User`s guide

Tool Transformations
A tool transformation is a special transformation that is used to account for robot grippers (or
parts held in grippers) that are offset from the center of the robot tool flange. If a location is
taught using a part secured by an offset gripper, the actual location recorded is not the part
location, but the center of the tool flange to which the offset gripper is attached, as shown in
the following figure. If the same location is taught with a tool transformation in place, the
location recorded is the center of the gripper, not the center of the tool flange. This allows you
to change grippers and still have the robot reach the correct location. The following figure
shows the location of the robot when a location is taught and the actual location that is
recorded when no tool transformation is in effect. If the proper tool transformation is in effect
when the location is taught, the location recorded will be the part location and not the center
of the tool flange.
Recording Locations
Tool transformations are most important when:
l Grippers are changed frequently
l The robot is vision guided
l Robot locations are loaded directly from CAD data
Tool Transformations
V+Language User's Guide, v17.0
Page 188