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A: You create pattern in the web browser at this address: https://palletizer.rocketfarm.no/ MyRobot.Cloud
Q: How do I get the patterns into the robot?
A: The exported file must be copied onto a USB together with urmagic_upload_patters. All the pattern files must be in the root folder.
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A: There are 2 entry points for the beforeZone callback. One is after restarting the stopped program and clicking on "Continue existing pallet". The other is when the pallet completion state changes so that the robot starts with a new zone - which is by default also a new layer. One zone may contain several layers, especially when the product height is smaller than 20% of the lifting column max.
Q: What
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are the benefits of having a lifting column?
A: In the Pally program code, the mathematical transformation of the lifting column position is stored in a variable that is called "rf_world_pos". This is just a pose variable where the Z-value contains the lifting column position as a negative value in meters. You can enforce this variable to be global, and then you can override its value. Try to enter the following script line in both the beforeZone and beforeGrab callbacks:
global rf_world_pos = p[0, 0, -0.001 * get_liftkit_position(), 0, 0, 0]
(Don't forget the keyword global!)
Q: What types of pallets are supported with the Pally palletizing software from Rocketfarm?
A: All pallets should be supported in Pally. We have the following pallets type as a native selection in the Pattern Generator: US1 (1219mmx1219mm), US2 (1067mmx1067mm), EU1 (1200mmx800mm), EU2 (1200mmx1000mm), EU6 (800mmx600mm), AU1 (1140mmx1140mm) and ASIA1 (1100mmx1100mm). You can also use your own custom pallet whether it is smaller or larger. A rule of thumb is that as long as there is range on the selected robot towards the pallet, it can be used
Q: Can I use non-vacuum grippers with Pally? Fork-like grippers, for example, which grab the box from the bottom.
A: Pally out of the box is not supported with grippers that grab from the bottom of the box. We are however interested to get in touch with projects like this to see how we can implement this functionality in the future.
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A lifting column can be essential for palletizing projects.
A UR10 will only be able to palletize pallets up to approximately 1,5 meters without a lifting column.
By using a lifting column with a stroke of 900mm a UR10 can easily palletize patterns up to 2,3 meters.
Even if a palletizing installation originally is set up for pallets lower than 1,5 meters, by including a lifting column the palletizing solution becomes futureproof, and makes it easy to use with new products and pallets in the future with no need for additional hardware.
A lifting column helps to reduce wear of the robot. By placing the base at ideal height we enable the robot to move as smoothly as possible by utilizing all joints and creating smooth movements in all joints.For UR20 the same principles apply, but of course the range for that robot is bigger, so the pallets must be above approximately 2,2 meters before a UR20 needs a lifting column to be able to palletize all positions.
But the wear part is valid for UR20 as well as for the UR10.
Q: What is the variable for the lifting column?
A: In the Pally program code, the mathematical transformation of the lifting column position is stored in a variable that is called "rf_world_pos". This is just a pose variable where the Z-value contains the lifting column position as a negative value in meters. You can enforce this variable to be global, and then you can override its value. Try to enter the following script line in both the beforeZone and beforeGrab callbacks:
global rf_world_pos = p[0, 0, -0.001 * get_liftkit_position(), 0, 0, 0]
(Don't forget the keyword global!)
Q: What types of pallets are supported with the Pally palletizing software from Rocketfarm?
A: Pally supports two in-feed conveyors to palletize from. You can either palletize the same product from two conveyor belts or palletize two different products from the two conveyor belts. But Pally only supports 1 product per conveyor belt and 1 product per pallet
Q: What is the maximum payload, speed and height the Pally palletizing software from Rocketfarm can support?
A: Pally is supporting the maximum payload and speed that is allowed with Universal Robots, that being 10 kg for the UR10 and 16 kg for the UR16. keep in mind that the gripper is also included on that payload. The speed factor is based on the risk assessment of the total system, but the average Cycle Per Minute with Pally is around 6-8 in collaborative mode. Here you can increase the palletizing process by double picking or multi picking boxes. Maximum pick of boxes is 8 at a time, so 8 x 8 could be 64 boxes per minute. If you include a standard 900mm stroke lifting column into your project you can achieve palletizing up 2.2 meters. In the near future Pally will be able to palletize even higher, near 3 to 4 meters
Q: During palletizing, when we are changing orientation at odd layers, how do we offset the picking position location?
