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Introduction to Initial Power-up and I/O Configuration for KUKA Robots

Suitable for: Integrators or end users who are using KUKA robots for the first time. After the KUKA robot arrives, customers can follow the steps in the documentation to power on the robot for the first time and start normal operation.

⚠️ The robot must be properly installed and secured before powering it on and operating it. Otherwise, improper operation could cause the robot to fall over, resulting in equipment damage or personnel safety issues.

1. Robot's first power-on - electrical connection

• The interface diagram for the control cabinet (standard model) is shown below:

• The robot body interface diagram is shown below:

The above shows example interfaces for the control cabinet and the robot. While specific interfaces may vary slightly depending on the cabinet and robot models, the labels remain the same; please take note of this. 

The wiring and specifications for the corresponding interfaces are as follows: X1 connector – control cabinet power supply interface.

 (1) KR C4 Stand, KR C4 Midsize, KR C4 Extend, and KR C4 Smallsize: 3-phase, 4-wire system, 380V AC; ① KR C4 Stand & KR C4 Midsize rated power: 13.5 kVA; ② KR C4 Extend rated power: Varies depending on configuration; please contact KUKA if needed.

(2) KR C4 Compact: European standard plug, 220V AC power supply, rated power 2 kVA; the 220V AC power plug is pre-connected and ready for direct connection.

The 380V AC power supply plug needs to be connected as follows:

X11: Robot safety circuit interface. Wiring configurations vary depending on the control cabinet model. KR C4 stand & KR C4 midsize & KR C4 extended & KR C4 smallsize control cabinet: Emergency stop and safety door signal instructions: It is recommended to connect to the corresponding safety device. If it is determined that connection is not necessary, simply short-circuit the corresponding channel, as shown in the diagram below: 

The robot safety circuit interface and wiring diagram vary depending on the control cabinet model; the wiring method also differs.

KR C4 Compact Control cabinet:

Explanation of Emergency Stop and Safety Gate signals: It is recommended to connect them to the appropriate safety devices. If you determine that such connections are not required, simply short-circuit the corresponding channels, as shown below:

3, X51: Hub for connecting customer signal lines, communication buses, network cables, etc.; designed to be dustproof and waterproof.

4, X20–X30: Control cabinet-to-robot interfaces; power cables connecting the control cabinet to the robot unit.

5, X21–X31: Control cabinet-to-robot interfaces; data cables connecting the control cabinet to the robot unit.

Note: When removing the black protective cap from the X31 connector on the robot body, the sealing ring may come off along with the cap; you must retrieve the sealing ring and reinsert it into the X31 connector.

6, X19: Control cabinet interface for connecting the KUKA SmartPAD (teach pendant).

7, X32: Robot arm interface for connecting the KUKA mastering tool to calibrate the robot's zero position.

8, The control cabinet's internal battery interface (X305) connects to the control unit (CCU or CCUSR), as shown below:

9, Grounding of the robot system, as shown in the example below: equipotential bonding.

A 16 mm² cable is used for equipotential bonding between the robot and the control cabinet; this cable is routed within a cable duct.

In addition, the robot and the control cabinet are each connected to the unit's potential using a copper cable with a cross-section of at least 16 mm².

10, On-site cabling for the robot is shown in the figure below:

Separators must be used to keep motor cables and welding cables separate from data cables within the cable assembly.

Keep motor cables as far away from data cables as possible.

After completing the electrical connections and before powering on the robot, you must use a multimeter to measure the power supply to the control cabinet. Verify that there is no phase loss and that the voltage level meets the robot's power requirements; once these checks are complete, the power may be turned on.

Note: Due to differences in control cabinet models, the power switch may vary.

In the robot's KSS system, a dialog box prompting you to select robot information will appear; select the "Robot" button, as shown below:

Continuing from the previous step, acknowledge all messages via the teach pendant and click the message notification area; an alarm message—as indicated in the figure—will then appear, as shown below:

This type of notification requires us to confirm the robot's safety configuration. In some cases, the same message appears when configuration items are downloaded to and activated on the robot; this is handled in the same way—by confirming the robot's safety configuration.

