Irb1400 losing its position - solved

irb 1400 welding robot with irc5.

For the past 6 months we have had a problem with robot losing its position after a couple of days after a modpos. 2 or 3 mm here and there. Never the same axis or orientation, just randomly out of position.

Restore or resetting rev counters didn't work.

My experience with old S2 robots is its never the robot always something else.... loose jigs, components wrong size, toggle clamps not shut, even bolts loose bolting robot to floor!

But this has tested us!

Swapped the arm, swapped the controller, swapped the cables.... it can't be the robot!

Simple program, nothing clever at all.

Suspected EMI on cables, so wrapped everything in tin foil, put lead over welding motor on arm, desperate measures!

Eventually, I have run a new 3 phase supply from a different distribution board.... and it it seems to be fixed! At least 2 weeks in.

I think that the original distribution board must have a high number of mig welding sets and when we are busy, if everyone happens to arc up at the same time, there is a voltage drop... maybe just noisy.

Anyway, it's working at last using the new 3 phase supply.

Lots of people search these forums, I certainly do, and the information is invaluable. This post is here for that future search for someone else...

Funnily enough, many moons ago, maybe 20 yrs, we used to have a big spot welder / resistance welder which used just 2 phases and made the lights dim on full power!

We had to get a diesel 3 phase generator and put the 4 x S2 robots on a separate clean supply.

Things like that aren't covered in the standard ABB manual!!!

These are "real life" problems, stuff which can take some serious conviction to solve and it's very hard to find someone to help!

Forums like this are a real asset.

A big thank you to all you regular experienced contributors who post and make this forum such an asset.....