{"id":39521,"date":"2025-11-12T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dmcinfo.com\/?p=39521"},"modified":"2025-12-23T09:44:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T14:44:48","slug":"a-quick-start-guide-to-robot-programming-with-rcx-studio-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dmcinfo.com\/blog\/39521\/a-quick-start-guide-to-robot-programming-with-rcx-studio-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"A Quick Start Guide to Robot Programming with RCX-Studio 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RCX-Studio 2020 is the required environment for configuring, teaching, and managing Yamaha robots.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your current automation project requires the use of the Yamaha RCX-Studio 2020 software for the RCX3 Series controllers, this guide is designed to minimize your ramp-up time. This blog assumes you have a general understanding of robot programming and Robot-PLC integration knowledge. It is not designed to be a comprehensive guide on robot programming or to go through every single feature of Yamaha robots. We will cover the essential topics: connecting to the controller, defining IO, defining\/teaching points, building a basic routine, and jogging so you can quickly move to development and commissioning your robot program.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

RCX-Studio 2020 is free to download. However, to create, save, archive, and deploy custom programs to a controller, you will need a USB license dongle directly plugged into your PC.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This link from Yamaha\u2019s website includes the download link<\/a> for RCX-Studio and information on the USB license dongle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting a Project (File Structure Overview)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is the initial screen upon opening up the software.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The files under the folder \u2018Controller\u2019 are unarchived robot files. When opened, these can be used directly to go online with the robot controller and jog and monitor the robot. The files under the folder \u2018File\u2019 with the .all extension are archived files and are generally used for source control. These files require a USB license key to open and edit. You can\u2019t go online with the robot controller and jog\/monitor the robot with an .all file but you can view the program contents.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting With No Reference File\/Backing up From Controller<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If starting from scratch, create a new Controller file by double-clicking on \u2018New Controller.\u2019 The following window will appear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Give your new controller a name. Then, you can select between starting in offline mode or online mode. To work offline with no existing robot program, you can either select a robot model number to add or start with a file with no existing robot if you just want to work on development and do not have an exact model number yet.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To start in online mode, you need to be physically connected to a controller either by Ethernet cable or RS232 cable. You will need either the IP address or the RS232C connection information for the controller. You can pull all the data currently on the controller with this method.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working With a .All File<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To convert an archived .all file to a regular robot program file, click on \u2018Tool\u2019 in the tool ribbon, then in the drop-down menu, click on \u2018Data Transfer\u2026\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next, in the source file section of the window, select \u2018File\u2019 and browse for the location of your .all file. Then, make sure all the data is checked in the \u2018Transfer Data\u2019 area, and make sure the boxes directly below are all unchecked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, if you are looking to download the file back onto the existing robot after making programming changes, DO NOT SKIP the \u2018Robot Specific Parameters\u2019 as these include encoder hardware information and other hardware setup information important to the specific robot, which are set up at the factory. In almost all cases, you would want to transfer all the data. Otherwise, there is a risk of OVERWRITING this data on the controller when you download your updated program file to the controller if you didn\u2019t originally transfer it to the controller file.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, select a blank controller file that you want to put the data in or create a new controller file to store the data, then press \u2018OK\u2019.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Program Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the remainder of this guide, we will review programming and commissioning with the controller file interface. Here is a general overview of the important components of the controller file UI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next, we will shift our focus to the \u2018Window Tree\u2019. Through the window tree, you can navigate to all the main functions needed for programming and commissioning the robot. We will go through a couple of important items here to get you started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operation Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This folder includes the following items: Servo, Origin(All), Origin(Selected Robot), Jog, and Point Trace, which are all important for initial commissioning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Servo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Double-clicking on \u2018Servo\u2019 brings up the following window.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here you can manually turn on and off motor power and free servos for each individual axis. This can be useful if you need to turn off power to manually move the robot by hand during commissioning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Origin(All) and Origin(Selected Robot)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sending a robot to origin will command the robot to move to the origin position of the encoder set at the factory and not a custom user \u201chome\u201d location. This does not need to be done regularly. It only needs to be done if the servos lose track of their current position.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, controllers will come with special batteries<\/a> installed to ensure these positions are always remembered, even when the main power supply is off. Since these are factory settings, when there is a need to send the robot to origin, be aware of any objects surrounding the robot to prevent collisions, as it will move each axis directly to the origin location, disregarding any programmed moves.