機器人離線編程揭秘 Demystifying Robot Offline Programming

By Zhangshan

POSTED 17/02/2019

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It's too complicated. You need a PhD to use it. Only big companies with deep pockets have that kind of time. There are too many variables; the software can't possibly handle all of them. This is how we've always done it.』

我們一直對機器人離線編程的看法：太複雜，需要有博士學位才能使用好。財力雄厚的大公司才有那個時間來研究這個。工業生產中包含太多參數，軟體不大可能全都處理得好。

We've heard the excuses. The misconceptions still linger, even though offline programming (OLP) has come a long way.

我們聽到太多這種理由-在離線編程已經發展多年後，這種誤解依然存在。

The old-school mindset is one of skepticism, that offline programming is not up to the task. A lot of robot programming in the welding industry is still done manually, point by tedious point with a teach pendant. Many still remember the ole days of robotics that overpromised and under delivered. This time around, the dreamers and doers have been working double time to exceed your expectations.

陳舊的觀念持懷疑態度，認為離線編程不能勝任這項任務。焊接工業有很多機器人編程工作依然靠手工，用示教盤枯燥乏味地去一個點一個點地調。許多業者依然記得對機器人技術期許甚高，而其無法勝任工作的那些年。這一次，夢想家和實幹家加倍努力，來超越你的期待。

Simulation and offline programming software has evolved. It's smarter, faster, more flexible and reliable. We've reached a new era in ease of use. Today, we bring together third-party OLP software suppliers to help us demystify the softer side of robotics.

仿真和離線編程軟體有了長足發展-更醒、更快，更活也更定，我們到了一個應用的新時代。今天，我們攜眾第三方離線編程軟體供應商來幫我們揭秘機器人靈活的一面。

OLP vs. Simulation 離線編程 對比 仿真Most simulation and OLP solution providers will tell you that it's not one or the other. Simulation and offline programming go hand in hand. Oftentimes, the terms are used interchangeably. But there is a difference. You can have simulation without offline programming, but you cannot have offline programming without simulation.

大多數解決方案提供者會告訴你，仿真和離線編程相輔相成。仿真和離線編程你中有我，我中有你。許多時候，兩個語可互換。但有點區別：你可在仿真時沒離線編程功能，但不能離線編程時沒仿真功能。

Simulation has been around for many years. Robot simulation is the 3D representation of a robotic cell or production line. It visually demonstrates how a robot moves along a path or trajectory from one XYZ coordinate to another XYZ coordinate. It can include multiple robots mounted on external axes working with multi-axis workpiece positioners, or coordinating on an assembly line.

仿真出現許多年了。機器人仿真指一個機器人工作單元或產線的三維呈現-直觀演示機器人如何沿路徑/軌跡運動，從一XYZ坐標到另一XYZ坐標。仿真可含多臺裝載在外部軸上的機器人，通過關節運動控制器工作或與裝配產線協作。

仿真圖示

All this movement can get complicated. That's why we have mathematicians and engineers, the brains behind the software.

這一切動作變得複雜起來-這是為何離線編程/仿真軟體的開發需要數學家和工程師們-軟體背後的腦力高手。

「A lot of customers purchase a robot thinking it will behave like a CNC. This is not the case,」 says Albert Nubiola, CEO of RoboDK Inc. in Montreal, Canada. 「CNCs are easy to program. The workspace is properly defined. It's like a cube. However, robots have a spherical workspace, and because of joint limits and robot singularities (points at which a robot movement is not mathematically predictable), there are certain types of movements you cannot do. Offline programming helps avoid these errors when programming a robot.

許多客戶買了機器人，認為它會像CNC一樣幹活。「事實不是這樣」，Albert Nubiola（加拿大RoboDK公司執行長）說，「CNC編程較易-工作空間可以很好去定義。像一條管子。然而機器人工作空間不確定，又因其存在關節限制和奇點（數學方式無法預算的機器人運動點位），有些特定類型的動作就不能做了。當機器人編程時，使用離線編程來幫助我們避免這種情況」。

「In robotic machining, there could be hundreds to thousands of points,」 continues Nubiola. 「Nobody would ever be able to program that point by point using a teach pendant. You definitely need software to be able to do that offline.」

「機器人作業時，可能有成百上千個點位」，Nubiola接著說，「沒人能用示教盤來一個點一個點地編程。你肯定得用軟體來離線幹這事。」

Simulation can be used for proof of concept, as a robot integrator's sales tool to demonstrate how a robotic system will perform. With simulation, you can detect possible collisions between the robot, tooling, fixtures and any safety fences. It can analyze joint limits, singularities, and reach issues. Plus, simulation can reveal a host of eye-opening issues that save time and money down the line.

