This guide provides a basic introduction to Robotmaster software. There is a basic overview of the user interface and options. Followed by a walkthrough of a programming a job for work cell with a six-axis robot manipulator.
Contents
Setup
Installation
Installation instructions should be available on the KB.
Licensing
For now, this is covered in separate doc for License Expert and in the RM KB. Rita posted this to the KB. We need to work out where that info will ultimately live.
Part Programming Guide
Opening RobotmasterImportant options
Device and task windows3D navigation
Add CAD, run through the navigation options.
Gnomons
Best to show gnomon with walkthrough, Add cad, enter user coordinate system/frame, show how to move.
Walkthrough
Creating a new taskImporting a CAD fileCreating a contouring operation
Loading a deviceAssigning an operation
Calculating
Simulating
Open Robotmaster
Go to Windows Start
> Robotmaster 2025.
Robotmaster main window
When Robotmaster opens for the first time, the main window will be empty with no device or tasks loaded. The main window is divided into several areas:
Main Menu
Access common commands such as New, Open, Save, Export, set global Options, and so on.
Device tab and Task tab
The pane on the left is divided into two tabs: Device and Task. The Device tab is used for robot cell programming. The Task tab is used for adding parts and creating paths and operations.
Scheduler and simulation
The time-based scheduler is used to simulate and schedule operations for the part program in Robotmaster.
Viewport and Viewport menu
The viewport is the main work area in Robotmaster where you will view and interact with 3D models of cells, robots, and workpieces.
Point list, Joint list, and Frame editor
Use this area to view and edit points, robot joint positions, and coordinate frames.
Add a new task
At this point in the walkthrough, let’s add a new task.
In the Task pane, select [+] New task.
A new task called “Task 1” will be created. Note that Task 1 is now the active tab.
When a task tab is active in Robotmaster, several task-specific panels appear on the left:
Parts: This is where parts in the task are listed. You can import parts in this area.
Operations: Operations added in the task are listed here. You can create paths and operations for parts in this area.
Custom frames: One or more reference frames for the CAD part are listed here.
For now, we’ve created a task. Next, let’s add a part to the task.
Import a part
Select the Task 1 tab.
In the Parts panel, select [+].
Browse to the following folder:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Robotmaster 2025\Samples\CAD
Select Large_Dome.stp.
Click Open.
A part called “Large_Dome” will be added to the task. The CAD for the part will be visible in the viewport.
Now that the part is imported, let’s inspect it in more detail.
Organizing the CAD model for a part
In the Parts panel, click the expand button next to the part to view CAD model details.
You can explore the CAD for any part in this tree view. Depending on how the part was drawn in the source CAD file and the CAD file format, it might consist of wires, mesh, points, surfaces, and solids.
In this case, the “Large_Dome” CAD model contains two solid bodies. One body is the dome-shaped part, the other body is the work table.
You can see which is which using the show/hide button.
In Robotmaster, there are three available types for parts:
Workpiece
Fixture
Stock
Workpiece is used for the actual part; the material that requires robotic operations performed on it. Fixture is used for CAD that doesn’t require any robotic operations, it may represent an object that holds the workpiece in place or a surface that the workpiece rests on. Stock is typically used for original stock material that will not be part of the finished workpiece.
If you right-click the Large_Dome item in the Parts panel, it shows that the entire part is set to Workpiece.
We will need to separate the two solid bodies into different parts to differentiate the workpiece from the fixture.
Right-click Solid#2, then select Move geometry to new part.
A new part called Large_Dome 1 will be created in the Parts panel. This is the work table.
Right-click Large_Dome 1 and change the type to Fixture.
The work table solid body is now classified as a Fixture. Note that it now has a fixture icon.
Double-click the new part and rename it something that will make it easy to identify, like “Base Fixture.”
With the part added and CAD correctly organized, let’s take a brief look at using the 3D viewport.
Getting familiar with the viewport
As you interact with a part in the viewport, there are some basic default mouse controls.
Mouse actions | Result | |
|---|---|---|
 | Mouse wheel up | Zoom out |
 | Mouse wheel down | Zoom in |
 | Mouse wheel click and drag | Pan |
 | CTRL key + Mouse wheel click and drag | Rotate |
In Robotmaster Options (Main Menu > Options), you can choose different 3D navigation styles. For example, if you are more comfortable with SOLIDWORKS mouse controls in the 3D space, you can use that style instead of the default.
