MiR robots connected to MiR Fleet can use elevators to travel between floors in the same site. In software version 2.10.0, a new elevator management system was introduced that includes new resource handling methods and new features to test your elevator setup.

This guide describes how to set up a new elevator, how to test the elevator, and how elevator resources are handled by MiR Fleet.

For more information about setting up an OPC UA driver, see How to set up an OPC UA elevator server. The server must be designed as described in the guide.

For more information about the elevator solution from RoboConnect, send a request from this page https://www.mobile-industrial-robots.com/mirgo/communication/roboconnect-rocon-lift-interface-panel/.

Unintended use

Before setting up an elevator, be aware that the following is not supported with an elevator set up in MiR Fleet:

• Setting up the elevator so both personnel and robots can use it with equal priority—see Best practices.

• Making robots with MiR hooks mounted to them use elevators while towing carts.

• Using the Elevator positions and Elevator entry positions in missions that are not custom Elevator entry missions.

• Using the elevator test page to operate the elevator. The test page is only intended for testing.

• Restarting MiR Fleet while a robot is inside an elevator.

• Restarting a robot while it is in an elevator.

Setting up a new elevator

1. With one of your robots, create maps for each floor that the elevator can travel to with a robot. Make sure to include the inside of the elevator itself on your map, and ensure that all of the maps are part of the same site.

   When mapping the inside of the elevator, make sure the result is very precise and that it is the same on each map.

   

2. On each floor map, create an Elevator position and an Elevator entry position.

   • Place the Elevator position inside the elevator. This position defines where the robot should position itself while in the elevator.

     It is a good idea to drive the robot into the elevator, position it in front of the door as accurately as possible, and use the robot's current position to create the Elevator position. Keep the elevator doors open to ensure good localization.

   • Place the Elevator entry position outside of the elevator where you want the robot to wait for the elevator to become available. Keep in mind that people and other robots may need to exit the elevator, so place the entry position some distance away from the elevator doors to ensure the robot is not in way.

   

3. Sign in to the MiR Fleet interface, and check that the maps and positions created by the robot have synchronized successfully.

4. Go to Setup > Elevators, and select Create elevator.

   

5. Fill out the following parameters:

   • Name: Enter a name that enables you to identify the elevator.

   • Site: Select the site where you have saved all of the floor maps.

   • IP address: Enter the IP address of your elevator controller.

   • Turn in place: Select Yes if there is enough space in the elevator for the robot to pivot and you want to robot to rotate 180° so it is ready to drive forward out of the elevator when it reaches the correct floor.

   • Move direction: Select Up only or Down only if you want the robot to use the elevators to travel one way only. Select Up and Down if the elevator can transport robots in both directions.
     

     Only use Up only or Down only if you have two elevators where each are set to the opposite direction.

   • Driver: Select the type of controller the elevator uses. If you select OPC UA the following additional parameters are displayed:

     • Port: Enter the port number for the OPC UA server.

     • Authentication: Select No authentication. Currently, there is no support for password protected servers.

     • Namespace: Enter the namespace the OPC UA server uses to control the elevator. The namespace must have the prefix mir:elevator.

     For more information about setting up an OPC UA driver, see How to set up an OPC UA elevator server.
     The Hitachi driver is a solution provided by RoboConnect. Send a request for more information from this page https://www.mobile-industrial-robots.com/mirgo/communication/roboconnect-rocon-lift-interface-panel/

   

6. Select Create elevator when you have finished, and verify that MiR Fleet can connect to it:

   1. Activate the elevator on your fleet by selecting the On/Off switch.
      
      

   2. Select Go back.

   3. Check that the elevator is connected in the elevator overview page.

      
      

Adding floors to the elevator

1. Select Edit  for the elevator you want to add floors to, and in the edit page, select Floors.

   

2. Select + Add floor to create a new floor.

   

3. Set the following parameters for the new floor:

   • Floor: Select the floor number. This must match the floor number used by the elevator controller.

   • Map: Select the map you created for the selected floor.

   • Position in front of the elevator: Select the Elevator entry position on the selected map. If you have multiple elevators, make sure to select the Elevator entry position that is for the elevator you are currently editing.

   • Position in the elevator: Select the Elevator position inside the elevator on the selected map.

   • Entry mission (optional): If you have created a mission for how the robot must enter the elevator, you can select it. The Entry mission starts when the robot is at the Elevator entry position and the Elevator position is available. The mission must include a Move action to the Elevator position.

     If you use a Relative move action in the Entry mission, place it before the Move action to the Elevator position. The Relative move action does not release the Elevator entry position resource and MiR Fleet may keep control of the elevator for longer than necessary.

     If you do not select a mission, the robot will use the default Entry mission where it just drives to the Elevator position.