A: No matter what your pattern looks like on the pallet, pick up position will be the same. In Pally Pattern Builder you will generate the desired pattern for your project, if boxes are rotated or you want locking layers, Pally will take care of this when it places the boxes on the pallet
Q: How to delete a license from a robot?
A:
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attach a keyboard to the teach pendant
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enter "ctrl + alt + F1"
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enter "login, user: root, password: easybot"
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enter "cd /home/ur/.no.rocketfarm.urcap.palletmanager"
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enter "ls -a"
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All pallets should be supported in Pally. We have the following pallets type as a native selection in the Pattern Generator: US1 (1219mmx1219mm), US2 (1067mmx1067mm), EU1 (1200mmx800mm), EU2 (1200mmx1000mm), EU6 (800mmx600mm), AU1 (1140mmx1140mm) and ASIA1 (1100mmx1100mm). You can also use your own custom pallet whether it is smaller or larger. A rule of thumb is that as long as there is range on the selected robot towards the pallet, it can be used
Q: Can I use non-vacuum grippers with Pally? Fork-like grippers, for example, which grab the box from the bottom.
A: Pally out of the box is not supported with grippers that grab from the bottom of the box. We are however interested to get in touch with projects like this to see how we can implement this functionality in the future.
Q: How many in-feed conveyors are supported with the Pally palletizing software from Rocketfarm?
A: Pally supports two in-feed conveyors to palletize from. You can either palletize the same product from two conveyor belts or palletize two different products from the two conveyor belts. But Pally only supports 1 product per conveyor belt and 1 product per pallet
Q: What is the maximum payload, speed and height the Pally palletizing software from Rocketfarm can support?
A: Pally is supporting the maximum payload and speed that is allowed with Universal Robots, that being 10 kg for the UR10 and 16 kg for the UR16. keep in mind that the gripper is also included on that payload. The speed factor is based on the risk assessment of the total system, but the average Cycle Per Minute with Pally is around 6-8 in collaborative mode. Here you can increase the palletizing process by double picking or multi picking boxes. Maximum pick of boxes is 8 at a time, so 8 x 8 could be 64 boxes per minute. If you include a standard 900mm stroke lifting column into your project you can achieve palletizing up 2.2 meters. In the near future Pally will be able to palletize even higher, near 3 to 4 meters
Q: During palletizing, when we are changing orientation at odd layers, how do we offset the picking position location?
A: No matter what your pattern looks like on the pallet, pick up position will be the same. In Pally Pattern Builder you will generate the desired pattern for your project, if boxes are rotated or you want locking layers, Pally will take care of this when it places the boxes on the pallet
Q: How to delete a license from a robot?
A:
attach a keyboard to the teach pendant
enter "ctrl + alt + F1"
enter "login, user: root, password: easybot"
enter "cd /home/ur/.no.rocketfarm.urcap.palletmanager"
enter "ls -a"
enter "rm [name of license file]" (A tip here is to start type in the license name and press the TAB-key)
enter "ctrl + alt + F7"
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attach a keyboard to the teach pendant
enter "ctrl + alt + F1"
enter "login, user: root, passord: easybot"
enter "cd /home/ur/.no.rocketfarm.urcap.palletmanager"
enter "ls -a"
enter "rm [name of license file]" (A tip here is to start type in the license name and press the TAB-key)
enter "ctrl + alt + F7"
EasyPalletizer:
Colleagues thought that for full functionality we only need the Ewillix lift, the Pally program and we will save several thousand EUR for an EasyRobotics palletizer or another. We are able to manufacture the lift holder for the robot and sensors ourselves. Or what is the advantage of using EasyRobotics in conjunction with your program?
It is fine to mount the robot on the liftkit directly and not use a frame. The frame can be very useful in storing the controller box, cables of the lifitkit and potentially other hardware in there where it's safe from damage. It also has holes to be lifted with the lift fork easily, so it can be flexible and moved around easily. If you only use the liftkit, you have to mount it to the floor (with screws) and then it's not flexible anymore, but that of course depends on the customer's needs. It also has the led lights included in the front and already has the corners for the pallet. But those corners you can also build for instance with some steel/aluminium bars. You can also easily mount the teach pendant on it.