仿真可用來驗證想法，作為機器人系統集成商的銷售工具，去演示機器人系統性能。有了仿真，你可以審視機器人、工裝、夾具和安全防護罩間的碰撞。它能分析關節限位、關節奇點，和可到達點這些項。另外，仿真能反映出一系列令人眼花的問題，從而節省產線的時間與資金。

Offline programming then uses that simulation to output robot-specific code you load onto your physical robot controller and run the program. Post processors turn programming code into a language the robot can understand. Different robot manufacturers each have their own proprietary programming languages. Third-party software solutions must be multilingual to tame even the most feisty robot brands.

離線編程接著用仿真來輸出用於導入實體機器人控制器的特定機器人代碼。後處理器將編程代碼轉換成機器人能夠識別的語言。不同機器人製造商均有各自的特定程式語言。第三方軟體解決方案必須支持多語言去適配絕多數的主流的機器人品牌。

When OLP Makes Sense Our industry experts say the main impetus for offline programming is robot downtime, the time required to manually program a robot point by point with a teach pendant. There's also the costs associated with that machine downtime and the programmer's labor.

機器人行業專家表示，應用離線編程的主要動力是機器人停機時間（使用示教盤進行點對點手工編程），及隨之而來的設備停機時間和編程人員的人力成本。

「If an end user is manually programming a robot on the teach pendant (online), they have to shut down production in order to program the part,」 says Rob House, Director of Sales at OCTOPUZ Inc. in Waterloo, Canada. 「The benefit of using offline programming is you can be running production and you can program your next two, three or five parts offline in the software and then once you’re ready to start a new job, you can just switch over the program and then start your production again.」

「假如終端用戶在示教盤上手動機器人編程（在線），他們必須停下生產來對工件進行編程」，Rob House（加拿大沃特盧的OCTOPUZ公司銷售總監）說，「使用離線編程的好處是，你可在產線運轉時對接下來的工件在軟體裡編程，隨後一旦你準備開始生產新工件，僅僅切換下程序就又能開始生產了。

Offline programming is best suited for complex path planning applications that require a lot of points, such as welding, trimming, laser cutting, deburring, thermal spraying, painting, laser cladding and additive manufacturing. OLP is least suited for simple pick-and-place applications, assembly, packaging and palletizing. These applications can still be programmed using offline software solutions, but users may not realize their ROI. For processes with only four or five points, it’s more cost-effective to program manually.

離線編程尤其適合應用於複雜軌跡規劃-含大量示教點，如焊接、修邊、雷射切割、去行刺、熱噴塗、粉刷、雷射溶覆與增材製造。離線編程不太適合應用於簡單的取放、組裝、包裝和碼垛。這些應用也可用軟體解決方案來離線編程，但用戶可能無法實現相應回報（軟體要投錢購買的嘛）。對僅四五個示教點的處理，手工編程更具成本優勢。

「If you're spending as much time programming in software as you do with a teach pendant every single time you have a new part, you're not any better off,」 says Garen Cakmak, Senior Director at Hypertherm Robotic Software Inc. in Montreal, Canada. 「For robots to be utilized in a high-mix, low-volume environment, software needs to be easy.」

「當你有新工件要加工時，用軟體編程和用示教器編程耗時同等的話，並不比手工示教好多少。Garen Cakmak（加拿大蒙特爾Hypertherm機器人軟體公司高級總監）表示，「對於應用在款多量少的工件加工的機器人來說，離線編程軟體需要好用。」

Improving ease of use is top priority for these software developers. But simulation and OLP are pointless if they don’t accurately reflect reality.

讓軟體能輕鬆使用是這些開發者的首要任務。但是仿真和離線編程不能精確對應現實情況的話，就沒意義了。

機器人焊接離線編程/仿真

Calibrate, Don't Deviate 標定，拒絕偏差

For OLP to work, the virtual world must match the real world. The simulation must accurately represent the physical robotic cell. Don't let deviations or discrepancies trip you up.

離線編程之用於生產，虛擬環境必須與現實世環境相對應。仿真必須精準表示實體機器人工作單元。不要讓誤差和差別為難住你。

「The virtual environment in OLP software has to be an exact replication of the actual workcell on the shop floor, which is not the case in most situations,」 says Helmut Ziewers, Vice President Digital Factory Solutions for CENIT North America, Inc. in Auburn Hills, Michigan. 「The deviations between a CAD model and the physical part associated with that CAD model can be minor or significant, especially in conjunction with less than perfect tooling. We still see major issues and people saying we can't do this offline, because of those deviations.」

離線編程軟體中的虛擬環境得是車間實際工作單元的精確複製，多數情況下並不是這樣「，Helmut Ziewers（美國密西根州奧本山CENIT北美公司數字工廠解決方案副主席）指出。」CAD模型和與之相關的實體部件間的偏差可能很小，也可能很大，特別當工裝不夠完善時。我們依然看到些嚴峻的問題，從業人士也反映因存在偏差而不能用離線編程工作「。

Those deviations are not insurmountable, however. Calibration is critical.

