Robot and automation cell · Wisconsin
Robot and automation cell repair in Wisconsin
Machine tending, welding, palletizing and assembly robots brought back online: servo and encoder faults, grippers and end-of-arm tooling, vision, safety circuits and the handshake with the machines they serve.
What we fix
- Servo and encoder alarms
- Lost positions after a crash
- Gripper and vacuum problems
- Safety fence and scanner faults
- Robot to machine handshake errors
Techs from the Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay regions.
Quick answerLocalSpindle of Wisconsin repairs industrial robots and automation cells across the state, including Fanuc, Motoman (Yaskawa), ABB, Kuka, Kawasaki, Nachi, Denso, Epson and Universal Robots. We fix servo and encoder faults, lost positions, grippers and end-of-arm tooling, vision problems, safety circuits, and communication between robots, PLCs and machine tools.
From our techs
The cell is only as good as its weakest signal
In a machine tending cell, the robot, the machine tool, the PLC and the safety system all have to agree. A lot of ‘robot problems’ are really handshake problems: a door signal that doesn’t come back, a part-present sensor that’s dirty, a chuck-clamped signal that’s late. We look at the whole cell, not just the arm.
Wisconsin plants run robots for welding, palletizing in food and beverage plants, machine tending in job shops, and assembly in everything from engines to appliances. The failure patterns are different in each, and we’ve seen most of them.
Arms, encoders and crashes
When a robot alarms on a servo or encoder, we check cables first, because robot dress packs flex millions of times and wear through. Encoder batteries on the arm need to be changed on schedule or the robot loses its positions. After a crash, we check for mechanical damage, recover or remaster positions, and verify the tool center point before the cell runs again.
Safety is part of the repair
Fences, interlocked gates, light curtains, area scanners and safety PLCs are part of every robot cell. We don’t put a cell back in production with a safety device bypassed. If something keeps tripping, we find out why and fix it.
Symptoms
What you're seeing, and what it usually means
The alarm names the axis or the unit. These are the causes we find behind it most often.
| What you’re seeing | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Servo or encoder alarm on an axis | Worn dress pack cable, connector, motor or a dead encoder battery. |
| Robot lost its positions | Encoder battery, a crash, or mastering data lost. |
| Gripper drops parts | Air pressure, worn fingers, a vacuum leak or a sensor out of adjustment. |
| Cell stops waiting on a signal | Handshake between robot, PLC and machine; often a sensor or timing. |
| Safety fault won’t reset | Gate switch, light curtain, scanner zone or safety controller. |
| Vision misses parts | Lighting, lens, calibration or part presentation. |
How we work it
Robot and automation cell: our approach
Back up
Robot programs and settings saved.
Trace the stop
Arm, tooling, I/O or safety.
Fix and remaster
Repair, then positions and TCP verified.
Run the cell
Full cycle proven.
A full visit
What a visit can cover
- Arm axes, reducers and motors
- Dress pack cables and connectors
- Encoder batteries and mastering
- End-of-arm tooling, grippers and vacuum
- Vision cameras, lighting and calibration
- Robot, PLC and machine I/O handshake
- Safety fences, gates, light curtains and scanners
- Backups of robot programs
On the van
- Teach pendant know-how for major brands
- Meters for I/O and safety circuits
- Encoder batteries
- Common sensors, air fittings and cables
- Laptop for backups
Example service call
Machine tending robot stops every few cycles
The call
A job shop in Washington County had a robot tending two lathes that would stop every few cycles waiting on a ‘chuck closed’ signal.
What we did
- Phone. We asked whether the chuck actually closed when it stopped. It did.
- On site. The chuck closed sensor on one lathe was loose and sometimes didn’t see the actuator.
- Fix. Remounted and adjusted the sensor, cleaned chips from the area and added a guard.
- Check. The cell ran a full shift without a stop.
The result. Cell back to unattended running. The sensor went on the PM checklist.
A typical call, written to show how we work. It isn’t a specific customer.
Talk to a Wisconsin tech
Same problem on your floor?
Call and a tech will tell you what we’d check first, then the closest team heads your way.
- You talk to a tech, not a call center
- The closest Wisconsin team takes the job
- Straight answer on repair, rebuild or replace
Brands
Robots and automation cells we work on
Linked brands have their own page. See every brand we service.
- Fanuc
- Motoman (Yaskawa)
- ABB
- Kuka
- Denso
- Epson
- Kawasaki
- Nachi
- Universal Robots
- Staubli
- Mitsubishi
- Omron (Adept)
- Comau
- Doosan Robotics
- Techman
From the field
Robot and automation cell: tips from our techs
Change arm encoder batteries on schedule
Losing positions turns a five minute job into a remastering job.
Inspect the dress pack
Cables wear where they flex. Look for cracked jackets.
Keep sensors clean
Chips and coolant on sensors cause most handshake stops.
Fanuc, Motoman (Yaskawa), ABB, Kuka, Kawasaki, Nachi, Denso, Epson, Staubli, Universal Robots and others.
Yes, after a crash or lost encoder data.
Yes, including the machine tool side.
Yes: lighting, calibration and setup.
Yes, every time we can.
Yes, fences, gates, curtains, scanners and safety controllers.
Who comes out
Wisconsin teams for robot and automation cell
The founding team closest to your shop takes the call. Central and western Wisconsin calls go to whichever team is nearest.
Milwaukee
Southeast Wisconsin. Robot and automation cell calls in Milwaukee, Waukesha, New Berlin, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, West Allis and nearby towns.
Madison
South central Wisconsin. Robot and automation cell calls in Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Janesville, Beloit, Watertown and nearby towns.
Green Bay
Northeast Wisconsin and the Fox Valley. Robot and automation cell calls in Green Bay, De Pere, Appleton, Neenah and Menasha, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and nearby towns.
Keep reading
Related repair
Machine down?
Get your robot and automation cell sorted
Call and talk to a tech about the machine, the control and the symptom. The Wisconsin team closest to you takes it from there.
