Sense Mastering

Sense mastering is a method of planning and generating welding programs by retrieving sense data from a commissioned part, and using the recorded offsets to generate weld programs for the same part without the need for sensing motions.

This method is only suitable for projects welding repeatable parts.

Currently Supported Robot Makes

  • ABB

  • FANUC

  • YASKAWA

  • Universal Robots (UR)

Mastering a Robot for use in Weld

To apply sense mastering to a project, first create a weld project for the repeatable commissioned part, and ensure to plan all welds with sensing motions. Once completed, identify the make of the robot, then follow the appropriate method listed below to retrieve the data required from your robot:

Mastering a FANUC Robot

To enable mastering for a cell using a FANUC robot, there are several tasks you’ll need to complete:

  1. Enable mastering in the FANUC LS generator settings found in Project Settings->Program->Output in mastering mode?. Set this option to Output mastering program (write CSV).

  2. Generate the program and import the .ls file onto the robot controller.

  3. Insert a USB drive into UD1 on the robot controller.

  4. Run the program with your commissioned part, upon completion, a .CSV file with the required data will be generated and stored on the inserted USB drive.

Note

If the USB drive is not inserted into UD1, the .CSV file won’t be generated, even if the USB drive is inserted in a different port.

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Fanuc Generator Mastering Option

Mastering a Yaskawa Robot

To enable mastering for a cell using a Yaskawa robot, there are several tasks you’ll need to complete:

  1. Enable mastering in the Yaskawa Inform generator settings found in Project Settings->Program->Output in mastering mode?. Set this option to Output mastering program (write CSV).

  2. Generate the program and import the .mod file onto the robot controller.

  3. Insert a USB drive into UD1 on the robot controller.

  4. Run the program with your commissioned part, upon completion, a .CSV file with the required data will be generated and stored on the inserted USB drive.

Note

If the USB drive is not inserted into UD1, the .CSV file won’t be generated, even if the USB drive is inserted in a different port.

Mastering a Universal Robot

To enable mastering for a cell using a UR robot, there are several tasks you’ll need to complete:

  1. Enable mastering in the Universal Robots URP generator settings found in Project Settings->Program->Record sensing offsets for mastering?.

  2. Generate the program and import the program file onto the robot controller.

  3. Run the program with your commissioned part, upon completion, a .CSV file with the required data will be generated and stored in a new folder labelled “Mastering”. Insert a USB drive into the controller and copy the file onto the drive.

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URP Generator Mastering Option

Applying Mastering Data to Weld Project

Once a .CSV has been generated and stored within the USB drive used, transfer the .CSV onto the computer used for Verbotics Weld.

Each data entry in this .CSV matches with a weld from the original weld project. To apply this data, open the original weld project you created and navigate to File->Import->Import Sense Mastering. Select the .CSV file in the file-browser that loads.

Note

Welds generated in Verbotics Weld have internal identifiers, as such the .CSV data can only be applied to either the original project, or a copy of the original project. Creating a new project and generating new welds in the same location with the same names won’t work, as these welds will have different internal identifiers to the original project.

Once imported, welds with sense offsets applied will have calibration automatically disabled. The 3D viewer will be updated with a visual representation of the offset welds, represented by blue lines in the viewer.

Mastering for each of these welds can be enabled/disabled in the details widget by clicking the new Mastered button located next to the calibration settings.

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Mastering Option in Weld Details

Clicking and holding this button will reveal a hidden drop-down option to clear sense mastering data from the currently selected weld(s).

These offsets will be applied to their associated welds during planning, allowing for accurate motion planning without the need for sense motions.

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Sense Mastering Data in the 3D Viewer