In today’s increasingly complex industrial robot applications, trajectory-based tasks such as welding, gluing, and laser processing impose high demands on path control. When a robot performs tasks in confined spaces, how to safely return and continue working after an interruption becomes a key challenge for engineers. This article will delve into the Path Recovery function in ABB robot systems and its value in industrial applications.
1 Path RecoveryPath Recovery
Path Recovery is an advanced feature in the ABB OmniCore controller software, primarily used to save the robot’s current movement path and resume execution after an interruption. This function mainly achieves two core capabilities:
①Return to the breakpoint after interruption: When the robot’s original path is interrupted, it can accurately return to the breakpoint and continue executing the original path movement.
②Retract along the original path: After an interruption, the robot can precisely retract along the original path, ensuring that it does not collide with the surrounding environment in confined spaces.
2 Application Scenarios
①Welding Applications
In robotic welding, especially in pipe welding or internal container welding, the complexity of the path is high and space is limited. Path Recovery allows the robot to safely exit the work area after an unexpected interruption (such as power fluctuations or insufficient protective gas) and accurately return to the breakpoint to continue welding, ensuring the continuity of the weld.
②Gluing Applications
In the automotive industry, the Path Recovery function ensures the continuity of the gluing process. After an interruption, there is no need to start over, avoiding glue overlap or gaps, which saves material and ensures quality.
③Inspection and Measurement
In automated inspection applications, probes need to scan the product surface along a specific path. If a temporary inspection or calibration is needed midway, Path Recovery ensures that the inspection can continue from the breakpoint without affecting the overall data integrity.
3 Detailed Function Implementation
①Technical Foundation
The Path Recovery function relies on the path recorder of the ABB controller, which can record the robot’s motion trajectory in real-time. When the path recording is activated, the system saves the robot’s position and posture data, providing a basis for subsequent recovery and retraction.
②Programming Implementation
The programming implementation of Path Recovery mainly involves the following key instructions:
PathRecStart: Start path recording
StorePath: Save the current path
RestorePath: Restore the saved path
MoveRetract: Retract along the original path4 Application Examples
The following shows the configuration methods for two typical applications:
①Breakpoint Return Example:
When the robot is executing a trajectory on a green surface, an interruption is triggered by a DI signal. The robot will record the current path and position, move to execute a square trajectory on a yellow surface, and after completion, return to the breakpoint on the green surface to continue execution.
②Original Path Retraction Example:
During the execution of the trajectory, the robot is interrupted, first lifting 50mm along the Z-axis, then retracting along the recorded path back to the starting point, after which it can move forward along the original path to the breakpoint to continue working.
Path Recovery is a key feature of ABB robots in high-end applications, addressing the challenge of interruption recovery in trajectory-based applications. Through precise path recording and recovery mechanisms, it not only ensures the safety of robot movement in confined spaces but also guarantees the consistency of continuous processes.
As industrial automation evolves towards greater precision and complexity, intelligent features like Path Recovery will become increasingly important. Mastering the principles and applications of these advanced features is of significant value for automation engineers to enhance system reliability and process levels.
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