Connecting to an RRS Server

To use the RRS capabilities, you must first connect to a DELMIA RCS Server running either locally or across the network.

Once you have successfully connected, the robot's motion is controlled by the RCS module. In many cases, the RCS module also controls the robot's inverse kinematics.

There are two commands to RRS connect robots. RRS Connect operates on a single robot. RRS Connections Manager operates on multiple robots. Some controllers may support controller backup-based RRS connections. This is described in the controller-specific help pages of those controllers.

RRS Connections Manager displays all robots and their current RRS connection status, as well as persisted RRS connection parameters. It allows you to connect and disconnect RRS for all or a selected subset of these robots.

RRS Connect acts as a toggle. If you invoke it when RRS is already enabled for a robot, then the command disconnects RRS.

Once RRS is successfully disconnected, the robot reverts to being controlled by the default motion planner and IK solver.

Some controllers may support controller backup-based RRS connection and this is described in the controller-specific help pages of those controllers.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: To connect to an RRS server, you must first complete RRS Setup.

Connecting RRS Using RRS Connect

You can connect a single robot to a DELMIA RCS server.

  1. From the Analysis & Output section of the action bar, click RRS Connect .
  2. From the work area or tree, select the robot to connect to the RRS server.

    The robot's RRS Server & Device Configuration Selection dialog box appears.



  3. Click the value of the RRS Server, select the RRS server to which you want to connect from the list, and click OK.

    The robot's RRS Properties dialog box appears.



  4. Enter values required by the RRS INITIALIZE call made to the RCS module.

    Robot Number
    Enter the number.
    Server Host
    This is either the host name or the IP address of the machine on which the DELMIA RRS Server daemon is running.
    RCS Home Directory
    The directory on the server host under which the RRS server is installed.
    RCS Data Home Directory
    The root directory under which RCS data file subdirectories are located. The RRS robot path is constructed by prepending this field to the Relative Robot Path entry. Initially, the default value of this directory is the same as the RCS Home Directory. Use the list to select other possible directories. Directories are only listed if you have previously created additional paths for the RCS Data Home Directory by using Me > Preferences > Robotics > RRS. Once you have selected a different value from the list, that value becomes the default within the current process data during your next RRS session.

    Data in the Value column can be edited by clicking the existing value in a cell.



  5. Click OK.

    The robot's RRS message window is created.

    • If the RRS connection was successful, RCS robot stamp and various module version data are displayed.
    • If the connection was unsuccessful, the Messages Reporting window displays appropriate error and warning messages:

    CAR RRS Version
    RRS standard version supported by the simulator as sent to the RCS module.
    RCS Version
    The RCS version reported by the RCS module during RRS initialization.
    RRS Shlib Version
    The version number of the current RRS shared library.
    Manipulator
    The RCS manipulator reported by the RCS module during RRS initialization.
    Controller
    The RCS controller version reported by the RCS module during RRS initialization.
    Software
    The RCS controller software version reported by the RCS module during RRS initialization.

  6. To disconnect, click the RRS Connect command, pick the robot, and click OK in the RRS Disconnect Confirmation dialog box.


    When RRS is enabled, if the RRS interface/RCS module supports inverse kinematics services inverse kinematics services, default inverse kinematics is disabled and RCS-based inverse kinematics is enabled. The RCS-based inverse kinematics is invoked indirectly through commands such as: Jog, Teach, Reach, and Autoplace. When RRS is disabled, the default inverse kinematics is automatically re-enabled.

    All RRS (including RRS inverse kinematics) error messages are displayed in the device's RRS message window, rather than in the product message window. When using the Jog command, the RRS message window only appears if there is an error.

Connecting RRS Using RRS Connections Manager

You can connect multiple robots to DELMIA RCS servers, as well as view their status and connection parameters.

  1. From the Analysis & Output section of the action bar, click RRS Connections Manager .

    The RRS Connections Manager dialog box appears.



    All robots in the cell are listed, showing the current RRS connection status and persisted RRS parameters of each.

    You can edit the RRS connection parameters prior to connecting to an RRS server, and then click Connect All or Connect to initiate the connection.

