Definition of Terms

• Position
  Position of an object or a coordinate system in a coordinate system. Expressed using position data (X, Y, Z).

• Posture
  Posture of an object or a coodinate system in a coordinate system. Expressed using posture data (U, V, W).

• Position/posture
  Position and posture of an object or a coordinate system in a coordinate system. Expressed using position and posture data (X, Y, Z, U, V, W).

• Force Sensor
  Sensor made by Epson, which detects the force and torque in six axes in the translation direction (Fx, Fy, Fz) and rotating direction (Tx, Ty, Tz). There are the following eight types.

  S250N, S250L, S250P, S250H, S2503, S2506, S25010, SH250LH

• Force Sensor I/F Board
  Option board that connects the Epson sensor and the Controller. Mount the board on the option slot of the Controller to use.

• Sensor flange
  Part to be mounted between the Force Sensor and the robot wrist flange to mount the Force Sensor to the robot.

• Flange Offsets
  Offset of the sensor flange. Use the bottom center position of the Force Sensor viewed from the tool 0 coordinate system of the robot as the origin and set the position and posture of the coordinate system so its direction aligns with the Force Sensor coordinate system.

• Force functions
  Functions using the Force Sensor provided by Force Guide 8.0.

• Force control function
  Function to control the robot to achieve a given target force and torque using the Force Sensor.

• Virtual inertia coefficient (Mass)
  Parameter for the virtual mass of the force control function. It impacts the acceleration of the force control function.

• Virtual viscosity coefficient (Damper)
  Parameter for the virtual viscosity of the force control function. It impacts the speed of the force control function.

• Virtual elasticity coefficient (Spring)
  Parameter for the virtual spring coefficient of the force control function. It impacts the amount of movement of the force control function.

• Force trigger function
  Function to detect that the force and torque measured using the Force Sensor reached the set value and branch the process.

• Force monitor function
  Function to measure the force information detected by Force Sensor and the position information of the robot.

  • Force information
    Force and torque detected by the Force Sensor.
  • Position information
    Command positions including the position control and the force control; command positions including only the position control; and the difference of the force control.

  Measured data can be saved in the files. You can analyze or compare the saved files by reading them.

• Force motion restriction function
  Function to detect that the position and posture of the robot have reached the set conditions and branch the processing.

• Force guidance function
  Operation using the force control function, force trigger function, and force monitor function can be created by GUI without using SPEL+ language.

• Force Sensor coordinate system
  Coordinate system in which the Force Sensor detects the force. It is a Force Sensor-specific coordinate system. It cannot be changed.

• Force coordinate system
  Coordinate system in which the force functions are performed. It is defined by the offset of the currently used tool coordinate system.

• Gravity Compensation
  Function to reduce the impact of gravity on the Force Sensor.

• Manually define mass properties
  Mass characteristic parameter used for gravity compensation. Set the weight and gravity center position of all objects (hand, workpiece, etc.) mounted to the area closer to the tip than the Force Sensor.

• Gravity Direction
  Direction of gravity relative to the robot used for gravity compensation. It is defined by gravity direction vectors (X, Y, Z) in the base coordinate system.

• Force Guide Sequence
  It is groupings of force guide objects that are required for operation in specific order. Force guide sequences include general force guide sequences created by arranging arbitrary general object, and system force guide sequences predefined for specific tasks.
  Types of system force guide sequence are as follows:

  Paste Sequence
  ScrewTighten Sequence
  HeightInspect Sequence
  Insert Sequence

• Force Guide Object
  The following is a group of processes that realizes specific motions used by force guidance function.
  Force guide objects include general force guide objects that can be added to sequences you create yourself, and system force guide objects that are arranged automatically within system force guide sequences.

  The types of General force guide object are as follows:

  Contact Object
  Relax Object
  FollowMove Object
  SurfaceAlign Object
  PressProbe Object
  ContactProbe Object
  Press Object
  PressMove Object
  Decision Object
  SPELFunc Object

  Types of system force guide object are as follows:

  Paste Object
  ScrewTighten Object
  ScrewRetighten Object
  HeightInspect Object
  Insert Object
  TensileTest Object

• Force object
  A set of properties for each function that is necessary to use the force functions.
  There are the following types of force objects.

  Force control object
  Force coordinate object
  Force trigger object
  Force Monitor Object
  Force motion restriction object

• Force control object
  Force object used for the force control function.

• Force coordinate object
  Force object for defining the coordinate system in which the force functions are performed.

• Force trigger object
  Force object for using the force trigger function.

• Force Monitor Object
  Force object for using the force monitor function.

• Force motion restriction object
  Force object for using the force motion restriction function.

• Properties
  Parameters included in the below. Properties can be set and acquired.

  Force guide sequence
  Force Guide Object
  Force object

• Result
  It is included in the below and a value that is returned after the execution of force guide sequence or force guide object.

  Force guide sequence
  Force Guide Object

• Status Value included in the force object which is returned after a force function is executed.

• Force File
  File in which the force object is stored.

• Force Editor
  Graphical user interface (GUI) used to edit the force file. It can be opened from Robot Manager and Project Explorer.

• Force Monitor
  Graphical user interface (GUI) used to display the Force Sensor values or position of the robot in graphs.

• Impedance Wizard
  Wizard used to adjust the parameters of the force control function.

• Mass/Gravity Wizard
  Wizard used to adjust mass properties.

• Rated load
  The maximum load to satisfy the specifications of the sensor.

• Overload capacity
  The maximum load to retain the sensor accuracy.

• Direct Teach
  Function to move the end effector continuously by applying force to Force Sensor.

• Touch Jog
  Function to move the end effector for a certain distance by lightly pushing Force Sensor.