Robot Reference Frames
Robot Reference Frames
PRASHANTH B N
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Amrita School of Engineering
WHAT IS A COORDINATE SYSTEM
A coordinate system or reference frame defines a plane or space by axes from a fixed
point called the origin.
Robot targets and positions are located by measurements along the axes of coordinate
systems.
Robots may be moved relative to different coordinate frames.
In each type of coordinate frame, the motions will be different.
Robot motions are usually accomplished in the following coordinate frames:
Base coordinate system
Work object coordinate system
Tool coordinate system
World coordinate system
User coordinate system
Joint coordinate system
WHAT IS A COORDINATE SYSTEM
A robot uses several coordinate systems, each suitable for specific types of jogging or
programming.
The base coordinate system is located at the base of the robot. It is the easiest one for
just moving the robot from one position to another.
The work object coordinate system is related to the work piece and is often the best one
for programming the robot.
The tool coordinate system defines the position of the tool the robot uses when reaching
the programmed targets.
The world coordinate system that defines the robot cell, all other coordinate systems are
related to the world coordinate system, either directly or indirectly. It is useful for
jogging, general movements and for handling stations and cells with several robots or
robots moved by external axes.
The user coordinate system is useful for representing equipment that holds other
coordinate systems, like work objects.
The joint coordinate system is useful for specifying the movements of individual joints
of the robot.
BASE COORDINATE SYSTEM
The tool coordinate system has its zero position at the center
point of the tool. It thereby defines the position and orientation
of the tool. The tool coordinate system is often abbreviated
TCPF (Tool Center Point Frame) and the center of the tool
coordinate system is abbreviated TCP (Tool Center Point).
It is the TCP the robot moves to the programmed positions,
when executing programs. This means that if you change the
tool (and the tool coordinate system) the robot’s movements
will be changed so that the new TCP will reach the target.
All robots have a predefined tool coordinate system,
called tool0, located at the wrist of the robot. One or many
new tool coordinate systems can then defined as offsets
from tool0.
When jogging a robot the tool coordinate system is useful
when you don’t want to change the orientation of the tool
during the movement, for instance moving a saw blade
without bending it.
USER COORDINATE SYSTEM