BabaCAD Robotics Web Documentation

From Simulation to a Real Robot

Program the arm in your browser, check every move on screen, then play the same motion on the robot on your desk.

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Two Ways To Run A Simulation On A Real Robot

How BRW gets a simulated motion onto a real robot depends on the robot's controller. Find your robot in one of the two groups below.

A. Live control over TCP/IPB. Robot program via USB stick
HowA bridge app on your computer drives the controller over Ethernet while you watchA post processor in the plugin writes a robot program file; you copy it to the controller
NeedsEthernet cable to the controller, the bridge app runningOnly a USB stick: no network, nothing to install
On the robotRuns immediately on User Command 1, can be stopped from BRWLoaded and started on the teach pendant, like any robot program
RobotsUniversal Robots UR3, UR5, UR10eKUKA KR series
Safety first. The real arm makes the same moves as the simulation, including through anything that is not modelled in BRW. Clear the work cell, start with reduced speed, and keep the teach pendant's emergency stop within reach. Stop commands in BRW are a convenience, not a safety function.
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A. Robots Controlled Over TCP/IP

BabaCAD Robotics Web runs in the browser, and a web page cannot open a network connection to a robot controller by itself. A small bridge app on your computer does that. The BRW plugin brw-plugin.js sends the simulated trajectory to the bridge over a local WebSocket (ws://127.0.0.1:8765). The bridge checks the trajectory and the robot, then drives the controller over the robot's own TCP/IP interface.

view_in_ar

BRW in the browser

Postures, simulation, and User Command 1 from the plugin

arrow_forward WebSocket
on this computer
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Bridge app

Checks joint limits, speeds and robot state, then generates the robot program

arrow_forward Ethernet
TCP/IP
smart_toy

Robot controller

Moves to the start pose slowly, then follows the simulated path

What you do

  1. Download the setup package for your robot from the list below and unzip it. The Windows and Mac packages include Node.js, so there is nothing else to install.
  2. Enter the robot's IP address in app/config.json and start the bridge with start-bridge.bat (Windows) or start-bridge.command (Mac).
  3. In BRW, load the matching robot model and the plugin folder brw-plugin from the package (Import / Export).
  4. Build your postures, press Play full and check the motion on screen. Then press User Command 1 to send it to the robot. User Command 2 stops the robot and User Command 3 shows its status.

Supported robots

Robot Setup package (zip) Setup guide
Universal Robots UR3
CB-series controller
downloadWindows downloadMac (Apple silicon) downloadMac (Intel) downloadWithout Node.js
menu_bookUR3 guide
Universal Robots UR5
CB-series controller
downloadWindows downloadMac (Apple silicon) downloadMac (Intel) downloadWithout Node.js
menu_bookUR5 guide
Universal Robots UR10e
e-Series controller
downloadWindows downloadMac (Apple silicon) downloadMac (Intel) downloadWithout Node.js
menu_bookUR10e guide
Pick the package for the computer that runs the bridge: Mac (Apple silicon) for M1 and newer Macs, Mac (Intel) for older ones. Without Node.js is a small download for computers that already have Node.js 18 or newer. Each guide lists the sizes and how to start each package.
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B. Robots Controlled With A Robot Program (Post Processor)

Many industrial controllers do not accept motion from the network without extra software options. For these robots the plugin works as a post processor: it turns the simulated trajectory into a program in the robot's own language. You save the file, copy it to the controller with a USB stick, and start it on the teach pendant.

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BRW in the browser

Postures, simulation, and User Command 1 from the plugin

arrow_forward post processor
saves a file
description

Robot program

For example a KUKA KRL .src file, checked against the robot's motion ranges

arrow_forward USB stick
smart_toy

Robot controller

Loaded and started on the teach pendant, first in T1 with low speed

What you do

  1. Download the plugin for your robot brand from the list below and unzip it. There is nothing to install.
  2. In BRW, load the robot model and the plugin folder brw-plugin (Import / Export).
  3. Build your postures, press Play full and check the motion on screen. Then press User Command 1: the plugin recognizes the active robot, writes the program and asks for the folder to save it in. For KUKA, User Command 1 writes a KR C4 / KR C5 program and User Command 2 a KR C2 program.
  4. Copy the program to the controller with a USB stick, select it on the teach pendant and run it, first in T1 with a low override.

Supported robots

Robot Plugin (zip) Setup guide
KUKA KR series
KR 6, KR 15, KR 16, KR 6 R700 sixx, KR 70 R2100, KR 210 R2700 extra, KR 500 R2830 · KR C4 / KR C5 (User Command 1) and KR C2 (User Command 2), KRL program (.src + .dat)
downloadKUKA post processor
menu_bookKUKA guide
One plugin covers every KUKA model in BRW. Chrome and Edge let you pick the folder for the program, for example the USB stick; Firefox and Safari save it to Downloads.
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More Robots

Each robot needs its own kinematic model, joint mapping and communication settings or program format. Every one added to these lists has been checked against its manufacturer's data. The lists are updated continually as new robots are added, so check back if your robot is not here yet.