Choose the Control Architecture
The application requires two robots to tighten screws on one camera-located workpiece because one robot cannot complete the work within the available cycle time. Line space prevents placing robots at separate work positions, so both robots must operate at the same station.
The evaluated choices were a DualArm configuration and two fully equipped robots. The reported project decision favored two complete robots synchronized through standard I/O. DualArm remained relevant only when the process required precisely synchronized motion.
| Decision factor | DualArm configuration | Two complete robots |
|---|---|---|
| Precise synchronized movement | Identified as the reason to select this architecture | Standard I/O synchronization may not satisfy this requirement |
| Future reassignment | A local reseller described conversion into two standard robots as nearly impossible; verify this for the proposed equipment | Each robot remains available for separate future jobs |
| Reported purchase-price difference | About 5% under the cited local commercial conditions | About 5% higher under those same conditions |
Separate Coordination from Motion Synchronization
Standard I/O can coordinate operation phases such as readiness, cycle start, completion, and fault handling. It does not by itself establish that two robot paths are precisely synchronized. Classify the process first: use discrete coordination when each robot can work in an independently assigned area, and evaluate DualArm when their motion must remain precisely synchronized.
Before selecting hardware, define screw ownership and confirm that the two working envelopes do not create an unresolved collision risk. The evidence supports standard-I/O coordination as the selected approach, but it does not provide the I/O signal list, timing behavior, safety design, or collision-management method.
Handle Vision, Position, and Barcode Data
The proposed data flow places the camera on robot one. Robot one locates the workpiece, then robot two must receive enough position information to execute its assigned screws. The evidence does not identify a supported FANUC communication method, coordinate-frame relationship, or position-transfer command, so do not assume that standard I/O alone can transfer pose data.
The PC and barcode reader were also proposed to communicate only with the master robot, which would select or coordinate the required programs. Treat that arrangement as an architecture requirement to validate, not a confirmed product capability. Confirm how robot one will pass the selected job and workpiece location to robot two before eliminating the second vision or PC connection.
Commission the Two-Robot Cell
- Determine whether the process needs precise synchronized motion or only discrete cycle coordination.
- If discrete coordination is sufficient, define the standard-I/O handshake between the two complete robot controllers.
- Establish how the camera-derived workpiece position and barcode-selected job reach robot two; the available evidence does not specify this interface.
- Run acceptance tests that verify both robots use the correct job, complete their assigned screws within the required cycle, and respond deterministically to not-ready, incomplete, and fault conditions.
- Verify commercial and lifecycle assumptions with FANUC for the exact proposed configuration, including the reported 5% price difference and the limits on converting DualArm equipment into two independent robots.
FAQ
Can two FANUC robots be synchronized with standard I/O?
Standard I/O was selected for cycle coordination between two fully equipped robots. It should not be treated as proof of precise synchronized motion.
Can one FANUC robot share its iRVision position with another robot?
The proposed design requires robot one to pass the camera-located workpiece position to robot two, but the evidence does not specify the supported interface or coordinate transformation. Validate that transfer for the exact controllers and software options before removing the second vision system.
When should a FANUC DualArm configuration be selected?
Select it for evaluation when the process requires precisely synchronized movement. In the cited project, two complete robots were preferred because the reported cost difference was about 5% and they could be reassigned independently later.
