Cross-Platform Industrial Teaching Pendants
Building and maintaining consistent, high-performance HMIs across multiple platforms and use cases can be a significant effort in the robotics industry. Agile Robots needed a UI framework that could serve two distinct but related purposes:
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Powering the teaching pendant used by operators on the factory floor,
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Driving dedicated test units used for system validation and integration.
The main challenge is avoiding fragmentation. Running parallel codebases for Windows and Linux, or maintaining separate implementations for production and test environments, would introduce unnecessary complexity and risk. Says Mr Dong Yang, Team Lead Robot Group.
The team needed a single, proven solution that could handle the different environments and use cases efficiently and without compromise.
Qt Framework's Competitive Edge
Qt enables a unified cross-platform development approach, allowing Agile Robots to build and maintain a single codebase for both Windows and Linux. This consistency extends across environments: the same HMI behavior and performance are guaranteed whether running on a production teaching pendant or a test validation unit.
The ability to maintain a single codebase for 4 different systems (Windows, Linux, Production, and Testing) helps us reduces our development efforts by 4 times. Says Mr Yang.
The consistent user experience across platforms and applications was another appreciated benefit of using Qt.
Seamless Integration via C++
Qt was a natural fit for Agile Robots, not only due to its well-known cross-platform capabilities. The C++ backbone shared between Qt and Agile Robots' development stack made integration of the two systems particularly smooth.
Qt Framework's deep C++ integration and mature cross-platform architecture meant the team could adopt Qt without rethinking their core development approach. Says Mr Yang.
Qt enables efficient development of high-performance, scalable interfaces. The availability of ready-made modules like QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets, QtNetwork, QtXml, QtConcurrent, and QtQuick3D provided all the ingredients needed to build robust and safe UIs with built-in support for networking, concurrency, and 3D graphics.
Such comprehensive libraries also help us reduce the number of dependencies on third-party software and have a positive effect on our certification processes and go-to-market readiness. Says Mr Yang.
Added Safety and Security
Today, manufacturers and machine builders must meet a growing set of regulatory obligations, including EU CRA and standards such as IEC 62443 and IEC 61508.
The Qt Framework's comprehensive libraries help reduce dependencies on third-party software.
With Qt, we can find so much ready out-of-the box. This speeds up our development cycles, but it also makes it easier to comply with modern cybersecurity regulations, as fewer dependencies mean less code to audit. Says Mr Yang.
Indeed, commercial Qt offers clear advantages for industry-grade applications: immediate delivery of updates and security patches, five-year Long-Term Support (further extensible on demand), and Software Bill of Materials plus vulnerability management, providing the artifacts manufacturers in Robotics and Industrial Manufacturing need to demonstrate conformity with IEC 62443 and the EU CRA.
About Agile Robots
Agile Robots is a leading provider of next-generation automation solutions. By combining artificial intelligence and robotics, the company makes industries smarter, more flexible, and more efficient. Founded in Munich in 2018 by renowned robotics researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Agile Robots has experienced rapid global growth. Today, more than 3,200 highly skilled robotics and AI enthusiasts are employed worldwide. The company has one of the largest research and development teams in the AI and robotics industry. Agile Robots has built a unique portfolio, together with the subsidiaries audEERING, BÄR Automation, Franka Robotics, idealworks and Krause Automation, the company covers all areas of AI-driven robotics.
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