A method for the surface treatment of an article (2) by means of a robotic device (3) comprising a robotic arm (5) and a spraying head (4) fitted on the robotic arm (5); the method comprises a learning step, during which the operator moves the spraying head (4) by means of a handling device (9) and the movements made by the spraying head (4) are stored by a storage unit (8); and a reproduction step, which is subsequent to the learning step and during which the robotic arm (5) is operated so that the spraying head (4) repeats the movements stored by the storage unit (8).

A teaching system configured to teach operation to a plurality of robots includes a first controlling device which determines whether a first robot and a second robot are in an enabled state where the first and second robots are permitted to operate, and when the first controlling device determines as in the enabled state, the first controlling device transmits an enable signal indicative of permitting the second robot to operate and enables the first robot to be taught the operation when a teaching terminal specifies the first robot. When a second controlling device receives the enable signal from the first controlling device and the teaching terminal specifies the second robot, the second controlling device enables the second robot to be taught the operation.

A teaching method includes a teaching step of driving a robot arm, based on an operation instruction by a teacher to a robot having the robot arm, and storing a position and an attitude of the robot arm. The teaching step includes a first storage mode in which the position and the attitude of the robot arm are stored when a teaching instruction is inputted from the teacher, and a second storage mode in which the position and the attitude of the robot arm are stored when a state where a speed of movement of a control point on the robot arm is a predetermined speed or lower or a state where an angular velocity of the control point on the robot arm is a predetermined angular velocity or lower is satisfied for a predetermined time or longer.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that controls a processor to execute (a) processing of displaying an operation window for operation of a position and an attitude of a control point for a robot arm, (b) processing of storing the position and the attitude of the control point as a teaching point according to an instruction of a user, and (c) processing of associating and storing the operation window when the instruction is received in the processing (b) with the teaching point.

A 3D position and orientation calculation and robotic application structure using an inertial measuring unit and string—encoder positions sensors.

A software application executable on a machine tool system for machining a workpiece is configured for executing the steps of: instructing an image recording device to capture an image of a first workpiece having one or more hand-drawn notations, associating the one or more notations with at least one machining step of the machine tool system, presenting on a display device the at least one machining step of the machine tool system on or in relation to the captured image, and/or the first workpiece as the first workpiece will appear after machining the first workpiece according to the at least one machining step of the machine tool system, and optionally controlling a tool of the machine tool system for machining the first workpiece according to the one or more notations.

The robot teaching method includes a pre-registration step, robot operation step, and teaching step. The pre-registration step is for specifying a relative self-position of a measuring device with respect to surrounding environment by measuring the surrounding environment using the measuring device, and registering an environment teaching point that is a teaching point of the robot specified using the relative self-position. The robot operation step for automatically operating the robot so that the relative self-position of the robot with respect to the surrounding environment become equal to the environment teaching point in a state where the measuring device is attached to the robot. The teaching step for registering a detection value of a position and a posture of the robot measured by an internal sensor as teaching information in a state where the relative self-position of the robot with respect to the surrounding environment become equal to the environment teaching point.

A robot system includes: a robot; a robot controller configured to control the robot based on sequential taught positions; and a teaching device communicative with the robot controller and configured to receive operations by an operator, wherein the robot controller includes circuitry configured to: generate, in response to determining that a target position is designated by the operator on the teaching device, a path from a current position of the robot to the target position by simulation of moving the robot based on surrounding environmental information of the robot; and move the robot toward the target position along the generated path.

The present invention relates to a user friendly method for programming a robot, where the method comprises placing the robot at a given position P0 in the surroundings and using a portion or point P of the robot (for instance the point to which a tool is attached during use of the robot) to define one or more geometrical features relative to the surroundings of the robot and establishing a relationship between the geometrical features and first coordinates of a robot-related coordinate system, whereby the robot can subsequently be instructed to carry out movements of specified portions of the robot relative to said surroundings by reference to said one or more geometrical features. By these means it becomes easy for users that are not experts in robot programming to program and use the robot. The geometrical features can according to the invention be stored in storage means and used subsequently also in other settings than the specific setting in which the programming took place.

A teaching method of driving a robot arm by a drive unit based on a detection result of a force detection unit and storing a position and a posture of the driven robot arm in a memory unit, includes determining whether or not the posture of the robot arm is close to a singular posture, and, when determining that the posture of the robot arm is close to the singular posture, selecting and executing one escape posture from a plurality of escape posture candidates escaping from the posture close to the singular posture according to an external force detected by the force detection unit.