What Robot Parts Should be Kept as Spares?
Having spare robot parts on hand is critical to keep any downtime related to maintenance to a minimum. It also helps to speed up the repair process should your industrial robot experience a malfunction or breakdown. Spare robotic parts allow for immediate replacement and repair of your articulated robot. Having your robot unexpectedly need a repair can be stressful, keeping critical parts onsite can help relieve some of that stress by reducing robot downtime. Should your FANUC m-900ia suddenly need a new motor, having a spare one stocked can shorten downtime to just a few hours as opposed to several days to source the part.
When there is an unplanned downtime or longer than expected downtime, productivity decreases which ultimately ends up costing companies money. Keeping spare parts for your robot will help to prevent long productivity interruptions to avoid significant financial losses.
Recommended Spare Parts
Not every part of an industrial robot needs to have a backup part. The parts that are recommended to be kept as spares are consumables and those that are the most prone to wear and tear. These types are the most likely to need to be replaced. Robot parts that are not prone to wear and tear do not need to be kept as spares as they are not replaced frequently. This helps keep the spare parts needed to a manageable list.- • Batteries - Batteries are considered a consumable for industrial robots. They are needed for both the robotic arm and controller. Many robots use basic batteries such as C and D cell making them easy to source and store. It is recommended batteries are changed at least once a year for the FANUC LR Mate 200ic and other robots. Having them readily available ensures they will be routinely replaced.
- • Cables - Robot cables are extremely prone to wear and tear, especially if they are not internally routed. They can easily snag on equipment causing an unplanned repair. Having spare robot and pendant cables allows them to be quickly changed out.
- • Teach Pendant - A faulty teach pendant is often the cause when robot and controller connectively goes bad. Keeping an extra pendant on hand can quickly solve this issue. Buying a used pendant as a spare is a cost-effective way to ensure you have a backup. Additionally the teach pendant is the one part typically in contact with workers, so it is prone to drops and damage making them common parts to need replacement.
- • Grease - Grease is another robot consumable. Robot gears need regular greasing to ensure optimal operation of your six axis robot.
- • Motors - Motors are critical to the operation of your industrial robot. They are prone to wear and can burn out, especially when a robot is heavily utilized. Having spare motors will get your robot up and running quickly should one fail.
- • End-Effector Parts - It is also a good idea to stock spare parts for your robot’s end-effector. End-effectors are heavily utilized as they are the components interacting with workpieces. Suction cups, pads, and contact tips are examples of some end-effector parts that should be kept as spares.
- • Welding Consumables - Some applications, such as automated welding, have specific consumables. These may include wire, liners, and shielding gas. Those items should be kept as spares since they will be frequently used. It is vital to keep your Yaskawa MA1440 up and running at all times.