Kawasaki AS

The program language of Kawasaki's E and F series robot controllers.

AS runs on the E series controllers (E01, E02, E03, E70 and others) and the F series (F60, F01, F02, F03). Programs live in .PROGRAM name() ... .END blocks. Motion uses JMOVE / LMOVE / C1MOVE / C2MOVE to poses that are either transformation values (X, Y, Z, O, A, T) or precision points (joint angles, written with #). Outputs switch with SIGNAL n, where a negative number turns the output off; the program waits with SWAIT 1001 and TWAIT 0.5; and flow uses IF / WHILE / FOR blocks that all close with END, plus CALL name for subroutines.

Programs: .PROGRAM / .END

Each program is a .PROGRAM name() block closed by .END, and one file can hold many of them. CALL name runs another program and comes back when it reaches .END or RETURN. A variable whose name starts with a dot (.count) is local to its program; a name without the dot is global and shared by every program on the controller. Comments start with a semicolon.

On a real cellGlobal names are shared with every program, including PC programs running in the background. Use local .names for scratch values so two programs cannot change each other's counters.

.PROGRAM main()
  JMOVE home
  CALL pick_one
.END

.PROGRAM pick_one()
  LMOVE pick
  SIGNAL 1
.END

Motion: JMOVE / LMOVE / C1MOVE / C2MOVE

JMOVE is joint interpolation: the quickest move, with a curved TCP (tool centre point) path. LMOVE moves the TCP in a straight line at the current SPEED. An arc takes two statements, C1MOVE to a via point and C2MOVE to the end point. LAPPRO pick, 50 goes to a point 50 mm from pick along the tool Z axis and LDEPART 50 backs out the same way, so one taught point serves the approach, the pick and the retreat. HOME returns to the home pose stored in the controller.

On a real cellTeach the pick point itself and let LAPPRO and LDEPART make the approach and the retreat. Three separately taught points are three points to re-teach when the fixture moves.

JMOVE home
LAPPRO pick, 50
LMOVE pick
LDEPART 50
C1MOVE arc_via
C2MOVE arc_end

Speed and accuracy

SPEED 50 is 50 % of maximum speed and SPEED 250 MM/S a TCP speed. With ALWAYS the value holds for every later move; without it, it applies to the next move only. ACCURACY 1 ALWAYS lets the robot head for the next point once it is within 1 mm of the target, while ACCURACY 100 starts rounding the corner 100 mm out. The monitor speed set on the teach pendant scales the program speed on top of all this.

On a real cellProve a new program at a low monitor speed, then raise it in steps while you watch the path near fixtures. Speeds you never saw at 10 % appear at 100 %.

SPEED 250 MM/S ALWAYS
ACCURACY 1 ALWAYS
LMOVE pick
SPEED 20 MM/S
LMOVE place

Positions and frames

A transformation value such as pick holds X, Y, Z in mm and O, A, T in degrees, measured in the current BASE and TOOL frames. A precision point such as #home holds joint angles, so it always puts the arm in the same configuration whatever the frames are. POINT builds poses: POINT drop = SHIFT(pick BY 0, 200, 0) is pick moved 200 mm in Y. TOOL and BASE set the active tool and work frame from a TRANS(...) value or a stored variable.

On a real cellUse precision points for home, service and clear-of-fixture poses, where the arm configuration has to be the same every time. Use transformation values for work points, so they follow BASE when the fixture is relocated.

POINT drop = SHIFT(pick BY 0, 200, 0)
TOOL TRANS(0, 0, 139, 0, 0, 0)
JMOVE #home
LMOVE drop

I/O: SIGNAL / SWAIT / PULSE

SIGNAL 1, -2 turns output 1 on and output 2 off: a positive number means on and a negative number off. External inputs are numbered from 1001 and internal signals from 2001, so SWAIT 1001 waits for input 1 and IF SIG(1001) THEN tests it. PULSE 3, 0.3 turns output 3 on for 0.3 s, and TWAIT 0.5 waits half a second. Integrators usually give signals names (gripper_closed = 1001) and write SWAIT gripper_closed.

On a real cellSWAIT 1 waits for output 1, not input 1. Inputs start at 1001, and a wait on the wrong number either passes at once or never passes.

SIGNAL 1, -2
TWAIT 0.5
SWAIT 1001
PULSE 3, 0.3

Flow and variables

IF expr THEN ... ELSE ... END, WHILE expr DO ... END and FOR i = 1 TO 5 STEP 1 ... END all close with the same END keyword. GOTO retry jumps to a label written as retry: at the start of a line. Numbers are assigned directly, count = count + 1, with no keyword in front. TYPE prints text and values to the terminal.

