Home› Applications
Discussion
Back to discussions page
Tim_Smith
Posts: 38 Apprentice
Machine Tending Application |
416 views
|
Answered | |
/ Most recent by Sebastien
in Applications
|
5 comments |

in Applications
Hi DoF Community,
I am working on a machine tending application for a customer and I think that UR would be a perfect fit. However, I haven’t been able to find very much information on how to interface the robot and the CNC machine. I would like to use modbus to communicate with the CNC machine since it is the communication protocol used by UR. I am looking to send a signal to the CNC machine to start the program when the part has been placed in the chuck and have the CNC machine send a signal to the robot when the program is finished.
What CNC brand and model do you have?
What we have seen the most in exchanging signals between a CNC and a UR was discrete IO signals rather than modbus communication. Any reasons why you are willing to use Modbus?
We actually moved the table around and everything using these simple IO connections. I haven't seen any CNC's that use modbus around us at least.
So the easiest way is to use I/O signals to enable communication between the robot and the CNC? I can use an Input on the to tell the robot when the CNC has finished running the program? And I could use an Output on the robot to tell the CNC when the robot has finished placing the part in the chuck? All these connections can be done directly on the UR's controller?
@matthewd92 I haven't explored the CNC machine's outputs very much yet. Do HAAS machines have designated output relays for most M codes? Or are the relays configurable to any M code?
The mills we were working with basically had 4 or 5 M-Code relays that you could use. They are generally used for running stuff like chip conveyors or coolant pumps that are ancillary to the built in equipment. TO get access to the M21 there is a port on the electrical panel on the back where all of the other signal cables come out. The first mill that we worked on did not have this cable installed from the factory, we stole it off another one due to time but I believe you can order it and its like $400 or $500 from Haas. It plugs into one of the cards in the electrical enclosure.
We are currently working on a machine tending application. And figuring out which output (M Code) can be used is always a pain. We never know if the M codes are available or not. Do you have some tips or tricks that you use? This is for a Fanuc CNC and so far our plan is to hook up to M30 which lets the robot know when program is done. But we would like to exchange more information.