那些偏差並非不能克服，無論如何，標定至關重要。

「If we are off just a few millimeters or centimeters, you can create as many offline programs as you wish,」 says Ziewers, 「they will never fit. We have to know exactly how that robot was set up on the shop floor, and there must not be any deviations or else the OLP won't work. The toolpath, the trajectory will always be off. This was the case with Crown.」

」要是我們就差個幾毫米或幾釐米，你可以隨心所欲去創建離線程序「，Ziewers說，」虛擬與現實環境下，永不相符。我們得準確知道機器人怎麼樣安置在車間，還不能有任何偏差之類的，否則離線編程就無法奏效。路徑、軌跡總是有偏差，這是頭等大事「。

Crown Equipment Corporation is one of the largest manufacturers of powered forklift trucks in the world. Their facility in Roding, Germany, has several complex robotic welding systems with external axes and multi-axis workpiece positioners, some totaling up to 13 axes per cell. Faced with production bottlenecks caused by time-consuming manual robot programming, Crown Roding Germany decided to explore the feasibility of offline programming. Their journey was not without a few hiccups along the way.

皇冠設備有限公司是全球最大的電動叉車製造商之一。其德國肉丁工廠有幾套複雜的機器人焊接系統-帶有外部軸和多軸工件固定裝置，部分單元可達13軸。由於面臨著由手工示教編程所耗費的時間所帶來的生產瓶頸，工廠決定探索離線編程的可行性。一路走來，不無坎坷。

At first, some members of the Crown team were skeptical of OLP's ability to handle cell complexity while maintaining ease of use. Others were eager to give it a try.

起初，皇冠團隊的一些成員對離線編程處理工作單元複雜性的同時能保持易用性持懷疑態度。另外成員希望給離線編程一個嘗試的機會。

CENIT was one of two suppliers brought into participate in a benchmarking study. Ziewers says they took CAD drawings provided by Crown's automation integrator and created the virtual robotic workcell in their FASTSUITE Edition 2 software. Based on those drawings, they created the robot program and ran it on the physical workcell. But something was off.

CENIT是被引入參與基準研究的兩家供應商之一。Ziewers回憶道他們拿到皇冠的自動化集成供應商的CAD模型，又在自己開發的FASTSUITE Edition 2軟體中創建虛擬機器人工作單元。基於那些模型，他們創建了機器人程序，並在實體工作單元中運行。然而有些問題出現了。

「The customer said this is exactly what we thought, offline programming is impossible. The last OLP software provider was not able to get it going and it looks like your software can't do this either,」 recalls Ziewers. 「What they didn't know is that the drawing from the integration company no longer matched how the integrator set up that cell.」

」客戶指出這完全是我們想像的，離線編程不可行。上一家離線編程軟體供應商不能讓機器人單元運行起來，看上去你的軟體也不行」，Ziewers回想道，客戶不知道的是，從集成商那獲取的工作單元的3D模型與其被組裝在車間的真實情況並不匹配「。

CENIT engineers arrived on site to physically calibrate Crown's workcell.

CENIT的工程師們來到車間現場，運用物理方式來標定皇冠的工作單元。

「We found out what the differences were, dimensionally,」 says Ziewers. 「We applied those differences in our FASTSUITE Edition 2 software and then adjusted the offline program based on the new setup in the virtual world. This matched exactly the physical setup from the shop floor, and the robot program worked perfectly.」

」我們找出相對位置的偏差「，Ziewers道，」我們把那些偏差導入到FASTSUITE Edition 2軟體，接著基於虛擬環境中新的工作單元來調整離線程序。這次正確地對應上車間的實體單元，機器人程序無誤地工作起來「。

Watch CENIT's 3D simulations and the Crown welding cells in action.

參考下CENIT的皇冠工廠運行中的運用離線編程技術的弧焊工藝焊接工作單元。

弧焊單元用軟體編程，突破產能瓶頸

CENIT's software coordinates the Reis arc welding robot on an external axis with the movements of a multi-axis workpiece positioner. What used to take several days to manually program a new part, now takes just a few hours. Production interruptions and downtime were significantly reduced. Welding quality consistently meets the customer's high standards.

CENIT軟體支持輔以多軸工件固定裝置的運動且運行在外部軸上上的Reis弧焊機器人。以前一個新工件要花幾天去手工示教編程，現僅需幾小時。生產中斷和停機時間顯著降低。焊接質量的一貫性滿足了客戶有高標準要求。

Ziewers says Crown's top management has taken notice: 「They're not only happy with the smooth transition from hand-teach to offline programming and simulation, but the customer also uses our FASTSUITE Edition 2 software for pre-production feasibility studies. They actually detected tooling flaws and process flaws during simulation and provided feedback to their engineering for repair before they started producing tooling. Instead of finding out last-minute during physical runoff, they were able to identify those engineering flaws way ahead of time before any money was wasted.」

Ziewers表示，「皇冠公司最高層已經意識到，不僅滿意於自己工廠由手工示教平衡過渡成離線編程方式之餘，客戶也啟用FASTSUITE Edition 2軟體做前期生產可行性研究。客戶在仿真過程中果真檢測到工裝和工藝的不足，並在開始加工工裝前提供相關反饋給其工程部門以改善。與設備跑起來最後一刻才發現問題比，客戶能夠提前識別工程缺陷，以免浪費資金」。

He credits the calibration process for contributing to the application's success. It's important to consider the CAD model in relation to the physical part being processed.

