Multiple Robot Calibration Explanation

Baseframe is the default frame used by the robot controller. (weaving, shifting, jogging, etc.)

The Baseframe of R1 is the “master” coordinate frame for all robots and stations. (also referred to as World Frame). Once a control group is calibrated to R1, the position and orientation of that control group is known. For example, once R2 is calibrated to R1, the TCP location is now relative to the Baseframe of R1 (Master).

Optional: Another robot can be the Master if it is calibrated to R1 and designated as master. The World frame will be the Base frame of that robot. Only one robot can be Master.

Robot to Robot calibration is required for arm interference to work.

Robot to station calibration is required for coordinated motion to work.

The controller allows up to 32 different calibration files. However, it only allows up to three links. A link is defined as a connection between two control groups. Since R1 is the master, anything calibrated directly to R1 is considered the 1^st link

Example: R1 + R2, R1 + R3, R1 + R4 is only considered to be one link because there is a direct connection of every robot to R1

Once a robot is calibrated to R1, it can be used to calibrate to another robot (commonly called a daisy-chain) R1 + R2 then R2 + R3. Because R3 is connected to R2 rather than directly to R1, this is considered as the 2^nd link. Then, if R3 were to be calibrated to R4, that would be the 3^rd link, not allowing any other calibrations to work correctly. (R4 + S1 wouldn’t work correctly, R4 + R5 wouldn’t work correctly, etc.)

Best practice would be to calibrate as many control groups as possible directly to R1. This will reduce or eliminate the software limitation and it will reduce the compounding error of each Robot. Calibrating R4 directly to R1 will be far more accurate than being daisy-chained thru R2