Communication between PC and ABB IRC5 Compact RobotController

Albert_Tie

I have a Robotic Arm ABB 120 and a ABB IRC5 Compact Controller. I am able to communicate to IRC5 Compact robotcontroller through Service Port on the controller. However, I want to explore more effective communication method between my PC and IRC5 Compact controller as to reduce the latency. Is there any way to connect and do the file/data transfer from PC DIRECTLY to robot controller through the USB port on the robot controller? Is the USB port on the IRC5 Compact controller is intended for the use of data communication between PC with the robotcontroller? In addition, does anyone knows and can help me with the  RAPID programming for the USB-Serial configuration (PC(usb)<--> IRC5 Compact(Rs 232))? I welcome any sort of comment and help. Thanks in advanced!

SomeTekk

You may wish to check the Application manual for Controller software IRC5, as well as the Technical reference manual RAPID Instructions, Functions and Data types for your request. Open, Write & other Write-based instructions are hints to pursue.

j_proulx

You need to order the option PC Interface 616-1. This will provide Ethernet TCP/IP support via the ethernet ports

Albert_Tie

j_proulx said:

You need to order the option PC Interface 616-1. This will provide Ethernet TCP/IP support via the ethernet ports

If my robot controller can be accessed through the service port do I still need the PC Interface 616-1 Option to do the serial communication?

j_proulx

PC Interface is for communication via the Ethernet ports. The service port can be used to communicate via ethernet tcp/ip for Robot Studio but don't hook it up to an area network. It is a master that issues IP addresses to what ever is connected and can crash a network. You may be able to use SB if you have one of the file transfer protocol options like FTP server. See chapter on Communication in the attached manual. For Serial Communication RS232 you need to add hardware option 970-1.

Albert_Tie

j_proulx said:

For Serial Communication RS232 you need to add hardware option 970-1.

Thank you for your helpfulness. Btw, may I confirm what is the hardware option 970-1? Is it something like DB9 serial port physically installed on the IRC5 Compact Robotcontroller as shown below?
 
If so, if there is any simple way for me to test this connection by sending maybe a bit/ byte of data from PC to robotcontroller and vice versa in order to verify their communication?

graemepaulin

Yes the lower connector is the serial port (was standard on the generation 1 compact controller).

I have no experience with setting up serial communications, the attached from the manual may help.

Albert_Tie

graemepaulin said:

Yes the lower connector is the serial port (was standard on the generation 1 compact controller).

I have no experience with setting up serial communications, the attached from the manual may help.

I've been read through the attached serial communications manual. However, when I attempt to test it on my IRC5 Compact Gen. 1 robotcontroller, I have no clue where to enter the input as mentioned in the example given in the manual as below: 
 

I mean how to give it an input "6" in order for it to continue the routine? Thanks in advanced.

Albert_Tie

Albert_Tie said:

graemepaulin said:

Yes the lower connector is the serial port (was standard on the generation 1 compact controller).

I have no experience with setting up serial communications, the attached from the manual may help.

I mean how to give it an input "6" in order for it to continue the routine? Thanks in advanced.

Currently, I am setting up my PC with robotcontroller via Ethernet (service port) for Robotstudio communication purpose and another serial to usb cable for serial communication I am working now as below. 
           Robotcontroller                                        PC
             Service port       <----------------------> Ethernet port
          Serial port (COM1) <------------------->  usb port

Then I tried sending "6" in both oct, hex and bin format through serial port terminal installed on my PC to the robotcontroller, but there is no any response as I reading from the robotstudio. Did I doing the right steps or how should I do to test it?

SomeTekk

Did you use the Open command initialize communication?

Open is used to open a file or serial channel for reading or writing.

The Technical reference manual RAPID instructions has examples...

Albert_Tie

SomeTekk said:

Did you use the Open command initialize communication?

Open is used to open a file or serial channel for reading or writing.

The Technical reference manual RAPID instructions has examples...

yeah, I followed every syntax exactly the same from the example provided in the manual. Also double checked the serial port name, connector, baudrate, parity, number of bits, stop bits, flow control and duplex type. But the thing still doesn't work. it stuck at the routine waiting for user to insert input "6"

graemepaulin

The comment says wait for the control character ack (presumably acknowledge).

Try taking this line out and put in a waitime of say 0.1 sec.

Albert_Tie

graemepaulin said:

The comment says wait for the control character ack (presumably acknowledge).

Try taking this line out and put in a waitime of say 0.1 sec.

Tried. The is no any data registered in the RAPID watch window and also serial port terminal software

SomeTekk

On the PC end have other methods of interfacing been tried?

I was able to get a freeware terminal software to work with Socket Communication. The software at the link below does interface over RS-232.

https://www.hw-group.com/software/hercules-setup-utility 

Albert_Tie

SomeTekk said:

On the PC end have other methods of interfacing been tried?

I was able to get a freeware terminal software to work with Socket Communication. The software at the link below does interface over RS-232.

https://www.hw-group.com/software/hercules-setup-utility 

Thank you for your help. After many attempts to try with this software, the situation is still the same. With the DSR keep blinking which I dont know why and there is no data registered/ shown on the Received/Sent data" window. Its the same situation as when I am trying with the serial port terminal software.


The code I used to test is as below:
MODULE MainModule
  PROC main()
    VAR iodev deRS232;
    Open "COM4:", deRS232\Bin;
    WriteStrBin deRS232, "U";
    Close deRS232;
  ENDPROC
ENDMODULE

Below is the data retrieved from the robotstudio which is connected to my IRC5 compact robotcontroller

SomeTekk

Regrettably I cannot duplicate your hardware setup at the moment. I will see what can be done to change that.

For now, have you tried using the code retrieved from the ABB Robot Communication and IO control manual with the Hercules server software?

The Hercules software will allow a '6' to be sent.

Albert_Tie

SomeTekk said:

Regrettably I cannot duplicate your hardware setup at the moment. I will see what can be done to change that.

For now, have you tried using the code retrieved from the ABB Robot Communication and IO control manual with the Hercules server software?

The Hercules software will allow a '6' to be sent.

I have tried. The same problem is still existing. I decided to hook up MAX232 and USB TO TTL converter together on my own.

Spencerkrit78

Still, your wishes are not easy, it’s so easy not to do it.

I know that this problem can be solved with the help https://www.serial-over-ethernet.com/ software. Connect your box to a PC that has access to a network or the Internet. And the second PC on which you want to remotely access your machine. With the help of the program you get client and server communication and you can control Robotic Arm.

danijel

Albert_Tie said:

I have a Robotic Arm ABB 120 and a ABB IRC5 Compact Controller. I am able to communicate to IRC5 Compact robotcontroller through Service Port on the controller. However, I want to explore more effective communication method between my PC and IRC5 Compact controller as to reduce the latency. Is there any way to connect and do the file/data transfer from PC DIRECTLY to robot controller through the USB port on the robot controller? Is the USB port on the IRC5 Compact controller is intended for the use of data communication between PC with the robotcontroller? In addition, does anyone knows and can help me with the  RAPID programming for the USB-Serial configuration (PC(usb)<--> IRC5 Compact(Rs 232))? I welcome any sort of comment and help. Thanks in advanced!

Hi, 

i have successfully done one project with rs232 communication, work perfect. But only variables from PLC in string format. 

I would now upload a text file in real time. 

Have you discovered anything new in the meantime?
Thanks