How long does this procedure take?

Running a FANUC Brake Check (BRCH) on a Robot is rated Intermediate and takes about 30 minutes across 8 steps.

What tools do I need?

You will need Teach pendant, Maintenance manual with BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS for the motor.

What should I do before starting?

Robot powered and operational. Brake Check schedule and $BCK_GRP[group].$BRK_TORQUE[axis] configured per the motor's BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS. Cell clear of personnel.

Maintenance

Running a FANUC Brake Check (BRCH) on a Robot

Verify axis holding brake torque on a FANUC R-30iB controller using the Brake Check function, which compares measured torque against $BCK_GRP.$BRK_TORQUE and reports pass or fail through BRCH alarm codes.

Intermediate~30 min8 steps

Clear the cell and secure the area

Make sure no one's inside the robot envelope before starting. The axis will be commanded and the brake loaded during the test.

Confirm the brake torque threshold

Check that $BCK_GRP[group].$BRK_TORQUE[axis] matches the motor's BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS torque value in the maintenance manual for each axis being checked.

Move the robot to the Brake Check reference posture

Jog to the posture configured for the Brake Check so the brake sees the expected load during the test.

Run the Brake Check

Start the BRCH function from the controller. The system commands torque against the engaged brake and measures the result automatically.

Read the BRCH result

A pass completes without a BRCH alarm. A fail posts one of BRCH-001 through BRCH-011 identifying the axis and failure mode.

Interpret a failed code

Cross-reference the BRCH code in the alarm manual. A torque-below-threshold result means the brake didn't hold against the configured $BRK_TORQUE value and the brake's degraded.

Escalate on fail

Treat any BRCH fail as a stop-use condition for that axis. Don't return the robot to production until the brake is serviced or the motor's replaced and the check passes.

Log the result

Record the BRCH pass or fail per axis, the date, and any follow-up work order.

Applies to

Applies to FANUC robots on R-30iB controllers with the Brake Check function enabled.

Tools

Teach pendant
Maintenance manual with BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS for the motor

Before you start

Robot powered and operational
Brake Check schedule and $BCK_GRP[group].$BRK_TORQUE[axis] configured per the motor's BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS
Cell clear of personnel

Safety

!Keep the cell clear during the Brake Check. The controller commands motor torque against the brake and the axis can move if the brake doesn't hold.
!Don't override or bypass a BRCH fail. Treat it as an immediate stop-use condition for the affected axis until repaired.
!Use the motor's BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS value from the maintenance manual when setting or verifying $BCK_GRP[group].$BRK_TORQUE[axis]. Don't guess a threshold.

inspecting the counterbalance diagnosing a brake slip fault recovering an axis that hit a hard stop

Common questions

How long does this procedure take?: Running a FANUC Brake Check (BRCH) on a Robot is rated Intermediate and takes about 30 minutes across 8 steps.
What tools do I need?: You will need Teach pendant, Maintenance manual with BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS for the motor.
What should I do before starting?: Robot powered and operational. Brake Check schedule and $BCK_GRP[group].$BRK_TORQUE[axis] configured per the motor's BRAKE SPECIFICATIONS. Cell clear of personnel.
What is the first step?: Clear the cell and secure the area. Make sure no one's inside the robot envelope before starting. The axis will be commanded and the brake loaded during the test.