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README.md

abb_rws_service_provider

Please note that this package has not been productized, and that academia is the intended audience.
The package is provided "as-is", and as such no more than limited support can be expected.

Overview

The abb_rws_service_provider package provides a ROS node that:

  1. Attempts to connect to an ABB robot controller via the Robot Web Services (RWS) interface.
  2. Collects information from the controller about the current system, for example:
    • RobotWare version and present options.
    • Configured mechanical unit groups (e.g. robots and external axes).
    • Configured RAPID tasks.
  3. Exposes a set of ROS services for interacting with the controller from the ROS system.

Some of the exposed ROS services include:

  • Basic interaction:
    • Setting motors on/off.
    • Starting/stopping RAPID execution.
    • Getting/setting of RAPID symbols (e.g. constants and variables):
      • Atomic RAPID data types: bool, dnum, num and string.
      • Complex RAPID data structures (i.e. RECORDs, and these are currently only get/set via raw RAPID text format).
    • Getting/setting of file contents (of files in the robot controller's home directory).
    • Getting/setting speed ratio for RAPID motions.
    • Getting/setting of IO-signals.
  • RobotWare StateMachine Add-In interaction (only exposed if the StateMachine Add-In is present in the system):
    • RAPID interaction:
      • Setting custom RAPID routines to run (the routines needs to be predefined in the RAPID code).
      • Signaling that the custom RAPID routines should be run.
    • Externally Guided Motion (EGM) interaction (only exposed if the EGM option is present):
      • Getting/setting EGM RAPID settings.
      • Starting/stopping EGM joint or pose motions.
      • Starting/stopping EGM position streaming (i.e. without controlling motions).
    • SmartGripper interaction (only exposed if the SmartGripper option is present):
      • Setting commands to run (e.g. grip in/out or turn on/off vacuum).
      • Signaling that the commands should be run.

Please see the rws_service_provider.launch file for how to start the node and available node parameters. Additionally, the ROS node, provided by the abb_rws_state_publisher package, is required for most of the service calls.

Requirements

  • RobotWare version 6.07.01 or higher (less than 7.0).

Please see the underlying abb_libegm and abb_librws packages for more details.

Troubleshooting

The following table is non-exhaustive, but it should at least give some ideas for things to check.

Issue Check
Authentication The node is currently hardcoded to use the default RWS login (Default User and robotics), but this can be changed in the code if needed.
Communication Verify that the correct IP-address has been specified for the robot controller, and that it can be reached on the network:
  1. Using ping <IP-address>.
  2. Using a web browser with http://<IP-address>/rw?debug=1, which will show a login prompt if connected (e.g. use the default login above).
RobotStudio RobotStudio simulations blocks remote RWS connections by default, which is shown by the RAPI Unidentified Error message (e.g. when using a web browser).

Please see this post on the official RobotStudio forum for how to allow remote RWS connections.
ROS Services Verify that resource names are correctly spelled, for example:
  • IO-signal name.
  • RAPID task, module and symbol names.
  • File name.
  • Etc.
Please note that most of the exposed services, that sets resources, requires auto mode to be active.

Acknowledgements

ROSIN Project

rosin_logo The core development has been made within the European Union's Horizon 2020 project: ROSIN - ROS-Industrial Quality-Assured Robot Software Components (see http://rosin-project.eu for more info).

eu_flag The ROSIN project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 732287.

The opinions expressed here reflects only the author's view and reflects in no way the European Commission's opinions. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the contained information.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to gavanderhoorn for guidance with open-source practices and conventions.