Soyo Motherboard...

[cezanne]

What do you think about Soyo Motherboards which are used in KRC1? Soyo Motherboard that contains defective, leaking or bad electrolytic capacitors.

When we turn off and on the KRC1 controller, the PC cant turn on because of the capacitors. Here is the Soyosettlement:

http://www.soyosettlement.com/

Do you have problems like this? Do you use alternative motherboards?   

[markopo]

Hello cezanne.
You are absolutelly right. In our firm we have more than 50 robots on krc1 and normal to do is change capacitores. Now we have action to exchange motherboards after 4 years normal job (24h/a day). We know deeply this problem but we are trained that we change motherboard less than 10 min :)
cezanne I my opinion You can live with this problem couse soyo motherboard is one of better for krc1. We doesn't change no one motherboard with other couse than capacitores.

Marek

[cezanne]

hi Markopo,

We have 75 robots on KRC1 robots in our plant. we changed all capacitors of the soyo motherboards (14 capacitors each) this year. I havent found an alternative motherboard for KRC1 yet. May be i can adjust an alternative motherboard. 

 

[markopo]

Hi Cezanne.
This topic was deeply researched in our plant. Am I guess You have some about 10 years old one robots??? Cezanne we have this year this same problem as Yours. We haven't look around for some other solution. I know :)))) Soyo motherboards are not ideal but what else to put into cabinet ? I don't know :((((
Cezanne so welcome in Soyo-club (patients + precise + good soldering station + few hours not in rush ;)))))
I don't know how it is with KRC2?? Do You have any experience with this kind of cabinet motherboard ?? We have some new one cabinets with KRC2.

ps. You know this capacitor nearby ISA slot  . He needs to keep in mind to put him in correct way with strong angle ;))) If you don't do this there are many problems with putting card in this slot (for example oldest one interbus cards on ISA slot) ;))) sic!

Greets from not so shiny Poland as in last week but beer is cold enough ;)
Marek

[cezanne]

Hi Markopo,
I have 10 KRC2 robots and I havent had any problems with soyo motherboards on KRC2 so far. I sometimes have problems with HDD in KRC2 PC, the KCP is locked up because of HDD (some compilation errors). We have started to use DOM Discs instead HDDs.

Cold beer I'm interesting in Fanuc robots now, my robot park increases

Greets
LEGOLAS

[markopo]

Hi Legolas.
Dom Disks? sounds very interesting ;) Can You tell me more about it? It works as normal disk, it's seen by bios as normal hard disk? We have more than 25 robots on krc2 but we haven't ( yet sic!) problems with disk. Sure that on some panels I have information about diff between encoders position on disk and on robots encoders. Can You describe more about Your experience with problems on krc2? Whats happen, what kind of warnings or informations appears on panel that You detect that is problems with hard disk? Maybe as in my case with encoders positions??

I've found some info about Dom disks. Sounds good. How large MB's must to have this disk to operate xp and kuka files ? Which model You use?

With rainy greets from cental Poland :)
Marek

[SkyeFire]

The KRC2s I am working on right now have 5GB for the C: partition, and are using about half of it, and the remainder of the drive space is assigned to the D: parition, which is about 1GB used right now.  So you can *probably* manage with a drive as small as 6-10GB.  The main reason KRC controllers have so much wasted hard drive space these days is that it's easier and cheaper to buy an off-the-shelf 100GB+ drive than to find sources of drives 10GB or less.
Of course, using a drive that has not been approved by KUKA is a "use at your own risk" item, even though any drive that the BIOS will recognize *should* work.  I recommend diligent backups and periodic full-drive images.

