Coppelia Robotics CoppeliaSim Alternatives & Competitors

Willow Garage's Robot Operating System (ROS) is an open-source software platform designed for building robot applications. Over the past 10+ years, it has fostered a massive global community of developers and users, resulting in a vast ecosystem of robotics software. ROS is widely used in teaching robotics, powering research projects, and serving as the basis for commercial robots worldwide, generating billions of dollars in value.

ROS significantly shortens the time to market for robotics applications by providing a wide range of tools, libraries, and capabilities. Its flexibility allows seamless integration with existing software, giving developers the freedom to tailor ROS to their specific needs. ROS's multi-domain capabilities make it suitable for various applications, including indoor, outdoor, automotive, and even space and underwater robotics.

The latest version, ROS 2, expands its reach across multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, macOS, and various embedded systems through micro-ROS. It remains 100% open-source, ensuring free access to a feature-rich robotics SDK for the global community. Supported by industry players worldwide, ROS 2 benefits from open-source contributions and is utilized to develop innovative products in the robotics industry, solidifying its position as a leading robot operating system.

FANUC ROBOGUIDE is a leading offline programming robot simulation software designed for FANUC robots. It offers process-focused robot simulation packages, enabling users to create, program, and simulate robotic workcells in a 3D virtual environment without the need for physical prototypes. This reduces costs and risks, allowing users to visualize single and multi-robot workcell layouts before actual installation.

ROBOGUIDE comes with various feature-specific modules. Handling Pro is ideal for material handling, packing, assembly, and material removal tasks, supporting line tracking and path programming. Paint Pro simplifies the painting process, allowing users to select paths and areas graphically for automatic program generation. Pallet Pro & Pallet tools enable users to build and test palletizing applications, offering a library of different pallet configurations. Weld Pro specializes in arc welding, featuring capabilities for CADD path programming.

In addition to the key features, ROBOGUIDE offers advanced functionalities like Auto Place, Duty, Cable, Vision, Spray, and COORD (coordination). These features enhance the software's versatility, enabling users to tackle complex and advanced systems efficiently. ROBOGUIDE supports CADD files, has built-in CADD models, and facilitates pre-programming, streamlining the setup and testing of sophisticated automation systems. Its compatibility with various software systems and extensive capabilities make it a unique and powerful option for industrial automation, providing valuable assistance to manufacturers and robotics developers.

RoboDK is a comprehensive robotic simulation and programming software that offers a user-friendly experience with five easy steps to simulate and program robots. It provides access to an extensive library of over 500 industrial robot arms from various manufacturers like ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, and Universal Robots. Moreover, it supports external axes such as turntables and linear rails, allowing users to model and synchronize additional axes effortlessly.

The software facilitates precise tool definition by loading 3D models of tools and converting them to robot tools by drag-and-drop actions. Users can calibrate robot tools accurately using RoboDK. Additionally, it enables the loading of 3D models of parts and placing them in a reference frame for a quick proof of concept. The simulation capabilities enable users to create robot paths using an intuitive interface, integrating with CAD/CAM software and accessing plug-ins for various design software.

RoboDK's standout feature lies in its ability to generate robot programs offline with just two clicks, supporting over 40 robot manufacturers with more than 70 post-processors. It eliminates the need for programming experience, making it accessible to a broader user base. Furthermore, it automatically generates error-free paths, avoids singularities, axis limits, and collisions, ensuring efficient and collision-free robot programming. The software's capability to split long programs enables easy loading into the robot controller, streamlining the programming process for industrial automation tasks.

Gazebo, developed by Open Robotics, is a collection of open-source software libraries designed to simplify the development of high-performance applications. While its primary audience includes robot developers, designers, and educators, Gazebo is versatile and can be adapted to various use cases. The modular design of Gazebo allows users to choose specific libraries tailored to their application's needs, promoting flexibility and avoiding unnecessary dependencies.

One of Gazebo's standout features is its trust and reliability, ensured through a curation and maintenance process led by Open Robotics in collaboration with a community of developers. Each library within Gazebo serves a specific purpose, reducing code clutter and promoting consistency between libraries. The development and maintenance process adheres to a rigorous protocol, including multiple reviews, code checkers, and continuous integration, ensuring the software's stability and robustness.

Gazebo offers an array of powerful features, making it an excellent option for industrial automation. It includes built-in robot models like PR2 and Pioneer2 DX, enabling users to start simulations quickly. The TCP/IP transport allows simulations to run on remote servers, providing flexibility and scalability. The 3D graphics environment offers advanced and realistic rendering, enhancing the simulation experience. Additionally, Gazebo supports custom plugin development for its API, facilitating integration with other software systems. The dynamic simulation capabilities, along with various sensors and camera modules, make it a comprehensive tool for testing and validating robotic systems in a virtual environment. Furthermore, Gazebo's compatibility with cloud simulations allows users to run simulations on platforms like AWS, leveraging the power of cloud computing for their automation needs.

MathWorks MATLAB is a widely-used programming and numeric computing platform utilized by engineers and scientists for data analysis, algorithm development, and model creation. It offers a powerful desktop environment, combining iterative analysis and design processes with a programming language that directly handles matrix and array mathematics. One standout feature is the Live Editor, allowing users to create executable notebooks that seamlessly integrate code, output, and formatted text.

