Pally can now operate on pallets that are of different heights than the pallet that was used to calibrate the Pally program. One can then configure Pally using an EUR pallet for instance, and then palletize using a pattern that is based on a US pallet.
Previously, the height of the empty pallet was not considered when Pally calculated the robot’s movements during palletizing. Now however, the empty pallet height is considered.
Using Pallet Height
To use this feature, the empty pallet’s height must be specified in a pattern that is uploaded to the robot, and the height of the calibration pallet must be given in the robot program.
Pallet Height in Pattern (JSON)
To specify the pallet height, a palletHeight-tag and a subsequent value must be added to a pattern’s JSON-file as such:
The unit for pallet height in the pattern is millimeters (Pallet Builder web site)
{
"name": "Pallyv2.7.0",
"description": "Testing with Pallet Height",
"dimensions": {
"height": 1000,
"width": 800,
"length": 1200,
"palletHeight": 144
},
"productDimensions": {
"weight": 2500,
... (continue pattern as normal)
e
Pallet Height in Robot Program
Since you typically calibrate the pallet with boxes (and some of you with your finger between the box and pallet to give it space ), then we would like to know the actual height of the pallet you calibrate with. This value will be used to consider if there is a difference between the height of the calibrated pallet and the height of the pallet in the current pattern (specified in JSON file).
Pally versions from v2.8.0 and above
Navigate to the Pallet → Pallet Height tab in the Pally program node
To specify the calibration pallet height, enable the pallet height feature in the Pally program node:
If you are planning to use pallets with the same height as the calibration pallet height, then uncheck the ‘Enable’ checkbox in the ‘Pallet Height’-tab
Notice that the calibration pallet height field now has a red background. This means that you must specify a value for the empty calibration pallet height. Below is an example of a pallet height with a height of 144 mm (EUR pallet):
The unit for the calibrated pallet height is in millimeters
Pally versions below v2.8.0
To specify the calibration pallet height, define the following two variables in the initial MoveJ-node under the Pally program node (as shown in the image below):
rf_P1_calib_h = 0.15(the height of the right pallet during calibration)rf_P2_calib_h = 0.15(the height of the left pallet during calibration)
The unit for calibrated pallet height is meters
Verify Pallet Height
To verify that the pallet height has been taken into account in Pally, turn the log level to ‘Info’ (see image below) and start Pally. Select the pattern with the palletHeight defined, then go to the ‘Log’-tab and verify that "Calibration pallet height: XXX" and "Real pallet height: YYY" are in the log (where XXX and YYY represent example values).
