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Optimizing Robot System Uptime

Optimizing Robot System Uptime

Posted: 7/20/2021 5:24:01 PM by Sarah Mellish
Topics: Maintenance, Tips and Tools

Whether you’re an experienced or novice robot user, a myriad of questions can surface surrounding the topic of robot maintenance. From, “How do I know when to perform preventative maintenance on my robot?” to “What tools exist to help me fix my robot?”, our Yaskawa Support Services experts are frequently asked to provide advice.

To help address some of the most popular inquiries about robot life cycle management, Yaskawa experts, Don Koonce (Sr. Manager of Service operations) and Wade Blankenship (Manager of Service Operations) took the time to offer valuable feedback during a live Q & A session on Enhancing System Uptime. Discussions included:

Items that should be measured with respect to an industrial robot system

When it comes to measuring overall robot performance, consistency, part quality and path accuracy are all important to monitor. From an internal functionality perspective, keeping track of items such as grease level, torque and cabling should not be overlooked. The same goes for controller performance. Likewise, there are certain maintenance tests that can be used to check the condition of gear reducers including grease analysis, manual test, torque analysis and backlash test.

Key indicators for preventative robot maintenance

From battery life and grease viscosity, to robot servo hours and more, there are common items to watch for where robot maintenance is concerned.

Best practices for maintaining and changing robot grease

Other than knowing what type of grease to use in a robot, there are helpful tips that can go a long way toward optimizing robot function. Whether it’s creating an “exercise program” for grease removal or understanding how to use an automated grease pump, there are general rules robot users should follow.

Pros and cons to powering down a robot at the end of every shift 

While shutting a robot down at the end of a shift can save on energy, is it the best thing to do? When it comes to robot performance, there are crucial steps robot users should take when powering down a robot on a regular basis.

Smart methods for saving data

Keeping track of battery life is always a good idea, especially if powering down a robot at the end of every shift. Robot users that choose to perform the latter may risk losing valuable data. To be safe, performing a regular CMOS Backup – where things like I/O locations, parameters, inputs, outputs, currents, etc. can be saved – is highly suggested.

Reasons for random Collision Detection errors 

It can be frustrating to receive untimely errors, especially if the reason for the alert is unclear. Collision Detection errors can happen for several reasons, indicating multiple issues. Understanding how to troubleshoot this alert can go a long way to improving robot uptime.

Tips for finding and replacing Yaskawa robot parts

While robots are highly reliable and built to last a long time (with the proper maintenance schedule), there are times when new parts may be required. For this reason, 24/7 access to spare parts is critical to maintaining product throughput and on-time delivery.

Proven cleaning methods for robots and controller cabinets

From environmental-friendly to alcohol-based, there is no shortage of cleaning products. However, should these be used to clean any part of a robot? While robot users need to be mindful of the robot IP rating, especially for cleaning procedures, there are several other concepts to consider. Not only does the topic of robot cleaning encompass the physical outer shell, but also, items such as the best method for removing dust from the controller box may be needed.

Dive deeper into these topics (and more) and hear first-hand accounts from our experts by listening to the Enhancing System Uptime webinar. And, if you’re interested in learning more about robot operation or maintenance, see what Yaskawa Academy has to offer!



Sarah Mellish is a Marketing Content Specialist


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