Collision with base while palletizing
We have had cases before where collision with the base has been a challenge, especially in the beginning of the palletizing process. To avoid this you can use the "inverted approach" setting in the Pally Pallet Builder, either on the first couple of layers or for the entire pallet. See photo below.
Pally Pallet builder
Interested in our Pally Pallet Builder?
We offer the ability to generate a pallet pattern at the website
https://palletizer.rocketfarm.no/home . On this site, you can make a pattern, then download a JSON palletizing file. We then use this JSON file as input to the Pally URCap (application for a UR robot). Once the JSON is loaded to the robot, and the robot is installed and calibrated, you choose the selected JSON, and click "Play". Then the robot starts to palletize.
The specific JSON file from the website only works with the pally URCap. BUT, we are currently looking into if we can export a JSON or Excel to other systems as well. So if this is what you are looking for, then what we would need from you, is an example file and documentation on how you need that file to be formatted to work with your robot. If this is possible, then lets talk further on what the next steps should be.
Transfer json files without a USB stick:
The easiest solution would be to install a FTP server on your computer. You can then define a folder on the robot and the access that folder from your computer.
Another solution can be to use a efernet cable.
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is to start type in the license name and press the TAB-key)
enter "ctrl + alt + F7"
EasyPalletizer:
Colleagues thought that for full functionality we only need the Ewillix lift, the Pally program and we will save several thousand EUR for an EasyRobotics palletizer or another. We are able to manufacture the lift holder for the robot and sensors ourselves. Or what is the advantage of using EasyRobotics in conjunction with your program?
It is fine to mount the robot on the liftkit directly and not use a frame. The frame can be very useful in storing the controller box, cables of the lifitkit and potentially other hardware in there where it's safe from damage. It also has holes to be lifted with the lift fork easily, so it can be flexible and moved around easily. If you only use the liftkit, you have to mount it to the floor (with screws) and then it's not flexible anymore, but that of course depends on the customer's needs. It also has the led lights included in the front and already has the corners for the pallet. But those corners you can also build for instance with some steel/aluminium bars. You can also easily mount the teach pendant on it.
Collision with base while palletizing
We have had cases before where collision with the base has been a challenge, especially in the beginning of the palletizing process. To avoid this you can use the "inverted approach" setting in the Pally Pallet Builder, either on the first couple of layers or for the entire pallet. See photo below.
MyRobot.Cloud
Interested in our MyRobot.Cloud?
We offer the ability to generate a pallet pattern at the website
On this site, you can make a pattern, then download a JSON palletizing file. We then use this JSON file as input to the Pally URCap (application for a UR robot). Once the JSON is loaded to the robot, and the robot is installed and calibrated, you choose the selected JSON, and click "Play". Then the robot starts to palletize.
The specific JSON file from the website only works with the pally URCap. BUT, we are currently looking into if we can export a JSON or Excel to other systems as well. So if this is what you are looking for, then what we would need from you, is an example file and documentation on how you need that file to be formatted to work with your robot. If this is possible, then lets talk further on what the next steps should be.
Transfer json files without a USB stick:
The easiest solution would be to install a FTP server on your computer. You can then define a folder on the robot and the access that folder from your computer.
Another solution can be to use a efernet cable.
Lastly, an option can be to use the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) and copy the json to root@”ip-cobot”/programs/patterns.
Pally Show Mode Kit: Pally Show Mode
Q: What is the Pally Show Mode Kit?
A: The Show mode program is a built-in function of the official Pally URCap (release 2.12 and above). To access it, you will require a DEMO or Trial license. If you already have one of these licenses, under “Installation-URCaps-Pally-Advanced-Other”, select “Show mode” in the Operation Mode drop-down menu. The Show mode program was made to show the different functionalities of Pally. It will depalletize from one pallet, drop the boxes off on the conveyor/drop-off position and then palletize them on the other pallet.
Q: How do we make the Pally Show Mode work?
A: For the Show mode program to work, the following is required;
two pallets
a conveyor or gravity slider (recommended)
one of the two following sensor options:
Two sensors, one for confirming drop off and one for pick up (recommended)
One sensor alternating between signals; “High” for box presence on the conveyor (palletizing) and “Low” for conveyor empty (depalletizing)
Q: How do we set up the Pally Show Mode Kit?
A: Find a detailed description here: https://rocketfarm.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PB/pages/1424785463/Pally+Show+Mode#Setup%3A
Experiences from Rocketfarm:
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