G-Code to RAPID translator for Robot-Studio

Abstract: With the emerging development of new technology and the constantly falling prices, more companies will find interest in industrial robots. Until today, the typical robot users have been large scale car manufacturers. But there exists a big potential market within the small to medium businesses that already uses of CNC machines. Attracting smaller businesses to start using industrial robots could open up the doors to new possibilities and increase their production. Unfortunately, most people still lack the knowledge of operating and programming industrial robots. But many companies have knowledge in G-code which is normally used in CNC machines. That is why this work is focussing on the development of a software that opens up the possibility to make use of G-code to program advanced robot paths with minimal user input. By striving for easier handling of robots, the vision about a more efficient and automated society will become one step closer. The introduction straightens out the different basic principles of CNC milling machines and robots. This will introduce the reader and highlight the different similarities and differences that exist between robots and CNC mills. The goal of this work has been to create an add-in application for ABB’s off-line programming software RobotStudio that was able to import at least one type of file format commonly used for CNC milling. The program should be able to handle some basic functionality, the focus has been on the standard iso6983 type of G-code. The project started with a literature study that gave the author a better insight in both the previous research within the area but also deeper knowledge of the systems CNC mills and robots. The work continued with the development of a software able to import the specified file format. The software has been built in C# and is built as an add-in software for ABB’s offline programming software RobotStudio. The result presents a software that is able to read different types of G-code and translate them into generated paths in RobotStudio. The software also has an inbuilt function in order to parameterize the G02 and G03 commands that represent curves in G-code into straight line segments of the type MoveL in RobotStudio.