Fanuc Robot Basics

Chetan Kulkarni
Field Services

tomation Solutions and Manufacturing

 Fanuc as Articulated Robot
• Articulated robots are industrial robots with rotary
joints.
• The joints are typically powered by servo motors
and are called the robot's axes.
• The movements of simple articulated robots
describes as a human arm.
• In complex setups, the number of joints can go up
to 10 or more. Articulated robots are also called
jointed arm robots.
• Articulated robots are a class of robots that
include several different types of machines.
Hence, the list of applications is vast.

 Key advantages of  Key disadvantages of

Articulated robots: Articulated robots:

 Greater Flexibility  Complex

 High accuracy  High Price

 High Speed  Maintenance & repair

Fanuc Robot Applications
What is Zeroing & Origin in Robots? J4=0 J5=90

• Zeroing Is process of aligning all axis at zero position

and setting up a Reference position known as Origin J3=0
points. J6=0
• once we get the robot on zeroing as all axis except
5 because we want avoid singularity and then we
can say robot is at origin position
• This Origin point is saved in Robot Settings J2=0
• This points helps user to reframe all co-ordinates in
case of motor replacement or encoder battery dead
• In above case the origin point is the MASTER
position for any ROBOT J1=0
What is Mastering of Robots?
• The mastering process is a type of
calibration that increases the positioning
accuracy of the robotic arm of an
industrial robot.
• Robot mastering is performed to set the
correct positions of each axis of the
robot arm, relative to the base cartesian
coordinate system (x, y, z).
• After Mastering process, a robot can be
recovered in times of any encoder failure
or any servo motor replacement
• Mastering process sets zero position of
all axis
Degree of freedom & Limitations

• Robot Axis – The degrees of freedom of a

robot typically refer to the number of movable
joints of a robot.
• Six degrees provides X, Y and Z (horizontal,
vertical and depth) and pitch, yaw and roll.
• Three degrees of freedom (3DOF) provides X, Y
and Z only.
 Degree of freedom
5.BW
4.RW

RT Rotating Trunk 6.TW

UA Upper Arm
FA Forward Arm 3.FA

RW Rotating Wrist 2.UA

BW Bending Wrist
TW Twisting Wrist
1.RT
What is Singularity in Robots?
• A singularity is a particular point in a
robot's workspace that causes the robot to
lose one or more degrees of freedom
(DoF).
• Singularity is particular point where two or
more axis align together which thus stops
robots and generates alarms ,
• although there no option for reset this
error in that case we have jog robot in back
to non straight with joint co-ordinate
system
• Singularity is one the fundamentals of
robot which cannot be changed .
• When this occur robot gets locked in this
position and show position error alarms
Basic Components of Robot
• Controller : The Controlling Unit of Robot
which controls the overall process of
Functions
• Teach pendant: Operating Remote of
Robot , which is used for online
programming
• Manipulator: Robot Axis and Structural Controller + Power supply
Manipulator
Arm having 6 joints or arms
• Drive and Power Source: AC servo motors
and Power supply from Controller
• Tool/(EOAT)/end effectors: EOATs are
customized equipment/actuators connected at
the end of a robotic arm used to perform
specific operations.

Tool Teach Pendant

Type of Motors used in Robots?
• Different Types of Motors Used In Robotics :
• AC Motor ·
• Brushed DC Motor ·
• Brushless DC Motor
• Geared DC Motor ·
• Servo Motor ·
• Stepper Motor.
• AC servo is widely used in Industrial Robots
• Servo motors are used in industrial application robotics,
which has closed-loop systems and digital controllers.
They are also used in robotic applications, requiring
more precision and significant control of shaft position.
• Articulated Robots or industrial standard robots use AC
servo motors
Why are Encoders used in Robot?