   • Exit mission (optional): If you have created a mission for how the robot must exit the elevator, you can select it. Do not include the Elevator position or Elevator entry position in the Exit mission. If you do not select a mission, the robot will use the default Exit mission where it just drives to the next position in its mission.

   • Door: If you have an elevator with two doors, select which of the doors open on the selected floor. If the elevator has only one door, select 1.

   

4. Add a floor for each floor in your site.

   

Testing your elevator

Always test your elevator setup before allowing MiR robots to use the elevator.

1. Go to Setup > Elevators, and deactivate the elevator that you want to test. To do this, select Edit , and then set the On/Off switch to Off.

   

2. Select Go back, then select Test  for the elevator you want to test. Before selecting Test , verify that the elevator you want to test is connected.

   

3. Go through the relevant tests for your elevator on the test page. We recommend trying each function and floor before using the elevator in the fleet.

   When you are finished testing your elevator, make sure to activate it again if you want robots to use it.

MiR Fleet elevator resource handling

The following sections describe important elements of how elevators are handled by MiR Fleet.

Elevator positions and Elevator entry positions

Elevator entry positions and Elevator positions are linked to enable MiR Fleet to handle the elevator as a resource for robots. The following points describe the linked behavior:

• When a robot is waiting for the Elevator position, it occupies the Elevator entry position.
  The Elevator entry position should be placed so the robot waits where it is not in the way of other traffic going in and out of the elevator.
  

• A robot cannot occupy an Elevator position without first occupying the Elevator entry position, regardless of the distance to the Elevator position.
  
  Robot 2 is first in the queue for the Elevator entry position. Because it occupies the entry position, it also occupies the Elevator position inside the elevator. Robot 1 will only be in the queue for the Elevator position when it occupies the entry position.
  

• The robot does not release the Elevator entry position until it has occupied the linked Elevator position.
  
  Robot 2 still occupies the entry position even though it is currently driving toward the Elevator position. Robot 1 can not occupy the Elevator entry position until Robot 2 releases it.
  
  Once Robot 2 has reached the Elevator position, it releases the Elevator entry position, allowing Robot 1 to occupy it. Robot 1 is now in the queue for the Elevator position.

• Once the robot occupies an Elevator position, it also occupies all the other Elevator positions linked to that elevator. Only one robot can be in an elevator at a time.
  
  Robot 2 occupies all of the Elevator positions on the different floors, preventing Robot 1 from entering the elevator.
  
  Once Robot 2 releases the Elevator position, Robot 1 may occupy them and can now enter the elevator, once it reaches floor 3.
  

People and robots sharing an elevator

We do not recommend nor support letting people and robots share the same elevator. If possible, dedicate one elevator to people and another to robots. If people and robots frequently need to use the same elevator, the elevator controller may not be able to meet the demands of both.

But if you choose to let people and robots use the came elevator, we recommend the following guidelines:

• If the elevator is too small for both people and a robot to fit, make sure people exit the elevator when a robot wants to enter.

• An elevator is only large enough to accommodate both people and a robot if:

  • People can be in the elevator with a robot without triggering a Protective stop.

  • The robot has enough space to pivot 180° without triggering a Protective stop.

• People sharing an elevator with a robot must stand clear of the doors to allow robots to enter and exit freely. If a person obstructs a robot from entering or exiting the elevator, the robot may enter an error state and require a robot operator or user to help it back on its mission.

  It is a good idea to mark the robot's Elevator position on the floor, so people know where the robot wants to go.

• If people and robots share an elevator, the robot has first priority.

  If you are using the RoboConnect solution, when a robot is using an elevator, the control panels for summoning the elevator from the outside are disabled. The control panel inside the elevator is still responsive, but using it will most likely disrupt the robot's current mission, and the robot risks getting stuck in the elevator or exiting the elevator on a wrong floor.

• People should never touch or push the robot or press its Emergency stop button while the robot is in the elevator.

FAQs

Best practices

There are a few final points to keep in mind when using elevators:

• Never restart MiR Fleet while a robot is inside an elevator. MiR Fleet will not remember that the robot is in an elevator when it starts up again, and the robot must be removed from the elevator manually and set to the correct map.

• If you have an elevator with two doors that open to two different areas on the same floor that are only connected through the elevator, make a separate map for each area.

• Make sure that all of the Elevator positions inside an elevator point towards the same door. This prevents errors when the robot switches maps between floors.
  

• Do not use Elevator entry positions in standard missions. The entry positions should only be used:

  • By MiR Fleet to automatically manage robots waiting to go inside the elevator or elevator error handling.

  • In elevator Entry missions if you want to implement custom error handling. Note that the entry mission starts when the robot is on the Elevator entry position.

• Be aware that the robot will first determine if it can go to the floor with its goal position. It will not check whether the goal position is accessible to it until it has reached the floor.

• Robots that are on different floors from the goal position are estimated to be further from the goal position than any other robots on the same floor as the goal position.