KUKA Robot Programming - Using Timer $TIMER[]

Item	Description
Function	A system variable used to measure time progress, typically in milliseconds (ms).
Quantity	The KSS 8.3 system typically provides 32 (`<span><span>$TIMER[1]</span></span>` – `<span><span>$TIMER[32]</span></span>`), while the KSS 8.6 system usually provides 64 (`<span><span>$TIMER[1]</span></span>` – `<span><span>$TIMER[64]</span></span>`).
Start Timer	`<span><span>$TIMER_STOP[Number] = FALSE</span></span>` This command starts the specified timer by stopping its closure.
Stop Timer	`<span><span>$TIMER_STOP[Number] = TRUE</span></span>` This command stops the specified timer.
Reset Timer	`<span><span>$TIMER[Number] = 0</span></span>` Resets the current value of the specified timer to 0.
Read Value	Directly reads the value of `<span><span>$TIMER[Number]</span></span>`, in milliseconds.
Associated Flag	`<span><span>$TIMER_FLAG[Number]</span></span>` is TRUE when the timer value is greater than 0, and FALSE when it is less than 0. This can be used to trigger conditions or interrupts.

🧭 Number of Timers in Different KSS Versions It is important to note that the number of available $TIMER[] may vary depending on the version of the KUKA Robot System Software (KSS):

For KSS 8.3 System: Typically provides 32 system variables$TIMER[1]—$TIMER[32].
For KSS 8.6 System: Provides 64,$TIMER[1]—$TIMER[64].
All these timers are measured in milliseconds (ms)..

🛠️ Basic Usage Example The following example uses $TIMER[1] to implement a timer for 5 seconds:：

DEF test()  // Implement a timer for 5000 milliseconds (5 seconds)       INT TIMER  // Declare an integer variable TIMER to store the timing value        TIMER = -5000  // Initialize TIMER variable to -5000   $TIMER[1] = 0  // Reset the current value of timer 1 to zero$TIMER[1] = TIMER  // Assign the value of TIMER to timer 1$TIMER_STOP[1] = FALSE  // Start timer 1    WAIT FOR $TIMER_FLAG[1] == TRUE  // When TIMER[1] reaches 5 seconds, timer flag 1 will be set, satisfying the condition and proceeding  $TIMER_STOP[1] = TRUE  // Stop timer 1     $TIMER[1] = 0  // Reset the current value of timer 1 to zeroEND

🎛️ $TIMER_FLAG[] Usage$TIMER_FLAG[Number] is a flag variable associated with $TIMER[Number].

When the timer value is greater than 0, $TIMER_FLAG[Number] is TRUE.
When the timer value is less than 0, $TIMER_FLAG[Number] is FALSE.

⚡ Usage Notes

Unit Consistency：$TIMER[] values are in milliseconds (ms) not seconds (s), and whenever possible, convert to the same unit.
Timely Reset：Always reset the timer (set to 0) before starting to avoid logical confusion.
System Status：When the system starts, $TIMER[] variables are usually preset to 0, $TIMER_STOP[] variables are preset to TRUE (i.e., stopped), and $TIMER_FLAG[] is preset to FALSE.
Monitor Timer:

Main Menu -> Display -> Variables -> Individual, enter $TIMER[Number] to view.

Main Menu -> Display -> Variables -> Timers, enter $TIMER[Number] to view.

📊 Application Scenarios$TIMER[] has a wide range of applications in robot programming, such as:

Timeout Monitoring：Detecting whether an operation is completed within the expected time.
Delay Processing: WAIT SEC maximum wait time is 30 seconds, while the timer can last for 24 days.
Cycle Time Measurement：Measuring the time required for the robot to complete a full cycle, used for efficiency optimization.
Conditional Waiting：Implementing non-blocking delay waiting in the program, such as waiting for a signal to become true within a specific time.

KUKA Robot Programming – Using Timer $TIMER[]

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