How to Enable External Rotary Axis on KUKA Robots

[jonathanmalott]

Hello,

I am hoping to use Fusion 360 to create instructions for my KUKA robot to do 5 axis machining using a rotary table. I have a KUKA KR 60 arm and a DKP 400 2-axis rotary positioner table.

I have already been able to create toolpaths for the KUKA to do rotary machining, but I can't figure out how to tell Fusion to spin the rotary table around while machining a part attached to it. currently, the entire robot arm is moving the tool around the workpiece instead of keeping the tool in one place and spinning the rotary table around.

Are external rotary tables for robotic arms supported, and if so how do I enable it?

[alexandre.pintoAGNAU]

Hi @jonathanmalott 

Unfortunately we do not support this at the moment, we are working on this though.
Wil update once we have this up and running.

Alex

[designingberlin]

Hi Jonathan,

the implementation of the external axis is luckily no rocket science.

You have to change the outpot format

from X, Y, Z, A, B, C

to X, Y, Z, A, B, C, E1, E2

for all motion commands.

I implemented a basic E1 support for a turntable, please check:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-manufacture/custom-post-for-milling-with-a-kuka-arm-first-...

Depending on how you set up your axis in the KRC, you only have to supply the additional E1 and E2 values and the robot will position inself in the no rotating base. If the kineamtic chain is not known to the controller, you have to alter the X, Y, Z, A,B and C values accordingly.

The logic on how to select E1 and E2 should be rather simple . like keeping tool pointing downward at all times.

For my milling application I wantet  the restict the robot milling operation to one partikular angular plane (as seen from rotary table). In case you need some support, please let me know.

Best,

Stefan

[jonathanmalott]

Hi Stefan,

This is exciting, what you are doing is exactly what I am trying to do. Below is a link to a video of a milling operation generated from Sprutcam that I am trying to replicate using a Fusion workflow.

I have been in the process of adapting the basic Kuka post processor in Fusion to do exactly what you are saying - keeping the tool in one plane and rotating the table.

Would you be able to share your custom post-processor with me?

jonathanmalott(at)utexas.edu

https://vimeo.com/539165269

[designingberlin]

I did send you the post.

The toolpath looks like a rotary toopath you might want to run on a 4th axis with a regular cnc mill. I actually never used that, since it's only available a an extension.

It might still work, I'm not sure about the WCS orientations. Might require some tweaking ...

good luck!

Stefan

[youssefaboum]

CAN you plz send the edited post processor