Mecademic Meca500 (R3) Owner's manual

Programming Manual
Meca500 (R3)
Robot Firmware: 8.4
Document Revision: A
July 20, 2021

The information contained herein is the property of Mecademic Inc. and shall not be
reproduced in whole or in part without prior written approval of Mecademic Inc. The
information herein is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a
commitment by Mecademic Inc. This manual will be periodically reviewed and revised.
Make sure that the rmware of your robot is the one indicated on the cover of this
manual, or else consult the manual corresponding to your robot’s rmware. Ideally,
always use the latest robot rmware. Manuals and rmware updates are available at
https://www.mecademic.com/en/downloads.
If you have a technical question, please visit our Support Center and create a ticket at
https://support.mecademic.com.
Mecademic Inc. assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions in this document.
Copyright c ○ 2021 by Mecademic Inc.

Contents
1 Basic theory and denitions 1
1.1 Denitions and conventions ......................... 1
1.1.1 Units.................................... 1
1.1.2 Jointnumbering.............................. 1
1.1.3 Referenceframes ............................. 1
1.1.4 Pose and Euler angles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.5 Joint angles and joint 6 turn conguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.6 Joint set and robot posture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 Congurations, singularities and workspace ............... 4
1.2.1 Inverse kinematic solutions and conguration parameters . . . . . . . 4
1.2.2 Automatic conguration selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2.3 Workspace and singularities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.3 Key concepts related to Mecademic robots ............... 10
1.3.1 Homing .................................. 10
1.3.2 Blending.................................. 11
1.3.3 Position and velocity modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2 Communicating over TCP/IP 15
2.1 Motion commands ............................... 15
2.1.1 Delay( 𝑡 ).................................. 16
2.1.2 GripperOpen/GripperClose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.1.3 MoveJoints( 𝜃1, 𝜃2, 𝜃3, 𝜃4, 𝜃5, 𝜃6 )...................... 17
2.1.4 MoveJointsVel(
˙
𝜃1,˙ 𝜃2,˙ 𝜃3,˙ 𝜃4,˙ 𝜃5,˙ 𝜃6 ) .................... 17
2.1.5 MoveLin( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 ).......................... 18
2.1.6 MoveLinRelTRF( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 ) ..................... 19
2.1.7 MoveLinRelWRF( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 )..................... 19
2.1.8 MoveLinVelTRF( ˙𝑥, ˙𝑦, ˙𝑧, 𝜔𝑥, 𝜔𝑦, 𝜔𝑧 ).................... 20
2.1.9 MoveLinVelWRF( ˙𝑥, ˙𝑦, ˙𝑧, 𝜔𝑥, 𝜔𝑦, 𝜔𝑧 ) ................... 20
2.1.10 MovePose( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 )......................... 21
2.1.11 SetAutoConf( 𝑒 ).............................. 21
2.1.12 SetAutoConfTurn( 𝑒 ) ........................... 22
2.1.13 SetBlending( 𝑝 ) .............................. 22
2.1.14 SetCartAcc( 𝑝 )............................... 23
2.1.15 SetCartAngVel( 𝜔 ) ............................ 23
2.1.16 SetCartLinVel( 𝑣 ) ............................. 24
2.1.17 SetCheckpoint( 𝑛 )............................. 24
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2.1.18 SetConf( 𝑐𝑠, 𝑐𝑒, 𝑐𝑤 )............................. 24
2.1.19 SetConfTurn( 𝑐𝑡 ).............................. 25
2.1.20 SetGripperForce( 𝑝 )............................ 25
2.1.21 SetGripperVel( 𝑝 ) ............................. 26
2.1.22 SetJointAcc( 𝑝 ) .............................. 26
2.1.23 SetJointVel( 𝑝 )............................... 26
2.1.24 SetTorqueLimits( 𝑝1, 𝑝2, 𝑝3, 𝑝4, 𝑝5, 𝑝6 )................... 27
2.1.25 SetTorqueLimitsCfg( 𝑠, 𝑚 ) ........................ 27
2.1.26 SetTRF( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 ).......................... 28
2.1.27 SetVelTimeout( 𝑡 )............................. 28
2.1.28 SetWRF( 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 ).......................... 28
2.2 Request commands of general type .................... 29
2.2.1 ActivateRobot............................... 29
2.2.2 ActivateSim/DeactivateSim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.2.3 ClearMotion................................ 29
2.2.4 DeactivateRobot ............................. 30
2.2.5 BrakesOn/BrakesO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.2.6 EnableEtherNetIP( 𝑒 )........................... 30
2.2.7 GetFwVersion............................... 30
2.2.8 GetModelJointLimits( 𝑛 )......................... 31
2.2.9 GetProductType ............................. 31
2.2.10GetRobotSerial .............................. 31
2.2.11Home ................................... 31
2.2.12 LogTrace( 𝑠 )................................ 32
2.2.13PauseMotion ............................... 32