Ziewers把工藝應用達成的貢獻歸功於標定流程，顧及CAD模型與實體部件的關聯的處理很重要。

「The part as it comes out of a press or die never has the same shape， it's supposed to have based on the 3D CAD model. There's always a difference between manufacturing and the CAD model. In sheet metal applications, for example, there's springback.」

從衝壓和模具出來的工件不可能規格一致，三維CAD模型是其理想的情況。在生產和CAD模型間總有不同。針對金屬片材加工工藝，就有回彈的存在。

CENIT has calibration tools in FASTSUITE Edition 2 such as three-point transformation, multipoint best-fit calibration, and in-process probing capability that help address issues related to springback and other variables that cause the physical part to differ from the CAD model. For example, the multipoint best-fit calibration tool picks 10 to 15 random points on a part and then feeds them back into the OLP system, which calibrates the part into the robot's work envelope in the virtual cell.

CENIT的FASTSUITE Edition 2中有標定手段，諸如三點標定法、多點最佳標定法，另外實時檢測探針提供檢測造成實體工作與CAD模型間差別的應力回彈和其它不確定性。舉例，多點最佳標定法工具拾取10到15個工件上的隨機點，然後將之導入到離線編程系統，系統會在虛擬單元中計算出工件在機器人工作站的相對位置。

These calibration tools stem from CENIT's years of practical experience in the manufacturing space, working with large aerospace customers. From big OEM players, to small laser job shops in Detroit serving the automotive industry, CENIT has worked with a wide range of companies. That breadth of knowledge goes into software development.

這些標定工具來源於CENIT經年服務於大型航空航天客戶，在生產環境下的實操經驗。從底特律汽車工業的大型 OEM廠商到小型雷射加工作坊，CENIT服務了大量的公司。廣覆蓋面的工藝認知融入到軟體的研發之中。

At this year's IMTS show, CENIT unveiled the latest version of FASTSUITE Edition 2. The software expands on their OLP offering for complex robotic applications to include cell layout planning, PLC validation, and virtual commissioning.

在當年的IMTS展會上，CENIT發布了最新版FASTSUITE Edition 2。軟體在複雜機器人工藝應用方面做了擴展，包括工作單元布局規劃、PLC驗證和虛擬調試。

「The ultimate goal of a 3D simulation platform like FASTSUITE Edition 2 is to provide a software environment for the manufacturing automation controls engineer to validate their PLC, ladder logic, the HMI and OLP, and debug them in the virtual world before the actual workcell is built,」 says Ziewers.

Ziewers展望，」像FASTSUITE Edition 2這樣的三維仿真平臺的終極目標是提供一款軟體供生產自動化控制工程師去驗證其PLC、梯度邏輯、HMI和離線編程，同時能夠在真實工作單元建立前，先於虛擬環境中調試之「。

When properly calibrated, the virtual world is like a crystal ball into the physical world. Check your deviations at the door.

一旦精確標定後，看到的虛擬的場景就和見到真實情況一樣，找出偏差只是舉手之勞。

Easier to Use, No Expertise Required 易上手，無需專家幫助Another myth about offline programming is that it is too complicated, difficult to use, and requires specialized expertise. Suppliers of simulation and OLP software are working hard to prove those assumptions wrong.

另一種偏見是認為離線編程太複雜-難以上手，需要相關專業知識。仿真和離線編程軟體廠商一直在為證偽這些思維定式而加倍努力。

離線編程+協作機器人-節省數月手工編程

「People think that because a robot is a complex device, that offline programming is a complex tool as well,」says Hypertherm's Cakmak.「That's one of the biggest misconceptions. For people to adopt more robotics, we have to provide tools that make that end-user experience very easy and flexible at the same time.」

「人們那樣想是因為機器人是個複雜的設備，離線編程也是個複雜的工具」，Cakmak （加拿大蒙特爾Hypertherm機器人軟體公司高級總監）解釋道，「這是個天大的誤解。人們要接納更多的機器人幹活的話，我們必然要提供讓終端使用者體驗到輕鬆又靈活的編程工具」。

Hypertherm strives to make robot programming as easy as possible for the user with their "task-based programming" approach to simulation and OLP software.

