IRC 5 Comm issues with contrologix that goes away by restarting

    We have been having this issue for a while. This is an IRC5 ABB controller version 5.15.05 using an ethernet/IP fieldbus adapter communicating to an Allen Bradley controllogix PLC. The robot is a IRB6600.

    The issue is that it looses communication with the PLC stopping our machine from running in auto. After cycling power (regardless of how you do it) communication is regained. It typically happens when the machine has not ran for a while or about once per shift (8hrs) it will drop out.

    Things we have tried

    • Replaced Ethernet cable
    • Changing the cable from going through a switch directly to an Ethernet module on the PLC
    • Replaced Ethernet Module on the PLC rack
    • Changed the IP addressing (this did not work either)
    • Had or IT monitor the IP address and they found no interference or irregularities
    • Swapped the computer in the robot cabinet with one that was running elsewhere with no issues
      • the only this is that the chip (eprom) was pulled and put into the "new" computer
      • Could the chip be the issue?
    • Is it not trying to reconnect when connection is lost? and the restart causes it to try to connect again?
      • if this is the case, why and how do I fix this issue


    Other possibly relevant information

    This cell gets retooled and the robot removed, but the cabinet remains but is jumped out of the safety circuit and bypassed for faults on the PLC side. The issue persists every time is is added. Because they want to run the machine and we do not have a good answer or know what else to try we are just resetting the robot and dealing with it.

    The cell runs 2 other robots always and they have no comm issues.

    Other cells run this third robot that gets removed and added as is needed for the tooling and do not have the same issue.


    Has anyone here ran into this issue before?

    Does anyone have any ideas of what else to try/do?

    Would you consider the chip in the computer to be a factor that should be changed? I was told it was unnecessary but it is the only unchanged factor that i know of.


    Please let me know if any other information is needed to help trouble shoot this, this is my first post/question.


    Thank you for your time!

    Welcome to the forum. I do not understand what "chip" to which you are referring. Do you mean the fieldbus adapter card? I think no because you said that you replaced the ethernet module. What version of baseware are the "good" robots? I had seen a similar problem years ago but with profinet and it was newer baseware on those controllers. I think that I connected the profinet to the LAN port, bypassing the profinet adapter. I would have to see if that is possible with Ethernet/IP option.

    I cant remove the chip to see its actual name as the machine is running, but it plugs into the front of the computer/head unit on the top of the robot cabinet, eprom maybe. (thats what they are referred to in allen bradley i believe at least) also the Ethernet adapter was on the PLC rack side. the whole computer (outside of said chip that retains program, settings and such) was replaced on the robot cabinet side.

    As far as the other 2 robots i will have to check what version they are running when the machine is not running. I will edit this comment when I do.


    Thank you for the welcome and also for the response

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