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jog<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The jog window is key for teaching positions and commissioning. Here you can select between three jog modes in the \u2018Unit\u2019 drop-down: \u2018pulse\u2019, \u2018mm,\u2019 and \u2018tool\u2019, and the buttons will change accordingly to those options. The \u2018mm\u2019 setting is millimeters in Cartesian coordinates and is the simplest one to use for general jogging purposes. You can adjust the jogging speed in percentage units and the jogging distance with the \u2018Inch Dist.\u2019 field. After changing the value, press “set” to apply it. If it hasn\u2019t been set, the value will be highlighted red.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Point Trace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The point trace window is used for verifying motions between points that are safe and optimizing robot pathing. Here you can select the type of move (linear, arc, joint), the movement speed, and the point number you want to move to. You can also only move selected joints to a particular point. Press \u201cTrace\u201d to start moving to the current selected point.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is where your main robot program and subroutine\/functions will live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Double-click \u2018New Program\u2019 to create a new program. You can choose from starting with an empty file or one of the templates included. The paper icon with the \u2018M\u2019 indicates that it is your main program and will begin executing when you start the robot. To adjust the main program, right-click on the program you want to change to the main and click \u2018Setting Main Program\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Below is the programming window for a given program. Here you can start, stop, and step through your program. You can also reset the program and have it execute again from the top. When online, clicking on the yellow \u2018Exec Line\u2019 button will toggle the view to follow which line is currently being executed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For specific programming syntax information, refer to the Programming Manual<\/a>. The remaining items in the program folder are not essential to review in a quick start guide, so we will move on.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coordinate System Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is where your point definitions are stored. Double-click on \u2018Point\u2019 to bring up the Point window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In RCX-Studio, points can be referenced in the program as the point number, ex. P5, or their Name, ex. \u2018NavHome\u2019. Refer to the manual mentioned in the programming section for the exact syntax. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Point window is also where you can teach and modify points manually. To teach a point, move the robot to the point you\u2019d like to teach and then click on a point number where you would like to save the data and press \u2018Teach(mm)\u2019 to teach with Cartesian data or \u2018Teach(pls)\u2019 with encoder pulse data. You can manually modify any saved point by clicking on the cell with data you\u2019d like to modify, changing the data, and then pressing \u2018Enter\u2019 on your keyboard. You can also add any additional helpful comments in the \u2018Comment\u2019 column.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining items in the Coordinate System folder are not essential to review in a quick start guide, so we will move on.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parameter Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The parameter folder holds robot-specific hardware settings and general settings related to the specific selected robot.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These are the \u2018Robot Specific Parameters\u2019 mentioned earlier in the guide to not skip during the data transfer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Controller window, note that there are some execution and program settings that you can modify. Click on them to display their descriptions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can view which option communication boards are installed in your controller to communicate with the PLC. Locate them in the Board Enable\/Parameter windows under the Option drop-down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

System Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The system folder includes a couple of troubleshooting items that are helpful during commissioning, including \u2018Warning History\u2019 and \u2018Alarm History\u2019. You can also click on \u2018System Check\u2019 to see if the overall system is ok.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Monitor Folder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This folder is very important for commissioning, as it contains access to all monitoring windows for the robot\u2019s current position and the controller IO. We will only focus on the main ones DI, DO, SI, SO, SIW, and SOW. We will also review a couple of significant IO points in this section.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Current Position<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Clicking on \u2018Current Position\u2019 will open the current position window, where you can view the robot\u2019s current position in Cartesian coordinates and encoder pulse values.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DI\/DO<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These windows show the current state and available digital inputs and outputs going to the controller. A bright green LED means it is on\/true, and a dark green LED means it is off\/false.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Within a program, you can reference these points using the system name (e.g., DO0(0)) or a user-given name if allowed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SI\/SO<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These are IO points coming over Ethernet or other communication protocols based on the optional communication boards installed in your controller. These are typically used to communicate with the PLC.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is the default list of SI: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"RCX-Studio<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first 16 bits are reserved and have a dedicated purpose based on their comments. A couple of important ones include the following:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n