KUKA KR 210-2 with KR C2: maintenance by hours and by years
What the KR 210-2 and KR C2 manuals call for: what falls due by hours, what by years and what depends on the robot's build date.
Technical blog
Robot maintenance technical know-how
Practical guides, fault diagnosis and best practices to keep your ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots in production. Written by our technical team.
ABB IRB 6700 annual maintenance: what the manual asks for
What the ABB IRB 6700 manual requires every 12 months, what's checked on condition, and why oil, balancing device and overhaul run on hours.
ABB Rev. Counter Not Updated: The SMB Battery, S4 to OmniCore
ABB robot revolution counters lost, S4 to OmniCore: why the SMB battery fails, how to identify yours, how often to replace it and what to do next.
Robot repeatability loss: how to measure it and causes
How to measure the repeatability of an ABB, KUKA or FANUC robot on the floor, tell it apart from accuracy, causes by frequency and when to stop.
Robot controller fans: failure signs, cleaning and replacement
How to spot a failing cabinet fan on ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots before it trips overtemperature: symptoms, cleaning and when to replace.
Robot timing belts: wear, tension and when to replace them
Symptoms of a worn or badly tensioned drive belt in ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots, how to check tension and condition and when to replace it.
Position following error on robots: causes and what to do
Following error alarm on ABB, KUKA or FANUC robots: causes ranked by frequency, what to check in order and when to stop.
Robot wrist wear (axes 4, 5, 6): symptoms and what to do
How to detect wrist wear on an ABB, KUKA or FANUC robot: symptoms on axes 4, 5 and 6, what to check in order and when to act.
Robot axis motor bearing noise: motor or gearbox?
How to tell a worn servomotor bearing from gearbox wear on ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots: symptoms, tests and when to stop.
Robot axis overcurrent: is it the motor or something else?
Overcurrent alarm on an ABB, KUKA or FANUC robot axis: causes by frequency, what to measure before replacing the motor and when to stop.
Condensation in the robot controller: how to spot and prevent it
Faults that appear on the first shift and clear on their own are often condensation in the cabinet. How to detect, measure and prevent it.
System image and disk cloning of your robot controller
Routine backups aren't enough against a controller disk failure. What a system image is and how it prevents days of downtime on ABB, KUKA and FANUC.
Robot gearbox oil leaks: causes and what to do
Oil stain under an axis: how to tell whether it's a real leak or residue, assess severity and decide whether to keep producing or stop.
Robot joint backlash: how to measure it and what to do
Double weld marks or TCP jumps on reversal: how to measure mechanical play axis by axis and decide when to intervene.
Robot collision on the shop floor: inspection checklist
What to check on an ABB, KUKA or FANUC robot after a collision: mechanics, brakes, repeatability, TCP, and when to stop the cell.
Robot Axis Brake Failure: Symptoms and When to Replace It
The arm drops a few millimetres when the robot powers off: brake failure symptoms, causes, step-by-step brake test and when to replace it.
Robot backups: how to protect and restore your programs
What a complete robot backup must include, how often to run it, and how to restore without losing calibration on ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots.
Electrical noise and EMI interference in industrial robots
Random alarms, unexplained restarts or communication losses can be EMI interference. Learn to identify and fix them in ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots.
Industrial robot encoders: faults, symptoms and when to replace
Symptoms, causes and diagnosis of encoder faults on ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots. Learn when to replace and what to check first.
Robot overheating: ventilation and thermal management
Overtemperature alarms in ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots: common causes, ventilation maintenance and how to prevent heat-related production stoppages.
Shift handover for robot maintenance: what to log
What to log and how to hand over robot status between shifts to prevent lost context from causing unplanned stoppages.
Robot gearbox replacement: when and how to plan it
How to detect robot gearbox wear before failure and plan the replacement to minimise downtime on your production line.
CMMS for industrial robots: a practical plant guide
How to implement a CMMS for ABB, KUKA and FANUC robots: key data, maintenance plan templates, KPIs and controller log integration.
Robot cables and connectors: inspection and wear management
Cables and connectors are the silent cause of many intermittent alarms. Learn how to inspect them and when replacement is the right call.
Repair or replace your robot: when to upgrade generations
Technical and economic criteria to decide with real data whether to repair, modernise or replace an ABB, KUKA or FANUC industrial robot.
Abnormal vibrations in industrial robots: causes & diagnosis
Learn to tell mechanical from electrical vibration in your robot, the most common causes and the steps to take before calling a technician.
Industrial robot lubrication: when and how to change the oil
When and how to change the oil in ABB, KUKA or FANUC industrial robot gearboxes to prevent breakdowns and extend equipment life.
Functional safety for robots: zones, interlocks and validation
Work zones, interlocks and validation: the three pillars of functional safety in ABB, KUKA and FANUC robotic cells.
Integrating a robot into an existing line without stopping production
Step-by-step guide to integrating an industrial robot into a running production line: feasibility study, safety, cutover and commissioning without stopping output.
Replacing an obsolete robot controller without stopping production
How to plan the replacement of an obsolete robot controller while minimising production impact. Phases, common mistakes and key considerations for ABB, KUKA and FANUC.
Which critical robot spare parts to keep in stock
How to decide which spares to store and which not to: criticality, lead time, obsolescence and when exchange beats stock.
DC bus fault on KUKA KRC4: causes, diagnosis and solution
What the DC bus is, symptoms, common causes (KPP, KSP, wiring) and how it is diagnosed and solved.
How to extend the life of an old industrial robot (S4, KRC2, R-J3)
Critical points to watch, parts for older generations and when to maintain rather than replace.
FANUC robot alarms: what SRVO, SYST and MOTN mean and how to act
What FANUC alarms mean, common causes and first actions before calling the service team.
How often should you service an industrial robot?
Service intervals by operating hours, what each check covers and how to plan it without stopping production.
How much an hour of line downtime costs (and how a contract avoids it)
How to calculate the real cost of downtime from a fault and why a maintenance contract reduces it.
Loss of accuracy: what mastering and axis calibration are
Why a robot loses accuracy and what mastering and axis calibration are on ABB, KUKA and FANUC.
Original vs. reconditioned robot parts: when to choose each
Cost, availability, warranty and when each option suits to minimise downtime.
Preventive vs. corrective robot maintenance: which saves you more
What each type of maintenance covers, when to apply it and why preventive lowers total cost.
How to safely restart an industrial robot after a long shutdown
Back from the break or a long stoppage: cold inspection, alarms, batteries and first move to bring the robot back without breakdowns.
SMB batteries in ABB robots: what they do and when to change them
What SMB batteries are, what happens when they run out and how to change them without losing the ABB robot's calibration.
Stopped industrial robot: a quick diagnosis guide for the floor
Quick checks (alarm, safety, power, air) before calling the service team, and what to note down.