Hypertherm機器人軟體公司用它」基於對象編程「來仿真和編程的軟體，奮力讓機器人編程對用戶來說儘可能的輕鬆。

「A welder is a process expert. He's not necessarily a CAD/CAM programming expert, or a robotician,」 says Cakmak. 「Task-based programming takes away all that complexity of robot programming, the CAD/CAM and robotics expertise, and really empowers the process expert.」

」一名焊工也是一位工藝能手。他沒必要成為名CAD/CAM編程專家，或機器人專家「，Cakmak解釋道，」基於對象編程方式消解了機器人編程的諸多複雜性以及CAD/CAM和機器人相關專業知識，這確實賦予了工藝能手新的能力「。

Empowering process experts through task-based programming is the foundation of Hypertherm’s Robotmaster offline programming software. The company released the latest version, Robotmaster V7, at Automatica in June. An entirely new architecture built from the ground up makes the OLP software even easier to use and paves the way for increased functionality and flexibility.通過基於對象的編程方式來賦能工藝能手，是Hypertherm公司的Robotmaster離線編程軟體的理念所在。它於六月在慕尼黑機器人及自動化技術貿易博覽會（Automatica）發布Robotmaster的最新版本「V7"-徹底的全新架構讓離線編程軟體使用更輕鬆，同時解鎖了新增的功能和靈活性。

Cakmak says Robotmaster dramatically reduces offline programming time and effort by optimizing robot trajectories and automatically resolving robotic errors and collisions. It works with a simple but powerful, intuitive user interface and includes tools to optimize part placement, tool tilting, and effective control of external axes. It allows the end user and integrator to maximize the robot’s capabilities.

Cakmak表示，Robotmaster極大地減少了離線編程的耗時、費力，通過優化機器人軌跡和自動處理機器人錯誤、碰撞。軟體通過一個簡潔、直觀的用戶界面，還包含了優化工件擺放、工具傾斜角和高效控制外部軸的工藝包。軟體讓操作人員和集成商能將機器人性能發揮得極致。In a recent case study, Robotmaster software takes on a tedious process for programming hundreds of points, an application that if programmed manually would have taken months. The backdrop is northern Germany where high-speed trains routinely traverse the cityscape. Keeping up with rail maintenance is an ongoing issue for all worldwide rail and transport services, but the frequency of trains in this region is a growing traffic problem. Rolling contact fatigue is a major issue where the train’s wheels meet the rails.

最近的一個案例研究，Robotmaster接手了一個給數百個點位編程的繁瑣的活，手工來示教編程的話要花幾個月。案例來自德國北部，那裡高速列車時常穿過城市景觀區。鐵道維護是一個全世界鐵路運輸服務人員一直在幹的事情，但這個地區列車運行的密度成為越來越大的交通難題，列車輪與鐵軌接觸處的部位形成的滾動接觸金屬疲勞成為一個嚴重的問題。

To help remedy the signs of rail wear, German companies NSI CAD/CAM Technik and Mevert Maschinenbau collaboratively developed a rail milling technology to smooth and re-profile the rail surfaces. The reversible rail plates have to be turned almost daily, or else be replaced. That was done manually by four maintenance workers. Now that process has been automated with a robot.

為幫助修復鐵道磨損跡象，德國NSI CAD/CAM技術公司和Mevert Maschinenbau公司合作開發了一種鐵軌研磨技術，來修平和重塑鐵軌表面形態。鐵道的鋼條要麼近乎每天都要修復，要麼更換。原來這項工作由四個維護工人完成，現在僅需一臺機器人來自動完成。

The robot unfastens and fastens dozens of threaded bolts on each rail plate. Programming the 720 start-up positions was done with Robotmaster software.機器人在每條鐵道鋼軌上鬆緊數十種螺紋栓，鐵道上720條鋼軌起點的編程工作由Robotmaster軟體完成。

離線編程解決鬆緊螺絲之繁瑣編程

"You have hundreds of holes that you have to go into with this robot," explains Cakmak. "Using our software (and a CAD model of the rail plate), you can very quickly program the process. It automatically detects the holes, creats the screwing cycle, takes the bolts and threads them into the correct locations, while always checking for robotic errors and collisions. It validates the process and then outputs an error-free robot program."「你有幾百個孔洞要用機器人去處理」，Cakmak解釋道，「用我們的軟體中（和鐵道鋼軌的CAD模型），可以很快地對工藝進行編程。軟體自行檢查孔洞，創建螺旋程式，將螺栓和螺紋鎖進正確的位置，同時檢查機器人報錯和碰撞，在驗證工藝後輸出無誤的機器人程序」。Using Robotmaster OLP software allows personnel to focus on other maintenance work, while the robot makes sure it doesn’t miss any bolts. Instead of the original four, only two maintenance workers are required for the new robotic process, saving Mevert significant costs.

使用Robotmaster 離線編程軟體讓僱員在機器人確保不錯漏過任一螺栓的同時，可以關注到其它的維護工作。新的機器人工藝僅用兩人就替代完成了原來四人的工作，節省了Mevert大量成本。On the job is a collaborative robot, or cobot, from Universal Robots. These power and force limiting robots allow operators to work in close proximity without the need for elaborate safety fencing. More on these cage-free cobots later, and why they also benefit from offline programming.工作中用的是一臺優傲(Universal Robots)協作機器人。這些力控機器人可讓操作者近距離工作，而無需精心設計的安全防護欄。

