Setup KUKA Robot

Requirements

• Robot controller: KRC2, KRC4 or KRC5

• Option RSI3, RSI4 or RSI5.

Install driver and setup

Until the relative command patch is merged, use the fork rsi4_with_velocity_interface instead of the main repository.

1. Optional/Recommended: Follow the Realtime Kernel setup guide

2. Depending on your KRC version, follow one of the guides per the READMEs below to install the driver

   • KRC2

   • KRC4

   • KRC5

Notes

• Make sure that your ROS PC is connected to the right physical interface (ethernet port) on the KUKA controller. There are usually two interfaces of interest: one for transferring e.g. WorkVisual projects and the other for control with e.g. RSI.

• There is usually a detailed documentation of RSI (and the other installed options) on your controller; refer to that for more information (i.e. ways to debug). (E.g. Log in at least as an Expert on the Teach Pad, then navigate to KUKA_DATA D(:\)\KUKA_OPT\RobotSensorInterface\DOC).

Optional

Make a backup of current KRC configuration before driver installation. (See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtVohrofnLY)

1. Insert USB stick to robot controller cabinet

2. Change user group level to “Expert”

3. In File navigator select Archiv:\

4. Select Archiv everything on USB(cabinet)

ROS launch file

To start the communication with the KUKA controller a ROS launch file is required. The following ROS launch file loads the driver for a KUKA KR270 robot. We recommend putting the robot into a namespace, for this example we use the robot model: e.g. /KUKA-KR270. The lines of code which have to be changed for your robot are marked by in-line comments.

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<launch>
    <arg name="rsi_listen_address" doc="IP address of the PC running the ROS driver node" default="172.22.10.22" /> <-- Change to your IP -->
    <arg name="rsi_listen_port"    doc="Port number for the RSI communication"            default="59152" /> <-- Change to your port -->

    <group ns="KUKA-KR270"> <-- Change to your choosen namespace -->
        <!-- ROBOT DESCRIPTION -->
        <param name="robot_description" command="$(find xacro)/xacro '$(find kuka_kr270_support)/urdf/kr270r2700.xacro'" /> <-- Adapt for your robot type -->

        <!-- ROBOT DRIVER (official) -->
        <rosparam file="$(find kuka_kr270_support)/config/joint_names_kr270r2700.yaml" /> <-- Adapt for your robot type -->
        <param name="rsi/listen_address" value="$(arg rsi_listen_address)" />
        <param name="rsi/listen_port" value="$(arg rsi_listen_port)" />
        <node pkg="kuka_rsi_hw_interface" type="kuka_hardware_interface_node" name="rsi_driver"
            output="screen" />

        <!-- ROS CONTROL -->
        <!-- load pitasc controllers -->
        <rosparam command="load" file="$(find pitasc_controller)/controller/pitasc_controller.yaml"/>
        <!-- load joint_state_controller -->
        <rosparam>
            joint_state_controller:
                type: joint_state_controller/JointStateController
                publish_rate: 250  # RSI update rate
        </rosparam>
        <!-- spawn controllers -->
        <node name="controller_spawner" pkg="controller_manager" type="spawner" respawn="false"
            args="joint_state_controller pitasc_vel_control" />

        <!-- TF -->
        <!-- joint states to TF -->
        <node pkg="robot_state_publisher" type="robot_state_publisher" name="robot_state_publisher" />

    </group>

</launch>

pitasc environment

To let pitasc take joint states and urdf description from the robot namespace, it needs to be configured. Set the urdf prefix if you have one (tf_prefix in the launch file). The only change required in the following code example is the namespace you choose in the ROS launch file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<pitasc>
    <models>
        <!-- Include pitasc -->
        <include package="pitasc_library" file="models/pitasc.xml"/>

        <!-- Include the kuka robot-->
        <include package="pitasc_library" file="kuka/robot_kuka.xml"/>

        <!-- Include the idle skill -->
        <include package="pitasc_library" file="models/skills.xml"/>
    </models>
    <clone prototype="project">
        <member id="configuration">
            <clone id="configuration" prototype="default_configuration">
                <member id="update_rate">250.0</member>
            </clone>
        </member>
        <member id="environment">
            <clone prototype="robot_kuka">
                <!-- Set the limits for the joint control signals -->
                <member id="robot_driver.max_velocity">1.5</member>
                <member id="robot_driver.max_acceleration">1.5</member>

                <!-- adjust the namespace to correspond to the one set in the launchfile -->
                <member id="namespace">KUKA-KR270</member>

                <!-- define any prefixes you might have set in the robot description  -->
                <member id="urdf_prefix"></member>
            </clone>
        </member>
        <member id="applications">
            <clone prototype="skill_sequence">
                <member id="robot" reference_id="environment.robot_kuka"/>
                <member id="skills">
                    <clone prototype="skill_relative_ptp">
                        <member id="relative_joint_state">0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0</member>
                    </clone>
                </member>
            </clone>
        </member>
    </clone>
</pitasc>

To start the application:

1. Start launch file:

   roslaunch <your_package_name> <your_launc_file_name.launch>
   

2. Start pitasc executor

   pitasc_executor_rossrv
   

3. Start rqt, start the piteacher and load your xml file to start the program

   rqt -s "Pi Teacher"