[markopo]

Hi SkyeFire.
Welcome and thank You for answer in other topic. I've got some experience with some krc2's . Time to time this system freeze, and few seconds later. Exactly not freezing but krc application disapear and only stay Kuka Cross. In this case when I turn off cabinet turn it on again after shut down, system started again. In this situation I have on kcp information about diff between rdw and values from encoders. I'm interesting what it could be. Maybe as said cezanne compilations problems on hd ? Some symptoms problems with read-write on h.d. Only remedy which I know is to turn off brutally power supply and turn it on again. Have You any similiar problems?
How can I quickly stand up system after kuka system down only with cross on screen ?
And second question is about DOM's. I've got some worries about this flash memories. Are they stable and how works (I've heard they have a short-time life-time).
I will be so glad for answer.
From totally rainy Poland greets to You.
Marek

[SkyeFire]

It sounds like your HMI is crashing.  The HMI is the program that generates the KCP screen that you usually deal with.  This program is written in Visual Basic and runs under Windows. 
If the HMI program crashes badly enough, it can prevent the controlled power-down sequence.  Normally, when you shut off robot main power, the system continues to run for a short time on battery power while files are saved and current resolver data is copied to the RDW card's EEPROM on the robot.  If this power-down sequence does not run, it will cause the error message you refer to.

What can cause the HMI to crash?  3 things that I can think of:
1: software.  This is Windows, sometimes it just does this.  Wiping the hard drive entirely and installing the system fresh from the install CDs might help.
2: Hard drive.  Sometimes, minor read/write hard drive errors that happen at the right time, or interfere with the virtual memory system, can cause the HMI to crash.  Copying the hard drive to a new hard drive using Norton Ghost or Unix dd might help.
3: RAM.  Sometimes, minor problems in the RAM can cause this kind of problem, and be very hard to track down.  The usual tactic is to replace the RAM, or swap it with RAM from a matching robot, and see what happens.

[cezanne]

Hi,
I have been using 4GB DOM Discs (4GB ) on KRC2 controllers and 4GB and 8GB both on KRC1 controllers, instead of HDD, for 4 months and i haven't had any problems so far. I can say that Dom discs are a little faster than HDDs. What version of kuka software do you use? I heard that there are some patches for version 5.2 to prevent freezing. You can get more information from Kuka.

[markopo]

Greeets Legolas.
Thank You. We use a various versions of kuka system. 5.3 or 5.2. You said that are available some patches for 5.2? They are aproved by kuka?
With DOM's? Sounds good. I think we can try to arm some not critical kuka with DOM.
You said that for a krc1 thats enought is 8Gb.  Can You tell me You don't have any just little problems with system? And are more fast than HD. Ok.
It's not possible to arm everyone robot with new DOM. But if tests will gives good results I'll see.
I forgot what's up with human machine interface ? can be crashed time to time and gives no answer on panel's buttons or crash kuka system? Got You this same problem?
From dusty, very dry Poland
Marek.
I beg for some rain :)

[cezanne]

Hi,
Yeap, there are some patches which are approved by kuka for 5.2. You can get more information from Kuka. These patches are not only for doms. I have been using both 4GB and 8 GB for the KRC1 for 3-4 months. I havent had any problems so far. You can use DOM discs for one or two robots in order to test them. I havent got any problems with HMI. I think you should reinstall the system, and contact Kuka for patches if you havent install them yet.
Best Regards

[markopo]

Yoo.
I've seen on kuka site some patches SP1 and else to download . But My kuka's working under 95 not xp. Slight diff.

[Jco]

 
Hello. 

Has since  last spring replaced 15 motherboards because of defective capacitors, we have 150 KRC1 with this motherboard (3 isa-slot). 
Has spoken with kuka Sweden, they asserts that this lies within the margin of error.
Has problems to find suppliers of capacitors to soyo motherboards,   any proposals?
Best Regards
Jco//

[markopo]

Jco.
Hm, I'm very suprised Your opinion. We exchange time to time capacitors in krc1 motherboard, but correct name firm which produce best on market capacitors I can't give You. Jco just buy 1500microF. I think that in Sweden You have a various number of suppliers. Just buy replace and on. :)
Marek