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TCP calibration

During TCP calibration, you are going to estimate the position of a reference frame on the robot's end-effector with respect to the robot's flange position. This can be done to estimate the tool tip of a robot's gripper, or estimate a frame of reference on a calibration pin that is later used for frame teaching.

tip

For best results, it's recommended to use a special calibration pin with a sharp tip for this procedure.

How to perform a TCP calibration

With your application in real hardware mode, click on the Scene menu, then select TCP calibration.

Follow the steps in the dialog to perform the TCP calibration.

For most accurate results, remember to:

  • Use a dedicated calibration pin both on the end-effector of the robot and as a reference pin in the workcell.
  • Align the tips of the calibration pins, checking that the tips align from all views.
  • Ensure calibration poses represent a diverse set of joint positions.

Upon completing this calibration, consider using the taught TCP to teach a new frame. Ideally frame teaching is performed right after TCP calibration.

Validate your TCP calibration

To validate the accuracy of your calibrated TCP, perform the following validation procedure:

  • Align the tip of your TCP frame with the reference pin installed in your workcell.
  • In the Flowstate jogging panel, select the newly taught TCP frame as the robot's TCP frame.
  • Select cartesian jogging, and rotate the robot along the RX/RY/RZ angles.

The newly taught TCP frame should stay stationary above the reference pin. If you see a lot of "wobbling" around the point, your TCP calibration is not very accurate and you should repeat the calibration.