Basic Characteristics RAPID

confdata Robot configuration data
Description
Confdata is used to define the axis configurations of the robot.
All positions of the robot are defined and stored using rectangular coordinates. When
calculating the corresponding axis positions, there will often be two or more possible
solutions. This means that the robot is able to achieve the same position, i.e. the tool is
in the same position and with the same orientation, with several different positions or
configurations of the robots axes.
To unambiguously denote one of these possible configurations, the robot configuration
is specified using three axis values. These values define the current quadrant of axis 1,
axis 4 and axis 6. The quadrants are numbered 0, 1, 2, etc. (they can also be negative).
The quadrant number is connected to the current joint angle of the axis. For each axis,
quadrant 0 is the first quarter revolution, 0-90°, in a positive direction from the zero
position; quadrant 1 is the next revolution, 90-180°, etc. Quadrant -1 is the revolution
0° - (-90°), etc. (see Figure 1).
-4
-3
Figure 1 The configuration quadrants for axis 6.
Robot configuration data for 6400C
-1
-2
The IRB 6400C requires a slightly different way to unambiguously denote one robot
configuration. The difference lies in the interpretation of the confdata cf1.
cf1 is used to select one of two possible main axes (axis 1, 2 and 3) configurations:
- cf1 = 0 is the forward configuration
- cf1 = 1 is the backward configuration.
Figure 2 shows an example of a forward configuration and a backward configuration
giving the same position and orientation.
RAPID Reference Manual 7-confdata-1
0
1
2
3