Fusion of Orientation Data into a Robot Program using a Hand-Held Digitizer Stylus

Robot offline programming and simulation software allow a possibility to swiftly define accurate robot paths directly on the CAD drawings of a work-piece. On the other hand, definition of the TCP-orientation using numerical inputs in a 2D-GUI environment for every point along the robot path may prove to be even more tedious and non-intuitive as compared to the teach-in method undertaken in normal practice. This paper describes a technique which was developed and can be utilized for the definition of TCP-orientation along the robot path using a hand-held 3D-Digitizer. At the same time, the accuracy of the robot paths defined using CAD drawings of the work-piece is maintained. This allows for a quick generation of robot-programs, as well as an intuitive modification of the existing routines.