25.2
Connect physical robot
ABB

Connect ABB to Wandelbots NOVA

⚠️ caution

Danger in case of insufficient qualification of users
People can be injured if unqualified user groups set up the physical robot environment.

  • Only qualified user groups designated by the operating company may set up the physical robot environment.
  • Keep unqualified user groups away from the area of risk.

Remember to read through the provided safety instructions before you start connecting a physical robot to Wandelbots NOVA. If you have remaining questions, contact Wandelbots GmbH Customer Support.

Supported models

The setup instructions are valid only for the following controllers and robots:

IRC5 & IRC5 Compact controller

  • IRB 1010
  • IRB 1100-4/0.475
  • IRB 1100-4/0.58
  • IRB 1200
  • IRB 1300

Setup instructions

Wandelbots NOVA only supports ABB controllers with software version 6.x.x.x or higher.

Prepare the ABB
Admin

  1. Turn on the robot controller adhering to the robot manufacturer's original operating instructions.
  2. Create a backup of the robot controller.
  3. Ensure that the option package External Guided Motion (689-1) is present.
  4. Unload all modules with a PROC main() entry and other main entries from all tasks.

Connect IPC to the robot controller
Admin

  1. Connect an ethernet cable to the IPC's LAN-1 port.
    The LAN-1 port corresponds to the network port enp3s0 in the IPC network settings unless configured otherwise during the Wandelbots NOVA installation process.
  2. Connect the IPC to the robot controller's X2 (service port) port.
  3. Turn on the IPC.

Configure the IPC's network settings

  1. Open https://<ipc-ip-address>:9090, e.g. https://172.345.538.2:9090, in a browser on your personal computer.
    If the IPC is not connected to the same network as your personal computer, you can connect a keyboard, a mouse and a display to the IPC. Then open localhost:9090 in a web browser.
    ⚠️

    Only one personal computer is allowed to connect to the instance's IP address. In case multiple personal computers control a physical robot, e.g. via API and the RobotPad, simultaneously, the robot will not move.

    • Close all applications on other personal computers and try again.
    • Unplug the robot's ethernet cable from the physical instance and wait a couple of minutes to restart Wandelbots NOVA foundation services. Plug it into the LAN port again and try again.
  2. Log in with the user credentials created during the Wandelbots NOVA installation.
    The IPC's settings are displayed. A popup prompts you to enable administrative access.
  3. Enable administrative access and enter the admin password.
  4. Select the Network tab in the sidebar.
    The IPC's network settings are displayed.
  5. Toggle the button next to the enp3s0 port (corresponding to the IPC's LAN-1 port) to enable network activity.
  6. Click "edit" next to the IPv4.
    The IPv4 menu opens.
  7. Set the address dropdown to "Manual".
  8. Add the X2 port's IP address (always 192.168.125.1) but change the last digit to a number between 2 and 255, e.g. 192.168.125.2.
  9. Set the prefix to 255.255.255.0 (will automatically change to 24).
  10. Delete the prefilled gateway value.
  11. Save the settings.

Wandelbots NOVA is successfully connected to the robot.

Congrats! Continue the setup by adding the ABB robot in the Wandelbots NOVA settings!

Add robot in settings

Troubleshooting

Find the X2 port IP address

In the NOVA settings, this IP address is called Host.

Using the original robot control panel

  1. Open System Info → Controller Properties → Network connections → Service port.
    The X2 port's (service port) IP address as well as its subnet are displayed. You'll need this IP address to add the ABB to the virtual cell on Wandelbots NOVA.

Find the LAN3 (X5) port IP address

In the NOVA settings, this IP address is called Host.

Using RobotStudio

  1. Open RobotStudio and connect to the robot.
  2. Go the Controller tab.
  3. Go to Configuration > Communication > IP settings.
    The LAN5 (X5) port's IP address as well as its subnet are displayed. You'll need this IP address to add the ABB to the virtual cell on Wandelbots NOVA.

Find the EGM server IP address

This EGM server address required in the settings is the IP address you created in the IPC's network settings for LAN-1 port during this step.

Connect physical robotFANUC