High-Mix Low-Volume, No Problem 款多、量少，沒問題

Making offline programming easier for users helps facilitate wider adoption of robotic processes. Robots are no longer the exclusive domain of megacorporations with deep pockets and high-volume production. Small and midsized enterprises (SME), even mom-and-pop job shops, can get in on the action. High-mix, low-volume production is no longer a constraint when you have the latest simulation and offline programming tools at the ready.讓離線編程對用戶來說更簡便，幫助促進了機器人加的更廣為接受。機器人不再是那些擁有雄厚資本、大批訂單的大企業的專利。中小企業，甚至夫妻加工作坊，都可以行動起來。款多量少的產品不再是限制，當你手上有了最新的仿真和離線編程工具。

「We have some customers that have robot engineers who are running the robot and are very capable of programming it manually. They are also very capable with the software,」 says OCTOPUZ』 Director of Sales. 「We have other companies that are just starting to automate. They don’t have a robot engineer on their staff. They can be hard to find and they can be expensive. They may be promoting a manual welder to now work with the robot and he may not have much experience.「我們有些客戶有操作機器人的工程師，其同時會手工編程和軟體編程」，OCTOPUZ銷售總監表示，「另一些公司正準備上自動化，他們員工中沒有機器人工程師-這些人難招又高薪，可能會提升經驗不足的手焊工使用機器人工作」。

「We take the approach that anyone should be able to program a robot,」 continues House. 「We have worked with people that have never touched a robot in their life and do not use software that often. It requires a little bit more training, but we can definitely get them to the point where they are comfortable programming a robot.」「我們定位的目標是：誰都應該能對機器人編程」，House接著講，「我們有過和以前從沒接觸過機器人，也沒怎麼用過軟體的人一起工作過，只需要多一點培訓，我們絕對能讓他們到輕鬆地給機器人編程的程度」。

Accumetal Manufacturing Inc. is a producer of high-mix fabricated components for the off-road equipment industry, including subassemblies for mining equipment. The Canadian company has less than 100 employees, with welding proficiency at the heart of their success.Accumetal製造公司是一家產品雜多的焊接組件生產商，供應野外設備行業，包括礦山設備部件。加拿大公司不到100名僱員，成功的關鍵是其焊接的高水平。

After many years of manually programming their Panasonic robot, the volume of work increased to the level where Accumetal needed to take some pressure off of their welders. They acquired a new robotic welding cell in early 2018 and sought out OCTOPUZ for a simulation and OLP software solution.Accumetal公司多年來一直由手工給松下機器焊接機器人編程，現在工作量增加到了公司需要給焊工分擔壓力的地步。2018年初，他們增加一套新的機器人焊接工作站，並且找到OCTOPUZ尋求仿真和離線編程軟體解決方案。

弧焊單元用離線編程節省大半編程和停機

The new cell consists of a six-axis Panasonic welding robot and a single-axis headstock/tailstock workpiece positioner. House says this type of cell is very popular in the welding industry.新的工作單元由一臺六軸松下焊接機器人和一個單軸首尾夾持工件固定裝置組成。House表示這類工作單元在焊接行業大量使用。

「Our software handles all seven axes easily,」 says House. 「We can either index the part in position and weld it, or we can support coordinated motion where the robot and positioner are moving at the same time.」"我們的軟體輕鬆應付七個軸」，House道，「可讓部件保持某一轉動位置來焊接，或讓機器人與固定裝置隨動來焊接」。

OCTOPUZ added support for Panasonic robots expressly for Accumetal. The software easily converts the programming code into Panasonic robot-specific code.OCTOPUZ增加了為Accumetal定製的支持松下機器人功能，軟體輕鬆將編程代碼轉換成松下機器人特定格式的執行代碼。

「That’s one of the benefits of using our software. We program every robot in exactly the same way,」 says House. 「You could be programming three different robots to do the same process and the software would convert it to each robot code.」「這是使用我們軟體的一個好處，軟體可在同一時間給多個機器人編程」，House講，「你可以給三個做同一加工的不同機器人編程，而且軟體可以輸出各個機器人的執行代碼」。

This also allows for application flexibility. House says it allows the user to grow with automation. A company may be using the software for welding right now. If for example they want to do a trimming application in the future, they can use their same seat of software to program that application.House說軟體支持靈活的用途，使用戶可通過自動化來發展。一家公司可能現在把軟體用在焊接上，假如以後想做修邊加工，可用同一套軟體來編程。

「It also allows them to work on more jobs,」 says House. 「Many companies will have a welding robot, but they are only comfortable running one or two parts on that robot. Everything else might be manually welded, because they’re not sure the robot can handle it. But with offline programming, you can do things like R&D and testing to make sure you can weld a new part. You’re doing all this from the comfort of your office and your computer. This allows you to start opening new jobs for your robot.」「軟體也讓客戶能做更多工作，許多公司有一臺焊接機器人，但僅一兩個零件在上面加工順暢，其它的零件或許由手工來焊接，因為公司不確定機器能否加工得好。有了離線編程，你可以幹活像搞研發和測試，確保你可以焊接一個新零件。你在辦公室和電腦上輕鬆地幹活，軟體讓你開始給自己的機器人找些新的工作」。House總結。

