How to setup arduino connection

henriqcm

Hi,

I'm new about robotstudio and irb. I have one IRB 120 that i want to connect with my arduino and send and receive signals.

I've been searching and all i know now is about dsqc board. 

Is that the only way? It that the right way?

Please help me guys.

svoldgaard

Well It depends on what connection your arduino board have. 

Ethernet or RS-232 could be a possibility.

It also depends on what kind of data you want to send?

p.s. I think this post belongs in the Robotics section.

henriqcm

I just want to send and get digital signals. 

A dude told me to buy the dsqc board.

graafderk

Like svoldgaard said, it depends on the connections your arduino board has. It also depends on both your hardware design and programming skills and which options you have available on the robot controller.

For instance, if your robot controller has a DeviceNet interface, you could build a DeviceNet interface for your arduino (using CANbus hardware and your own software stack for example). If you have the new (DSQC 1000) IRC5 controller, you could also try the REST API to communicate using web technology, given that you have ethernet available on your arduino.

I guess the easiest way would be to hardwire some robot I/O to the arduino. As the robot controller does not have such I/O available by default, you'll need to add I/O to the system. This is done by connection I/O modules to an available fieldbus (depending on the options added to your IRC5 controller). I guess your 'dude' is referring to this method, by using a DSQC652 I/O module on the DeviceNet fieldbus system.

henriqcm

So this is the only way?

graafderk

I already gave you three options (Arduino as DeviceNet slave, REST API, hardwired through an I/O module)? Again, it depends on your ABB robot controller and which options it has installed and it depends on your Arduino programming skills and hardware design skills.

I would suggest you start by checking which robot controller options are installed on your system and then investigate which of these options you would like to use.

PerSvensson

Another way could be using socket messaging and the you need the option PC Interface in the robot. Haven't worked with Ardunio so I don't know if it possible to use socket messaging.

graafderk

For both the REST API and socket messaging, he would need to add ethernet hardware and write / find the necessary drivers for it. The REST API is freely available on the new IRC5 controllers, but would probably require more advanced programming. Socket messaging requires the additional option in the controller as PerSvensson mentioned, but could be easier to implement.

We could probably come up with more solutions, but it all depends on the skills of the engineer: do you want to solve things in hardware or software. Budget could also be an issue, as most solutions are a trade-off between adding (expensive) hardware or taking more engineering time.

P.S. if you go for the ABB DeviceNet I/O module (the DSQC652 mentioned earlier), don't forget to add some level-shifting hardware, or you will fry your Arduino.