Changing Industrial Robot Batteries
All industrial robots and robot controllers use batteries. This may surprise some since robots are big pieces of machinery, but for most industrial robots, batteries serve as a backup power source for stored data, not to actually power the robot. The FANUC Arcmate 120ic along with most other industrial robots use a main electric source as their primary source of power. The exception is some small robots which are small enough to run solely on battery power. The batteries in robots and controllers serve to keep stored data when the robot and controller are not connected to power. Since batteries are not often the main power source for robots, they can easily become neglected and forgotten. However, doing so could result in the loss of positional and program data. Changing robot batteries is just as important as maintaining other components of your robot.
What Batteries are Used for Industrial Robots?
There are a variety of battery types used for industrial robots and robotic controllers. The type will depend upon the robot manufacturer’s requirements. Batteries used for the ABB 2400L may not be the same as the FANUC Lr Mate 200ic. Types used for industrial robots range from simple ones such as “C” cell or “D” cell to specialized lithium or nickel batteries. High power robots usually require lithium batteries, but users should consult the maintenance manual of their articulated robot for specific requirements.
Where are the Batteries Located and How do you Change Them?
The batteries for industrial robots will be located in the robotic arm. The robotic controller will have its own battery pack separate from the robot’s. Changing robot batteries should occur while the robot is still connected to the main electric source and while it is powered up. If the Motoman MA1440 has lost power or has been shut down, it’s batteries should not be changed. Consulting your robot manual will provide detailed information on how exactly to change the batteries of your specific robot.
When Should you Replace Robot Batteries?
Battery replacement is one of several tasks that are recommended to be completed at the time of your robot’s scheduled preventative maintenance. However, some robotic manufacturers have longer maintenance intervals than others, so the standard is at least once a year. This ensures in the event of an unexpected power failure, the robot batteries will not also fail. Just as it is recommended to replace batteries in smoke detectors and other important devices yearly, the same goes for the ABB 6640 and other six axis robots.
Why is Changing Robot Batteries Important?
As mentioned earlier, batteries are not the main power source of robots, instead they serve as a backup power source. Batteries in the robot arm store all values for each axis of the robot. In the event the main power to the robot fails, the batteries will maintain the robot’s positional data. When power is restored the robot is able to return to its previous positions, avoiding recalibration and remastering. If the batteries fail, then it must be reprogrammed to its origin position before restarting the application. This can be time consuming and a big inconvenience causing long delays in productions. If controller batteries fail, then programming, software, and IO data will be lost. It is a good idea to add replacement batteries to your spare parts to have them on-hand. The best way to avoid data loss is to regularly replace robot and controller batteries.
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