• The encoder is a device which sends a feedback

Electronic Circuit
signal that can be used to determine position,
board count, speed, or direction.
Photo-detector
• Encoders convert motion to an electrical signal
assembly
that can be read by some type of control device
in a motion control system, such as a counter or
Code disk
PLC.
Light Source • Articulated Robots , SCARA Robots are one the
robot types which use Absolute Encoders in AC
Housing Assembly servo Motors
• With the help of Absolute encoder robot
controller determine the last position which can
be called as Retentive memory
 Types of Encoders

Rotational
Absolute
Encoders Linear
Incremental

Angle

• Absolute encoders are feedback devices that provide speed, position information by
outputting a digital word or bit in relation to motion.
• Incremental encoders that output a continuous stream of ubiquitous pulses, absolute
encoders output unique words or bits for each position.
• Articulated Robots ,SCARA robots use Absolute Rotary Encoders which help gain a retentive
memory for robot controller to run robot at whatever position stop or work on
• Absolute Encoders help remember Position of motor shaft
Co-ordinate system/Frames
Sr.no Co-ordinate / Frames Description
• To define a location and orientation of
any object in space, we need 6
parameters: the distances in X, Y, and Z World frame is attached to the base of
directions and the rotations around the 1. World Co-ordinate the robot. This is also referred to as
system Cartesian Co-ordinate Frame
three axes.
• All these distances and angles are Jog frames are not very commonly
JGFRM Co-ordinate
measured from a reference point called 2. System
used but these are very similar to user
the “origin”. frames.

• Every time the object moves in the 3-D Tool Co-ordinate Tool frame is attached to the end of
3. System arm of tooling.
space, these distances and angles
change. User frames allow you to align the x,
y, z coordinate system about a fixture
User Co-ordinate or workpiece that is translated and/or
4. System rotated with respect to the world
frame of the robot.
Co-ordinate system/Frames

• RIGHT Hand Thumb Rule can be

followed to understand properly the
concepts of Co-ordinate systems
• Both Diagrams denote the Co-ordinate
system of a Robot
• X,Y,Z and Rotational & Angular axis can
be easily understood with RHT rule.
Right hand Thumb Rule
• The “Right Hand Thumb Rule” is one of the major
Basics of Robotic Motions Learning
• The “Right-hand thumb rule” denotes the
Cartesian Movement of the Robot while jogging
co-ordinate in Manual mode
• It denotes the X , Y , Z , W , P , R . Motions of the
robot . As a rule, to understand the Robots axis
and jogging motion we must stand Behind Robot
and Point out fingers as shown in Image
• We will understand the Flow of Motion when you
select X direction, Y direction and Z direction as
well as all angular axis also
• It denotes default (floor mounted) Base
Calibration of Robot.
 Base calibration
• Base Calibration is usually performed to RED: Origin
have a virtual shape and size of Workspace
or workpiece
Point 1st step
• The process of robot calibration basically Yellow: X-Axis
involves aligning the robot's coordinate Point
system with the coordinate system of the

•
Workspace.
By using 3 step method you can calibrate a
2nd step
base or workspace
• Base Calibration method involves teaching
the Workspace with X , Y , & Origin

•
positions
For e.g., you need to decide which side x or
Green: Y-axis
Point
3rd step
y direction you want then after teaching
origin point you can teach both x and y
positions
 Tool Calibration / TCP
• The robot tool, or Tool Center Point (TCP), is the point
used to move the robot to a Cartesian position (such
as a Cartesian target given XYZWPR values). The
TCP is defined as a transformation from the robot
flange.
• Its function is to readjust robot's TCP position to
ensure that the tool operates at the right point and
does not damage the workpiece.
• If a robot has major internal problems and loses the
programs loaded into it, the TCP is used as a
reference point for all the programmed points in the
system.
• FANUC robot has :
• 3point,4point,6point(xy),6point(xz),Direct entry
method.
• If TCP calibration is not done then Position accuracy is
not possible for any points
What is Auto / T1 / T2 ?
• Robot controllers normally come with a two or three
position key switch (Auto/T1/T2 modes) mounted
directly on the control cabinet face to put the robot in:
• 1.Auto:Sets the Robot Automatic mode.
• 2. T1: Teach 1
• Slow speed teach mode
• Speed and Joint motion limit to 30% of set
speed while operating
• Majorly used for Teaching purposes
• 3. T2: fast Teach 2
• High speed teach mode
• Speed and joint motion limit to 100% of Set
Speed while operating.
• Majorly used to Run Program in full speed for
observation and analysis and high speed
teaching
How to Retrieve Robot
Joints?

