pf400_driver

A repository for PF400 Collaborative Robot Arm driver, including user manuals and remote control interfaces.

PF400 Driver

Python interface that allows remote commands to be executed using simple string messages over telnet socket on PF400 cobot. pf400_module/pf400_driver/pf400_driver/pf400_driver.py

• PF400 is the main object that will be used for operations such as remote connection as well as sending movement commands.
• Programs are sent to the 192.168.50.50 IP address and 10x00 port numbers (first robot port number: 10100).
• A program sent to robot will be executed immediately unless there is a prior operation running on the robot.
• If a second motion command is sent while the referenced robot is moving, the second command is blocked and will not reply until the first motion is complete.

pf400_camera_driver

This is a sub class of the PF400 class, which includes more specific functions that will be utilized only in Rapid Prototyping Lab. /pf400_module/pf400_driver/pf400_driver/pf400_camera_driver.py

• This class is designed to move PF400 robot in the workcell and also discover the module location by using two cameras with OpenCV algorithms.

Current features

• Robot initilazation (enable power, home robot joints, attach robot to the software and check robot state)
• Robot Forward & Inverse kinematic calcuations to calculate desired locations and switch between cooardinate systems
• Plate transfer between two locations
• Plate rotation to change the grab angle between wide and narrow
• Remove & Replace plate lid
• Workcell discovery to locate module locations

pf400_client

This is a ROS2 wrapper that accepts service calls from wei_client with string messages to execute transfers between source and target locations.

-ros2 launch pf400_client pf400_client.launch.py

Development

Enable remote connections on PF400

• Enter IP address of the PF400 (146.137.240.35) in a web browser and then clink on Admin.
• Go to startup configuration under wizards and setup tools. Make sure that "Tcp_cmd_server_pa" project is loaded to be automatically compiled when the robot is turned on.
• Go to Control Panels and then Operator Control panel. Verify that TCP Command Server is running.

• To free the robot joints manualy, stop the TCP server and go to Virtual Panel and choose free all joints, click plus.

ROS Install

• cd ~
• source /opt/ros/foxy/setup.bash
• mkdir -p ~/pf400_ws/src
• cd ~/pf400_ws/src
• git clone https://github.com/AD-SDL/pf400_module.git
• cd ~/pf400_ws
• sudo apt install python3-rosdep2
• rosdep update && rosdep install -i --from-path src
• sudo apt install python3-colcon-common-extensions
• colcon build
• source install/setup.bash

ROS Update

• cd ~/pf400_ws
• git pull
• colcon build
• source install/setup.bash

Rviz Visualization

Launch with real robot

• ros2 launch pf400_description pf400_rviz.launch.py

Launch with fake robot hardware

• ros2 launch pf400_description pf400_rviz.launch.py fake_hardware:=True

Resources

• Original documents /resources/documents
• Server side VBA software /resources/original_tcp_code
• Backup config files /resources/config_files