Robot Programming Methods

Pete Archer - Product Specialist

March 2019

---

Three common ways to program a robot are by a teaching pendant, teaching by demonstration, and offline programming. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each of those methods.

Teaching Pendant

Advantages of a Teaching Pendant

• Most traditional industrial robots come with a teach pendant, which makes them familiar to technicians. • They allow precise positioning, as the robot can be programmed using numerical coordinates in world coordinates, robot coordinates, or another coordinate system. • Teach pendants are great for simple movements, such as painting in a straight line or over a large flat surface.

Disadvantages of a Teaching Pendant

• Disruptive to the whole system due to robot downtime. The robot must be put into "teach mode" and all operations using the robot halted until it has been programmed. • Requires training to learn and program. • It might be difficult for skilled craftspeople who are unfamiliar with programming.