3.

SETTING UP THE ROBOT SYSTEM B-83124EN-2/01

3.14 INTERFERENCE PREVENTION AREA FUNCTION

The interference prevention area function is a function that automatically stops the robot when a move
instruction that causes the robot to enter the preset interference area is issued, the robot will stop if another
robot or peripheral device is located in that interference area and, after confirming that the other robot or
peripheral device has moved out of the interference area, automatically releases the robot from the stopped
state to restart its operation.
Communication between a robot and a peripheral device is accomplished with a set of interlock signals (one
signal for each of input and output). One set of interlock signals is allocated to one interference area. Up to
three interference areas can be defined.
The relationship between the interlock signals and the robot is as described below.

Output signal
The output signal is off when the tool endpoint is located inside the interface area. It is on when it is located
outside the area.

State Output signal

Safe (tool endpoint located outside the interference area) On
Dangerous (tool endpoint located inside the interference area) Off

Input signal
When the input signal is off, and the robot attempts to enter the interference area, the robot enters the hold
state. When the input signal is turned on, the robot is released from the hold state, automatically restarting
its operation.

CAUTION
The robot decelerates to stop at the point where the tool endpoint enters the
interference area, so that the robot actually stops at a position inside the interface
area. The faster the operating speed of the robot, the deeper the robot enters the
interference area. Consider this and other factors, such as the tool size, to ensure
that a sufficiently large interface area is set.

To set up the interference prevention area function, use the SETUP Space function.

To set up the following items, use the Rectangular Space/DETAILED screen.

Table 3.14 (a) Items of the Interference prevention Area Function (Area Details Screen)
Item Description
Enable/disable Enables and disables this function. To change the settings of the other items, this function
must be disabled for the area for which the settings of the items are to be changed.
Comment Allows the user to enter a comment of up to 10 characters.
Output signal Sets up the output signal.
Input signal Sets up the input signal.
Priority When two robots use this function, this item specifies which robot is to enter the interference
area first if the two robots attempt to enter the interference area at the same time. The robot
for which High is set enters the interface area first. When the robot completes its operation
and moves out of the interference area, the robot for which Low is set enters the interference
area. The setting for one robot must be different from that for the other.

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Item Description
Priority
NOTE If High or Low is set for both robots, and the robots attempt to enter the interference
area at the same time, they both enter the stopped (deadlock) state. If this occurs,
perform the recovery operation described below and check that the settings are
correct.
1 Perform an emergency stop on both robots.

WARNING
If an emergency stop is not performed on both robots, one
robot will automatically start its operation when the other
moves out of the interference area. This is very dangerous.

2 Check that there are no objects or by standers that a robot could hit.
3 Disable this function.
4 Move either robot out of the interference area, using a jog operation.
inside/outside Specifies whether the inside or outside of a rectangular parallelepiped is to be an interference
area.

To set up the following items, use the Rectangular Space/SPACE SETUP screen.

Table 3.14 (b) Items of the Interference prevention Area Function (Area Setting Screen)
Item Description
BASIS VERTEX Position of the vertex of a rectangular parallel pipe that is to become the reference.
SIDE If SIDE LENGTH is selected, specify the lengths of the sides of a rectangular parallelepiped
LENGTH/SECOND from the reference vertex along the X, Y, and Z axes in the user coordinate system. (The
VERTEX sides of the rectangular parallel pipe must be parallel to the respective axes of the user
coordinate system.) If SECOND VERTEX is selected, the rectangular parallel pipe having the
reference vertex and the diagonal vertex, specified here, becomes an interference area.

Procedure 3-27 Setting up the interference prevention area function

Step
1 Press MENUS. The screen menu appears.
2 Select SETUP.
3 Press F1 TYPE. The screen switching menu appears.
4 Select Space fnct. The area list screen appears.

5 The area list screen allows the user to enable and disable each interface area with the appropriate
function key. To enter a comment, use the procedure below:
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a. Move the cursor to the desired comment line and press the Enter key.
b. Specify which of alphabetic or katakana characters are to be used to enter a comment.
c. Press the appropriate function key to enter a comment.
d. When a comment is entered, press the Enter key.

6 To set up an item other than Enb/Dsbl or Comment, press F3 (DETAIL). The details screen appears.

7 Position the cursor to the desired item. Change the setting of the item using the function or numeric
keys.
8 To set an area, press SPACE. The area setting screen appears.

Rec

9 The reference vertex and the side lengths or diagonal vertex can be set in either of two ways:
a. Position the cursor to the X, Y, and Z coordinate fields and enter the desired coordinates directly
using the numeric keys.
b. Move the robot to a vertex of a rectangular parallelepiped, then read the current position of the
robot with SHIFT key +F5 RECORD.

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NOTE
1 If UF or UT is to be changed, perform operation b first. By means of this operation,
the current UF or UT value is selected.
2 When the user coordinate system values are changed, the spatial position of the
interference area does not change. When the user coordinate system values have
been changed and an interference area is to be defined in the new user coordinate
system, use SHIFT key +F5 RECORD to set an interference area again.

10 After setting the area, press PREV. The area details screen reappears. To return to the area list screen,
press PREV again.

3.15 SYSTEM CONFIG MENU

The System Config Menu includes some important components which should be set when the system is
established.
In the system config menu, the following items can be set.

Table 3.15 System config menu

Items Descriptions
Use HOT START (Hot Start) When the hot start is set to TRUE, hot start is done at turning on the controller.
(Default setting = TRUE)

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