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RobFlow 4.3.0

· 5 min read
RobCo Team
Product

Highlights​

Home Position for Flow​

In the newly created Flow Config, you have the option to set a Home Position for that specific Flow. If it is set and the Robot is not exactly at that Home Position, you cannot start the Flow. Instead, you will see a “Move to Home” button which you have to keep pressed to slowly move the Robot to the desired Home Position.

If you see that the Robot would crash while moving to the Home Position, you just release the button and then move around the obstacle with either Free Motion or jogging.

Home Position for Flow

Debug Flow Run​

The Debug Flow Run replaces the former Run Stepped mode. As long as you keep the Debug button pressed, the Flow will run as usual (incl. motion blending, parallel execution, etc.). Once you release the button or the mouse leaves the button-area, the Flow will pause.

This Debug button gives you an easy, fast and reliable way to test your program and immediately stop when necessary.

Debug Flow Run

Report Incident Tool​

You can now report an incident directly via RobFlow to our technical support team. You can either press the “Report Incident” button in the side menu or the one next to an error in the message log. Filling out the form, you can give some background information or attach one or several files. When pressing submit, RobFlow will additionally attach the current Flow and an extract of the RobFlow and Robot Controller logs to give our support team further information to debug your problem.

Resume Node​

The Resume Node is able to resume a paused Flow when a defined I/O condition is met.

Resume Node

Interactive RobFlow Tutorial​

When first using RobFlow in your browser, you see an Interactive Tutorial explaining the most important elements of the RobFlow UI. By pressing Interactive Tutorial in the side menu, you can start the Tutorial as well.

Interactive Robflow Tutorial

Documentation Group​

With the Documentation Group, you can mark and describe a defined part of your Flow. That way, you can make big, complex Flows more understandable and give some background information. When a Node is at the edge of the Documentation Group, it will automatically resize to fully cover that Node.

Documentation Group

Minor features​

Download full backup of RobFlow data​

Download a full backup of all Robflow-related data (Flows, Subflows, Tools, Modbus/TCP connections, …) from your Control Unit by pressing “Create Full Backup” in the side menu.

Download full backup of Robflow data

Transform a batch of selected Nodes into a new Subflow​

When selecting a couple of Nodes, you see a button to transform the selected Nodes into a Subflow. It will only transfer Nodes which are allowed in a Subflow. Nodes that are not allowed will stay in the main Flow. By adding a Subflow Start Node, you make the Subflow valid and can save it. Once saved and the popup closed, a Subflow Node containing your newly created Subflow is added to your current Flow.

Cut/copy/paste functionality​

In addition to the Duplicate Node shortcut, you can use the following shortcuts to cut, copy and paste Nodes within or across one or several Flows/Subflows:

  • CTRL/CMD+x: Cuts selected Nodes
  • CTRL/CMD+c: Copies selected Nodes
  • CTRL/CMD+v: Pastes selected Nodes
  • CTRL/CMD+SHIFT+z: Redoes action (additional shortcut to CTRL/CMD+y)

Flow Configuration​

For each Flow, you can save Flow Configuration to define the Flow Name, give a short description and create a Home Position, if desired. (See Home Position for Flow)

Miscellaneous​

  • Extended documentation for Stack, Grid and Palletizing Nodes
  • http API docs are now also accessible offline via URL “{ip-address of CU}/apidocs”
  • Automatic Migration of Flows/Subflows after RobFlow update or Flow/Subflow import
  • New movements and joint angles + poses in Stack, Grid and Palletizing Nodes initialised with current Robot pose / angles
  • Redirect to currently executing Flow by default and highlight it in the Flow Selector
  • Unified global acceleration and global velocity to global speed
  • Added center of mass to payload
  • Added mass and center of mass to tool configuration
  • Updated APIs for Cartesian and joint movements: movements can now be sent as a batch which enables blending
  • Ensure commands from RobFlow are received properly by Robot Controller (Protocol shift from UDP to TCP)
  • Load and display current Node state if a Flow is currently running and a Frontend (re-)connects
  • MoveToTarget Button behaves now as a dead man's switch, including showing the global speed status
  • Stack/Grid/Palletizing:
    • Velocity, acceleration and blending radius can be defined for approach pose
    • motion blending is enabled for certain movements within the Node
    • Acceleration and velocity of movements within Item approach trajectory are no longer scaled by acceleration and velocity of the Node
  • Generic message popup with "do not show again" functionality
  • Modbus-connections are not opened/closed any more in each Modbus-Node, but only on Flow start/finish (v.4.3.3 Backend)

Fixes​

  • Fixed computation of orientation for Relative Movements (Approach trajectory and Relative Movement Node)
  • Join Node: wait until every input handle has been triggered at least once before proceeding
  • Fixed display of current movement in Movement Nodes
  • Automatically assign the name of the selected Subflow to the Subflow Node
  • Securely disable Node dragging if Flow is running
  • Wider pause/resume buttons to make them easily reachable after Flow-start
  • Disable Sliders in Widgets on Dashboard Editor
  • Fixed issues with movements created via gamepad