Numerical control program execution by robot

摘要

A system and a method for converting a machine tool program in NC programming language to permit a robot controller to execute the program. A robot controller converts the NC program into robot language according to a conversion configuration table, and uses the converted language as pseudo program data internally stored in a data memory within the robot controller. Each M-code (Miscellaneous code) in the NC program is executed as a sub-program call using the robot language. The content of the sub-programs can be freely defined and programmed by the user and, therefore, can be customized for the specific application.

主权项

1. A method for controlling a robot comprising the steps of:
storing a numerical control language program in a mass storage device connected to a central processing unit, the numerical control language program adapted to be executed by a computer numerical control machine tool to perform a manufacturing process; operating the central processing unit to convert the numerical control language program into a robot language program based upon a pre-defined conversion configuration table having discrete configuration instructions for converting each numerical control language positional command to a robot language positional command and converting each numerical control language miscellaneous code command to a robot language sub-program; storing the robot language positional commands and the robot language sub-programs as the robot language program in the mass storage device; and executing the robot language program with a robot controller connected to the mass storage device and the robot at a run-time of the robot to perform the manufacturing process.