•Follow these steps on the Fanuc teach pendant to

retrieve the robot joints of your real robot.

•1.Select POSN (button in the teach pendant) to see

the current robot position
•2.Select JNT on screen or select COORD (button in the
teach pendant) to select the joins mode.
How to JOG a Robot
program?

•Follow these steps to start a robot program on the

Fanuc robot controller:
•1.Select FCN (teach pendant button)➔Abort all
•2.Select SELECT (teach pendant button)
•3.Select the program (BALLBARTEST for example)
•4.Press and hold the Deadman switch
•5.Select RESET. All alarms should disappear.
•6.Select and hold the SHIFT button of the teach
•7.Select FWD (button on the teach pendant)
How to check the Robot
Tool (TCP)?
•Robot tools are stored as registers on Fanuc
controllers (UTOOL). These steps allow you to
create or modify robot tools (TCP, also known
as UTOOL in Fanuc robot programming).
•1.Select MENU➔Setup➔Frames
•2.Select a tool using the arrows or the touch
screen and select ENTER.
•3.Modify the X,Y,Z,W,P,R values as required.
 How to Retrieve the
Robot Tool (TCP)?
•Robot tools are stored as registers on Fanuc
controllers (UTOOL). These steps allow you to
create or modify robot tools (TCP, also known
as UTOOL in Fanuc robot programming).
•1.Select MENU➔Setup➔Frames
•2.Select a tool using the arrows or the touch
screen and select ENTER.
•3.Modify the X,Y,Z,W,P,R values as required.
 How to Transfer a Robot
program?
•We must follow these steps to load a program from a USB
drive:
•1.Plug the USB drive on the teach pendant
•2.Select Menu➔File
•3.Select Utilities➔Set device➔USB
•4.Select DIR
•5.Select the TP or LS program file from the USB disk
(BALLBARTEST.TP for example) This will automatically save
the file to the FR memory of the controller
•6.Select the program in the FR memory and select LOAD
(screen button)
How to Backup Robot
program?
•We must follow these steps to Backup Robot
program from a Robot Controller:
•1.Plug the USB drive on the teach pendant
•2.Select Menu➔File
•3.Select Utilities➔Set device➔USB
•4.Select DIR
•5.Select the TP or LS program file from the
Controller disk ,and select F4 [Backup]
•This will automatically save the file to
the USB memory of the controller
•6.Select the program in the FR memory and select
Backup (screen button)
 •Movement/Motion commands help robot record Position
and run motion with the recorded interpolation. There are
What are the different majorly three kinds of Motions / Interpolation :
•1.Joint Motion. – All individual axis motion
Motion commands? •2.Linear Motion. – Linear motion in X,Y,Z plane
•3.Circular Motion. – Circular motion using more than 2
points in X,Y,Z plane
 What is PR and P
command functions?
• These Commands functions often know for
Position recording
• Position recording and calling in Robot TP
programs
 1.P (Point) –Robot will record a Current
Position in Programs
 2.PR (Position Register) - Robot will record a
Robot current position to a register which
can be re-called from DATA tab in Program
 What is CNT and FINE
command functions?
• These Commands functions often known as
termination motion commands
• Termination Type is the move to the position.
 1.FINE-Robot will stop at the destination
point.
 2.CNT (Continuous) - Robot will decelerate
as it approaches the destination position
but does not stop.
 Thank you
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