Industrial robots have replaced many of the dangerous and repetitive tasks that workers have faced in manufacturing. But they have far from replaced the workforce. They have made vast improvements in production rates, safety records and the ability of companies to respond to global competition. Robots are not a new kind of technology at all. … Read more
Controlling an industrial robot can be done through the use of well-crafted signal handshakes. Follow along as we dive into several robot-to-PLC communication strategies. In an automated environment, we use program instructions, oftentimes in ladder logic or structured text, to command robots and other equipment to do work. However, external devices like those robots and … Read more
Learn how to set up Ethernet/IP communications, including steps for both the FANUC controller and the Studio 5000 environment for a Rockwell PLC. Connecting a PLC to a FANUC robot via Ethernet/IP offers numerous benefits for industrial automation. It gives access to integrated control, allowing coordination between different manufacturing process components. The PLC can send … Read more
There are multiple methods for mapping inputs and outputs to an industrial robot. In this article, we cover two of the most popular methods: letting the robot or the PLC control the I/O signals. There is one unavoidable question to ask during your next robotic design, no matter what brand of robot is used: you … Read more