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;
;  E A S Y - R O B  Robotic Simulation Tool
;
;                   Stefan Anton
;
;  Version 1.3 Copyright c 1996 - All Rights Reserved
;
;  internet: 100744.135@compuserve.com
;
;  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/stefan_anton
;
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;
;  R E A D   M E . T X T
;
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Contents

0. Preface
1. Install EASY-ROB
2. Start and run EASY-ROB
3. EASY-ROB User list in the WWW
4. If you need more functionality...
5. Questions and Answers

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0. Preface

Dear User,

Thank you for using EASY-ROB. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

EASY-ROB is a Robot Simulation Tool with 3D graphic and animation.
You can design your robot kinematic with 6 DOF (degrees of freedom).
Currently available types are the kinematics RRR:RRR and TTT:RRR.
The robot can move in joint and cartesian space (inverse kinematics with 
all configurations). Furthermore you can describe the robot kinematic in
universal coordinates and with the DH (Denavit Hartenberg) notation.
The maximum number of DOF is 12. With passiv and activ joint inside 
the kinematic chain it is possible to design nearly every robot. You can
use two user defined inverse kinematic routines in C-Code for you specific
robot kinematic. A makefile to build the new er_kin.dll (EASY-ROB kinematic
dynamic link library) is available.
The robots tool can be designed with TCP data.
You can write a motion program for the robot and check reachability,
travel ranges and cycle time for the movement. You can grab s.th. and release
it. The robots motion can be saved in a recording file and replayed.
A simple 3D-CAD System allows you to create basic bodys like block,
cylinder, spheres, pyramid. for modelling of a tool, a robot and a body. You 
can save everything in ASCII files.
You can rotate and translate the word related to different coorsys, zoom in 
or out and save the view in a file for later use.

Case sensitive Online Help is with the <F1> Key available at any time.

There are a lot more functions for you, see also the manual.txt file.

EASY-ROB is an easy way to learn about the bascis of robotics.

Have fun with it.

Stefan Anton


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1. Install EASY-ROB

easy_rob.exe is a selfextracting archiv. You can copy it to any directory you
want and run it.

EASY-ROB takes about 1.5MB, including examples.

IMPORTANT,
use the  -d  -o option to create directory .\EASY-ROB and .\EASY-ROB\my_proj\ and
.\EASY_ROB\er_dvlp\.
If not, everything is unpacked to the current directory.

Type in:  easy_rob.exe -d -o

The following files are generated:

README.TXT      this file
MANUAL.TXT      user manual for EASY-ROB
HELP.HLP        online help file
PRG_REF.HLP     Quick Programmers Reference Manual


CONFIG.DAT      default configuration file
MY_PROJ.DAT     specific configuration file
EASY_R.BAT      batch, starts EASY-ROB with the configuration file 
		MY_PROJ.DAT
EASYROBX EXE    EASY-ROB, Executable with DPMI16

KIN.GIF         graphic GIF shows the kinematic for the robot type RRR:RRR 
		and robot id=1
LICENSE.DAT     license file

BGI16.DLL       used to run EASY-ROB
RTM.EXE         run time manager
DPMI16BI.OVL    used to run EASY-ROB
BC402RTL.DLL    used to run EASY-ROB
EGAVGA.BGX      used grafic driver

MY_PROJ  <DIR>  this directory contains all example robot, tool, 
		cell etc. files.

ER_DVLP  <DIR>  this directory contains all files to build your specific
		inverse kinematic function.

H W  -  R E Q U I R E M E N T S

If the following HW-requirements are fullfilled, EASY-ROB will run succesfully.

You need an IBM PC with min. 486DX with math. coprocessor and available
extended memory. EASY-ROB runs with the DPMI16. You need a mouse which
has to be installed. Thats it. You need no graphic accelerator board.
EASY-ROB runs also on a 386SX with math. coprocessor and 2MB Ram.
Important is that you have a math. coprocessor installed.

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2. Start and run EASY-ROB

To start EASY-ROB, you have to run easyrobx.exe with a configuration file.

Syntax:    easyrobx.exe [configuration file]

Configuration file CONFIG.DAT is the default file. The configuration file sets
the pathes for working directory (WORKDIR = .\), where the online help file
help.hlp is located, etc. The configuration file is usefull to split your 
projects for a better overview. It is very boring to select for example a 
robot file between 50 or more others.

The current version (DPMI) allowes you to create and run very big CELL's. Of 
course a big cell with about 2000 (visible) polygon will slow down your 
computer. But EASY-ROB needs no accelerator graphic board and runs on 'every' 
computer. 


HELP

Read the MANUAL.TXT for more information.

You will get case sensitive help by pressing   <F1>   Key. This help is taken 
from the online help file HELP.HLP.

File PRG_REF.HLP is the Quick Programmers Reference Manual. It containes all
possible program commands. There are two classes of commands
a) robot motion commands like PTP x y z  A B C or speed_ptp 50.0 [deg/s] etc.
b) erc (Easy Rob Command) like ERC RENDER WIRE or ERC TRACE ON etc.

a TIP
Print these 6 pages. It is really usefull when you write your program. Basic 
motion commands can be created from the program menue.


