Robotic Simulation Process

Robotic simulation is a great tool to use at almost any point in the automation life cycle. In general, simulation engineering activities can be grouped into 4 phases starting with process conception and ending in system startup support.

Process conception

Do you know if a robot will add value to your manufacturing process?  Robotic simulation is a powerful tool to analyze alternate scenarios to identify the process that will best suit your requirements. If you need to use a robot in your process, contact us to perform a process study. Some of the key results you can get from using robotic simulation for process conception are:

  • Robot selection
  • Process cycle time validation
  • Preliminary payload analysis
  • Robot reach and equipment placement

Design and Process Validation

If you have decided to use robots in your process and are focusing on tooling/ fixture mechanical design and facilities layout development, contact us to show you how robotic simulation can lower your risk, time schedule and cost at the installation facility.  Robotic simulation can help identify potential issues with mechanical designs, layout and cycle time.  Some of the key results you can get from using robotic simulation for design validation are:

  • Tooling/ fixture clearances with robot operations
  • Cycle time optimization using actual robot controller software (RCS)
  • End-Of-Arm-Tool (EOAT) mounting configuration
  • Safety envelopes with fencing and light screen placements
  • Optimized facilities layout and system configuration

Offline Programming

Offline programming is the next logical step after completing a design and process validation simulation.  Offline Programming is the use of a completed robotic simulation to generate native language robot programs to transfer the process and design intent to the shop floor.  This removes much of the burden of figuring out the process and intended robot arm configurations from the robot programmer.  OLP can help reduce robot programming efforts by at least 30%. Some of the key advantages are:

  • Improved communication of process intent
  • Reduced robot programming time at the plant floor
  • Download translators to create new robot programs from simulation
  • Upload translators to capture existing robot processes into simulation

Simulation Support at System Startup

We have a large pool of simulation engineers who are capable of programming robots at the plant floor.  This multifunction capability makes us unique in the field of robotic simulation and robot programming. This makes the support function at the plant floor more valuable to the customer.  Often during installation, unanticipated constraints force changes in equipment placement, or ambiguous instructions lead to incorrectly installed equipment.  A simulation support engineer with knowledge of the process and a simulation PC can help make your installation changes faster with minimized risk due to on the fly virtual validation.

  • Quick modifications to simulation models to validate changes
  • Fast offline program modifications to accommodate floor changes
  • Simulation model updates to match plant floor changes
  • Cost savings due to virtual validation prior to change implementation