CPR Wiki

Welcome to the Commonplace Robotics Wiki Right now there are 422 pages in this wiki.

CPRog Software ModuleCtrl

robolink arm Mover arm

CPR Robots git repositories

Index Downloads

Tools, tips and troubleshooting for the Commonplace Robotics Mover4 and Mover6 robot arms and modular control electronics used with igus robolink robot arms.

Use cases and specifications

• Use Cases robolink: Use cases for the igus robolink robot arm with CPR control environment
• Use Cases Mover Robots: Use cases for the Mover robots. Which use cases work ok, which don't?
• Specifications Mover Robots: joint length, velocities, precision ...
• CAD Data: .STEP and / or .obj files for the robots

igus robolink arms and gantries

• Referencing robolink: Referencing the robolink arm
• Write your first first motion program in CPRog. - Also have a look at the CPRog section below.
• Digital Inputs / Outputs: How to connect gripper, sensors, ...
  • How to operate a vacuum gripper using CPRog and the Modular Control Electronics
  • How to add Additional DIO-Modules
  • How to add Additional DIO-Boards of the DCi Control Electronics
  • How to operate an electrical parallel gripper using CPRog and the Modular Control Electronics
• External Axis: How to add an additional external axis to e.g. a gantry robot:
• Set up, testing of single joints: Advanced! How to connect the robot with the control electronics, how to test single joints
• Define the zero position offsets: Advanced How to find and set the robot specific zero position offsets
• DCi quickstart guide: Quick start guide for DCi robolink robots.
• DCi upgrade guide: How to upgrade the TinyCtrl software running on the embedded control electronics of the DCi robot

Programming environment CPRog

• Software Updates Download the up-to-date version of the programming environment and current user guides / manuals
• Documentation Find Documentation in EN and DE
• Changing Robot Parameters: Many firmware parameters like joint max velocities or software end switches can be adapted to your needs.
• 2D Camera Integration: How to integrate e.g. a smart camera into CPRog via a plugin
• CPRog Examples: Example programs in CPRog
• Scene Objects: Integration of custom (scene) objects in CPRog
• Gearplay Compensation: Use CPRog to compensate backlash in joint 1
• Logic Program: Run a second program in parallel to a custom CPRog program to define logic functions
• Bounding Box / Virtual Box: How to use the bounding box in CPRog to avoid collisions by limiting the movement of the robot.
• Acceleration and Motion Smoothing: What does the smooth parameter in the CPRog Program Editor do? Smooth changes of direction!
• Consistency Check between CPRog, the program and the connected robot: What does it do and how to handle it
• Global Variables in CPRog

Embedded Control Software TinyCtrl

• Connect DCi Robot/TinyCtrl to a Laptop via LAN: Instructions on establishing a connection between a windows PC and the embedded Control of e.g. a DCi Robot.
• Software Updates: Download the most recent version of the embedded robot control software and current user guides / manuals
• Configure for a different robot: How to configure a robot control for a different kinematic
• FTP and putty Access: How to change parameter or files using FileZilla and putty
• Change the TinyCtrl Project: Change the TinyCtrl project file e.g. to switch to another robot or to add a linear axis
• TinyCtrl Initial Setup of Linux Board: Instructions on how to install and set up TinyCtrl on a virgin Phytec Linux Board.
• Add External Axis: How to add an additional joint to the robot. Also helpful if the configuration of a joint does not work.

How to interface with the CPR robots

• PLC Interface: Using digital Inputs / Outputs the robot can be controlled (enable, start, stop, ..) by a master PLC
• Plugin Interface: A plugin mechanism allows direct integration of existing or custom functionality in CPRog
• Communication with Beckhoff TwinCat: The robot control can receive data from the Beckhoff TwinCat PLC
• CRI Ethernet Interface: Connect via network connection. Find documentation and example code here
• CAN Protocol: Write your own robot control software that directly sends commands to the CAN bus. Documentation and example code
• ROS packages: Integrate the robots into your ROS environment. Documentation and packages for hardware communication, teleop and moveIt

Firmware configuration and diagnostics

• CPRog download Amp Configuration: The motor amplifier configuration can be downloaded from CPRog
• Config Software ModuleCtrl: This software diagnosis and set-up tool allows to test single joints and set firmware parameters of the control electronics.
• Configuration for a linear Axis: Test and adapt the motor modules to run with a linear axis
• CAN Bus monitor for Windows: PCAN View

Troubleshooting and Support

• Systematic Troubleshooting: Fault identification and recovery.
• Robot Hardware Troubleshooting: what to do when the arm does not react as expected?
• CPRog Software Troubleshooting: tips how to deal with the CPRog programming/robot control environment
• Operating the Mover gripper using custom software: how to open and close the gripper using custom software
• Referencing the Mover Robot Arm: what to do, when the position of the virtual an the real robot does not match
• Fix a display with graphics errors
• Support Routes

We are constantly extending and updating this Wiki, please get in touch for further information!