MATLAB boasts professionally developed and thoroughly tested toolboxes, providing a wide range of functionalities for various applications. Interactive apps in MATLAB enable users to visualize algorithms in action with their data, facilitating iteration until desired results are achieved. Additionally, MATLAB's scalability allows for seamless analysis execution on clusters, GPUs, and clouds, with minimal code adjustments. Users can harness the power of these distributed computing resources without the need to rewrite their code or learn complex big data programming techniques.

Moreover, MATLAB's compatibility with various hardware architectures and its ability to scale easily make it an attractive option for industrial automation. Its tolerance for extreme temperatures or specific software systems is not explicitly mentioned in the provided information, but MATLAB's ability to handle distributed computing and its support for GPUs and clusters can be beneficial for industrial applications that require efficient processing of large datasets and complex algorithms.

National Instruments LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment used by engineers to develop automated research, validation, and production test systems. Its standout features include thousands of available analysis functions, enabling complex data processing, and configurable, interactive display elements for real-time data visualization. LabVIEW also offers drivers for automating instruments and data acquisition hardware, ensuring seamless integration with various equipment.

A unique aspect of LabVIEW is its compatibility with other programming languages and industry-standard protocols, allowing smooth integration into existing software systems. This makes it an excellent choice for industrial automation setups that require data exchange and collaboration between different platforms. Moreover, LabVIEW's versatility and adaptability make it a preferred option for businesses with diverse automation needs, as it can accommodate various instruments and hardware.

Another lesser-known advantage of LabVIEW is its robustness in handling extreme temperatures and harsh industrial environments. This capability makes it a reliable solution for automation applications in challenging conditions, such as manufacturing processes that involve high temperatures or rugged outdoor environments. Overall, LabVIEW's extensive functionalities, compatibility, and resilience make it a unique and powerful option for engineers seeking to develop sophisticated automated test and control systems.

ABB's IRC5 is an advanced robot controller, known as the benchmark in robot controller technology. It stands out with unique motion control capabilities, offering flexibility, safety, modularity, application interfaces, multi-robot control, and PC tool support. The IRC5 can be easily integrated into various robotic systems, and its variants provide cost-effective solutions for different industries like automotive and electronics.

Safety is a key feature of IRC5, equipped with built-in safety functions like safety-rated stop and emergency stop. Its modularity allows easy maintenance and system upgrades, while supporting multi-robot control for seamless collaboration. The controller offers various application interfaces, including fieldbus and Ethernet, facilitating integration into diverse applications like material handling and painting.

Compatible with ABB's RobotStudio and third-party software tools, the IRC5 simplifies programming and simulation for robotics applications, reducing development time and costs. With its wide range of features and capabilities, the IRC5 is a versatile, high-performance choice for industrial automation, especially in demanding and safety-critical environments.

• Set-up all of your line on a single software : robots, tools, controllers, sensors.
• Thanks to the technology FabrikCode, you'll be able to program without typing any line of code. Thanks to this technology based on "Drag & Drop" you'll gain more freedom.
• KMeleon gives you access to a universal language for the robotic programming of the main robot suppliers (Fanuc, ABB, Kuka, UR, Staubli…)
• Try your programs on KMeleon or on a robot, you'll choose ! Thanks to the 3D simulation interface you can simulate the different moves and measure your cycle time in no time.

KUKA.Sim is a smart simulation software designed for efficient offline programming of KUKA robots. It enables users to optimize system and robot operations outside the production environment quickly and easily, leading to increased productivity, safety, and competitiveness. The software brings robot applications to life virtually, allowing real-time depiction and analysis of robot motion sequences. With features like reachability check and collision detection, users can ensure the feasibility of robot programs and work cell layouts, providing maximum planning reliability for manufacturing processes while minimizing costs and effort. KUKA.Sim's user-friendly interface allows for the simulation of a robot system in just a few minutes, even without deep programming knowledge.

The standout features of KUKA.Sim include its ability to offer real-time simulation and optimization of robot motion sequences, helping users identify and resolve potential issues before implementing them in the actual production environment. The software's reachability check and collision detection features add an extra layer of safety and accuracy to the programming process, ensuring that robot programs and work cell layouts are feasible and efficient. By utilizing KUKA.Sim for offline programming, manufacturers can reduce production downtimes, leading to increased productivity and overall competitiveness.

One of the unique aspects of KUKA.Sim is its ease of use and quick setup, allowing users to simulate a robot system in just a few minutes, even with limited programming knowledge. This accessibility makes it an attractive option for users of varying skill levels, enabling them to take advantage of the benefits of offline programming without requiring extensive training. Additionally, the software's compatibility with KUKA robots further streamlines the programming and implementation process, making it a specialized and efficient solution for industrial automation needs.

Industrial Grade Simulation Software for Education

Workspace LT™ brings Industrial Grade Robot and Automation Simulation to Educational Institutions. Developed for the Educational market, Workspace LT™ provides an affordable Windows-based solution for teaching the concepts and programming of Robots and other manufacturing automation equipment.

Workspace LT™ offers full offline programming, and the ability to simulate complex workcells with multiple robots and automation devices. While targeted at the educational market, Workspace LT™ is designed to allow you to make maximum use of the resources at your disposal.

Features:

• 3D CADD support
• Robot library (inbuild and custom) (ABB, Fanuc, KAWASAKI, KUKA, Motaman, MATLAB, Nachi, Panasonic, microbot )
• 3D mouse support
• Support robot languages (AS Rapid, Inform II TP, Karel II, Karel III,)
• Accurate simulation & kinematic modeling.