Overview
With the SIMATIC Robot Library, robot arms of different robot manufacturers can be programmed consistently in the Totally Integrated Automation Portal (TIA Portal).
The SIMATIC Robot Library concept moves the command sets of a robot control to the TIA Portal, thus enabling manufacturer-independent and consistent programming of industry robots (incl. cobots) in the TIA Portal for the first time. The programs can be run on a SIMATIC S7-1500 Controllers. Additional programming on the robot control is not necessary.
Note
The SIMATIC Robot Library can be supplemented by the free application example SIMATIC Robot Integrator. This offers a comprehensive user interface for industry robots incl. configuration, teaching, jog mode and diagnostics for SIMATIC HMI.
System requirements
- SIMATIC STEP 7 (TIA Portal) as of V16.
- Interpreter software from the respective robot manufacturer on the robot control required.
- Executable on SIMATIC S7-1500 as of firmware V2.8 and on SIMATIC S7-1500S as of firmware V20.8.
Licensing
- A Single Runtime License is required for each controlled robot arm.
- The licenses can only be obtained via Online Software Delivery (OSD). The download contains the software and a license certificate for a robot arm. For information on activating the license, please read the Readme file included in the download.
- The SIMATIC Robot Library V1.1 can also be requested as trial version via the Siemens Industry Online Support or Technical Support and can then be used free of charge for 8 hours.
- The Interpreter software for the respective robot control is made available by the respective robot manufacturer. Siemens has no influence on the Interpreter license model of the robot manufacturer. Therefore, please contact the relevant robot manufacturer directly (if you wish, Siemens can assist you with finding a contact person).
Benefits
- Enables end-to-end integration of industry robots (incl. cobots) in the higher-level machine and plant control.
- Enables robot programming for PLC specialists on a uniform automation platform.
- Reduces the dependency on external robot specialists, especially in SMEs.
Mode of operation
Interface concept
- The basis for the SIMATIC Robot Library is the “Standard Robot Command Interface” specification, which is offered as a new profile within the PROFIBUS User Organization e.V. (PNO) in the future.
- This specification defines the basic communication mechanism between the robot control and PLC. In addition, it standardizes definitions and robot commands between different manufacturers.
- Implementation is performed by the respective robot manufacturer using an “Interpreter” (server program on the robot control) and by Siemens with the “SIMATIC Robot Library” (client with command set library).
- The robot control is connected to the SIMATIC S7 PLC via GSDML file as PROFINET I/O device. Communication between SIMATIC S7 and the respective robot control is implemented via PROFINET (isochronous operation not required), where the robot control acts as IO device and SIMATIC S7 acts as IO controller.
- SIMATIC S7 (client) calls server functions by sending command telegrams and the corresponding arguments to the robot control (server) and its Interpreter. The robot control executes the function and sends command-specific response frames back.
Compatibility with the Interpreter software of a robot manufacturer
The Interpreter software for the respective robot control is made available by the robot manufacturer itself. The SIMATIC Robot Library is compatible with every implementation of a robot manufacturer that uses the “Standard Robot Command Interface” specification.Please contact the relevant robot manufacturer to make sure that the “Standard Robot Command Interface” specification, and therefore the SIMATIC Robot Library, is supported.
Function
With its TIA Portal function blocks, the SIMATIC Robot Library provides consistent robot control command sets for:
- General commands
- Motion commands
- Read/write commands
- Trigger commands
- Calculation commands
It supports all functions that are declared as part of the “Core” and “Extended” profiles by the “Standard Robot Command Interface” specification.
Other functions contained in the specification as “Optional functions” are also supported.
Functions that are declared as “Optional” by the specification will be supported incrementally in upcoming versions of the SIMATIC Robot Library.
The functions supported by SIMATIC Robot Library V1.1.0.0 are listed in the following table:
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