Laser robot programs from the CAD model instead of teach-in.
Nowhere is teach-in more expensive than on a robot. Every point of a laser path on a three-dimensional part has to be approached, oriented and stored by hand – and repeated for every new variant. NetVision LaserTools Robotics takes the same laser strategies that drive CNC laser machines and applies them to industrial robots, linear tracks and positioners.
Robot, linear track, rotary tilt positioner, laser head, clamping and part are combined into one kinematic model of the cell. The external axes are part of the kinematic chain rather than an afterthought, so the part is presented to the robot exactly as it will be on the shop floor. Cells are loaded from the machine library or built and adapted with the integrated machine editor.
Tool position and orientation along the laser path are translated into robot joint values by inverse kinematics, with several solver strategies to choose from. The simulation plays the program move by move with the complete cell; collisions of robot links, head, clamping and part are checked on pre-computed collision data, and joint limits, reachability and axis dynamics are shown before the robot moves.
Cutting, welding and deposition operations are programmed on the CAD model exactly as for a CNC laser machine – multi-axis contour cutting, seam welding with beam orientation from the adjacent faces, multi-axis cladding and thin wall build. Side and advancing angle, angular limits and automatic collision resolution keep the tool attitude inside what the robot can reach, and toolpath editing corrects orientations along the path where required.
Post processors write the program in the language of the robot controller: KUKA KRL with .src and .dat files, LIN and PTP motions, approximated positioning and external axes E1 to E3 with laser control via digital outputs; Stäubli VAL3 projects with linear, joint and circular motions; and Cloos robot programs. No manual re-teaching, no transcription of points.
Same project, same CAD kernel, same digital twin.
NetVision LaserTools AddOn Robotics Module brings the laser strategies of CNC machines to industrial robots. Robot, linear track and positioner form one kinematic model of the cell, tool paths are translated into joint values by inverse kinematics and checked for collisions, joint limits and reachability. The result is written in the native language of the robot controller – without manual teach-in.
