UR5 Robot Arm: User Guide

This semester we will have the opportunity to use the UR5 robot arm situated in the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry. Following are basic technical notes and links to resources. We have cached copies of the manuals on the Manuals and Datasheets page (logged-in users only).

UR5 Lab Safety Procedures

  1. Never run the robot alone.
  2. Any user in proximity to the robot must wear safety goggles.
  3. Remain aware of the robot at all times when working within the reach of the robot.
  4. Avoid placing your hands or fingers in pinch points near joints. This is especially true during direct manipulation in Freedrive mode; please grasp the robot only on smooth rigid surface, not across joints, and observe the pinch points formed as joints rotate.

UR5 User Procedures

Course users should become familiar with basic robot operation using the touch-screen teach pendant. The physical setup of the robot will be performed by your instructors or lab staff; please refrain from moving the robot or moving any robot cables or connectors.

  1. If your groups needs to use the robot outside of the schedule class time, please check the UR5 Robot Arm Schedule page for available slots, then contact STUDIO Associate Director Tom Hughes with your scheduling request.
  2. Your instructors or lab staff will have already set up the robot and powered up the controller.
  3. When working in the vicinity of the robot, please avoid stepping on any cables.
  4. Please observe the red Emergency Stop button (“e-stop”) on the front of the pendant. You will not normally need to apply this, but this will stop robot motion and apply the brakes. It is released by rotating the knob slightly until it pops out.
  5. If the robot has been freshly powered up, you may need to finish the startup sequence. This is documented in section 11.2.4 of the User Guide.
    1. Confirm initialization on the pendant.
    2. Unlock the e-stop if necessary.
    3. Check that the robot workspace is clear, including yourself.
    4. Select On, wait while the robot powers on.
    5. Select Start, wait while the robot releases the brakes.
    6. Confirm OK.
  6. From the Welcome screen, we will always be using the Program Robot option for interactive programming.
  7. To start a new motion program, please follow the directions in section 11.2.5 of the User Guide.
  8. When using Freedrive mode, please be careful to wait until the mode is engaged before applying any force, and then be gentle and patient. The robot will sense your hand forces and move the motors to follow, but the process has substantial inertia, it isn’t just like moving a crank. It can take some practice to achieve a specific end effector pose.

UR5 Robot Arm Glossary

Freedrive:A robot arm mode in which the arm can be manually positioned by pushing and pulling directly on the robot links. The robot uses torque sensors to estimate external forces and controls the motors to follow.
joint move:A joint-space move is a path in which each joint individually moves from the initial to final angles specified by the waypoints. The end-effector moves along the curved paths which naturally result from mechanics of the arm. For more details, see the documentation on the MoveJ command in section 14.5 of the User Guide. Joint-space moves are not prone to singularity problems and can reach any point in the workspace.
linear move:A linear or Cartesian move is a path in which the TCP follows a geometrically straight line between two waypoints. For more details, see the documentation on the MoveL command in section 14.5 of the User Guide. Cartesian moves can fail as the arm approaches a singularity and the path requires unachievable joint speeds.
PolyScope:PolyScope is the graphical robot programming system running on the teach pendant. It supports driving, programming, and operating the robot arm.
singularity:Any robot arm pose in which the end effector freedoms are reduced. Examples include a straight elbow, or alignment of a wrist and arm axis. In these configurations the robot will be unable to move or rotate in a particular direction and so Cartesian-space movement may become impossible.
TCP:The Tool Center Point or TCP is a reference point defined within the end effector or tool coordinate system and typically used to specify a well-defined point on the robot tool.
teach pendant:The portable touch-screen interface used for interactive robot programming. It is actually an independent touch-screen computer which communicates with the separate real-time control computer. There is a USB port on the bottom right of the pendant which can be used for external keyboards, mice, and USB storage devices.
URScript:URScript is the text-based robot programming language used by the robot controller. The PolyScope GUI generates URScript code from the program tree and waypoints. It is possible to save URScript files to a USB drive, and with the Script command in PolyScope, import URScript subroutines into GUI-based programs.

STUDIO Cameras for the UR5

The STUDIO has the following camera available for use with the robot:

  • The STUDIO has a camera mounting system which attaches to the tool flange of the robot.
  • The Z Camera E1 can be remotely controlled using the iOS Z Camera App or Android Z Camera App.

The available lenses:

  1. Olympus 14-42mm, f3.5-5.6, 0.2m to infinity. The larger ring applies motorized zoom in or out (not direct control). The smaller ring is the manual focus control.
  2. Lumix G 12-35mm, f2.8, 0.25m to infinity. The larger ring physically adjusts zoom, the smaller ring is manual focus. Panasonic H-HS12035.

Z Camera E1 Mini Notes

  1. The studio has three batteries, but they can only be charged in the camera.
  2. The power button is on the front face, near the lower left corner.
  3. The MODE button switches between photo and video.
  4. The Fn button brings up the camera settings menus. Sections: Record, Image, and Setup.
  5. Current Record settings:
    1. Movie 1080P60
    2. autofocus enabled, flexible zone, continuous AF enabled
  6. Current Setup settings:
    1. WiFi: ZCAM-Eagle-C8 (camera offers ad hoc network)(default passcode is 12345678)
    2. Bluetooth passcode: 8619
    3. Bluetooth name: ZCAMC8CF
  7. The MENU button brings up a quick menu; arrow keys pick an option, FN will activate. E.g., ‘MF assistant’ enables a temporary magnification to help with focusing.
  8. In manual focus mode, turning the focus ring automatically enables MF assist magnification.

Guide to the UR5 User Manual

The user manual is long; following is an outline of key sections to help you navigate quickly. A cached copy of the guide can be found on the Manuals and Datasheets page (logged-in users only).

  • Section 11.2.5: Quick start to waypoint programming.
  • Section 13.6.1: Setting tool center point configurations.
  • Section 14.1 and 14.2: Introduction to the PolyScope Programming interface, with screenshots.
  • Section 14.5: Discussion of different movement commands.