    Note: The RRS connection parameters can be updated only when RRS is disconnected for a given robot.

    Similarly, Disconnect All and Disconnect disconnects RRS for all or selected robots, respectively.

  2. To connect one or more robots, first select the server to connect to by clicking the current value for each robot in the RRS Server list. You can then select a server from the list.


  3. Click Connect to connect to the specified RRS server.

    Upon making a successful connection, the RRS Status column becomes green for the selected robot(s).



  4. Display Options determine which group(s) of RRS parameters are displayed for each robot.


    The following table lists the parameters that are displayed for each of the three parameter groups. Name, Model, RRS Status, RRS Server and Device Config parameters are always displayed regardless of which parameter group(s) are selected.

    Display Option setting Parameter Read only status Parameter value
    (Always displayed) Name Yes

    Robot instance name
    Model Yes

    Robot model name
    RRS Status Yes

    Disconnected (red) |

    RRS-I connected (green) |

    RRS-II connected (green)
    RRS Server No [*]

    Selection from RRS Server combo
    Device Config No [*]

    Selection from robot’s motion groups combo

    RCS/VRC Version Parameters

    		 Software Info Yes

    RRS-I: RCS version + Controller Software version (as returned by RCS) + 3DEXPERIENCE RRS-I interface version

    RRS-II: Controller Software version (as returned by VRC) + 3DEXPERIENCE RRS-II interface version

    RCS/VRC Version Parameters + RRS-I Parameters

    		 Controller Config Info Yes

    RRS-I: Controller version + Manipulator (as returned by RCS)

    RRS-II: Controller version + Controller Configuration

    RRS-I Parameters

    		 Robot Number No [*]

    Robot number in RRS Connect dialog
    Relative Robot Path No [*]

    Robot model name in RRS Connect dialog
    Manipulator No [*]

    Manipulator in RRS Connect dialog
    RCS Data Home Directory No [*]

    Selection from RCS Data Home Directory combo in RRS Connect dialog
    Controller Backup Directory No [*]

    Controller Backup Directory in RRS Connect dialog
    RCS Spot Emulation No

    RCS Spot emulation in Controller Parameters profile’s RRS-I tab

    Non-Connection Parameters + RRS-I Parameters

    		 RCS Trigger Emulation No

    RCS Trigger emulation in Controller Parameters profile’s RRS-I tab
    Sample Period (RRS-I) No

    Sample period in Controller Parameters profile’s RRS-I tab

    RRS-II Parameters

    		 Software Version No [*]

    Software Version in RRS Connect dialog
    Controller Configuration No [*]

    Controller Configuration in RRS Connect dialog
    Controller File System No [*]

    Controller File System in RRS Connect dialog
    User Language No [*]

    User Language in RRS Connect dialog

    Non-Connection Parameters + RRS-II Parameters

    		 Trigger Output Line No

    Trigger Output Line in Controller Parameters profile’s RRS-II tab
    Sample Period (RRS-II) No

    Sample period in Controller Parameters profile’s RRS-II tab

    [*] These parameters are read-only when RRS is connected for the robot. They are editable when RRS is disconnected.

  5. In the Filter Options section, select Filter on robot's Controller & Device Type to filter the RRS Server and Manipulator (RRS-I) or Controller Configuration (RRS-II) based on the Controller Type of a robot and its hardcoded Device Type.
    For example, if this is selected, in the RRS Servers combo only Fanuc RRS Servers will be listed for a robot with Controller Type set to <some Fanuc controller version>.

    When selected, the RRS Servers list will only display RRS servers for a robot based on the Controller Type it is set to.

  6. For disconnected robots, RRS connection parameters are editable either directly or by copy/pasting from another robot using Copy/Paste contextual menu options.


    Copy all parameters copies all RRS parameters of the selected robot to the clipboard. These can then be pasted into selected robot(s) using one of the following paste options: Paste All Parameters, Paste RRS-I Parameters, and Paste RRS-II Parameters.

    Although the RRS connection parameters of already-connected robots are not editable, other (non-connection) RRS parameters are editable at all times. Changes made to RRS non-connection parameters are persisted in the robot instance immediately, while RRS connection parameters are persisted after a successful RRS connection.