RUN the Examples

If you anpacked EASY-ROB with the -d option a directory \easy-rob\my_proj\ 
exist. In this directory you will find tool files (*.tol), robot files 
(*.rob), cell files (*.cel) etc. 

When you load a cell file (a robots workcell) the robot with its tool, the 
environment (bodys), the program and the recording file are loaded.

Go with the mouse cursor at the bottom line to MENUE and click with the left 
mouse buttom.

					  It is here ----|
							 V
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 -1 +1 -2 +2 -3 +3 -4 +4 -5 +5 -6 +6 [7-12] AX KART ADJ. MENUE EXIT -+*_
or if the current robot has more than 6 DOFs
 -7 +7 -8 +8 -9 +9 -10+10-11+11-12+12 [1-6]  AX KART ADJ. MENUE EXIT -+*_
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The main menue (a selection menue window) appears in the middle of the screen.

Select "LOAD" and select "Cell". Now select one from the listed ".cel" files.

Run the motion program (its still loaded with the cell), click with left 
mouse buttom.

MENUE -> RUN -> Run Program.

Now enjoy this example... Stop the motion... Continue (Go) the animation...
Adj. to rotate the world and change the view... switch the robots tcp-trace 
ON...set Wire frame ON... etc.

>Trouble shooting<

a) an easy error
If you got a message like "...no *.cel exist, check configuration file..." 
then you should check where the *.cel files are located AND if the WORKDIR=
'path' in the configuration file coincides with the directory of the *.cel 
files. You can edit the configuration file with 
MENUE -> Miscellaneous -> edit sys-files -> config file,
supposed the editor inthe configuration file EDIT = edit is available on your 
system.

b) a fatal error
EASY-ROB is crashing and does not come up. You got a register output.
You have no numeric processor ? Urg !! install one
You have not enough extended memory ? I don't know, maybe remove the
smartdrv  or set device = c:\dos\emm386.exe noems.

During each session a monitoring message file "MONI.MSG" is created. This 
file is a protocol of every action you are doing and all internal EASY-ROB 
messages.


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3. EASY-ROB User-list in the WWW

My Homepage adress is

  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/stefan_anton

This homepages has the latest news about EASY-ROB, 
for example
 ... a new version is available 
 ... someone designed a nice robot or cell

Everyone who likes EASY-ROB can send me an e-mail (see top of file).

Give your Name, e-mail or fax and hobby or job or working area, if you want
of course. I will put these informations in my homepage. So every 
EASY-ROB user can find another user and exchange informations. Registration
for this is NOT required.


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4. If you need more functionality...

If you have a specific problem you cannot solve with the current EASY-ROB
Verson, send me an e-mail. I will think about this.

If you need an additional robot kinematic let me know this. I can create
a special version for you.

If  you like to develop your own kinematic in C and you need the 
EASY-ROB.lib and the EASY-ROB.IDE with a kinematic C-programinterface, 
let me know this.

If you are interested in dynamics simulation
(RDS - Realistic Dynammic Simulation) for robots, let me know this, I will
force the development in this direction.


EASY-ROB is developed with Borland C/C++ 4.02 and Borland DOS Power Pack.


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5. Questions and Answers

Q: Can you import or export CAD data in DXF, VDA, IGES, Step, CATIA etc.
A: No, buy a commercial one in this case. A good adress is
   Deneb Deutschland GmbH Simulations-Software
   Im Taubental 5   D-41468 Neuss   Germany
   Tel: +49 (0) 2131 35007   Fax: +49 (0) 2131 35000
   E-mail: 100542.2435@compuserve.com

Q: What do you think about calibration ?
A: Mainly you need calibration for Off Line Programming. EASY-ROB is a
   Robot Simulation Tool. Commercial systems have powerfull
   calibration functions (Tool- Robot- Workpiece calibration etc.).
   Many Universitys work in this area. I can give you contacts.

Q: What about dynamics ?
A: Yes, the next EASY-ROB Version will have dynamics. Of course,
   dynamics is a big field. My dynamics will take care of data like
   gear ratio in the joints, the resolver resolutions, DA-converter
   discretisations (12-Bit), gains in the analog velocity controller etc.
   I will neglect the nonconstant inertia-tensor and the coriolis effects
   but I will take the gravity into account of course.

Q: Would you like to combine EASY-ROB with a commercial CAD System ?
A: Ah, good idea why not.

Q: What do you think about commercial robot simulation software
A: It depends on what you want do. But one think is for sure, if you
   start with a small simulation tool (say 2000 USD) you will reach the
   limits very soon. EASY-ROB is a low cost system specially for
   universities with the goal to learn about robotics and maybe about
   the idea of simulation. A good simulation tool should have a powerfull
   CAD System, powerfull calibration tools a complete robot library and
   should support commercial robot controllers and -programlanguages.
   But again, it depends on what you want do. 
   For a reachability check, a poor cell layout and to design a new robot
   kinematic, EASY-ROB is the best way to start.

Q: Do you like robotics ?
A: Sure


