Build Your First Workcell

This page walks through a first session: it creates a workcell, adds a robot and a box, saves two robot poses, and plans a point-to-point trajectory between them. It assumes the PDK server is running and Composer Studio is open in your browser (Launch Composer Studio). Steps 6 and 7 need the point_to_point_path license (Activate Licenses).

Nothing on this page moves a real robot.

Step 1: Check the PDK Release Folder

Look at PDK Release Folder: in the header bar. If the field is red or Composer Studio reported that the path does not exist, click the folder button and choose the folder that holds your server’s workcell/ directory, then click Select This Folder. See Launch Composer Studio.

Step 2: Create and load a workcell

  1. Click Workcell Setup in the header bar.

  2. Click New, enter the Name quickstart and an optional Description, and click Create.

  3. quickstart is now selected in Available Workcells. Click Load.

The + buttons in the Scene Navigator become active once a workcell is loaded.

Step 3: Add a robot system

  1. Click + next to Systems. The Setup System form opens.

  2. Enter a system Name, for example robot_1.

  3. On the Manipulator tab, fill in Name (for example arm), Arm Serial Number and Control Box Serial Number. Use the serial numbers of your robot.

  4. Click Create System.

The robot appears in the viewport at the world origin. If the robot is connected to the network, you can fill in the form from the robot instead with Sync from Controller; see Systems.

The Setup System form.

The Setup System form.

Step 4: Add a box

  1. Click ← Scene Navigator to return to the tree, then click + next to Scene Objects.

  2. Enter the Name box_1 and open the Primitive Shapes tab.

  3. Leave the size at 0.1 m, and set the pose X to 0.5. A blue wireframe preview shows where the box will go.

  4. Click Insert.

Step 5: Save two targets

A target is a saved robot pose.

  1. In the tree, click + next to Targets under robot_1.

  2. Enter the Name start. On the Joint Space tab, move a few joint sliders. If the pose is in collision or out of reach, Composer Studio shows an error.

  3. Click Create Target.

  4. Repeat with the name end and a different pose.

Step 6: Plan a PTP trajectory

  1. Click + next to PTP Trajectories under robot_1.

  2. Enter the Name start_to_end.

  3. In Available Targets, select start and click →, then do the same for end.

  4. Click Create Trajectory. The button shows Solving… while the server plans a collision-free motion.

Step 7: Play it back

  1. Under robot_1, click ▶ next to PTP Trajectories, click start_to_end and open the Operations tab.

  2. Click Visualize Trajectory. The robot in the viewport moves from start to end. Drag the Playback slider to scrub through the motion.

The finished PTP trajectory, played back in the viewport.

The finished PTP trajectory, played back in the viewport.

Next steps