The "IXON connector" URCap adds ready-to-use Cloud Logging nodes that you can easily drag-and-drop in your Universal Robot program. The Cloud Logging function enables you to view and analyze your machine data.

To use the "IXON connector" URCap for Cloud Logging, you first need to install the URcap on your robot. Then you need to set up the communication protocol in the IXON Cloud and import the variables. This article will take you through all of these steps.

Please use the links below for easy navigation

• Install the IXON connector URcap
• Select a communication protocol
• Add variables
• Test variables
• Manage variables

Additional information:

• Troubleshooting
• CSV file contents and details

Install the IXON connector URcap

To use Cloud Logging on your Universal Robots robot, you first need to install the IXON connector URcap. In addition to Cloud Logging, this URcap also enables the use of a VNC service and Cloud Notify.

• Contact us for the "IXON connector" URCap and install it.
• Go to the IXON Connector page on the robot, enable the VNC server, and enter a VNC server password with a recommended length of 6-8 characters.

Select a communication protocol

The second step in Cloud Logging is setting up a data source. This is done by selecting a communication protocol and defining the variables. This article shows you how to do this for the Universal Robots URcap using the LoggerAPI protocol.

You first have to select a communication protocol. This is the protocol that the IXrouter will use to communicate with the UR robot.

• Go to the IXON Cloud Fleet Manager app, which is accessible from the Apps menu in the top right corner if you are currently in a different IXON Cloud app.
• Open the Main menu , go to Devices , and select the concerning device.
• Click on the Add a serviceicon in the left menu, select [Data source], and then select [LoggerAPI].
• Enter the requested information (details below) and click on [Add].

• Go to the IXON Connector page on the UR robot, enable publishing data for Cloud Logging, enter the IXrouter's IP address, and enter the password that you chose at the previous step.

Add variables

The next step is to add the variables to the IXON Cloud. You can use a large amount of built-in variables from your robot without making any changes to your program. Please follow the steps below to import variables.

Please note that it's required to import these variables for Cloud Notify to work, even if you don't intend to use any of the built-in variables.

• Go back to where you were in the IXON Cloud.
• Expand the Data source service and go to [Variables].
• Click on [Import from CSV-file] in the top right corner of the screen.
• Select the "IXON connector" data source CSV file (downloadable here:) and click on [Open]. Details about the CSV file can be viewed at CSV file contents and details.

Optionally, you can also use any global or installation variable from your program.

• Drag-and-drop the "IXON - Variable Logger"-node to your BeforeStart initialisation cycle and add any variable you'd like to log. The node will then only run once, but the data will be logged in the background. Note that the variables need to be assigned an initialisation value before they are called by the IXON node.

• Go back to where you were in the IXON Cloud.
• Expand the Data source service and go to [Variables].
• Click on [Add variable] in the bottom right corner and add your global or installation variables that you added in the the "IXON - Variable Logger"-node.

You have now made the changes in the IXON Cloud, but these are not yet active in your device. You will need to push your changes to your device for them to take effect.

• Click [Push config to device] in the top right corner.

Test variables

The test utility is used to check if all the added variables are set correctly. It shows the communication status with the UR robot and displays each variable's current value if everything is configured correctly and the UR robot's program is running. If not, the values will stay empty. The test utility will attempt to update values every 0.5 seconds, regardless of how often it's actually being logged (this does not count towards your license's dps/hr). Please follow the steps below to test your variables.

• Expand the Data source service, go to [Variables], and click on [Run test] at the top.

A connection will now be set up to stream the data directly to your computer, using:

You will see live values of all variables, if the configuration is set up correctly and the UR robot's program is running.

Manage variables

You can view all defined variables on the variables page:

• Expand the Data source service and go to [Variables].

You can [Edit] individual variables, [Remove] individual or a selection of variables, and export all or a selection of variables.

Variables can be selected by clicking the checkbox on the left, or you can select them all by clicking the checkbox at the top.

Troubleshooting

Go to the IXON Connector page on the robot and you'll see the current status:

• Green = Active
• Orange = Disabled or not configured correctly
• Red = Error

This will be followed by a(n error) message that is self-explanatory in most cases. However, there are 2 messages that require a little more explanation:

• "Could not connect to the IXrouter"
• "Could not register on the IXrouter."
• "Logging is not fully confgured on the platform"
• "The variable .. is not defined"

"Could not connect to the IXrouter"

This error message means that:

• The IP address entered on the IXON Connector page, on the robot, is not the same as the IXrouter's LAN IP address.

"Could not register on the IXrouter."

This error message means the Logging part of the URCap cannot communicate with the LoggerAPI data source in the IXrouter. Common causes are:

• The LoggerAPI data source has not yet been created and/or pushed to the IXrouter.
• The LoggerAPI data source has not been configured correctly:
  • the entered IP address does not match the IP address of the UR robot.
  • the password does not match the password on the IXON Connector page on the robot.
  • the variables have not yet been imported (The CSV file you are importing includes in the URcap .zip package).
• Cloud Logging has not yet been activated and/or pushed to the IXrouter.

"Logging is not fully confgured on the platform"

This error message means that the Logging part of the URCap in not the same as in the IXON Cloud. Common causes are:

• The LoggerAPI data source has not been configured correctly:
  • the built-in variables have not yet been imported (The CSV file you are importing includes in the URcap .zip package). This is required even if you don't intend to use any of the built-in variables.
  • the variables that you added to the IXON Variable Logger function in the UR have not all been added to the data source yet.
  • the variables have an incorrect data type or setting.

"The variable .. is not defined"

This error message means the URCap tried to log a variable before it was assigned. Moving your assignments before the "IXON - Variable Logger"-node will resolve this error.

CSV file contents and details

If you're using Cloud Logging or Cloud Notify, you can use built-in variables from your UR robot without having to make any changes in your program. We've created a CSV file () that you can import into your LoggerAPI data source in the IXON Cloud.

Not included in this list are any variables that you added yourself, using the "IXON - Variable Logger"-node.