App Controls Robot Operations

With an aim of creating a more intuitive, easier and faster way to control industrial robots, Comau has released PickAPP, an Android application to perform pick and place operations in a completely new way.

"Until now, robot programmers were skilled technicians who used a teach pendant device (robot remote control) to interact with the robot. Comau reverses this scenario with a new easy to use app designed to improve the customer experience," said a company spokesperson.

PickAPP is an Android application for an 8-10" tablet, configured with graphical operations, which improve the overall user experience. With this application, anyone familiar with smartphones will be able to move a robot and create a pick and place process simply preparing a list of waypoints, without having to learn robotic programming language. The user moves the robot manually by pulling and pushing robot joints, or using the interface in a similar way that is used for R/C cars or drones. Additional configurations, like the type of movement and the actions related to a gripper, can be easily added.

"The application has been developed by multiple users with a different approach than the one usually used for standard industrial processes. A sample group of testers, ranging from expert technicians to young people who play games on a tablet, were able to perform the programming required for a pick and place process in just a few minutes without prior training," said the spokesperson.

PickAPP is available for Comau low payload robots, such as Rebel-S (SCARA), Racer3 and Racer5 (3 to 5 kg payload).

For more information contact:

Comau LLC

21000 Telegraph Rd.

Southfield, MI 48033

888-888-8998 / 248-353-8888

www.comau.com