ROS-Industrial driver (server) for Staubli robots

Overview

This ROS-I driver was developed in Staubli’s VAL 3 language for use with 6-axis Staubli robot manipulators.

It is advisable to try this driver on Staubli’s emulator in Staubli Robotics Suite (SRS) first.

Requirements

• Staubli 6-axis robot manipulator
• Staubli CS8/CS9 controller
• VAL 3 version s7.7.2 or greater
  • this is very important, since this implementation uses return values of sioGet() only available from s7.7.2 onwards
• Staubli Robotics Suite 2019 (not required but strongly recommended)

Installation

Installing the driver to a Staubli controller simply consists of transferring the contents of the val3 folder to the controller itself.

Clone this repository

Clone branch master of staubli_val3_driver:

git clone https://github.com/ros-industrial/staubli_val3_driver

Transfer driver to Staubli controller

There are multiple ways of transferring VAL 3 applications to the controller:

1. Copy the contents of val3 folder onto a USB memory stick (<2GB if using CS8), plugging the stick into the controller and using the teach pendant to copy the folders

2. Use the Transfer Manager in SRS to copy the contents of val3 folder to the controller. (Home -> Controller -> Transfer Manager)

3. Use an FTP software to copy the contents of val3 folder to the controller.

Open the VAL 3 application with Staubli SRS

Although it is possible to edit the source files with any text editor (they are essentially XML files), it is advisable to use Staubli Robotics Suite:

• Copy contents of folder val3 into the usrapp folder of the Staubli cell
• Open the ros_server VAL 3 appplication located inside the ros_server folder

SRS offers autocompletion, syntax highlighting and syntax checking, amongst other useful features, such as a Staubli controller/teach pendant emulator.

Usage

Load driver from (real or emulated) teach pendant

From Main menu:

1. Application manager –> Val3 applications
2. +Disk –> ros_server

Configuration

The TCP sockets on the CS8/CS9 controller/emulator must be configured prior to using the driver, otherwise a runtime error will be displayed on the teach pendant and the driver will not work.

Two sockets (TCP Servers) are required.

CS8

From Main menu:

1. Control panel –> I/O –> Socket –> TCP Servers
2. Configure two sockets
   • Name: Feedback, Port: 11002, Timeout: -1, End of string: 13, Nagle: Off
   • Name: Motion, Port: 11000, Timeout: -1, End of string: 13, Nagle: Off

CS9

From Home:

1. IO –> Socket –> TCP Servers –> “+”
2. Configure two sockets
   • Name: Feedback, Port: 11002, Timeout: -1, End of string: 13, Nagle: Off
   • Name: Motion, Port: 11000, Timeout: -1, End of string: 13, Nagle: Off

Run the driver (ROS-I server)

Check that:

1. The contents of the val3 folder (both ros_server and ros_libs folders) have been transferred to the Staubli controller
2. The VAL 3 application ros_server has been loaded
3. Both TCP Server sockets have been configured properly

CS8

Press the Run button, ensure that ros_server is highlighted, then press F8 (Ok).

CS9

VAL# –> Memory –> select ros_server –> ▶

Notice that depending on which mode of operation is currently active, the motors may need to be enabled manually (a message will pop up on the screen). Likewise, the robot will only move if the Move button has been pressed (or is kept pressed if in manual mode).

Run the industrial_robot_client node (ROS-I client)

The kinetic-devel branch provides launch files (within the staubli_val3_driver ROS package). Simply run:

roslaunch staubli_val3_driver robot_interface_streaming.launch robot_ip:=<Controller IP address>

Bugs, suggestions and feature requests

Please report any bugs you may find, make any suggestions you may have and request new features you may find useful via GitHub.