Types of robot programming methods

Robot programming means teaching the controller the positions, motions and logic needed for a task.

Method	How it works	Advantages	Limitations
Manual lead-through	Operator physically moves the arm (or a replica) through the path and positions are recorded	Simple, no coding; good for spray painting	Needs a light or counter-balanced arm; path quality depends on the operator
Powered lead-through (teach pendant)	Operator drives each axis with pendant buttons and records points	Precise point recording; common in industry	Robot is out of production while teaching; mostly point-to-point
Textual (robot language)	Program is written in a language such as VAL, RAPID or AML	Supports logic, loops, sensors and subroutines	Needs programming skill and debugging
Offline programming	Program and simulate on a computer from a CAD model, then download	No production downtime; collision checking	Needs an accurate model and calibration

Choosing a method

Use lead-through for simple repetitive paths, the pendant for pick-and-place, language programming for sensor-based logic, and offline programming for complex or high-volume cells.

Exam tip

Name the methods and give one line of working principle and one advantage for each.