2. Security Configuration

Purpose of safety configuration: To ensure that the control cabinet system data and KSS software machine parameters match the actual robot. For a robot being powered up for the first time, this must be confirmed before the robot can be operated normally. The steps are as follows:

1) Log in as "Safety Maintenance":

Go to "Main Menu > Configuration > User Groups," select the appropriate user group, and enter the login password "kuka" to log in.

2) Go to "Main Menu > Configuration > Security Configuration". If the following interface pops up, click "Yes", as shown in the image:

3) After completing the two steps above, the "Troubleshooting Assistant" dialog box will appear on the teach pendant interface; select the "Robot or RDC memory put into operation for the first time" option, and then click "Activate now" below.

4) In the pop-up confirmation dialog box, select "Yes":

5) Wait for the safety parameter configuration to complete and for the system to return to the KSS interface; then, acknowledge all messages to enable robot operation.

3. Robot Zero-Point Calibration

Following safety configuration procedures, an alarm message such as "Zero Point Calibration Ax" (where 'x' indicates the specific axis that has lost its zero-point reference) may sometimes appear. In this case, simply perform a zero-point calibration for the robot to resolve the issue.

There are two methods for zero-point calibration: using an electronic calibration tool (EMD or MEMD) or using a dial indicator.

Prerequisite for zero-point calibration: Move the robot axes to the pre-calibration zero position (as shown in the figure below); the markings for each axis may vary.

The principle of zero-point calibration: The position of the deepest groove corresponds to the robot axis's mechanical zero point. Electronic calibration tools automatically locate the zero point based on the operating procedure; the dial indicator method is manual, requiring the identification of the "inflection point" of the indicator's needle to confirm the position.

4. Robot I/O Configuration

4.1 IO Configuration: Software Installation

Currently, all robots manufactured by KUKA belong to the KR C4 series, and their I/O configuration must be performed using a PC. A prerequisite for this configuration is the installation of WorkVisual—KUKA's free I/O configuration software—on the PC; this software can be found on the accompanying discs (typically a set of three) or obtained by contacting KUKA.

WorkVisual Installation: Select the "Setup.EXE" file from the extracted software folder; the system will automatically configure your PC environment and install all necessary plug-ins along with the WorkVisual software.

Initial setup for the WorkVisual software: Launch WorkVisual and install the DTM samples. If you accidentally close the DTM sample selection dialog box that appears, you can locate it within the menu; the complete procedure is as follows:

4.2 IO Configuration: Importing Device Description Files

To import the IO module's device description file into the WorkVisual software: locate the software installation files and open the "DOC" folder. Inside, you will find the Chinese user manual; open it, locate the section on "Importing Device Description Files," and follow the steps provided. Note: Ensure the file corresponds exactly to the specific module model.

4.3 IO Configuration: Project Configuration

The project configuration process for I/O setup consists of three main steps: project upload, project I/O configuration, and project download.

1) Project Upload:

(1) Ensure the network cable is connected to the "KL" port on the control cabinet and that the PC's IP address is set to the same subnet as the robot (typically, the robot's IP address is "172.31.1.147" with a subnet mask of "255.255.0.0"). Go to "Main Menu > Configuration > User Groups", log in as the "Expert" user, and view as shown in the image below:

(2) Locate and upload the project currently running on the robot, and immediately save it under a different name to avoid overwriting the original project during the download; a recommended naming format is "CustomerName_RobotID_Date".

(3) Activate the project and locate the SYS-X44 expansion bus.

2) Project I/O Configuration: Example method; actual implementation takes precedence.

(1) Configure the correct modules in the proper hierarchy and sequence on the SYS-X44 expansion bus—for example:

Right-click and select the "Add" button to add the corresponding module.

(2) I/O Address Mapping:

3) Project Download:

(1) Refer to the "Safety Configuration" section and log in as "Safety Maintenance" (Safety Commissioning Personnel).

(2) Compile the project

(3) Download the project and activate it.

In the pop-up dialog box shown in the image, simply click the "Finish" button.

Then, a prompt asking whether to activate the project will appear on the teach pendant; select "Yes" as prompted and proceed until the project activation is complete.

Disclaimer: All content is for learning and communication purposes only. If you test the application yourself, unpredictable problems may occur. Please bear the risks and consequences of your testing.

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