A method for determining a response time of a brake of at least one assigned axis of a multi-axis machine includes actuating the axis, switching the brake, and determining a response time between a switching point in time and a response point in time at which a motion state of the axis changes. The method may further include opposing actuation of the axis while the brake is closed, and detecting a mechanical play between opposing maximum deflections of the axis. A method of operating or monitoring a multi-axis machine includes determining a response time and/or detecting mechanical play, and operating the machine or triggering a fault response based on the response time or mechanical play.

A robot system and method for conditionally stopping a robot, wherein a maximum stopping time and/or distance are defined by a user or integrator through a user interface as safety limits based on the risk assessment. The method provides the continuous calculation of the time and/or distance, which the robot would need to stop under maximum motor torque and/or brake appliance. The robot is stopped or the speed of the robot is reduced, if the calculated time and/or distance exceeds the maximum limit values set by the user or integrator. The method may also be used to program or generate the trajectories of the robot as not to exceed the speed of the movement under the condition of keeping the set maximum stopping time and/or distance as defined by a use.

Control systems for industrial machinery (e.g., robots) or other devices such as medical devices utilize a safety processor (SP) designed for integration into safety applications and computational components that are not necessarily safety-rated. The SP monitors performance of the non-safety computational components, including latency checks and verification of identical outputs. One or more sensors send data to the non-safety computational components for sophisticated processing and analysis that the SP cannot not perform, but the results of this processing are sent to the SP, which then generates safety-rated signals to the machinery or device being controlled by the SP. As a result, the system may qualify for a safety rating despite the ability to perform complex operations beyond the scope of safety-rated components.

The invention relates to a method and device for controlling and regulating motors, MOT.sub.m, of a robot, with m=1, 2, . . . M, wherein the robot has robot components that are interconnected via a number, N, of articulated connections GEL.sub.n, the joint angles of the articulated connections GEL.sub.n can be adjusted by means of associated motors MOT.sub.m; Z(t.sub.k) is a state of the robot components in an interval, t.sub.k; and a first system of coupled motion equations BGG is predetermined and describes rigid-body dynamics or flexible-body dynamics of the connected robot components.

Embodiments of the present invention provide automated robotic system identification and stopping time and distance estimation, significantly improving on existing ad-hoc methods of robotic system identification. Systems and methods in accordance herewith can be used by end users, system integrators, and the robot manufacturers to estimate the dynamic parameters of a robot on an application-by-application basis.

A control device includes: a casing; a communication board configured in a plate shape; a control board configured in a plate shape and having one side attached to the communication board; an amplifier board configured in a plate shape and having one side attached to the communication board and provided with a power module for driving an actuator of a robot; and a brake power supply unit disposed opposite the communication board across the amplifier board and configured to drive an electromagnetic brake of the actuator.

A simulation apparatus acquires a position and an operating speed in each drive axis of the robot at a set point set for each minute section of a motion path of the robot when an operation program of a robot is executed. The simulation apparatus comprises a stop position estimation part that estimates a stop position where the robot is stopped after moving by inertia in each dive axis, based on the position in each drive axis of the robot, the operating speed in each drive axis, and the weight of the work tool, when an emergency stop of the robot is performed at the set point. The simulation apparatus comprises a swept space calculation part that calculates a swept space of three-dimensional models of the robot and the work tool based on the stop position.

The robot control system includes: a control device for controlling a machine; a portable wireless operation panel for performing wireless communication with the control device to control the machine; a distance measuring unit for measuring the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel; and a warning generator that emits a warning to the operator or stops the machine when the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A method for controlling a manipulator, with the method being particularly suitable for the respecting of predetermined monitoring limits. The method operates by initiating a halting movement or a speed capping based on an identified actual override trend, and is thus suitable, in particular, for path movements by means of spline interpolation.

Provided is a technology which secures safety of a moving body and prevents collision between a robot and the moving body. A detection unit detects a relative positional relationship between a robot arm which is able to move about a support pointy and a moving body by a sensor attached to the robot arm. A control unit generates a drive control signal of an actuator which causes the robot arm to be able to move on the basis of a change in the relative positional relationship between the robot arm and the moving body detected by a detecting unit. An output unit outputs the drive control signal generated by the control unit to the actuator. The control unit generates the drive control signal which changes a speed at which the robot arm is able to move in accordance with the change in the relative positional relationship with the moving body.