In context
In late 2023, industrial robotics was increasingly focusing on usability, aiming to lower the barrier for automation adoption. Graphical programming was becoming a key differentiator, yet complex path-controlled tasks still often required textual coding or extensive manual teaching. This update addressed that gap for a specific robot platform.
What was reported
Fruitcore Robotics released a software update for its Horst industrial robot, enabling intuitive programming of complex paths within the graphical user interface of the horstFX control software. Previously, such paths could only be programmed textually.
The new feature, “Complex paths in graphical programming,” simplifies path-controlled processes like gluing, varnishing, assembly, and joining. Users can define curved motions or contours by navigating the GUI, reducing setup time from days to hours, even for those without coding expertise.
The update also improves process reliability through better visualization of complex movements, aiding monitoring and error detection. It supports collision avoidance by allowing users to define paths that circumvent obstacles without teaching numerous support points. Additional horstFX enhancements include storable variables, calling graphical functions from textual programs, and improved socket commands.
Why it mattered
This development signaled a broader industry trend toward democratizing robot programming, making advanced automation accessible to a wider range of manufacturers. By reducing reliance on specialized programmers, such features could accelerate adoption in SMEs and shorten deployment times for complex applications.
“Instead of laboriously teaching in a large number of support points to avoid an obstacle, a complex path can be defined that avoids obstacles.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-12-11 · “Fruitcore Robotics releases new software to bring complex paths to graphical programming”