In addition to helping Accumetal reduce programming time, OCTOPUZ was able to help their new customer reduce robot downtime and meet production demand. The customer reports that their initial programming time was cut in half. Check out the full case study.在幫Accumetal減少編程耗時之餘，OCTOPUZ能夠幫新客戶減少機器人停機時間和滿足生產要求。檢視所有的客戶案例研究，客戶的初始編程時間省掉一半。

Accumetal’s cell also uses through-arc seam tracking (TAST) for real-time tracking of the weld joint. This is in case the robot needs to adjust its trajectory on the fly, like when the CAD model and the actual part don’t match, as mentioned in the earlier discussion on calibration.Accumetal的工作單元也使用焊縫追蹤來實時定位焊點。這是在機器人需要在運行中調整軌跡的情形下，像實際部件與CAD模型不匹配，在之前關於標定的討論中提及過。

「We do a lot in the welding industry,」 says House. Welding is notorious for having parts that are not exact, especially for the CAD. There can be quite a bit of discrepancy. Lasers are very popular. You create a path in our software and then using a laser seam tracker, if the part is not perfect, it will modify our path to follow that seam. 「我們在焊接行業做了大量案例」，House表示，「焊接的部件的一致性是出了名的差，特別是較之於CAD模型，可能有些相當不一致。雷射焊縫追蹤廣受歡迎-在軟體中創建一條路徑，接著用雷射焊縫追蹤儀，如果部件不標準，它將自動調整路徑來追隨焊縫」。

離線編程軟體中仿真七軸弧焊單元

House says they have in-depth support for welding, with over 200 different variables for welding applications alone. You can modify variables like your torch tilt, torch twist, push/pull angle, and touch-sensing. House表示，他們軟體深度支持焊接工藝，超過200個不同的焊接應用參數。你可以調整參數，像焊槍角度、焊槍旋轉度、推拉角度和觸覺感應值。

One OLP Tool, Multiple Robot Brands 第三方離線編程軟體支持多機器人品牌A key advantage of third-party simulation and offline programming software is its universality. Most can manage multiple robot brands. This is in sharp contrast to the OLP solutions offered by robot manufacturers. Robot OEM software is proprietary and specific only to that brand.第三方仿真與離線編程軟體的一大優勢是它的通用性。多數可以支持多機器人品牌，這與本體廠商的自帶離線編程軟體僅支持自家機器人形成鮮明對比。

Even Easier, Cobots and OLP Collaborate

操作更簡單的協作機器人與離線編程軟體的協作

Cobots aren’t out in the cold either. OLP software supports these robotic rebels, too. Cobots can often be 「taught」 an intended path via a lead-through teach feature common to these types of robots, where you simply push the arm to the desired position and record the points. However, complex edge-following tasks often call for a more sophisticated programming solution than the standard platform that comes with some of these cobots. Our third-party OLP providers once again come to the rescue.協作機器人也不會被晾在一邊，離線編程軟體也支持這些小眾機器人。協作機器人這類機器人常以引導式示教-通過簡單推動機器人手臂到想要的位置，機器人會自動儲存路徑。不過，複雜的線性驅動加工需要有比機器人廠商自帶的標準平臺之功能更複雜的編程解決方案。第三方離線編程軟體供應商再一次提供了幫助。

OCTOPUZ and RoboDK are both part of the Universal Robots UR+ Solutions Program that certifies products for plug-and-play compatibility with UR cobots.OCTOPUZ和RoboDK同為聯合機器人UR+解決方案項目成員，該項目對配套UR協作機器人的產品進行即插即用兼容性認證。

House says they have a number of customers using UR cobots. Glue dispensing is a popular application for these lightweight, power and force limiting robots that can work in tight spaces near their human coworkers typically without safety cages. He says OCTOPUZ also works with FANUC CR Series collaborative robots and the KUKA LBR iiwa cobot.House道，他們有一定數量的使用UR協作機器人的客戶，這些輕量級、帶力控的機器人可以在緊湊的空間裡和人類近距離協作，通常不需要安全護欄。OCTOPUZ也能支持FANUC CR系列協作機器人和KUKA LBA 伊娃協作機器人。

「It all comes down to the application, not the robot,」 says House. 「For a pick-and-place application with only four or five points, you can drag the robot arm manually from point to point. But if you have a complex edge-following dispensing program you want to do with a UR robot, you can program it manually, but it’s going to be very time-consuming. That’s where software will help.」「最終一切落到了應用上，不是機器人」， House說，「像一個僅四到五個點的取放應用，你可以手工拖拽機器人手臂由一點到另一點。但是你有一個用於UR機器人的複雜的邊緣跟隨程序，你可以手工來編程，但是會非常浪費時間，這是軟體可以幫忙的地方」。

