Locator Tutorial: Setting up Locator to work with KUKA robots

From 3D scanning Knowledge base - Photoneo wiki
Revision as of 11:26, 28 September 2018 by Durovsky (talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

It is highly recommended that users read Locator Tutorial: Introduction prior to installation of specific robot interface

1. Prerequisities

Photoneo KUKA module prerequisities:

  • - KRC4 system v.8.3 or higher
  • - Ethernet KRL Interface v.2.1 or higher installed

In order to check if Ethernet KRL is available on the robot controller, switch to Expert Mode and browse to Menu -> Startup -> Additional Software:


KUKA Setting Up Guide Step 1.png

2. KUKA Controller setup

The following tutorial gives a step by step guide of how to configure your KUKA KRC4 controller and install all the necessary files you will need to get the robot interface for Locator up and running.

This tutorial was originally written using the latest KRC4 system version 8.3 and KUKA AGILUS KR6 R900 sixx robot.

2.1 Network configuration

The Locator KUKA Module utilizes TCP/IP communication for transferring data between KRC4 Robot Controller and Vision Controller.

As a first step in commissioning, ensure that the IP address of the KRC4 controller meets your network configuration requirements

Switch to Expert Mode, open the Menu screen and select the Startup-> Network Configuration option:


KUKA SettingUpGuideStep2.png


Amend the network configuration to meet your requirements:


KUKA SettingUpGuideStep3.png


KRC4 Control PC needs to be rebooted in order to apply the new network configuration.

Open the Menu Screen and select the Shutdown -> Reboot control PC option:


KUKA SettingUpGuide Restart.png


3. Photoneo KUKA Module Setup

The first step in the installation of Locator KUKA Module is to copy the files from the Locator KUKA Module Archive to the Robot Controller.

The Locator KUKA Module consists of the following files:

  • Photoneo EthernetKRL Config Folder
  • - locator_client.xml
  • Photoneo Folder
  • - locator_communication.src
  • - locator_communication.dat
  • Program Folder
  • - locator_basic_template.src
  • - locator_basic_template.dat

3.1 Ethernet KRL config

EthernetKRL Config folder contains one XML files - locator_client.xml.

Copy this configuration files from the USB stick to C:\System\KRC\Roboter\Config\User\Common\EthernetKRL\ as is shown in the figure below:


KUKA Locator SettingUp Guide EKI.png


XML files hold the configuration of EKI communication interface. The only entry that need to be changed is the IP address tag.

Enter the IP address of the Vision Controller to External IP tag in locator_client.xml as is shown in the figure below:


KUKA Locator SettingUp Guide EKI Config2.png


Save the changes and reboot the control PC again to apply the new EthernetKRL interface configuration.

Ports utilized by Photoneo KUKA Module:

  • - Locator Client Port: 54602

Flags occupied by EthernetKRL functions:

  • - $FLAG[101] - Locator Connection Alive
  • - $FLAG[102] - New Data Received

NOTE: Do NOT use these flags and ports in the rest of your application!!!

3.2 Copy Photoneo & Program files

The Photoneo folder contains internal communication sources that should not be edited by user.

Copy the entire content of Photoneo folder from the USB Stick to the R1/Photoneo/ folder/ (Compilation errors can be ignored for now - just copy the files):


KUKA Locator SettingUp Guide Photoneo.png


It is highly recommended to hide the Photoneo folder from the Operator's reach.

Switch to Expert Mode, and set the System flag in the Properties of the Photoneo folder:


KUKA SettingUpGuideStep10.png