Articles Download Safety & Security Forum myUR Go to Main Site
 

External Freedrive Button

The purpose of this work instruction is to aid in adding an external button/switch to control Freedrive

Last modified on Jun 20, 2023

This guide will show you the different options on how to physically wire this as well as configure the appropriate software settings.

 

There are two options when trying to add an additional Freedrive function to the UR Robot:

The first option is to add an additional button/switch to the internal I/O of the controller in order to enable Freedrive remotely.

The second option is to wire a button to the Tool I/O at the end of the robot arm in order to enable Freedrive while being near the robot.

 

Step 1. Add an external Freedrive button/switch the internal I/O of the controller

  • You will need a simple Normally Open button/switch that is compatible with 24v.
  • You will next choose one of the available 8 Digital Inputs in the controller. For this example, we have chosen DI5(Digital Input 5).
    1. You will connect the 24v and DI5 terminals to the respective connections on your button/switch as shown below.
    2. Once this is complete you are ready to configure the software settings to accommodate this button/switch. Please jump to Step 3 for this.

 

Step 2. Add an external Freedrive button/switch the Tool I/O of the Robot flange.

  • You will need a simple Normally Open button/switch that is compatible with 24v.
  • You will then also need to be able to interface with the M8 tool pin connector on the flange. A suitably industrial cable for this is the Lumberg RKMV 8-354 or UR Part: 173101
  • You will next choose one of the two available Digital Inputs in the tool pin connector.
  • Below is a diagram of the tool pinout of the M8 connector. For our example we’ll choose TI0(DI8)

 

1. You will simply connect the Power and TI0 terminals to the respective connections on your button/switch as shown below.

2. Once this is complete you are ready to configure the software settings to accommodate this button/switch. Please continue to Step 3 for this.

 

Step 3. enable external control of the Freedrive function

  1. In the Installation tab of Polyscope select General>I/O Setup.
  2. Select the Input in which you would like to assign the Freedrive functionality.
  3. Next in the “Action” box select “Freedrive”.
    • Below the Freedrive functionality is shown be to be enabled by DI5(Digital Input 5) but it can also just as easily be set to TI0(Tool Input 0) or any of the other open Inputs.
    • Now all you must do is simply activate your button/switch and the robot will then go into Freedrive Mode!