Warning

You are reading the documentation for an older Pickit release (3.0). Documentation for the latest release (3.4) can be found here.

Fanuc Pickit interface

This article documents the interface of the Fanuc Pickit integration. For installation instructions, please refer to the Fanuc installation and setup article.

Pickit macros

Below you find an overview of the macros defined by Pickit. These are all the macros used in the socket communication between the robot and Pickit. For more details on these macros, refer to Pickit socket interface.

Tip

The macros can be assigned to hotkeys on the teach pendant. This is done in MENU > SETUP > Macro.

System macros

These macros send system-level commands to Pickit.

Macro name	Description
PI_OPEN_COMMUNICATION	Starts the socket communication between the robot and Pickit.
PI_RUN	Check if Pickit is in robot mode. If Pickit is not in robot mode, the other socket macros will fail.

Detection macros

These macros are used to trigger detections and collect the results.

Macro name	Description
PI_LOOK_FOR_OBJECT	Trigger an image captured followed by an object detection using the currently active setup and product Configuration. This is the recommended detection command for fixed camera setups.
PI_NEXT_OBJECT	Request the next detected object.
PI_CAPTURE_IMAGE	Trigger Pickit to capture a camera image to be used by a following PI_PROCESS_IMAGE command. This is the recommended detection method for camera-on-robot setups as it waits for the image to be captured. If the camera moves during image capture, a warning will be shown in the web interface.
PI_PROCESS_IMAGE	Trigger an object detection on the camera image that was previously captured via PI_CAPTURE_IMAGE command (or PI_LOOK_FOR_OBJECT).
PI_DETECTION_WITH_RETRIES	Repeatedly trigger a Pickit object detection as long as nothing is found and the ROI is not empty, up to a number of attempts. Argument 1: Max number of detection retry.
PI_GET_RESULT	This routine combines PI_WAIT and PI_GET_PICK_POINT_DATA. It is the recommended way to collect the detection result. It should always be the next Pickit command after a PI_LOOK_FOR_OBJECT, PI_NEXT_OBJECT or PI_DETECTION_WITH_RETRIES request.
PI_GET_PICK_POINT_DATA	Request the pick point ID and pick point offset of the last requested object. Prefer using PI_GET_RESULT instead.
PI_WAIT	Wait for Pickit reply with detection results. Prefer using PI_GET_RESULT instead.

Configuration macros

These macros are used to change the active product and setup configuration.

Macro name	Description
PI_CONFIGURE	Load the specified setup and product Configuration. Argument 1: Setup id. Argument 2: Product id.
PI_SET_CYLINDER	Reset the dimension of the cylinder model. Argument 1: Length [mm]. Argument 2: Diameter [mm].
PI_SAVE_SETUP	Save the active setup file.
PI_SAVE_PRODUCT	Save the active product file.
PI_BUILD_BACKGROUND	Build the background cloud used in Advanced filters.

Calibration macros

These macros are used to perform the robot-camera calibration.

Macro name	Description
PI_CALIBRATE	Detect the robot-camera calibration plate.
PI_CALIB_CONF	Configure the calibration.
PI_CALIB_CAL	Calculate the calibration.
PI_CALIB_VAL	Validate the calibration.

Monitoring macros

These macros are used to save data about a running application. This is specially useful when ramping up in production, as the stored data allows detecting eventual issues in the application.

Macro name	Description
PI_SAVE_SCENE	Save a Snapshots with the latest detection results.

Helper macros

Other macros not directly communicating with Pickit are also available to simplify the pick and place programming.

Macro name	Description
PI_SET_PICK_POSE	Specify the robot configuration to be used for the pick pose (see Run PI_SET_PICK_POSE for details).
PI_SET_OFFSET	Create the pose register in PR[PR_id] with all elements set to 0 except Z set to Z_offset. It is useful to create pre and post pick offsets. Argument 1: Z_offset [mm]. Argument 2: PR_id.
PI_REACH	Check if PR[51]+tool offset PR[1] (pre pick pose), PR[51] (pick pose) and PR[51]+tool offset PR[2] (post pick pose) can be reached by the robot. The tool and user frame active when calling the macro are used for the check. Make sure that they correspond to the ones used for reaching the poses). See Example program for example of usage.

Pickit registers

Below you find an overview of the variables used by Pickit. When using Pickit these variables cannot be used for anything else. More information about the variables can be found in Pickit socket interface.

Register	Field name	Description	Type
R[141]	command	Command from robot to Pickit.	Output
R[142]	payload 0	1st request payload (e.g. setup id).	Output
R[143]	payload 1	2nd request payload (e.g. product id).	Output
R[144]	retries	Maximum number of retries for a Pickit detection.	Output
R[145]	PR payload id	Id of the Pose Register request payload. PR[id] will be sent as a pose request payload.	Output
R[149]	comm status	Used to check if socket communication is running.	Input
R[150]	object status	Pickit status of the object: OBJECT_FOUND, NO_OBJECTS, NO_IMAGE_CAPTURED or EMPTY_ROI.	Input
R[151]	status	Pickit response to previously received robot commands.	Input
R[152]	obj age	Time elapsed between the image capture and the moment the object information is sent to the robot.	Input
R[153]	obj remaining	Number of remaining objects that can be sent in next messages to the robot.	Input
R[154]-R[156]	obj dim 1-3	[0]: length or diameter (mm) [1]: width or diameter (mm) [2]: height (mm).	Input
R[157]	model id	for a Teach detection, ID type of the detected object. for a Flex/Pattern detection, the object type of the detected object.	Input
R[158]	pick id	ID of the pick point that was selected for the given object.	Input
R[159]	pick ref id	ID of the selected pick point’s reference pick point.	Input
R[160]	reachability	Set by PI_REACH to 0 if pre pick, pick and post pick pose are reachable.	Output
R[161]	calib dist err	Calibration validation distance error [mm].	Input
R[162]	calib or err	Calibration validation orientation error [deg].	Input
PR[51]	pick pose	Object pose expressed relatively to the robot base frame.	Input
PR[52]	pick offset	Pick point offset of the last requested object.	Input
PR[53]	x rot	Helper pose to set the configuration of the pick pose.	Internal

Tip

If these registers are already used on your robot, please contact us at support@pickit3d.com, and we will assist you in finding a solution.

Using pick offset in a robot program

To use the pick offset in a robot program, first a fixed pose has to be taught. Then the offset can be applied to this fixed pose to correct from picking with an offset. Following example shows how the pose drop off is corrected: J P[3:drop off] 100% FINE Tool_Offset,PR[52:pi pick offset].

Low level reachability check

The reachability check is performed by a low level karel program implemented by Pickit, namely PICKIT_REACH. Advance users can directly use it (see documentation below).

PICKIT_REACH (pr_id, offset_id)

Check reachability of  "PR[pr_id], Tool_Offset, PR[offset_id]"
Note, currently active uframe and tool are used

tp_param[1]:          input: pr_id , Id of the PR to check the reach
tp_param[2]:          input: offset_id, Id of the tool_offset to add to the pose (OPTIONAL)

Returns results in R[160], 0 if rechable, 1 otherwise