar of Mech-Vision, the Interface Service switch on the far right is flipped and turned to blue.

Load the Program Files

Attention

Before you start loading the program files to the robot, please perform file backup as needed. For detailed instructions, please refer to the operator’s manual of the YASKAWA controller.

Prepare the Files

The program files are stored in the installation directory of Mech-Mind Software Suite.

Navigate to xxx\Mech-Mind Software Suite-x.x.x\Mech-Center\Robot_Interface\YASKAWA, and copy the following files to your flash drive.

  • JBI folder

  • mm_module_yrc1000.out if you are using a YRC1000 controller

Note

Copy the file to the root directory of the flash drive. Do not put it in another folder or rename it.

Load the MotoPlus Application File to the Robot

  1. Insert the flash drive into the USB port on the back of the teach pendant.

  2. Under maintenance mode, select MotoPlus APL. ‣ DEVICE.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_11.png
  3. Select USB:Pendant for TARGET DEVICE.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_21.png
  4. Select MotoPlus APL. ‣ LOAD(USER APPLICATION).

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_31.png
  5. Select mm_module_yrc1000.out , and press ENTER. Select YES in the pop-up message to start loading the program.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_41.png
  6. After loading completes, go to MotoPlus APL. ‣ FILE LIST, and you should see mm_module_yrc1000.out displayed.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_51.png

Load the Job Files to the Robot

  1. Restart the controller without pressing the MAIN MENU key, and select SYSTEM INFO ‣ SECURITY ‣ MANAGEMENT MODE.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_61.png
  2. Enter the password (the default password is sixteen 9 ‘s), and then press on Enter.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_7.png
  3. Press on the right arrow button, and select SETUP ‣ TEACHING COND.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_8.png
  4. Set LANGUAGE LEVEL to EXPANDED.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_9.png
  5. Select EX. MEMORY ‣ DEVICE, and then select USB:Pendant for DEVICE.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_10.png
  6. Select EX. MEMORY ‣ FOLDER, and then select JBI from the list.

    Note

    Make sure you are IN the JBI folder (JBI is displayed after TARGET FOLDER).

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_111.png
  7. Select EX. MEMORY ‣ LOAD.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_12.png
  8. Select EDIT ‣ SELECT ALL, and then press ENTER. Select YES in the pop-up message to start loading the programs.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_13.png
  9. After loading completes, go to JOB ‣ SELECT JOB, and you should see all the job files displayed.

    ../../../../_images/load_the_file_14.png

Test Robot Connection

  1. Select JOB ‣ SELECT JOB.

    ../../../../_images/run_program_12.png
  2. Select MM_AUTO_CALIB in the JOB LIST, and then press the SELECT key.

    ../../../../_images/run_program_22.png
  3. Change the IP address and port number in line 0001 to the actual ones of the IPC:

    1. Move the cursor to the instruction side of line 0001, and press SELECT. a text box will show on the bottom.

      ../../../../_images/run_program_32.png
    2. In the text box, move the cursor to the IP address and port number, and press ENTER.

      ../../../../_images/run_program_42.png
    3. Change the IP address and port number, and then press on Enter.

      ../../../../_images/run_program_5.png
  4. Insert a PAUSE command after line 0001: make sure the cursor is on line 0001, and press INFORM LIST. Select CONTROL ‣ PAUSE in the pop-up menu, and press INSERT and then ENTER.

    ../../../../_images/run_program_6.png
  5. Turn the mode switch to TEACH mode, press the SERVO ON READY key, and then hold down the enable switch on the back while moving the cursor back to line 0000.

  6. Press the INTERLOCK key and TEST START key at the same time; the job will start running and should be paused after line 0001.

  7. The robot can be connected successfully if the Console tab of Mech-Vision Log panel displays messages indicating that the client is connected.

Note

Delete PAUSE after testing the connection to avoid pausing the robot by mistake during calibration.