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Conveyor Help

#1
Good evening

Hello , I am trying to use the provided conveyor belt, but I'm missing to understand how it works...

I see there are three python programs "commanding" it. 

"Run conveyor" simulates object movement on top of the conveyor right ?

"Wait for part" makes a part detector on "get conveyor" reference correct ?

And Simulate gripper just well... does what it says on the tin.

the thing is when I look at the python output of the "wait for part " I can only see it detects part 2  ( using the conveyor model from the online library)

Is there any way  I can stop the conveyor or rather the objects moving on top of it ?

I have tried merging the two python programs so I can stop the conveyor but with no sucess. What am I doing wrong ? 

Code:
# Type help("robolink") or help("robodk") for more information
# Press F5 to run the script
# Note: you do not need to keep a copy of this file, your python script is saved with the station
from robolink import *    # API to communicate with RoboDK
from robodk import *      # basic matrix operations
RL = Robolink()

# This script simulates a conveyor belt
CONVEYOR_NAME = 'Conveyor'
PICKABLE_OBJECTS_KEYWORD = 'Part'

# Speed of movement in MM/S with respect to the conveyor coordinates:
MOVE_SPEED_MMS = [0,50,0]
REFRESH_RATE = 0.005

# Define workspace of the conveyor to pick the objects:
CONV_SZ_X_MIN = 0
CONV_SZ_X_MAX = 440
CONV_SZ_Y_MIN = 0
CONV_SZ_Y_MAX = 2000
CONV_SZ_Z_MIN = -200
CONV_SZ_Z_MAX = +500

# Move objects that reached the end of the conveyor and were not picked:
FALLEN_OBJECTS = [0,-1500,0]

# Get the conveyor item and reference for work space:
conv = RL.Item(CONVEYOR_NAME)
conv_reference = conv.Parent()
poseconv = conv_reference.PoseAbs()

# One second in real life means 1 second of simulation. The simulation speed is taken from the station
SIMULATION_SPEED = 1

def is_inside_conveyor(pose):
   """Checks if a pose is inside the conveyor workspace"""
   pos = pose.Pos()
   if pos[0] > CONV_SZ_X_MIN and pos[0] < CONV_SZ_X_MAX and pos[1] > CONV_SZ_Y_MIN and pos[1] < CONV_SZ_Y_MAX and pos[2] > CONV_SZ_Z_MIN and pos[2] < CONV_SZ_Z_MAX:
       return True
   return False

def conveyor_move_object(pose, delta_time):
   """Moves the object pose through the conveyor depending on the time and speed"""
   delta_mm = mult3(MOVE_SPEED_MMS, delta_time)
   newpose = transl(delta_mm)*pose
   return newpose

# Get all objects (string list)
all_objects = RL.ItemList(ITEM_TYPE_OBJECT)

# Convert object list into item pointers (faster)
# Also filter the list to take into account pickable objects only
objects = []
objects_name = []
objects_active = []
for i in range(len(all_objects)):
   if all_objects[i].count(PICKABLE_OBJECTS_KEYWORD) > 0:
       objects.append(RL.Item(all_objects[i]))
       objects_name.append(all_objects[i])        
       objects_active.append(False)

# The number of objects that can go in the conveyor
nobjects = len(objects)


# Infinite loop to simulate the conveyor behavior
current_time = 0
tic()
time_last = toc()
while True:
   # First: Look for objects that are not in the conveyor but are in the conveyor workspace
   for i in range(nobjects):
       obj_i = objects[i]
       
       # Skip if the object is already in the conveyor
       if objects_active[i]:
           continue
       
       # Check if the object has already been taken by a tool. If so, do not take it in the conveyor
       if obj_i.Parent().Type() == ITEM_TYPE_TOOL:
           continue

       # Check if the object is within the conveyor work area
       posei = obj_i.PoseAbs()
       poseirel = invH(poseconv)*posei
       if is_inside_conveyor(poseirel):
           # take the object
           obj_i.setParentStatic(conv)
           print('Adding object %s to the conveyor' % objects_name[i])
           objects_active[i] = True

   # Second step: Update the position of every object in the conveyor
   SIMULATION_SPEED = RL.SimulationSpeed()
   time_current = toc()
   time_delta = time_current - time_last
   time_last = time_current
   current_time = current_time + time_delta*SIMULATION_SPEED

   # Make a list of objects with their matching positions to update
   obj_items = []
   obj_poses_abs = []
   for i in range(nobjects):
       obj_i = objects[i]