2.2.14ResetError................................. 33
2.2.15ResetPStop ................................ 33
2.2.16ResumeMotion .............................. 33
2.2.17 SetEOB( 𝑒 )................................. 34
2.2.18 SetEOM( 𝑒 ) ................................ 34
2.2.19 SetJointLimits( 𝑛 , 𝜃𝑛,𝑚𝑖𝑛 , 𝜃𝑛,𝑚𝑎𝑥 )..................... 34
2.2.20 SetJointLimitsCfg( 𝑒 )........................... 35
2.2.21 SetMonitoringInterval( 𝑡 )......................... 35
2.2.22 SetNetworkOptions( 𝑛1, 𝑛2, 𝑛3, 𝑛4, 𝑛5, 𝑛6 ) ................ 36
2.2.23 SetOineProgramLoop( 𝑒 )........................ 36
2.2.24 SetRTC( 𝑡 )................................. 36
2.2.25 StartProgram( 𝑛 ) ............................. 37
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2.2.26 StartSaving( 𝑛 ) .............................. 37
2.2.27StopSaving ................................ 38
2.2.28 SwitchToEtherCAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.2.29 TCPDump( 𝑛 )............................... 39
2.2.30TCPDumpStop.............................. 39
2.3 Request commands of type user-dened data .............. 39
2.3.1 GetAutoConf ............................... 39
2.3.2 GetAutoConfTurn ............................ 40
2.3.3 GetBlending................................ 40
2.3.4 GetCartAcc................................ 40
2.3.5 GetCartAngVel.............................. 40
2.3.6 GetCartLinVel............................... 40
2.3.7 GetCheckpoint .............................. 41
2.3.8 GetConf.................................. 41
2.3.9 GetConfTurn ............................... 41
2.3.10GetGripperForce ............................. 42
2.3.11GetGripperVel .............................. 42
2.3.12GetJointAcc................................ 42
2.3.13 GetJointLimits( 𝑛 ) ............................ 42
2.3.14GetJointLimitsCfg ............................ 43
2.3.15GetJointVel................................ 43
2.3.16 GetMonitoringInterval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.3.17 GetNetworkOptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.3.18 GetRealTimeMonitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.3.19GetTorqueLimits ............................. 44
2.3.20 GetTorqueLimitsCfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.3.21GetTRF.................................. 44
2.3.22GetVelTimeout .............................. 44
2.3.23GetWRF.................................. 45
2.4 Request commands of type real-time data ................ 45
2.4.1 GetCmdPendingCount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.4.2 GetJoints ................................. 46
2.4.3 GetPose .................................. 46
2.4.4 GetRtAccelerometer( 𝑛 ).......................... 47
2.4.5 GetRTC.................................. 47
2.4.6 GetRtCartPos............................... 47
2.4.7 GetRtCartVel............................... 48
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2.4.8 GetRtConf................................. 48
2.4.9 GetRtConfTurn.............................. 49
2.4.10GetRtJointPos .............................. 49
2.4.11GetRtJointTorq.............................. 49
2.4.12GetRtJointVel............................... 50
2.4.13 GetRtTargetCartPos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
2.4.14 GetRtTargetCartVel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
2.4.15GetRtTargetConf............................. 50
2.4.16 GetRtTargetConfTurn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.4.17 GetRtTargetJointPos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.4.18 GetRtTargetJointVel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.4.19GetStatusGripper............................. 52
2.4.20GetStatusRobot.............................. 52
2.4.21 GetTorqueLimitsStatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.4.22 SetRealTimeMonitoring( 𝑛1, 𝑛2, ... ).................... 53
2.5 Responses and messages ........................... 54
2.5.1 Command error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.5.2 Commandresponses ........................... 56
2.5.3 Statusmessages.............................. 59
2.5.4 Messages over the monitoring port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3 Communicating over cyclic protocols 63
3.1 Overview ..................................... 63
3.1.1 Cyclicdata ................................ 63
3.2 Types of robot commands .......................... 63
3.2.1 Status change commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
3.2.2 Triggeredactions ............................. 63
3.2.3 Motioncommands ............................ 64
3.3 Sending motion commands to the robot ................. 64
3.3.1 CommandID ............................... 64
3.3.2 MoveIDandSetPoint........................... 64
3.3.3 Adding non-cyclic motion commands to the motion queue (position
mode) ................................... 65
3.3.4 Sending cyclic motion commands (velocity mode) . . . . . . . . . . . 66
