Portable Teach Pendant for Robotics

REIS ROBOTICS has started delivery of robot systems controlled with its new reisPAD portable teach pendant. The reisPAD operating and programming concept is based on a 10.4-in. touch display with large, soft-key buttons clearly arranged; additional hardware buttons are no longer required. On the operating panel, there is only the emergency-stop button and the permission key for release of the robot movements.

This operating and programming concept is designed in such a way that the advantages of touchscreen interfaces are used without missing the haptic feeling that operators have when selecting a button. Around the touch area there are haptic marks at the casing, so that operators can activate icons without looking.

Special attention was given ensure a large touch area is available for every button.

Operation can be learned intuitively and conducted via a maximum of two operating menus, so that the user does not need to scroll through a variety of menus to select the desired function. All the important operating functions are presented on the first menu level. Releasing a function, only a partial area of the display is used for the second operating menu, while the main functions remain presented on the display. The operator never loses the context and can return the main menu very easily via a toggle function.

For the release of safety-relevant functions, such as the start of the automatic operation, the operator uses an easily learned code swipe. This avoids the possibility that a function may be released in error. Due to safety requirements, the change of the operating mode can be effected with a key switch.

The reisPAD is designed so that entering a PIN code authenticates the loop between operator and safety electronics in the robot control. This software solution, as a replacement for the key switch, conforms to the current safety regulations and was accepted by the certification bodies.

To activate robot movements in single-axis operation, there are scrollbars for definition of speeds or rotary knobs for position setting. In Cartesian operation, the user controls the positions or the orientation angles of the robot very easily with trackballs presented on the touch display.

The ergonomic housing and the favorable position of the center of gravity at the operating panel substantially reduce operator fatigue, even in cases of long programming phases.

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