What is hand guiding or lead-through teaching?
Hand guiding is a supported operating mode in which a person physically guides the arm to teach or control movement. Depending on the system, the controller compensates for the arm and tool weight and records positions or motion. It is available only where the robot and configuration explicitly support it.
What this means in practice
Lead-through teaching can simplify position setup, but taught points still require review. The resulting program needs defined movement paths, speeds, tool actions, and process logic. The tool, workpiece, and nearby fixtures remain relevant to the operating arrangement.
Taught points do not define every movement
Guiding an arm to a position records useful geometry, but it may not define how automatic motion should travel between points. An obstacle-free hand-guided approach can produce taught positions whose programmed connection follows a different path. Review the motion commands as well as the saved targets.
Use hand guiding where the manufacturer permits it and configure the actual tool and load. Add appropriate approach and retreat points, tool actions, and confirmation checks. Validate automatic execution under the approved commissioning procedure rather than assuming the recorded demonstration is already a production program.
Key points
Use the manufacturer's approved hand-guiding mode and controls.
Configure the actual tool and payload as required.
Validate the recorded path before automatic execution.
Practical example and next step
A user might guide a gripper to a pickup location and save the waypoint. That does not teach the system how to detect a part or recover from a failed grip. Combine convenient position teaching with a complete, tested production sequence.