3.4 Cyclic data that can be sent to the robot ................ 66
3.4.1 Robotcontrol............................... 66
3.4.2 Motioncontrol .............................. 67
3.4.3 Motionparameters ............................ 67
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3.5 Cyclic data received from the robot .................... 69
4 Communicating over EtherCAT 73
4.1 Overview ..................................... 73
4.1.1 Connectiontypes............................. 73
4.1.2 ESIle................................... 73
4.1.3 EnablingEtherCAT ........................... 73
4.1.4 LEDs ................................... 74
4.2 Object dictionary ............................... 74
4.2.1 Robotcontrol............................... 75
4.2.2 Motioncontrol .............................. 75
4.2.3 Movement................................. 75
4.2.4 Robotstatus ............................... 76
4.2.5 Motionstatus............................... 76
4.2.6 Gripperstatus............................... 77
4.2.7 Jointset.................................. 77
4.2.8 End-eectorpose............................. 78
4.2.9 Conguration ............................... 78
4.2.10Jointvelocities .............................. 79
4.2.11Torqueratios ............................... 79
4.2.12Accelerometer............................... 79
4.2.13 Communication mode (SDO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
4.2.14Brakes(SDO)............................... 80
4.3 PDO mapping .................................. 81
5 Communicating over EtherNet/IP 83
5.1 Overview ..................................... 83
5.1.1 Connectiontypes............................. 83
5.1.2 EDSle .................................. 83
5.1.3 Forward open exclusivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5.1.4 Enabling EtherNet/IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5.2 Output Tag Assembly ............................. 84
5.2.1 Robotcontroltag............................. 84
5.2.2 MoveIDtag ................................ 85
5.2.3 Motioncontroltag ............................ 85
5.2.4 Motion command group of tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
5.2.5 Hosttimetag............................... 86
5.2.6 Brakescontroltag ............................ 86
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5.3 Input Tag Assembly .............................. 87
5.3.1 Robotstatustag ............................. 88
5.3.2 Errorcodetag............................... 88
5.3.3 Checkpointtag .............................. 89
5.3.4 MoveIDtag ................................ 89
5.3.5 FIFOspacetag.............................. 89
5.3.6 Motionstatustag............................. 89
5.3.7 OineprogramID ............................ 90
5.3.8 Jointset.................................. 90
5.3.9 End-eectorpose............................. 90
5.3.10Jointvelocities .............................. 91
5.3.11 Joint torque ratios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5.3.12Accelerometer............................... 91
5.3.13 Gripper status tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
5.3.14Conguration ............................... 92
5.3.15Reservedbytes .............................. 92
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About this manual
This programming manual describes the key theoretical concepts related to industrial robots
and the three methods that can be used for communicating with our robots from an Ethernet-
enabled computing device (IPC, PLC, PC, Mac, Raspberry Pi, etc.): using either TCP/IP,
EtherCAT or EtherNet/IP protocols. To maximize exibility, instead of oering a propri-
etary robot programming language, we provide a set of robot-related instructions. You can
therefore use any modern programming language that can run on your computing device.
In addition, we currently oer two packages, one for ROS and another for Python, and we’ll
soon add a C
++
API on our GitHub account.
The default communication method used by our robots is over TCP/IP and consists of a
set of text-based motion and request commands to be sent to one of our robots, as well as
a set of text messages sent back by the robot. Therefore, in the following chapter, we will
refer to some of these motion commands in explaining the key theoretical concepts related
to industrial robots. Furthermore, the communication methods based on the EtherCAT
protocol and the EtherNet/IP protocols and described in Chapters 4 and 5, respectively,
are essentially translations of our TCP/IP method. Thus, in these two chapters, we do not
describe again each concept but simply refer to Chapter 2.
In other words, even if you intend to use EtherCAT or EtherNet/IP only, you must read
every single page of this manual. However, before reading this programming manual, you
must rst read the User Manual for Meca500 R3 (FW8.4), available on our web site.
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