飛機熱力學自動檢測

RoboDK simulation and OLP software helps researchers at NASA Langley Research Center automate a novel aircraft inspection method using collaborative robots. The UR10 cobots are equipped with FLIR infrared inspection cameras. These thermal sensors can detect material or structural defects in composite aircraft fuselages without damaging them by analyzing the flow of heat through the structure.RoboDK仿真編程軟體幫助了NASA Langley研究中心的研究人員使用協作機器人進行一款新型太空飛行器的自動檢測。UR10協作機器人裝備了FLIR紅外檢測攝像頭---通過分析穿過結構的熱量的流動，這些紅外傳感器能檢測到太空飛行器機身組裝過程中材料或結構的缺陷，而無需破壞機身。

The inspection system is bulky and heavy, and must be moved across the entire exterior and interior surfaces of the fuselage. So while the UR cobots handle the heavy lifting, RoboDK software simulates and programs the inspection pattern, ensuring the robots don’t miss any areas.檢測系統粗重、笨拙，還必須沿機身內外表面移動，人力不能勝任。於是研究人員選擇由UR協作機器人舉起沉重的升降機構，配合RoboDK軟體對檢測路徑進行仿真和編程，確保機器人不錯過任何區域的檢測。

But why offline programming when cobots are supposed to be easy to program?但為何在協作機器人被認為容易去編程的情況下選擇離線編程？

「Their user interface is made very simple, but it’s made for people that have never programmed a robot,」 explains RoboDK’s Nubiola. 「If you want to move the robot from point A to point B, that’s very easy. Probably a 10-year-old can do it. But as soon as you want to do something more sophisticated, Universal Robots may be more complicated than other robot brands.」「協作機器人的用戶界面很簡單，可又是為從沒對機器人編程過的人而設計」，RoboDK公司的Nubiola解釋道，「如你想拖拽機器人從A點到B點，很簡單，10歲的小孩都可能做到。但你要想做些更有難度的，聯合機器人可能比別的機器人品牌更複雜。

For a complex process like NASA’s inspection system, where the thermal sensors are analyzing hundreds of points, OLP software is a no-brainer. Manual operation or even point-to-point robotic programming would be tedious, and it would take three or four people to do the same thing one robot and one operator can achieve.對於像NASA的檢測系統這樣的複雜處理，紅外傳感器分析數百個點位，離線編程軟體一鍵完成。手工操作甚或點到點的機器人編程將是漫長無趣的工作，需要3-4個人才能幹一臺機器人和一位操作人員就能完成的活。

Using calibrated 3D CAD models of the robot, fuselage and inspection tool, NASA uses RoboDK software to not only generate the robot paths, but also test for the most efficient path. Automating the process with a robot also creates digital data of the inspection that can remain with the vehicle record. Subsequent test results on the exact same areas can reveal structural and material changes over time.用標定過的機器人三維CAD模型、機身和檢測工具，NASA藉助RoboDK軟體不單能生成機器人路徑，同時能驗證最優。機器人自動檢測產生了歸於太空飛行器檔案的數字信息，相同部位的後續檢測結果可以反映出結構和材料隨著時間而產生的改變。

用協作機器人檢測飛機結構缺陷

The inspection system using one cobot on a wheeled base has been in testing at NASA for about a year. Nubiola says a new version of the system, which uses two UR10 cobots working together on the same linear rail has been in testing for a few months. This speeds inspection time and saves the operator from having to repeatedly wheel the robot from one section of the fuselage to another. The movements of the two cobots are coordinated in the RoboDK simulation and subsequent program. The new setup brings this system one step closer to a production scenario.檢測系統使用一臺固定在滾輪式基座上的協作機器人，已在NASA測試了一年左右。Nubiola說，新版本的系統-使用兩臺固定在同一直線導軌上搭配工作的UR10協同機器人，已測試了數月。新系統加快了檢測時間，也讓操作人員從非得不停地推動機器人通過滾輪從機身一個區域到另一個區域的動作中解脫。兩臺協作機器人的運動在RoboDK中協調好後並進行編程，新配置讓系統離投產更近一步。

Less Time Programming, More Time Producing 編程時間變短，生產時間延長In a perfect world, a state that is rarely attainable, a virtual solution should replicate the physical world. But part and process variances, or deviations, can throw a monkey wrench into your simulation and offline programming setup. That’s where calibration is critical. Complex robotic processes and sophisticated software are no longer the exclusive domain of megacorporations. High-mix, low-volume job shops can join the OLP part to approach flexible production. 虛擬方案應映射真實環境，並完全一致的情形很少做到。工件、工藝參數或誤差讓你的仿真與離線編程大為亂套-標定是關鍵的。複雜的機器人加工和複雜的軟體不再是大企業的專屬領域。款多、量少的工件加工車間可以結合離線編程組件，實現柔性生產。

Yes, there are growing pains. But offline programming software has come of age, with better functionality, ease of use and reliability. Spend less time programming and more time producing. OLP is up to the task! Are you? 沒錯，存在發展中的痛點，但離線編程軟體已經到了具備更好的功能、易用性、可靠性的時候。編程耗時減少，可生產時間加長。

離線編程準備好了，那麼你呢？