Multi-Tool Control with Polaris G-Code
A Polaris UniverseOne™ motion control system unifies the control of a CNC machine tool, an articulated robot arm, and a parallel robot.
For 5-Axis CNC machines and robots, a Polaris UniverseOne™ motion controller may use Cartesian G-code to describe the tool path in the Cartesian coordinate system of the workpiece instead of using the joint coordinate system of the actuators. This makes tool path programming much easier.
Cartesian Coordinate System
For example, this G-code line: G01 X100 Y200 Z300 A30 B45 C60 tells the CNC machine or robot’s tool tip to move from its current location to position X=100mm, Y=2000mm, Z=300mm and orientation A=30deg roll, B=45deg pitch, and C=60deg yaw.
The forward, inverse kinematics and the machine constraints are handled as a separate function.
Industry Standards for Ease of Use
Use of G-code, a simple and open industry standard, allows our customers to choose from among the many common CAM platforms to export G-code for CNC machine or robot tool path control.
Using this new approach for precision robotic processes and multi-axis CNC machine tools, previously advanced features such as tool center point control (TCPC) are simply inherent features of the method.
Our multi-axis controllers empower ideas for new machine tools, meaning that applications are boundless.
Typical Applications
Some applications that benefit from this new machine control approach include:
- Robot precision welding
- Robot epoxy dispensing
- Robot tape dispensing
- Robot laser cutting
- 5-Axis CNC machining
- 5-Axis CNC laser surface structuring
- 5-Axis CNC deep engraving