ABB ROS Package

ABB ROS node by MCube Lab at MIT

Table of contents

1. Setting up the package
2. Operation modes
   1. Using EGM
3. Service calls
4. Available services
   1. Standard services
      1. Ping
      2. SetCartesian
      3. SetCartesianJ
      4. GetCartesian
      5. SetJoints
      6. GetJoints
      7. GetIK
      8. GetFK
      9. Stop
      10. SetTool
      11. SetInertia
      12. SetWorkObject
      13. SetComm
      14. SetMotionSupervision
      15. SetSpeed
      16. SetAcc
      17. GetState
      18. SetZone
      19. SetTrackDist
      20. SetDefaults
      21. IsMoving
      22. AddBuffer
      23. ExecuteBuffer
      24. ClearBuffer
      25. AddJointPosBuffer
      26. ExecuteJointPosBuffer
      27. ClearJointPosBuffer
      28. ActivateCSS
      29. DeactivateCSS
      30. IOSignal
   2. EGM services
      1. ActivateEGM
      2. StopEGM
5. Examples

Setting up the package

1. Clone this repo under the catkin_ws folder of your project.
2. Use catkin_make to compile all packages and dependencies.
3. Update the parameter file in robot_node/parameters/mcubeRobotParams.yaml with the proper robot values.
4. Update the launch file in robot_node/launch/mcubeSystem.launch with the proper robot identifier.
5. Start running the RAPID robot server pressing Play in the FlexPendant.
6. Finally, launch roslaunch robot_node mcubeSystem.launch.

If connection with the ABB controller is successful, a variety of ROS services will now be available. You can check them by typing rosservice call and then pressing Tab.

Operation modes

• Standard blocking mode: User can operate the robot via standard services. Function calls (e.g. movements) are blocking until the operation is about to finish and cannot be stopped.

• Standard non-blocking mode: User can operate the robot via standard services. Instructions are not sent immediately to the robot; intermediate targets are sent instead. Therefore, user can stop or change final destinations before final target is achieved. Function calls are non-blocking.

• EGM mode: User can operate the robot pubishing target poses or velocities to the [SetCartesian] topic, depending on the chosen EGM mode when calling ActivateEGM. Current pose and joint state can be obtained via GetCartesian and GetJoints topics, respectively.

• RRI mode: EGM predecessor, deprecated.

When started, the ROS node is working in standard and blocking mode. Standard non-blocking mode can be activated using the SetComm service, and EGM can be activated via the ActivateEGM service.

Using EGM

EGM operation mode relies in a constant flow of information between the robot and the computer. More concretely, the robot checks the incoming information (poses or speeds) from the computer and executes it at an approximate rate of 248 Hz. If the user publishes at /robotN_EGM/SetCartesian at a slower rate or does not publish at all, those queries will result in no motion (previously sent position or zero speed).

You can check some basic examples using EGM operation mode in the egm-demos repository.

Service calls

Note that, for any interface, the specific service name is given by the robot identifier and the service type itself. For example, the Ping service for robot1 will be /robot1_Ping.

• Command line: Any of the services listed below can be called via the rosservice call command via terminal. For example, to ping a robot identified by robot1, call rosservice call /robot1_Ping.

• Python: Check out the ROS tutorial on Writing a Simple Service Client (Python).

• C++: Check out the ROS tutorial on Writing a Simple Service Client (C++).

• Matlab: Check out the Matlab tutorial on Creating a Service Client. Note that Robotics System Toolbox is required.

  Furthermore, as these services use custom messages for requests and returns, the Robotics System Toolbox Interface for ROS Custom Messages should be installed as well, in order to generate the custom messages for Matlab. After installed, use the rosgenmsg to generate them and follow the instructions. For example:

  rosgenmsg('/home/mcube/example_project/catkin_ws/src/abb-ros-catkin/')
  

Available services

Standard services

Ping

• Ping sends a dummy message to the robot and waits for its answer, in order to check the connection.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetCartesian

• SetCartesian moves the robot to a given cartesian position.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetCartesianJ

• SetCartesianJ moves the robot to a given cartesian position using a joint move.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

GetCartesian

• GetCartesian queries the cartesian position of the robot.

• Input: empty

• Output: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz, int64 ret, string msg

SetJoints

• SetJoints moves the robot to a given joint position.

• Input: float64 j1, float64 j2, float64 j3, float64 j4, float64 j5, float64 j6

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

GetJoints

• GetJoints queries the robot for the current position of its joints.

• Input: empty

• Output: float64 j1, float64 j2, float64 j3, float64 j4, float64 j5, float64 j6, int64 ret, string msg

GetIK

• GetIK queries the robot for the inverse kinematics (joint angles) given a cartesian position.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: float64 j1, float64 j2, float64 j3, float64 j4, float64 j5, float64 j6, int64 ret, string msg

GetFK

• GetFK queries the robot for the forward kinematics (cartesian position) given the joint angles.

• Input: float64 j1, float64 j2, float64 j3, float64 j4, float64 j5, float64 j6

• Output: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz, int64 ret, string msg

Stop

• Stop stops the robot when operating in standard non-blocking mode.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetTool

• SetTool sets the tool frame of the robot.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetInertia

• SetInertia sets the inertia of the tool of the robot.

