Acquire Image Tool Properties used for very fast belts where the robot needs extra time to position itself for picking an instance. Use Custom Allocation/Custom Allocation Script Should a custom allocation script be used. Details about custom allocation scripts can be located in the Custom Allocation Scripts section of this guide. If an instance meets all the parameters for instance allocation, it will be sent to the robot controller for runtime processing and tracking. The instances sent to the robot continue to be tracked on the PC, but the actual processing of each instance is managed by the robotic controller.
Representation on Controller Rotary Buffer When an instance is sent to the robotic controller for processing, it is placed in a rotary buffer. The data structures and tables used to track parts and part targets are completely separate. Each part or target type is kept in a separate area of the respective data tables. The rotator buffer has three different pointers: l Robot Index: Identifies the next instance that will be processed by the robot. l PC Index: Identifies the position in the buffer where new instances will be added. l Process Strategy Index: Identifies the position in the buffer of the last instance whose status has been sent to the controller.
If no instances are in the queue, then all three indexes will be at the same position. When the PC sends instances for processing by the robot, the instance information is placed into the rotary buffer and the PC index is incremented so it points to the last instance. When there are instances in the queue, the robot will start processing the instances in the queue. As instances are processed, the robot index will be incremented so it is closer and closer to the PC index. If all instances are processed by the robot, the robot index and PC index will be equal. The robot tasks are not responsible for communicating the status of instances processed.
That task is handled by the V+ process strategy task. It monitors the Process Strategy Index. When the Robot Index is incremented, the process strategy task recognizes that instances have been processed. It will then send instance information back to the PC. As details of the instances are sent to the PC, it will increment the Process Strategy Index. When the Process Strategy Index catches up to the Robot Index, it means the status of all processed instances have been sent to the PC for processing. This graphic illustrates the relationship between the three indexes: ACE Reference Guide, 18317-000 Rev A Page 717