[LukeGaines]

I need help understanding the mechanics of how linked reference frames and tool frames (TCPs) are handled in programs. I have a machining program that was generated using the "curve follow project" tool. Once the program was generated I have added a few instructions (IO, speed changes, etc.) I have generated several other programs this same way for machining different parts of the object. All of the programs need to use the same reference frame and tool frame.

I now need to update the tool frame and reference frame and have the programs work with the updated data. The Set Ref and Set Tool instructions are using links but whenever I generate the programs for my robot (ABB IRB4600) it never uses the updated data. It's always exporting with the old original reference frame and tool frame.

What is even more odd is that when I do generate the robot program it appears to change the tool (TCP) data in the station tree back to the original data but it doesn't do this to the reference frame. The reference frame in the tree still maintains the new updated coordinates.

What is the prescribed method for updating this data for a machining program? I need help understanding what I should expect to be updating whenever I change these frame values.

Thanks in advance for your help

[Albert]

You may want to disable the option Force Original Pose for the set tool and reference frame instructions (right click on the set tool or set ref instructions and uncheck Force Original Pose). This is enabled automatically for robot machining projects.

Also, are you moving the object geometry data? If so, when you export curves, RoboDK calculates the position of your reference frame with respect to the object geometry.

Can you share your RoboDK project file? We can better understand what you mean.

[LukeGaines]

That was it. The "Force Original Pose" option was causing the problem I was trying to describe. Thank you. As I was digging through the general program options I also noticed that there is a checkbox option to "Impose original tool and reference in programs". If I uncheck this, will it turn "Force Original Pose" off by default?

[Albert]

Great, thank you for letting us know.

That’s correct, you can change the global setting you mentioned to remove the impose pose by default.