Integration UR cobot to Siemens PLC

Erik_Cornelsen 2018-07-31

Dear all,

I'm integrating a UR-3 to a Siemens S7-1200 PLC.
So far, I have imported the GSD file into TIA Portal, established a Profinet communication between the PLC and the cobot and imported the UR_datastruct.udt file into TIA Portal.

My question is now, what are the next steps to have a completed integration of this system?
In other words, how can I control the cobot from the PLC (example Start, Stop, selection of the programs to run, etc).
Is it required to create some Function Blocks on TIA Portal for the cobot?

Also please do not hesitate to share some lessons learned and advices.

Thank you in advance for the support,
Looking forward your replies,
Kind regards,
Erik C.

louis_bergeron 2018-07-31

@Erik_C

I never did it but I think the 64 General purpose inputs which can be configured on the teach pendant are the same bit mapped in the profinet network. The physical and internal bit can be configured to start/stop the program as shown here:

I don't think you can load a program by this interface but you can build a main program which can be loaded automatically:

This main program can then execute a subprogram based on an integer value transferred from the Profinet integer registers.

Erik_Cornelsen 2018-08-13

Thank you @louis_bergeron for this information.

How do you use the GP_bool_in[i] in the program?

Best regards,
Erik

matthewd92 2018-08-13

You can either use script commands to write to it/read from it or if you go into the IO setup screen on the Installation tab you can name the input or output and then use them in the set or wait commands.

If you are following the example above you won't need to do anything with those inputs as the robot will interpret them as the play, stop and free drive functionality similar to pushing the button on the screen.

Matt

Erik_Cornelsen 2018-08-14

Thank you @matthewd92 for the support.
I understand the principle but I'm getting the error below when I've tried to implement and call the GP_bool_in

Do you have any example of simple program that uses GP_bool_in?

Thank you in advance,
Kind regards,
Erik

matthewd92 2018-08-14

You wouldn’t use those in your program on the UR since they have robot actions tied to them, you would use them from the PLC for instance when someone presses the play button on an HMI you’d set the bit high then set it low a few hundred ms later.

Here’s a video of a Siemens HMI operating the play and pause functions on a UR that I quickly set up as a demo.

Erik_Cornelsen 2018-08-15

Thanks @matthewd92 !
It saved me from hardwiring these Digital Inputs.
Kind regards,
Erik