Configuring the Properties of Robot Parts (Robotics Module)

Robots and robot parts have properties that you can use to configure a robot model. You can view and configure the properties of a robot and robot parts in the Properties table of the Robot Simulation Model Builder. The properties of a robot part include the part ID, visual information, and physical information. Edit values in the Properties table to configure the properties of the robot model.

Use the following methods to configure the properties of a robot part:

• Robot Simulation Model Builder—When you select a robot part in the builder, the properties of this part display in the Properties table. Click one of the properties to change the value. In the Model View, the visual and physical models of the robot part change as you modify the properties.
• CAD Model Importer—If you want to edit the properties of a component or edit the visual and physical model properties of a component, launch the CAD Model Importer and edit the properties of the component. In the importer, you can change the physical model of the component or edit the properties of the component in the Properties table.
• Component Model Dialog Boxes—When you add or edit complex parts, such as SD6 tracks, Omni and Mecanum wheels, and DH arms, you can use the Configure Track, Configure Wheel, and DH Arm Generator dialog boxes for editing properties.

The following table contains descriptions of the properties that you use to configure a robot part.

Property	Where to Configure Property	Description
Movable	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	If the value is True, the robot part is a stationary object which has infinite mass.
Mass	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	Defines the mass of a robot part. Note  If the robot part contains multiple components, this property displays the total mass of the robot part, including all the sub-components. If the inertia matrix of the robot part is all-zero, you cannot configure the total mass of the robot part in the Robot Simulation Model Builder. You can only edit the robot part in the CAD Model Importer and configure the mass for each component.
Mass Center	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	Defines the center of the mass or gravity. The center of mass is the point in the robot part where the entire mass is concentrated.
Inertia Matrix	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	Inertia Matrix is a 3x3 matrix that describes the way to distribute mass of the body around the center of mass. The Mass Center and Inertia Matrix are only effective when the Inertia Matrix is not all-zero.
Material Type	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	Defines the friction coefficient of a robot part at the contact point with other parts. Refer to the Kinetic Friction Coefficient Table VI in the labview\vi.lib\robotics\Simulator\Interface\Utility directory to view a table of the default friction coefficients for each type of material. Note  If you are configuring a robot part combined with multiple components and each component uses a different material type, you cannot configure the material type of the robot part in the Robot Simulation Model Builder. Edit the robot part in the CAD Model Importer and configure the material type for each component.
Subspace Name	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer	A subspace represents a collection of robot parts and joints that are located near each other. This property defines the name of the subspace. Robot parts in the same subspace cannot collide with each other.
Color	Robot Simulation Model Builder CAD Model Importer Configure Wheel Dialog Box Configure Track Dialog Box DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Sets the color of a robot part. If the robot part has texture, this item changes the color of the physical model. If the robot part does not have texture, this item changes the color of the visual model.
Resolution (EU)	Robot Simulation Model Builder	Sensor resolution is the smallest change a sensor can detect in the quantity that the sensor is measuring. Engineering Unit (EU) is the unit defined by different sensors.
Sample Rate (Hz)	Robot Simulation Model Builder	Defines the rate at which sensors do sampling.
Feedback	Robot Simulation Model Builder	Feedback property appears in the Properties table only when you select a joint in the Parts Hierarchy. Feedback refers to the force a joint applies directly to the parts it connects. If the value of the feedback property is True, you can read force or torque feedback from the joint. Note  The Robotics Module provides a force control method for you to apply a force to a motor when you simulate mobile robots. If a joint motor is under force control, you cannot read force or torque feedback from the joint.
Ground Level	CAD Model Importer	Defines the position of the ground plane along the z-axis.
Roller Number	Configure Wheel Dialog Box	The number of rollers on the wheel frame.
Radius Offset	Configure Wheel Dialog Box	The offset between the roller position and the radius of the wheel frame.
Row Number	Configure Wheel Dialog Box	The number of rows of rollers on an Omni wheel.
Height Offset	Configure Wheel Dialog Box	The position of rollers on the height axis of an Omni wheel frame. This property only works when the row number is larger than 1.
Roller Orientation	Configure Wheel Dialog Box	Defines the orientation of the rollers on a Mecanum wheel.
Twist Angle	DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Defines the angle, in radians, between the rotation axis of the joint of this link and the rotation axis of the next joint with respect to the link.
Length	DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Defines the length of the link between the joint of this link and the next joint.
Rotation Angle	DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Defines the angle of rotation, in radians, between this link and the next link along the rotation axis of the joint that connects the links.
Offset Distance	DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Defines the distance from this link to the next link along the axis of the joint that connects the links.
Joint Displacement	DH Arm Generator Dialog Box	Joint displacement is the displacement from the joint to the origin of the coordinate system of the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) arm along the Z- axis of the coordinate system.