Thread Subject:

How to simulate (and visualise) the movements of a robot's CAD model along some pre-defined trajectory? (Just general ideas)

Hello!

I'd like to get some strategic guidance from experts on the following topic:
I have an optimal trajectory in 3D space with obstacles and I have a mathematical model of the robot arm that is supposed to follow that trajectory. I know the robot's configuration at each discrete point of the trajectory. Do I understand correctly that to implement my goal:
1) a CAD model of the robot arm should be first developed in, e.g. SolidWorks,
2) that CAD model should be exported to MATLAB Simulink,
3) that CAD model should be associated with the trajectory,
4) simulation scenario should be written.

Could someone provide me some web-links to the basic steps of such procedure.

Any help is appreciated, 'cause this field is new to me.

Thanks a lot!

Any ideas?
"Liana" wrote in message <in5r95$5bu$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> Hello!
>
> I'd like to get some strategic guidance from experts on the following topic:
> I have an optimal trajectory in 3D space with obstacles and I have a mathematical model of the robot arm that is supposed to follow that trajectory. I know the robot's configuration at each discrete point of the trajectory. Do I understand correctly that to implement my goal:
> 1) a CAD model of the robot arm should be first developed in, e.g. SolidWorks,
> 2) that CAD model should be exported to MATLAB Simulink,
> 3) that CAD model should be associated with the trajectory,
> 4) simulation scenario should be written.
>
> Could someone provide me some web-links to the basic steps of such procedure.
>
> Any help is appreciated, 'cause this field is new to me.
>
> Thanks a lot!

"Liana " <liananapalkova@email.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:in5r95$5bu$1@fred.mathworks.com...
> Hello!
>
> I'd like to get some strategic guidance from experts on the following
> topic:
> I have an optimal trajectory in 3D space with obstacles and I have a
> mathematical model of the robot arm that is supposed to follow that
> trajectory. I know the robot's configuration at each discrete point of the
> trajectory. Do I understand correctly that to implement my goal:
> 1) a CAD model of the robot arm should be first developed in, e.g.
> SolidWorks, 2) that CAD model should be exported to MATLAB Simulink,
> 3) that CAD model should be associated with the trajectory,
> 4) simulation scenario should be written.
>
> Could someone provide me some web-links to the basic steps of such
> procedure.
>
> Any help is appreciated, 'cause this field is new to me.
>
> Thanks a lot!
>

If you already have a mathematical model of the robot, then I guess you
don't need anything else. There are various options for visualizing the
motion of the robot.

You could create your own MATLAB figure and animate it with the simulation
results. See for example:
- http://www.mathworks.com/help/techdoc/creating_plots/f10-1460.html
- http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/techdoc/ref/hgtransform.html
-
http://blogs.mathworks.com/videos/2011/02/02/animating-an-objects-trajectory-in-matlab-with-hgtransform/
-
http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/29712-pyramid-built-by-ufo
- http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/7270-rubik-snake
etc...

You could also use Simulink 3D Animation and feed the output of your
simulation to a VRML world (which would need to be created outside of
MATLAB).:
- http://www.mathworks.co.uk/products/3d-animation/demos.html
-
http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/?term=simulink+3d+animation

Finally, you can use a CAD package, such as SolidWorks to define the
geometry of the robot and then use SimMechanics Link to import that into
MATLAB and automatically create a SimMechanics model. You would then need to
manually add motion/force actuation at the relevant points/joints in the
model, as well as any other physical phenomena such as friction, damping,
stiffness, backlash, etc... However, this will also create STL files for
visualization with SimMechanics, so you don't have to worry about the
visualization part. For mroe details, see
http://www.mathworks.co.uk/products/simmechanics/description4.html.

HTH,

Arnaud

Thank you for a great reply, Arnaud! I'll go carefully through all that information. And I'll come back in case of questions.

"Arnaud_Miege" <amiege@mathworks.com> wrote in message <incmml$km8$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
>
>
> "Liana " <liananapalkova@email.arizona.edu> wrote in message
> news:in5r95$5bu$1@fred.mathworks.com...
> > Hello!
> >
> > I'd like to get some strategic guidance from experts on the following
> > topic:
> > I have an optimal trajectory in 3D space with obstacles and I have a
> > mathematical model of the robot arm that is supposed to follow that
> > trajectory. I know the robot's configuration at each discrete point of the
> > trajectory. Do I understand correctly that to implement my goal:
> > 1) a CAD model of the robot arm should be first developed in, e.g.
> > SolidWorks, 2) that CAD model should be exported to MATLAB Simulink,
> > 3) that CAD model should be associated with the trajectory,
> > 4) simulation scenario should be written.
> >
> > Could someone provide me some web-links to the basic steps of such
> > procedure.
> >
> > Any help is appreciated, 'cause this field is new to me.
> >
> > Thanks a lot!
> >
>
> If you already have a mathematical model of the robot, then I guess you
> don't need anything else. There are various options for visualizing the
> motion of the robot.
>
> You could create your own MATLAB figure and animate it with the simulation
> results. See for example:
> - http://www.mathworks.com/help/techdoc/creating_plots/f10-1460.html
> - http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/techdoc/ref/hgtransform.html
> -
> http://blogs.mathworks.com/videos/2011/02/02/animating-an-objects-trajectory-in-matlab-with-hgtransform/
> -
> http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/29712-pyramid-built-by-ufo
> - http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/7270-rubik-snake
> etc...
>
> You could also use Simulink 3D Animation and feed the output of your
> simulation to a VRML world (which would need to be created outside of
> MATLAB).:
> - http://www.mathworks.co.uk/products/3d-animation/demos.html
> -
> http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/fileexchange/?term=simulink+3d+animation
>
> Finally, you can use a CAD package, such as SolidWorks to define the
> geometry of the robot and then use SimMechanics Link to import that into
> MATLAB and automatically create a SimMechanics model. You would then need to
> manually add motion/force actuation at the relevant points/joints in the
> model, as well as any other physical phenomena such as friction, damping,
> stiffness, backlash, etc... However, this will also create STL files for
> visualization with SimMechanics, so you don't have to worry about the
> visualization part. For mroe details, see
> http://www.mathworks.co.uk/products/simmechanics/description4.html.
>
> HTH,
>
> Arnaud

SolidWorks like every other CAD tool that I know of provides a export filter to VRML. Why do you care? If you want the robot placed in an attractive environment or even trace the trajectory, Simulink 3D Animation offers tracer blocks that let you do it.

Send me an email if you want a demo for a robot trajectory tracer.

Thank u for the reply, but ur email is hidden to me.

"Saurabh Mahapatra" wrote in message <ipab54$4ag$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> SolidWorks like every other CAD tool that I know of provides a export filter to VRML. Why do you care? If you want the robot placed in an attractive environment or even trace the trajectory, Simulink 3D Animation offers tracer blocks that let you do it.
>
> Send me an email if you want a demo for a robot trajectory tracer.