On a real cellWith three kinds of block closing on the same word, an END in the wrong place moves code out of a loop without any error. Indent every block and check which END closes what.

count = 0
FOR i = 1 TO 5
  count = count + 1
END
TYPE "PARTS:", count

Instruction	Category	Purpose	Example
JMOVE	Motion	Joint move to a pose. Fastest; the TCP path is not straight.	JMOVE pick
LMOVE	Motion	Linear move: the TCP travels in a straight line at the current SPEED.	LMOVE pick
C1MOVE	Motion	Circular move, first statement: the via point on the arc.	C1MOVE via
C2MOVE	Motion	Circular move, second statement: the end point of the arc.	C2MOVE arc_end
HOME	Motion	Joint move to the HOME position stored in the controller (HOME 2 for the second one).	HOME
JAPPRO	Motion	Joint move to a point offset from the target by a distance in mm along the tool Z axis.	JAPPRO pick, 100
LAPPRO	Motion	Same as JAPPRO, in a straight line.	LAPPRO pick, 50
JDEPART	Motion	Joint move away from the current pose by a distance in mm along the tool Z axis.	JDEPART 100
LDEPART	Motion	Same as JDEPART, in a straight line. The usual way out of a fixture.	LDEPART 50
DRIVE	Motion	Move one joint by an angle: joint number, degrees, speed in %.	DRIVE 6, 90, 50
SPEED	Motion	Program speed: % of maximum, or a TCP speed with MM/S. ALWAYS keeps it for every later move; without ALWAYS it applies to the next move only. The pendant monitor speed scales it again.	SPEED 250 MM/S ALWAYS
ACCURACY	Motion	Distance in mm from the target at which the robot may start toward the next point. Small values stop close to the point; large values round the corner.	ACCURACY 1 ALWAYS
TOOL	Motion	Set the tool transformation (TCP offset from the flange). TOOL NULL clears it.	TOOL TRANS(0, 0, 139, 0, 0, 0)
BASE	Motion	Set the base transformation (work frame). BASE NULL returns to the robot base.	BASE base1
SIGNAL	I/O	Switch outputs: a positive number turns it on, a negative number turns it off.	SIGNAL 1, -2
PULSE	I/O	Turn an output on for a time in seconds, then off.	PULSE 3, 0.5
RESET	I/O	Turn all external outputs off.	RESET
SIG	I/O	TRUE when every listed signal is on; a negative number tests for off. External inputs start at 1001.	IF SIG(1001) THEN
SWAIT	Wait	Hold the program until the listed signals are on (negative number: off).	SWAIT 1001, -1002
TWAIT	Wait	Hold the program for a time in seconds.	TWAIT 0.5
WAIT	Wait	Hold the program until a logical expression is true.	WAIT SIG(1001) OR count > 5
IF	Flow	Block branch: IF expr THEN ... [ELSE ...] END.	IF SIG(1001) THEN
THEN	Flow	Ends the condition of an IF line.	IF count < 5 THEN
ELSE	Flow	Else branch inside an IF block.	ELSE
END	Flow	Closes IF, WHILE, FOR and CASE blocks. A program ends with .END instead.	END
WHILE	Flow	Loop while a condition is true: WHILE expr DO ... END.	WHILE count < 5 DO
FOR	Flow	Counted loop: FOR var = start TO stop [STEP n] ... END.	FOR i = 1 TO 5
TO	Flow	Separates the start and stop values of a FOR loop.	FOR i = 1 TO 5
STEP	Flow	Increment of a FOR loop (1 when omitted).	FOR i = 0 TO 10 STEP 2
DO	Flow	Starts the body of a WHILE loop.	WHILE i < 5 DO
GOTO	Flow	Jump to a label. A label is a name followed by a colon at the start of a line.	GOTO retry
CALL	Program	Run another .PROGRAM as a subroutine, then come back.	CALL pick_one
RETURN	Program	Return from a subroutine before its .END.	RETURN
PAUSE	Flow	Stop the program; the operator can continue it.	PAUSE
HALT	Flow	Stop the program; it cannot be continued from this point.	HALT
=	Variable	Assign a real (numeric) variable. Names with a leading dot (.count) are local to the program.	count = count + 1
DECOMPOSE	Variable	Split a pose into an array: X, Y, Z, O, A, T for a transformation, joint angles for a precision point.	DECOMPOSE c[0] = pick
POINT	Position	Assign a pose variable: POINT dest = expression.	POINT drop = SHIFT(pick BY 0, 200, 0)
SHIFT	Position	The pose moved by dx, dy, dz in mm.	SHIFT(pick BY 0, 100, 0)
TRANS	Position	Build a transformation from X, Y, Z (mm) and O, A, T (degrees).	TRANS(400, 0, 300, 0, 180, 0)
#name	Position	Precision point: a pose stored as joint angles. A name without # is a transformation (X, Y, Z, O, A, T).	JMOVE #home
HERE	Position	Record the current pose into a variable.	HERE p_now
.PROGRAM	Program	Start a program. A file holds one or more .PROGRAM blocks.	.PROGRAM main()
.END	Program	Close the .PROGRAM block.	.END
TYPE	System	Print text and values on the terminal or pendant.	TYPE "PARTS:", count
PROMPT	System	Ask the operator for a value.	PROMPT "QTY:", qty
;	Misc	Comment to the end of the line.	; pick up the part