Spotware 3.2 - ABB IRB 6400R Product On-Line Manual

SpotWare 3.2

4.3 SpotWare 3.2
SpotWare comprises a large number of dedicated spot welding functions which make
the robot well suited for spot welding. It is a simple yet powerful program since both
the positioning of the robot and the process control and monitoring are handled in one
and the same instruction.
Cycle times can be shortened by means of closing the spot welding gun in advance,
together with the fact that movement can commence immediately after a spot weld is
completed. The robot's self-optimising motion control, which results in fast
acceleration and a quick approach to the spot weld, also contributes to making cycle
times shorter.
I/O signals, timing sequences and weld error actions can be easily configured to meet
the requirements of a specific installation.
SpotWare functions
A few examples of some useful functions are given below.
Adaptation to different welding guns
Gun control (opening and closing) can be programmed freely to suit most types of
guns, irrespective of the signal interface.
Adaptation to different weld timers
The robot can handle different types of weld timers. Normally communication with the
weld timer uses parallel signals but a serial interface is also available for some types of
weld timers.
Continuous supervision of the welding equipment
If the option Multitasking is added, supervision can be implemented irrespective of the
spotweld instruction. For example, it is possible to monitor peripheral equipment even
when program execution has been stopped.
Closing the gun
It is possible to start closing the spot welding gun before reaching the programmed
point. By defining a time of closure, the gun can be closed correctly regardless of the
speed of the robot. The cycle time is optimised when the gun is just about to close at
the instant when the robot reaches the programmed point.
Constant squeeze time
Welding can be started directly as the gun closes, i.e. without waiting for the robot to
reach its final position. This gives a constant time between gun closure and weld start.
Customised Move enable
The movement after a completed spot weld can be configured to start either on a user
defined input signal or a delay time after weld ready.
Product Specification RobotWare for BaseWare OS 3.2 37