Creating Robot Cables using DELMIA V5
In the last post on DELMIA V5 Robot Cables Unplugged.. we discussed about the basic understanding of Robot Cable Management. In this post we will go through Robot Cable Creation using DELMIA V5.
"Consider the following scenario...TEO (Plant Manager) & SIA (Simulation Engineer/Robot Programmer) enters the shop floor to inspect a new robotic work cell. TEO figures out the robot cables are missing. He asked if they have the correct requirement & analysis for the robot cables. SIA was little surprised to know why they need the requirement and analysis for cables? .......”
Don't you think it's common scenario? Well for a simulation engineers (robot programmers) this is a very likely event while programming the robots. Building Cable Routes has always been a time consuming and highly effort driven exercise. Besides the accuracy is not 100% first time due to factors like incorrect selection of cables, length mismatch, incompatible connectors etc.
"SIA was lucky enough to leverage the benefits of DELMIA V5 to define the robot cables and select the correct cables. How she has achieved to design and analyze the robot cable system is briefly summarized below...."
DELMIA V5 provides a powerful tool to build the robot cables and help to valid the robotic work cell well in advance before implementing it in the shop floor.
Cable Creation Toolbar:
The Cable Creation toolbar is available in Device Building workbench in DELMIA V5. [License Requirement: Robot Cable Simulation bundle along with basic robotic license].
The toolbar has 4 commands which helps user to create the robot cable system starting from defining the Connector to the Cable Bundle. The detailed explanation on how to use these commands are given below which is supported by video files. Each command brings in different properties to the complete solution and is required to achieve the ultimate goal of creating the robot cable.
- Define Connector: This function creates points on the robot, or a product to which a cable can connect. In order to define connector user needs to have a 3d data with valid geometrical feature and no electrical properties defined. The only type available is Single Insert Connector: male or female connector applicable to electrical layout. The terminations are used to connect the cables. User can use the pre-defined connectors from the catalog (electrical).
- Define Bundle Connection Point: This command helps to define the constraints at the points at which the other end of the cable will be connected to the Robot. These points represent the position and the angles that the cable will be created. It requires the selection of the geometrical entities in the 3D view. So geometrical entities like Point & Axis should be available for creation of the bundle connection points.
- Geometrical Harness: A geometrical bundle or harness is a document containing an assembly of connectors, supports and protective coverings, as well as the geometric representation of a harness. Make sure the design mode is activated otherwise a warning is displayed. The detail on how to define geomtric harness is given in the video.
- Multi-Branchable Document: To create the cable, a new Product that will have all of the data relating to the cable will be inserted. Data pre-requisites are assembly of connectors, supports and protective coverings, as well as the geometric representation of a harness. Only the following can be selected to become a geometrical bundle: • A product which does not already have electrical properties and behavior • A product which doesn't result from the New Part command.• A product which doesn't result from the New Component command (inline product).
In the multi-branchable dialog, defining the segment route creates the Flexible Curve representation. User can route branches and single bundle segments using this method. Definition of some of the options available in the dialog are
Slack(%): The bundle segment length is increased by the percentage indicated in the Slack(%) field. The Length field is unavailable.
Length: The bundle segment length is indicated in the Length field. The Slack(%) field is unavailable.
Bend: The bundle segment length corresponds to the minimum distance between the points defining its route. The Slack(%) and Length fields are unavailable.
Straight Bend: The bundle segment length is computed from a centreline curve with a fixed minimum bend radius.
The main purpose of the Straight Bend Algorithm is to compute a global center line curve with a minimum fixed bend radius from 3D inputs. The center line curve is made of two possible elements: Arc of a circle, with fixed radius R (minimum bend radius) & Line segment or straight line. So the connection points between these elements are continuous in tangency (same tangents on both sides), and imposed tangencies are respected at 3D route points.
The videos illustrates how to create the cables using the functions available in DELMIA V5....
"SIA was very much excited when she was able to create and analyze the cables that would be required for her work-cell. DELMIA V5 gave her the power to figure out the length of the cable, connector type required and whole lot of manipulation capabilities. She could save money and time and could see the benefits of designing the Robot Cable System virtually. She calls TEO for the review.. TEO checks the design and analysis and finds it exciting to see the end result. However couple of question still remains open for TEO...How would the cables behave in the work-cell when the robot is programmed and simulated?... Will the cables designed by SIA collide with other resources or products in the system?"
To know more on how they figured out the solution... lookout for the last post of this series "DELMIA V5 Robot Cables Unplugged" in this community.
