Keywords
Citation
(1998), "Robotic Workspace Technologies Releases RobotScript(TM) V 1.0 - the world's first universal robot programming language!", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925eab.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited
Robotic Workspace Technologies Releases RobotScript(TM) V 1.0 - the world's first universal robot programming language!
Robotic Workspace Technologies Releases RobotScript™ V 1.0 the world's first universal robot programming language!
Keywords Programming, Robots, Robotic Workspace Technology
Robotic Workspace Technologies Inc. has released RobotScript V. 1.0, a universal robot programming language that runs in the Windows NT/95 environment on the company's universal robot controller™ (URC). RobotScript is used to program virtually any robot model that is being controlled by the URC. It can be used online on the URC or in offline mode on any PC running Windows NT/95. RobotScript provides an intuitive, graphical user interface to reduce operator training and minimize errors. It can easily be customized using the software development kit to provide a standard, enterprise-wide operator interface.
"The number of entirely different robot programming languages has proliferated over the years. In some instances, a single robot line will use two, three, or even four different languages. This is extremely confusing to the robot programmer and adds a level of cost to the end-user who is constantly faced with additional training and translation of programs", explains Walt Weisel, President. "Our objective was to develop a robust, standard robot programming language so that the industry could realize the productivity, efficiency, and cost-reduction benefits or commonality".
RobotScript is a macro-like robot programming language that employs the state-of-the-art Microsoft ActiveX™ technology. Based on Microsoft's Visual Basic™ Scripting Edition programming language, RobotScript can be used in a wide variety of development environments including Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, or any Windows development environment, including Microsoft Office products. So RobotScript is not only easy to learn and use, but is also compatible with most Windows software products. This allows the programmer to easily develop custom applications to support, for example, automated data acquisition and distribution of production information directly from or to the robot. This capability has never before been available in the robotic manufacturing environment.
The RobotScript suite of tools comprises four software components: the RobotScript ActiveX Control, the URC RobotScript Control Screen, the Teachpoint File Creator, and the Microsoft Script Debugger. The RobotScript ActiveX engine converts the RobotScript text file to robot motion. No binary data files are used, so programs do not have to be compiled before running them. The control screen is the operator interface that enables the operator to run RobotScript programs, A software development kit is available that enables the end-user to write a custom control screen to reflect application-specific parameters or to implement a standard company-wide interface. The Teachpoint File Creator provides the robot programmer with a graphical method by which to teach point locations for a RobotScript program.
"Wizards" assist the user in teaching complex processes like motion-coordinated output. The graphical display makes it easy to visualize and verify point locations, which can easily be edited. The Teachpoint File Creator can be used offline on any Windows NT/95 PC. The Microsoft Script Debugger enables the robot programmer to step through RobotScript programs for testing and debugging The program logic can also be displayed on the screen as it is being executed.
Robotic Workspace Technologies recently introduced the revolutionary new PC-based, Windows NT, open architecture Universal Robot Controller. The URC can be ordered on new robots or it can be retrofitted to any robot to gain the price/performance advantages of the PC/Windows platform.
The Universal Robot Controller uses two Intel Pentium processors. One computer is completely dedicated to the real-time motion control of the robot and workcell components such as conveyors, positioners, or automated fixturing devices. The other computer runs under Windows NT and serves as the operator interface to the robot and as the robot- programming platform. It also supports other application software such as robot process simulation software for process validation and cycle time analysis, the Cognex vision system for inline inspection, scheduling and other manufacturing software packages for automatic data acquisition and distribution. Because robot motion control tasks are isolated from Windows NT tasks, there is no performance degradation as each computer executes its assigned tasks independently.
The universal robot controller is being used in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, medical and R&D. Visit Robotic Workspace Technologies on-line at http://www.rwt.com.
For more information contact Sandra L. Brooks, Robotic Workspace Technologies, Inc., 17105 San Carlos Blvd, Ste. A6151, Ft Myers Beach, FL 33931. Tel: (941) 466-0488; Fax: (941) 466-7270.