A teach pendant is one of the main components of any industrial robot. Teach pendants are the handheld devices that are part of the control system of the ABB 2400 and other ABB robots. ABB teach pendants are used as the primary programming method for their robots. The ABB 1600 can be programmed for welding automation using its compatible teach pendant. The same goes for the ABB 6640 and robotic material handling applications.
There are two types of ABB teach pendants, the older legacy pendant and the newer FlexPendant. The legacy pendant is mainly compatible with ABB’s older controller models. These include their S4, S4C, and S4C+ robotic controllers. It features a display screen, joystick, keypad, and emergency stop button. Legacy pendants connect to the controller through a cable and do not allow for a wireless operation. ABB no longer manufacturers the legacy pendant, but some are still available on the second-hand robotic parts market.
ABB’s FlexPendant is a modern update to their legacy teach pendant. It features a color touchscreen design which replaces the antiquated keypad. Other features of the FlexPendant include an emergency stop button, 3D joystick, USB port, connector, stylus pen, and reset button. This teach pendant is used with ABB’s IRC5 controller.
The FlexPendant is capable of performing many of the tasks associated with operating an ABB robot system. These include creating application programs, running programs, jogging the manipulator, adjusting application programs, storing program data, recalling application history, calibration, and storing system information. The FlexPendant is essentially a mini computer consisting of both hardware and software.