• Input: float64 m, float64 cgx, float64 cgy, float64 cgz, float64 ix, float64 iy, float64 iz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetWorkObject

• SetWorkObject sets the work object of the robot.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetComm

• SetComm sets the communication mode of our robot (standard blocking mode or standard non-blocking mode).

• Input: int64 mode (0 for non-blocking, 1 for blocking)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetMotionSupervision

• SetMotionSupervision sets the motion supervision of the robot.

• Input: float64 supervision (between 1 and 300, recommended: 50)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetSpeed

• SetSpeed sets the speed of the robot in standard mode. This will affect the step size in non-blocking mode or the actual speed in blocking mode.

• Input: float64 tcp (in mm/s), float64 ori (in deg/s)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetAcc

• SetAcc sets the acceleration of the robot in standard mode. This will affect the step size in non-blocking mode or the actual speed in blocking mode.

• Input: float64 acc (in mm/s^2), float64 deacc (in mm/s^2)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

GetState

• GetState gets the current state of the robot.

• Input: empty

• Output: float64 tcp (in mm/s), float64 ori (in deg/s), int64 zone, int64 vacuum, float64 workx, float64 worky, float64 workz, float64 workq0, float64 workqx, float64 workqy, float64 workqz, float64 toolx, float64 tooly, float64 toolz, float64 toolq0, float64 toolqx, float64 toolqy, float64 toolqz, float64 toolm, float64 toolcgx, float64 toolcgy, float64 toolcgz, float64 toolix, float64 tooliy, float64 tooliz, int64 ret, string msg

SetZone

• SetZone sets the zone of the robot. This is the distance before the end of a motion that the server will respond. This enables smooth motions.

• Read the service definition at robot_comm/srv/robot_SetZone.srv for more details.

SetTrackDist

• SetTrackDist sets the tracking distance of the robot while in standard non-blocking mode.

• Input: float64 pos_dist (in mm), float64 ang_dist (in deg)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

SetDefaults

• SetDefaults restores the robot to default configuration.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

IsMoving

• IsMoving returns whether the robot is moving or not. In blocking mode, this will always return false, as the robot will move only when a function is being called (and is blocking).

• Input: empty

• Output: bool moving, int64 ret, string msg

AddBuffer

• AddBuffer adds a TCP pose buffer command.

• Input: float64 x, float64 y, float64 z, float64 q0, float64 qx, float64 qy, float64 qz

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

ExecuteBuffer

• ExecuteBuffer executes the buffer defined by several AddBuffer service calls.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

ClearBuffer

• ClearBuffer clears the buffer defined by several AddBuffer service calls.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

AddJointPosBuffer

• AddJointPosBuffer adds a joint position buffer command.

• Input: float64 j1, float64 j2, float64 j3, float64 j4, float64 j5, float64 j6

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

ExecuteJointPosBuffer

• ExecuteBuffer executes the buffer defined by several AddJointPosBuffer service calls.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

ClearJointPosBuffer

• ClearBuffer clears the buffer defined by several AddJointPosBuffer service calls.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

ActivateCSS

• ActivateCSS activates Cartesian Soft Servo.

• Input: int32 refFrame, float64 refOrient_q0, float64 refOrient_qx, float64 refOrient_qy, float64 refOrient_qz, int32 softDir, float64 stiffness, float64 stiffnessNonSoftDir, int32 allowMove, float64 ramp

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

DeactivateCSS

• DeactivateCSS deactivates Cartesian Soft Servo.

• Input: geometry_msgs/Pose ToPose

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

IOSignal

• IOSignal sets I/O signals to the robot.

• Input: int32 output_num (from 1 to 4), int32 signal (0 for off, 1 for on)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

EGM services

ActivateEGM

• ActivateEGM activates EGM. If called when standard non-blocking mode is running, all movements will be stopped. After calling it, all other services will be disabled except StopEGM until this last one is called or timeout.

• Input: bool mode (0 for pose mode, 1 for velocity mode), int64 timeout (in seconds)

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

StopEGM

• StopEGM stops EGM. After calling it, all other services will be enabled again and standard mode will be recovered.

• Input: empty

• Output: int64 ret, string msg

Examples

• Run a series of joint configurations:

  rosservice call /robot1_ClearJointPosBuffer
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddJointPosBuffer 0 0 0 0 90 0
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddJointPosBuffer 0 0 0 0 91 0
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddJointPosBuffer 0 0 0 0 89 0
  rosservice call /robot1_ExecuteJointPosBuffer
  

• Run a series of cartesian configurations:

  rosservice call /robot1_ClearBuffer
  rosservice call /robot1_SetSpeed 50 50 # apply to the following knot points until the next set speed.
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddBuffer 300 0 300 1 0 0 0    # x y z (mm) q0 qx qy qz
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddBuffer 300 0 301 1 0 0 0
  rosservice call /robot1_SetSpeed 50 100
  rosservice call -- /robot1_AddBuffer 300 0 300 1 0 0 0
  rosservice call /robot1_ExecuteBuffer  # go through the whole trajectory
  

  Note: Too small spacing between points may cause jerky motions. Try SetZone to higher value.

• Set 24V IO signals:

  rosservice call /robot1_IOSignal [output_num] [signal]  # output_num = 1,2,3,4; #signal 1:on 0:off
  rosservice call /robot1_IOSignal 1 1  # signal output channel 1 to on
  rosservice call /robot1_IOSignal 1 0  # signal output channel 1 to off