Actin UR

Robot Development Kit for UR e-Series Robots

Overview Development Book a Demo

Actin UR Advanced Dynamic Capabilities Include:

circle-checkCoordinated External Axes
circle-checkFloating Toolpath
circle-checkCollision Avoidance and Detection
circle-checkJoint Limit Avoidance
circle-checkMotion Optimization using Constraints
circle-checkMoving Part Target
circle-checkRealtime Path Adjustment
circle-checkRuntime Scripting
circle-checkArchitected  for Visually Guided Motion

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Curious how Actin UR would work for your project?

What’s Included with Actin UR

Our proven process, used on industrial and commercial robot projects for years, is now available through an integrated set of components that make up Actin UR.

Actin Viewer

A full desktop application where you can configure the robot environment, tune the control model, write robot tasks in Actin’s simple high-level scripting language (EcScript), and simulate and visualize the results. The Actin Viewer supports loading and simulating tool paths, complex motion, moving target objects, external axis coordination, and more. Import CAD models in a variety of formats or use the included SOLIDWORKS Add-in for Actin to model a custom axis or 3rd party robot.

Actin Robot Controller

The Actin Robot Control Framework (RCF) is a flexible, XML-based control application that includes a global data store, multi-threaded controller, state machines modeling the robot system and modifiable data-transfer layers to interface to hardware. This framework is completely extensible and offers robust, tested real-time control (requires QNX 7 RTOS for realtime. Linux and Windows support near real-time control).

Actin Viz

A user interface with remote connection to the Actin RCF controller. This includes a visual rendering of the robot with collision alert, ability to clear protective stops. Map UI buttons to your script tasks to create a simple and effective console to test and demonstrate your application. Actin Viz can be modified to create operator interfaces using the advanced user interface tools available under Qt/QML.

Actin Libraries

With twenty years of tested industrial robotics control, the Actin CORE libraries offer an extensive set of optimized motion control, inverse kinematics, path planning and dynamic optimization modules. These are all extendable by the robot developer. Actin RCF is built on top of Actin CORE and provides a scripting interface to the underlying motion control libraries.

Reference Designs

We’ve also included template applications for starting your development. Basic projects for a wide array of tasks for inspection, welding, dispensing and pick and place are included with the Actin UR software. Begin with these basic projects and develop your own highly customized robot control solution.

Actin Co-processor

An industrial computer with the Actin UR software preloaded and configured for UR control. The PC specs include Intel i9 10th gen processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 2 x Ethernet interface (EtherCAT compatible), USB 3 x 8 ports, Ubuntu 20.04 operating system.

Expanded Features Overview

Learn more about the available features.

With Natural Tasking, you no longer need to program waypoints.

natural-taskingJust specify the starting and ending point. Using dynamic planning and soft constraints, the Actin controller will optimize the motion trajectory avoiding collisions, joint limits and singularities. You can control the velocity along tools paths and let Actin determine the best gripper pose to accomplish the task. Tasks are written based on relative object location, and those objects can be moving. Toolpaths can float and Actin will maintain the path as long as it’s within reach. Tasks are defined independent of the robot hardware, so you can swap a UR10e for a UR5e and get the same functionality without re-coding. To learn more about the details of our natural tasking approach, read this article: Natural Tasking Article - Engineering.com

Coordinated Control

CoordinatedControlActin is designed to control single or multiple manipulators, included branched or extended kinematic chains. With Actin UR, you can coordinate motion of more than six axes. For example, a 6DOF robot on a rail to extend reach, or with a turntable for inspecting parts, or with an actuated end-effector. The combinations are limitless and include the control of multiple coordinate robots.

Actin architecture includes simulation, IK, path planning and optimization all tightly coupled.

SimulationSimulate the world environment, including imported objects with collision volumes from CAD. Switch from simulation to live robot control with a click of a button. Explore workspace limits and develop full application in simulation before integrating with hardware.

Actin processes compute paths, collision avoidance and inverse kinematics in real time.

Optimization-PanelMuch more capable than offline tools, you can adjust optimization weights for joint limit avoidance, collision avoidance, joint preference and minimization of kinetic energy. Control descriptors allow you to swap optimizations in real time. Soft constraints allow movement around obstacles, out of bins, and avoidance of visually detected moving obstacles.

Includes all software pre-installed on an industrial PC, ready-to-run.

Just connect to your UR Robot controller and go!

hx500
hx500-back

HX500

Front & Back views.
Upgraded IPC (fanless)
i9 processor, 10th gen
8GB RAM
256 GB M.2 SSD
Ubuntu 20.04

Development Overview

Explore the development features and processes and check out the various sample tasks included with Actin.
Learn More About Development

Expert Development Services

If you need additional help, we provide professional engineering and consulting services to help you successfully design, develop, and deploy your unique project.
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Actin UR: Early Access

Actin UR is being released for early access in 2021. Get an exclusive look at how Actin UR will benefit your unique robotics application with a free demo.

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