Fanuc S-700 with R-H controller

Hello there,

I'm new to here and absolutely newbie in industry robots at all. I've got my first robot:

Fanuc S-700 (A05B-1120-B913)
equipped with R-H controller (A05B-2061-B001)
with both EPROMs L and H on a SHARED RAM BOARD (A16B-1211-0860/05A) labeled with 2.22PA (I assume it's 2.22P Rev. A version of firmware)

but unfortunately someone had a "good idea" before moving it out of the previous site to cut the two cables inside of the controller connecting it and mechanical unit named M1 and M2. I can handle that using Maintenance manual, so there is no worry for me. There are also drained batteries inside controller as same as in mechanical unit itself because no one didn't change them since 2004 so I assume there is a 2MB CMOS memory card left completely blank. From seller I've received 5 floppy discs images called:

1) RobotConfigurationDisk#1 KAREL Enhanced 2.20P S-700
2) SystemDisk#1 KAREL Enhanced 2.20P S-700
3) SystemDisk#2 KAREL Enhanced 2.20P S-700
4) SystemUtilityDisk#2 KAREL Enhanced 2.20P S-700
5) ServoParameterSettingS1seriesDisk#1 KAREL Enhanced 2.20P S-700

but unfortunately don't have a Fanuc KAREL R-H System Software & EPROM Installation Kit Manual so have no idea how to use them to install the software which as I find out contains i.e parameters for servo controllers. The version of that software on images is 2.20P. Can it be loaded into R-H controller and will it work with EPROMs mentioned before? Can someone provide some help with this?

As a first step I'm going to check the robot's condition and completion in relation to Maintenance manual. Then I want to calibrate / master it's position encoders but don't have mastering fixture for it as mentioned at Maintenance manual. Finally I want to be able to start the robot and try it using as a toy for playing and learn a little bit about, how to use it and discover it's capabilities. After I'll do that first and basic steps I'm thinking about retrofitting and accommodating it with an ATC mill and learning it dancing lambada in style of making 3D objects from woodblocks or simmilar materials.

So for recap

What I already have?
* Completely blank robot
* Maintenance manual (one and only manual I have)
* 5 floppy disk images I've received from seller of the robot

What I'm looking for?
* Information if 2.20P software is complete and will work with 2.22PA firmware
* Knowledge how to install that software to CMOS and how to use it
* Some kind of informations about basics how to operate the robot
* How to master without fixture
* Advice if it's worth to do the retrofit and approx. estimation of it's cost or stay with R-H.

I think I have following options to be able to learn it to dance:
1) leave the robot running as is, learn it, discover and accept it's limitations
2) upgrade controller to something newer like R-J3 (as far as I know it's last that supports S-700 mechanical unit)
3) retrofit it to LinuxCNC

For retrofit as by now I don't have enough experience but I recently saw attept of MANOLOMARAVILLAS a Spanish guy on LinuxCNC forum and I'm definitely sure it is possible to do that.

Before I'll do anything I'm asking you.

Thanks for an assurance. I would know when I'll try to upload that floppys into the controller for sure. As I'm a GNU/Linux guy terminal emulator, DOS emulation and other stuff on PC side will be the smallest problem I guess.

I've searched the entire forum for sw load and this two topics seems to be most helpful for entire task:

https://www.robot-forum.com/robotforum/fan…60623/#msg60623
https://www.robot-forum.com/robotforum/fan…60360/#msg60360

I see it now as robot's does like an ordinary PC does. BIOS (EPROM) is in there and because it has blank harddrive (CMOS RAM) for now it needs to install it's operating system (floppy discs). And after that I can make some applications (program) the robot will execute, am I right?

As I think you know that kind of controller so if I may have more questions about it:

1) Would it be possible to extends CMOS RAM as manual says that it is possible have up to 4MB? Will it be necessary or handy?
2) I have an idea what I want and expect from robot but I definitely don't know how the process of programming it standardly goes? Don't have any operation manual or so. It goes something like: a) in PC I write KAREL program move here and move there b) compile it using some translator c) transfer to controller and start it? And then? How to debug it and check remotely if it's doing what it's been programmed for? What I'll need to do stuff like this? Manuals? Software? Or am I wrong and the process goes completely different?
3) I have some kind of safety considerations in my mind so, how I do tell the robot something like be carefull here comes a person with a dog and cat so STOP RIGHT NOW! Or something like here is some table and there is some window so DO NOT GO THERE!
3) Can I by some kind of RS-232 communication keep an eye on what is going on inside controller online or all communication with the controller acts only as copying files this and there?
4) How to convince the controller to handle G-code export from some CAD program? Is that implemented inside or I have to write some application in KAREL for it?

Sorry for dumb questions. I have a lot of them because I've been unkissed by this kind of technology until now. And as for now I'm pleased I've been.

I'm still in process of checking robot's hw connections and still working on it in my spare time.

I'm back. Recently I fix all of cutted cables acording to manual and now I have another problem. Today I've tried to power the controller up for the first time but it won't. I connect the main line cable then switch on main power and when I press the control power on (green) button I can hear a contact block engaging. Immediately after the contact block disengages and ALM LED goes ON. It can be released by pressing OFF button. So I've consult it with a manual and check fuse on T4 transformer - it's ok and PIL LED goes ON after main power switch goes on, then I've checked fuses F1, F2, F3 on power input unit - all of them ok. Then I've checked all big fuses on servo transformer - all of them ok. But RH controller still won't power up. Any body can help?

Back again. The controller powers up today. For future reference the cause of problem was blowed fuse on power source unit F14 (2.0A) and shorted +24 E power cord.

Another problem occured today

So I started up the controller and been thrown to BMON>.
Then I typed "DEVICE" + ENTER
Then I typed "INIT CM0"
Then "Y"
Then "ABCD" as name of memory card
Then "1200" as size in kB
and get "Initialization successful" -> Everything looks good

I continued by typing "EXIT" to go back to BMON>
Then I typed "SYSTEM" to get actual table of memory been initialized and insted of I get errors: "109 Parity error" and then "38 Storage device must be initialized".

I tried initialization several times with same results.

I also typed "BUS" at BMON> to get info about what is connected to the system bus and CMOS RAM was listed there.

Is that mean that CMOS RAM board is failing and needs to be replaced? Could anybody post some idea what is going on?

Story continues.

Yesterday I've received new CMOS RAM module, installed it and successfully upload KAREL software into the controller. I've also resolved all errors and warnings which rised after a successful boot but one last remains. Error "4020 Velocity ready is OFF OCF". I can't reset if by FAULT RESET button. When I've tried it rises back again.

Does any of you knows what is going on guys? Thanks in advance for any clues.

Skooter

I've checked the 100VAC (position 3 and 4 on T1 terminal) if it is going to every servo. And it is not. When I try to reset an error using FAULT RESET button on operators panel it "clicks". It seems that servo amps itselfs are ok. Thank you, I'll dig that clue more deeply.

I found the problem. It really was that 100VAC did not reach servos from Power Input Unit. Robot is jogging and fun begins.

Thank you guys!