Originally published on DELMIA Blog by Robert Molls, DELMIA Industry Process Expert Specialist

This blog provides a tutorial that explores how to program a robot with a Fanuc controller in a fixed Tool Center Point (TCP) mode – a specific, stationary point in the robot’s workcell that the tool tip is programmed to return to or interact with–using DELMIA Machining.

How DELMIA’s Portfolio Powers the Future of Robotics and Manufacturing

With an ever increasing use of robots, even in factories that are dominated by CNC machines, it is time to take a closer look at the DELMIA portfolio and discover which applications are capable of programming robots and how they differ. Obviously, DELMIA Robotics is first on that list. It allows you to program robots for applications like pick & place, welding, painting and assembly tasks. A bit more surprisingly might be that DELMIA Machining is also on that list. It is not an alternative to DELMIA Robotics for the aforementioned applications, it is rather an addition that opens up new possibilities. DELMIA Robotics does not offer the same advanced capabilities to generate toolpath for machining applications as does DELMIA Machining.

Thanks to the technology transfer between the respective R&D teams, this gap has been closed by enabling DELMIA Machining to not only program CNC machines but robots as well. Last but not least on that list is DELMIA Virtual Commissioning. It allows to connect DELMIA to virtual robot controllers which enables users to simulate the exact robot behavior enabling them to debug & optimize their programs before they hit the shopfloor.

How to Increase Productivity while Maintaining Flexibility

In 2025, during the Innoteq trade show, Dassault Systèmes demonstrated how all three applications combined allow you to implement a fully automated manufacturing cell that increases productivity while maintaining flexibility. This cell consists  of a GF 5-Axis Machining center, a Fanuc robot, a part storage, an assembly station and two spindles for deburring & polishing. In this scenario, all three of the applications mentioned above were used to plan, simulate & implement this automated manufacturing cell. DELMIA Robotics was already used in the planning stage to verify that the layout ensured all the stations were in reach of the robot. It was also used to program the assembly and pick & place operations. DELMIA Machining was used for the applications that relied on high quality machining trajectories which in this context meant the deburring and polishing operations. Thanks to DELMIA Virtual Commissioning it was possible to debug, optimize and validate the robot programs before they were run on the actual robot.

Mastering Robot Machining: Fixed Tool Center Point Simplified

DELMIA Machining offers CAM-Programmers the possibility to use robots as well as CNC machines for machining processes without having to adapt to a different software. However, there are differences in the way robots and CNC machines are operated and this is reflected in DELMIA Machining as well.

This blog provides a tutorial that explores how to program a robot with a Fanuc controller in a fixed Tool Center Point (TCP)–a specific, stationary point in the robot’s workcell that the tool tip is programmed to return to or interact with–using DELMIA Machining. Learn how DELMIA bridges the gap between CNC machines and robots, offering CAM programmers a familiar yet powerful tool to expand their machining capabilities.

Scenario Introduction

This scenario was originally conceived for the Innoteq trade show 2025.  Switzerland’s premier trade fair for the manufacturing industry. It combines DELMIA Machining, Robotics and Virtual Commissioning to implement a fully automated production cell. The scope of this tutorial is limited to the Deburring & Polishing operations. 

Click here to read more and watch related demos.