A programming device capable of reducing the operator's work involved in generating an operation program for a robot. The programming device includes a model arrangement section which places a workpiece model, a robot model, and an imaging section model in a virtual space, a target-portion extracting section which extracts a target portion of the workpiece model in accordance with a certain extraction condition, a simulating section which. moves the imaging section model or the workpiece model to an imaging position, and a program generating section which generates an operation program for causing the imaging section to capture the portion to be captured, based on positional data of the robot model when the robot model positions the imaging section model or the workpiece model at the imaging position.

Methods and apparatus for two-dimensional and three-dimensional scanning path visualization are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to identify at least one melt pool dimension using a beam parameter setting, the at least one melt pool dimension identified from a plurality of melt pool dimensions obtained by varying the beam parameter setting, identify a response surface model based on the plurality of melt pool dimensions to determine an effect of variation in the beam parameter setting on the at least one melt pool dimension, output a three-dimensional model of a scanning path for an additive manufacturing process using the response surface model, and adjust the beam parameter setting based on the three-dimensional model to identify a second beam parameter setting.

It is provided a computer-implemented method for simulating the machining of a workpiece with a cutting tool having at least one cutting part and at least one non-cutting part. The method comprises providing a set of dexels that represents the workpiece, a trajectory of the cutting tool, and a set of meshes each representing a respective cutting part or non-cutting part of the cutting tool. And then the method comprises for each dexel computing, for each mesh, the extremity points of all polylines that describe a time diagram, and testing a collision of the cutting tool with the workpiece along the dexel based on the lower envelope of the set of all polylines. Such a method improves the simulating of the machining of a workpiece.

A method for operating a medical-robotic device is provided. The robotic device includes a number of components able to be moved autonomously in an environment of the robotic device. Planning data for an autonomous movement or constraint of at least one subset of the movable components is provided to the robotic device. A movement or constraint of the corresponding movable components to be carried out autonomously by the robotic device is planned based on the planning data provided. The planned movement or constraint is visually presented. A way for an operator to exert influence on the planned movement or constraint is provided, and the movement or constraint is autonomously carried out as a function of the influence exerted.

A method for controlling production processes of products. A first n-tuple representative of current parameters of product are determined and stored. The current parameters are displayed. Control elements are displayed for selecting from pre-defined process actions compatible for performing on product having the current parameters retained in the first n-tuple. Each process action is representative of a first transformation matrix of dimension compatible with the first n-tuple. The pre-defined process actions and associated first transformation matrices are stored. A process action is selected from the pre-defined process actions. The first transformation matrix corresponding to the selected process action is applied to the first n-tuple to produce a second n-tuple of future product parameters. The product having the future parameters of the second n-tuple is displayed. Instructions are provided representative of the matrix elements in the first transformation matrix performing a process step on the product corresponding to the process action.

A robot simulator includes a generating unit, a display unit, a display control unit, and a simulation instructing unit. The generating unit generates a virtual image that includes a virtual robot obtained by imaging an actual robot having at least one axis and an operation handle capable of operating three-dimensional coordinate axes having a predetermined control point of the virtual robot as the origin. The display control unit displays on the display unit the generated virtual image. The simulation instructing unit, when an operator's operation for the operation handle is received, acquires at least one of a displacement amount of the control point and a rotation amount of the three-dimensional coordinate axes attributable to the operator's operation, and instructs the generating unit to regenerate the virtual image in which a posture of the virtual robot is changed in accordance with the displacement amount or the rotation amount thus acquired.

Methods and apparatus for two-dimensional and three-dimensional scanning path visualization are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to identify at least one melt pool dimension using a beam parameter setting, the at least one melt pool dimension identified from a plurality of melt pool dimensions obtained by varying the beam parameter setting, identify a response surface model based on the plurality of melt pool dimensions to determine an effect of variation in the beam parameter setting on the at least one melt pool dimension, output a three-dimensional model of a scanning path for an additive manufacturing process using the response surface model, and adjust the beam parameter setting based on the three-dimensional model to identify a second beam parameter setting.

A program generation device includes a display; at least one memory configured to store an operation symbol including information in relation to an operation command of a robot, and an auxiliary symbol including information in relation to a control command for adding an operation of the robot or for correcting the operation of the robot defined by at least one operation symbol; and at least one processor configured to obtain information in relation to setting of at least one of the operation symbol or the auxiliary symbol, and cause the display to display the operation symbol and the auxiliary symbol so as to align the operation symbol and the auxiliary symbol in order of operations of the robot based on the obtained information in relation to setting.

A disclosed system includes a physically plausible virtual runtime environment to simulate a real-life environment for the simulated robot and a test planning and testing component operable to receive task data based used to create a plurality of plausible tests for at least one robot control program. The plurality of plausible tests is designed to execute at least one task associated with the task data. The test planning and testing component is further operable to define test parameters for each of the plurality of plausible tests. The system further includes a robot controller operable to execute the plurality of plausible tests substantially simultaneously on the simulated robot, analyze results of the execution to select an optimized robot control program from the at least one robot control program, and based on the analysis, selectively optimize the test associated with the optimized robot control program.

A machining simulation apparatus includes a processor and a communication circuit. The processor is configured to set a position of a program origin, that is an origin on a machining simulation coordinate system of a numerically controlled lathe, based on a machine model origin on the machining simulation coordinate system, a jaw model that is a shape model of a plurality of jaws mounted on a chuck of the numerically controlled lathe, and a workpiece model that is a shape model of a workpiece to be gripped by the plurality of jaws. The machine model origin corresponds to a machine origin of the numerically controlled lathe. The processor is configured to execute the machining program using the program origin as a reference position to virtually machine the workpiece model. The communication circuit is configured to transmit data indicating the position of the program origin to the numerically controlled lathe.