At Kontroltek HQ in Bridgend, we were presented with a challenging robot repair involving an industrial robotic arm for a VFX firm that specialises in visual effects.
The project began with the delivery of the industrial robotic arm along with its power/control unit to Kontroltek HQ. The reported fault was that the arm was not functioning. One of our experienced electronic engineers, Carl Davies, undertook the task of diagnosing and repairing the fault.
Diagnosis
When looking at the robot’s control unit, no error codes were displayed to explain why the arm could not move, so further investigation was needed.
During further investigation Carl identified the issue and discovered that the safety bypass module, supplied by the customer, had been incorrectly wired. With the diagnosis determined, Carl could move on to the repair.
Repair
The first step was to rewire and test the safety bypass module within the robot’s control unit. Carl was then able to observe the code “U” on the display to signal that the robot arm should now be operating.
However, despite this hopeful sign, the arm was still non-functional. Puzzled by the continued non-functionality, Carl researched further and found that a software triggered lock within the robot’s control unit was activated as part of a safety protocol.
Carl confirmed that the original safety bypass module had caused the software lock, causing the robot arm to be entirely non-functional due to the incorrect wiring causing a system short.
Carl then proceeded to remove the software lock in order to restore full movement to the arm. Going into the source settings within the program files, Carl removed all files associated with the safety lock protocol.
Once the software lock had been removed, and as with every Kontroltek repair job, Carl conducted extensive testing to confirm that the robot had full functionality, in this case, testing all 6 axis had full 360° movement.
Thanks to the skills and perseverance of our electronic engineer, the successfully repaired robot arm was then safely returned to our customer.
Throughout the entire process, Carl demonstrated not only his technical know-how, but an unwavering commitment to problem solving, something we pride ourselves on here at Kontroltek.
At Kontroltek, we’re not just about fixing machines; we’re about turning tech troubles into success stories. We thrive on challenges and are ready to tackle whatever you throw our way. Have a head-scratcher of a problem? Bring it to us. Learn more about our services and get in touch today.
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