| # | Requirement | Description | Acceptance Criteria |
|---|-------------|-------------|---------------------|
| FR‑1 | Stress Capture | Leverage the existing dynamics engine to export per‑frame stress tensors for every rigid body and mesh node. | Stress data available for all bodies at ≥ 30 Hz during simulation. |
| FR‑2 | Material Database | Extend the material library with fracture‑mechanics parameters (K_IC, fatigue exponent, etc.) for common alloys (Al‑6061, 304 SS, carbon steel, composites). | User can assign a material to any part; the database contains at least 12 pre‑populated entries. |
| FR‑3 | Crack‑Risk Algorithm | Implement a real‑time heuristic:
1. Compute von Mises stress at each node.
2. Compare against material’s endurance limit.
3. Estimate crack‑initiation probability using a Weibull‑type function.
4. Propagate an “virtual crack” using a simplified Paris‑law step. | When a simulated load exceeds 80 % of the material limit, a red overlay appears within 0.2 s. |
| FR‑4 | Visualization Overlay | Add a toggleable overlay layer in the 3‑D view. Colours:
• Green – < 50 % risk
• Yellow – 50‑80 % risk
• Red – > 80 % risk
Overlay updates every simulation frame. | User can enable/disable overlay; colours match risk thresholds; overlay does not degrade frame‑rate below 20 fps on a mid‑range GPU. |
| FR‑5 | Report Generation | Export a comprehensive crack‑analysis report with:
• Part name & material
• Location (XYZ) and surface normal
• Estimated crack length & growth rate
• Suggested mitigation actions
• Simulation screenshots. | Clicking Generate Report creates a PDF/HTML file ≤ 5 MB, containing all identified cracks. |
| FR‑6 | What‑If Simulation | Allow the user to manually insert a virtual crack (size, orientation) on any surface and re‑run the simulation to see performance impact. | User can add a crack up to 5 mm; after insertion, the simulation updates stress fields and overlays instantly. |
| FR‑7 | API Exposure | Provide a Python/JavaScript API (roboguide.crackBetter.*) for custom scripts (e.g., automated batch analysis). | Sample script demonstrates loading a project, running analysis, and exporting the report. |
| FR‑8 | Backward Compatibility | Feature can be disabled without affecting existing projects. | Turning off “Crack‑Better” leaves all other functionalities untouched. |
| Metric | Target | |--------|--------| | Detection Accuracy | ≥ 95 % of seeded cracks detected in test suite. | | Performance Impact | ≤ 12 % CPU/GPU overhead compared with baseline simulation. | | User Adoption | ≥ 70 % of pilot‑site engineers enable the feature within the first month of release. | | Support Tickets | ≤ 5 % of post‑release tickets related to false‑positive crack alerts. |
| Phase | Duration | Milestones | |-------|----------|------------| | Phase 1 – Research & Feasibility | 4 weeks | Validate stress‑export pipeline; select fracture‑mechanics model. | | Phase 2 – Core Engine | 8 weeks | Implement stress capture, crack‑risk algorithm, GPU overlay shader. | | Phase 3 – UI & Reporting | 6 weeks | Build toolbar, legend, report generator, what‑if dialog. | | Phase 4 – API & Scripting | 3 weeks | Expose Python/JS bindings, provide sample scripts. | | Phase 5 – Testing & Validation | 5 weeks | Unit tests, performance profiling, benchmark against known crack cases. | | Phase 6 – Documentation & Release | 2 weeks | Write user guide, create tutorial video, package for v6.4.0 Rev E patch. | fanuc roboguide v640 rev e crack better
Title: “Crack‑Better” – Advanced Crack Detection & Reporting for Fanuc Roboguide v6.4.0 Rev E
Purpose
Add an integrated, real‑time crack‑analysis capability to the Fanuc Roboguide simulation environment that automatically identifies, visualises, and logs potential structural cracks in robot links, work‑piece fixtures, and virtual tooling during offline programming and verification. | # | Requirement | Description | Acceptance