The Viewport menu contains task-specific viewport controls, including:
Normal views (Isometric, Top, Right, Bottom, and so on).
Show/hide workpiece, paths, and fixtures.
Selection controls
Snapping controls
Measurement tool
These are useful tools which can help as you interact in the viewport.
Switch between normal views
In the viewport menu, select View settings > Top.
The viewport will show a Top view.
Select View settings > Isometric.
The viewport will show a perspective isometric view.
Selecting CAD objects
CAD objects can be selected by clicking an area on the part in the viewport.
Since the color of the Large_Dome example part is light blue, it might not be easy to tell when CAD objects on the part are selected. Let’s select the entire part and change its color in Robotmaster, to make things easier to see:
Right-click the part, then choose Select > Whole part.
The entire part will be selected.
Right-click the selected part, then click the color swatch next to Fill with color.
Set all the ARGB values to 255 to make it white.
The dome part will be colored white.
Add a contouring operation and define toolpaths
Next, we will add a simple contouring operation and define toolpaths for a few holes on the part.
On the Task 1 tab, select Operations > [+] > Contouring.
In Contouring mode, in the Paths panel, select [+] > Auto Path.
Select the surface on the part that contains the three holes that need contouring.
The selected surface will be light blue. Note that paths can be automatically applied to all edges on this selected surface.
Click Refresh from selected surfaces.
Potenial paths will be added on the edges (shown in orange). There are paths on the edges of the holes and a large path added around the perimeter of the surface. Next, let’s exclude some of the paths we don’t need using the path slider.
Drag the path slider one unit from the right.
The largest potential path will be removed. Dragging from the right will remove paths, starting with the largest path.
Drag the path slider from the right again until the orange path for the next largest hole disappears.
Drag the path slider from the left to eliminate the paths for the four smallest holes.
With paths remaining on only the three medium-sized holes, select Add to path list.
Edge Paths will be added to the Paths list.
Click OK.
At this point, the paths are added to the Contouring operation. You can view the entry / exit point for each path, view toolpath direction, and set various parameters for the operation.
For now, we will use the default values for the entire operation.
Click Apply and then OK for the Contouring operation
The operation is fully created.
Load a device
In Robotmaster, a robot cell is considered a “device”.
Robotmaster comes pre-loaded with several default work cells, including robots and cell components like tables and fences.
Select the Device tab.
Select Load a device.
Set Brand to Robotmaster.
Select ROBOTMASTER_2.7 from the list.
ROBOTMASTER_2.7 is a fictional 6-axis robot manipulator that is only used for demonstration purposes. Your installation of Robotmaster will contain one or more real-world devices that corresponds to the physical robot(s) you will be programming.
With the robot device loaded and the Device tab active, a model of the robot cell will appear in the viewport.
In Device mode, device-specific panels will appear on the left:
Operations: Shows the currently loaded device (cell), setup, and program.
Unassigned operations: Any operations created in the job that are not yet assigned to a program are listed here.
Frames: Reference frames appear here.
At this point, we have a device loaded and a task is created. However the task is empty. Next, let’s import a part and add a simple contouring operation for it.
Options
Use Options configure the general behavior of Robotmaster.
To open Robotmaster Options:
Select the Main Menu button
> Options.
Some common options that you may want to adjust:
3D Navigation style
Several styles are available for interacting with the 3D viewport.
Joint moves color and Cartesian moves color
Set the
Frames and using the gnomon
Reference frames in Robotmaster allow coordinate systems to be specified for several different components. Some important frames include:
Base frame: Coordinate system at the base of the robot. Stationary point on which other frames are based.
Tool frame or TCP: defines position and orientation of the tip of the tool, relative to J6.
User frame: Defines the position and orientation of the part. Defined with respect to the base frame.
Next, let’s
Reference frames in Robotmaster allow coordinate systems to be specified for several different components. Some important frames include:
Transforms, frames
Gnomon
Move origin
Move along axis
Move along plane
Rotate about axis
Align axis with external geometry (click the round ball mid axis, then select point).
Right-click to cancel out
nents.
Import a part.
Change the user frame.
Use example 3D part, have them change the origin