       # Check if the object has been picked from the conveyor
       if objects_active[i] and obj_i.Parent() != conv:
           objects_active[i] = False
           print('Object %s was picked from the conveyor' % objects_name[i])
           continue

       # Skip update for objects that are not in the conveyor
       if not objects_active[i]:
           continue

       # Update the position of the object
       posei = invH(poseconv)*obj_i.PoseAbs()
       newposei = conveyor_move_object(posei, time_delta*SIMULATION_SPEED)
       if not is_inside_conveyor(newposei):
           print('Warning!! Object %s fell from the conveyor at %.1f seconds after simulation started' % (objects_name[i], current_time))
           #raise Exception('Object %s was not picked from the conveyor!' % objects_name[i])
           newposei = transl(FALLEN_OBJECTS)*newposei
           objects_active[i] = False
       
       #obj_i.setPose(newposei) # this will provoke a refresh (can be slow)
       obj_items.append(obj_i)
       obj_poses_abs.append(poseconv*newposei)

   # Update the object positions
   RL.setPosesAbs(obj_items, obj_poses_abs)

   # Take a break...
   pause(REFRESH_RATE)
   
# Use a target from the station as a reference plane:
TARGET_NAME = 'Get Conveyor'
LASER_PLANE = [0,-1,0] # normal of the plane

# Activate within this tolerance
TOLERANCE_CHECK_MM = 10

# Look for parts with the keyword "Part"
PICKABLE_OBJECTS_KEYWORD = 'Part'

# Update status every 1 ms
RECHECK_PERIOD = 0.001

# Get the target and the detection plane
target = RL.Item(TARGET_NAME)
targetpose = target.PoseAbs()
DETECT_PLANE_POINT = targetpose.Pos()
DETECT_PLANE_VECTOR = LASER_PLANE

# Define a function to detect a target
def part_detected(pos):
   """Check if a part is in the detection area (proximity of a point to a plane)"""
   pos_proj = proj_pt_2_plane(pos, DETECT_PLANE_POINT, DETECT_PLANE_VECTOR)
   distance2plane = norm(subs3(pos,pos_proj))
   if distance2plane < TOLERANCE_CHECK_MM:
       return True
   return False

if part_detected:
   MOVE_SPEED_MMS = [0,0,0]
       
       
   

What am I missing ?

Best Regards
#2
Hi,

"WaitForPart" blocks the program until a part is detected in the XY plane of the garget "Get Conveyor". It simulates a presence sensor.
You can see the effect of this program in the first video. The second video attached here is a simulation with 2 Universal Robots and a conveyor belt.

Some tips:
-You can accelerate the simulation with the space bar
-You can stop the simulation with the ESC key (it stops all running programs/python scripts/moving robots)

"Run conveyor" simulates object movement on top of the conveyor right ?
Correct

"Wait for part" makes a part detector on "get conveyor" reference correct ?
Correct

Is there any way  I can stop the conveyor or rather the objects moving on top of it ?
Yes, use the ESC key or right click the program and select Stop.


I have tried merging the two python programs so I can stop the conveyor but with no sucess. What am I doing wrong ? 
The "Wait For Part" program must be a unique program. The goal of this program is to block the execution of a robot movement until the part is at the right spot to take it. You will understand better if you take a look at the tutorial video here attached.

Finally, there is another pick and place simulation available in the library with 2 delta robots and the same conveyor belt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv-lVsMglVI.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Conveyor Simulation alone:




Tutorial to build a simulation with 2 robots and the conveyor belt:

#3
When using RunConveyor.py, the conveyor always run.
How to pass some condition variables into the RunConveyor.py, or indefinite loop in the script, so I can stop the conveyor or resume the conveyor based on the certain conditions? The condition variables could be robot I/O or sensor signal, etc.

Thanks.
#4
(09-13-2019, 02:08 PM)bsun99 Wrote: When using RunConveyor.py, the conveyor always run.
How to pass some condition variables into the RunConveyor.py, or indefinite loop in the script, so I can stop the conveyor or resume the conveyor based on the certain conditions? The condition variables could be robot I/O or sensor signal, etc.

Thanks.

It is figured out by myself.  Nice software.
#5
(09-14-2019, 12:45 PM)bsun99 Wrote:
(09-13-2019, 02:08 PM)bsun99 Wrote: When using RunConveyor.py, the conveyor always run.
How to pass some condition variables into the RunConveyor.py, or indefinite loop in the script, so I can stop the conveyor or resume the conveyor based on the certain conditions? The condition variables could be robot I/O or sensor signal, etc.

Thanks.

It is figured out by myself.  Nice software.

Hi, can you share the solution please? Thanks.
  




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