The Canonical Robot Command Language (CRCL)

Purpose This paper aims to describe an information model, the Canonical Robot Command Language (CRCL), which provides a high-level description of robot tasks and associated control and status information. Design/methodology/approach A common representation of tasks was used that is understood by all of the resources required for the job: robots, tooling, sensors and people. Findings Using CRCL, a manufacturer can quickly develop robotic applications that meet customer demands for short turnaround, enable portability across a range of vendor equipment and maintain investments in application development through reuse. Originality/value Industrial robots can perform motion with sub-millimeter repeatability when programmed using the teach-and-playback method. While effective, this method requires significant up-front time, tying up the robot and a person during the teaching phase.