The IXrouter enables you to remotely connect to your UR robot, allowing for an easy and quick way to securely access your UR robot from anywhere. This means you can access and do everything you would otherwise have to be on location for. In addition to remote access the IXrouter also provides features like Cloud Logging (data logging) and Cloud Notify (alarming), giving you the option to view and analyze your machine data and always be kept up-to-date about important machine events.

To get started, you'll need an IXrouter and an account on the IXON Cloud.

• IXrouter
• Create an IXON Cloud account
• Register the IXrouter
• Install the IXON Connector URcap
• Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify

Additional information:

• Troubleshooting
• Data source.csv contents and details

IXrouter

The IXrouter is available in several variations. Each one offers a different way to connect to the cloud in addition to a default wired connection:

• Wired only, 4G, Wi-Fi, 4G & Wi-Fi (details)

Each variant comes with life-long IXON Cloud usage and its features, the option to activate Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify, as well as free technical support.

Create an IXON Cloud account

You can easily create your personal account on connect.ixon.cloud by pressing register at the bottom of the login page. A company account will automatically be created where you will be able to register your IXrouters.

Register the IXrouter

Now that you have an account, you can create a configuration file that will tell the IXrouter how to connect (i.e. via Ethernet cable, Wi-Fi etc.).

• Go to [Tools] in the left menu and press [Start configuration]. Simply follow the steps and download the configuration file.
• Load the configuration file into the IXrouter by copying the ixrouter.conf file onto a USB flash drive and placing it in the IXrouter. The IXrouter will do the rest and automatically register under your company.
• Once registered, you can activate it.

Install the IXON connector URcap

The "IXON connector" URCap will add a VNC server to your UR robot, enabling you to remotely view and control your UR robot's HMI.

• 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.

Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify

In addition to a VNC server, the "IXON connector" URCap also adds ready-to-use Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify nodes that you can easily drag-and-drop in your robot program. Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify enable you to view and analyze your machine data and always be kept up-to-date about important machine events.

• Go to the IXON Cloud and create a LoggerAPI data source in the IXrouter's [Services] tab.
• Enter the robot's IP address and choose a password (you will need this in the next step).
• Go to the IXON Connector page on the robot, enable publishing data for Cloud Logging and Cloud Notify, enter the IXrouter's IP address, and enter the password that you chose at the previous step.

You can log a large amount of built-in variables from your robot without making any changes to your program.

• Download the "IXON connector" data source .csv file here () and import this file in your LoggerAPI data source in the IXON Cloud. Details can be found here: Data source.csv contents and details.

You can also log 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.

• Add these variables in your LoggerAPI data source in the IXON Cloud by using their IXON Cloud Address as their address. For an overview of the corresponding data types in the IXON Cloud, take a look at the table below.

You can also add alarms to recieve notifications when specific events occur.

• Drag-and-drop the "IXON - Notify"-node anywhere in your program and as often as you like.
• If you've not yet done so, download the "IXON connector" data source .csv file here () and import this file in your LoggerAPI data source in the IXON Cloud. Details can be found here: Data source.csv contents and details.

To effectively start logging data and start receiving notifications:

• In the IXON Cloud, open the Cloud Logging or Cloud Notify app in the [Apps] tab and configure what you'd like to log or be notified about.

Note that you will have to sync (top right corner) any changes you make.

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"
• "The variable .. is not defined"

"Could not connect to the IXrouter"

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

• The IP address entered on the IXON Connector page, on the robot, is not the same as the IXrouter's LAN IP address.
• 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 (import the .csv file included in the URcap .zip package)
• Cloud Logging and/or Cloud Notify have not yet been activated and/or pushed to the IXrouter. You need to have activated one, or both, before the URcap can report it's data to the IXrouter.

"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.

Data source.csv 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 data source.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.