| Feature | Why It Matters | |---------|----------------| | Enhanced 5‑Axis Kinematics Engine | More precise handling of rotary axes and tool‑offsets; reduces “sudden jump” artifacts in complex weld paths. | | GPU‑Accelerated Rendering (Optional) | Offloads visualisation to NVIDIA/AMD GPUs, allowing smoother animation of large cell models (up to 500 k parts). | | Dynamic Cycle‑Time Optimiser | Real‑time suggestion engine that proposes speed/acceleration tweaks while you edit the program. | | Improved Collision Detection | Multi‑body detection (robot + workpiece + safety fence) with colour‑coded warnings. | | Integrated “Crack‑Better” Toolkit (new in Rev E) | A set of utilities aimed at rapidly diagnosing and fixing program errors (e.g., unreachable points, joint limit violations). | | Unified Asset Library | Centralised storage of robot models, tools, grippers, and fixtures with version control. | | Expanded OPC‑UA Profiles | Out‑of‑the‑box support for more PLC vendors (Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, Omron). | | Enhanced Scripting (Python 3.9) | Users can now write custom scripts directly in the UI for batch processing or data extraction. | | License‑Flexibility | “Floating” and “node‑locked” licences can be toggled without reinstall. |
| Element | Description | Placement |
|---------|-------------|-----------|
| Crack‑Better Toolbar | Small toolbar with three icons:
1️⃣ Enable/Disable (toggle)
2️⃣ Settings (opens a modal for material selection, risk thresholds)
3️⃣ Generate Report | Right‑hand side of the existing “Simulation” toolbar, next to the “Dynamics” icon. |
| Overlay Legend | Small floating legend showing colour‑risk mapping. | Bottom‑left corner of the viewport. |
| What‑If Dialog | Modal allowing selection of part → surface → crack parameters (length, angle). | Accessible via right‑click on a highlighted region → Insert Virtual Crack. |
| Notification Bar | Brief toast messages for events (e.g., “Critical crack detected on Joint‑3 – 1.2 mm, red overlay activated”). | Top‑center, auto‑dismiss after 5 s. | | Feature | Why It Matters | |---------|----------------|
Using cracks for software like FANUC RoboGuide can pose significant risks, including:
| Tip | How to Implement | Benefit |
|-----|-------------------|---------|
| Pre‑validate assets | Run the Asset Integrity Checker (found under Tools → Library). It flags missing CAD data, duplicate part IDs, and mismatched tool frames before you start simulation. | Avoids downstream errors when importing large assemblies. |
| Use the “Batch‑Export” script | In the Python console, run: import robo_guide as rg <br> rg.batch_export('C:\\Projects\\MyCell', fmt='STEP') | Quickly generate a STEP of the entire virtual cell for downstream CAE. |
| Leverage the CTO early | After initial program import, run the Cycle‑Time Optimiser before any manual tweaks. | Gains 5‑10 % cycle‑time reduction automatically. |
| Enable GPU rendering only when needed | Toggle View → Rendering → GPU on/off. Keep it off for quick edits to save power and avoid driver conflicts. | Keeps the UI responsive on lower‑end laptops. |
| Freeze the licence server | On the license server, set a static IP and reserve it in DHCP. Add the IP to the Allowed Hosts list in the RoboGuide client. | Prevents “license not found” errors after network changes. |
| Version‑control your programs | Store all .TP files in Git (or SVN) and use RoboGuide’s Export → Source Control option. | Enables easy rollback if a “crack‑better” change breaks something. |
| Create a “Safety Margin” layer | Add an invisible safety‑fence object with a 30 mm offset around the workpiece. RoboGuide will flag any motion that breaches it. | Early detection of potential collisions before real‑world testing. |
| Utilise the “Quick‑Start Wizard” for new users | The wizard walks you through a sample cell setup (robot + conveyor + sensor). Save the project as a template. | Shortens onboarding for interns or new integrators. |
