Description
Product Introduction
The KUKA KPS-600/20-REL serves as the primary power conditioning unit for legacy KRC2 robot controllers. It handles input voltage rectification, generates the intermediate DC bus voltage to feed individual KSP servo drives, and houses critical safety interface relays. Without a functioning KPS module, the controller cannot initialize axis motion or manage motor brake logic.
Beyond simple DC generation, the KPS-600/20-REL integrates a ballast circuit, short-circuit braking logic, and internal battery charging capabilities for voltage buffering. Its active monitoring via the Interbus drive interface provides real-time system status directly to the KRC2 controller, ensuring immediate shutdown during thermal or line-voltage faults.
Key Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification / Value |
| Manufacturer | KUKA Robotics |
| Model Number | KPS-600/20-REL |
| Target Controller | KUKA KRC2 / KRC2 Edition2005 |
| Nominal Input Voltage | 400 VAC to 415 VAC (3-Phase) |
| Rated Input Current | 15 A |
| Input Frequency | 49 Hz to 61 Hz |
| Intermediate Bus Voltage | 565 VDC to 675 VDC |
| Rated Output Current | 20 A continuous |
| Safety Functions | Integrated short-circuit braking relays & brake switch logic |
| Communication | Interbus Drive Bus (DSE-IBS connection) |
| Auxiliary Voltage Output | 24 VDC internal distribution & battery buffer circuit |
Application Scenarios & The “Trench” Experience
A Tier-1 automotive spot-welding cell drops offline during the second shift. The teach pendant shows an unacknowledgeable DC-bus under-voltage error alongside a safety-circuit watchdog fault. The maintenance team swaps servo drives, but the fault remains. The line is losing thousands of dollars per minute while cars sit uncompleted. Tracing the fault leads straight to a blown pre-charge resistor and stuck brake relay inside the aging KPS-600/20-REL card. Dropping in a fully bench-tested unit clears the safety loop and brings the robot back online in under twenty minutes.
- Automotive Body-in-White Lines – Spot Welding & Handling Robots – Crucial for holding mechanical brakes and providing steady intermediate DC power during high-duty cycles.
- Palletizing & Material Handling – KRC2-driven Heavy-Payload Manipulators – Ensures controlled stopping via short-circuit braking circuits during emergency E-Stop conditions.
- Aerospace & Industrial Machining – Robotic Milling Cells – Delivers clean, unfluctuating voltage to continuous-path servo drives requiring tight positioning tolerances.
KPS-600/20-REL
Transparency SOP: Quality Assurance & Testing
We don’t just ship boxes; we test them on actual KUKA KRC2 cabinet racks.
- Inbound Inspection: Visual audit of capacitors for bulging, inspection of high-current trace health, and OEM heat-sink seating checks.
- Live Rig Testing: Insertion into a dedicated KRC2 test environment, powering up to full 400V 3-phase mains to verify pre-charge circuit actuation.
- Drive Bus Handshake Validation: Interfacing with a DSE-IBS board to ensure correct watchdog monitoring and communication.
- Brake Relay & Ballast Load Checks: Actuating mechanical brake control lines under simulated electrical loads to confirm contact resistance specs.
- Final QC & ESD Packaging: Verification of internal 24V supply outputs before sealing in static-shielding bags with custom foam casing.
The Veteran’s Tech Trap Guide (Crucial Value-Add)
- ⚠️ Watch Out for -REL vs -ESC Sub-Models: To be honest, this trips up engineers all the time. The KPS-600/20-REL contains mechanical relays for brake circuits, while the -ESC variant relies on electronic safety circuit boards. They are not always plug-and-play interchangeable without adjusting safety circuit wiring. Double-check your cabinet’s wiring schematic before ordering.
- ❗ Pre-charge Resistor Burnout: If you power up the cabinet with a shorted servo drive on the DC bus, you will instantly fry the pre-charge circuit inside the replacement KPS card. Always megger check your DC bus and servo drives for ground faults before applying 400V mains to a fresh power supply.
- ⚠️ Discharge DC Bus Capacitors: Don’t touch the terminals immediately after powering down. The internal bank holds over 500 VDC. Wait at least 5 to 10 minutes and verify with a multimeter across the DC link terminals before pulling the module.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ for Conversion)
Q: Can I hot-swap the KPS-600/20-REL while the KRC2 cabinet is running?
A: No. Pulling this card while under load will cause high-voltage arcing across the main connector pins and will burn out the backplane. Always perform a complete system shutdown and isolate the main disconnect switch first.
Q: Does the KPS-600/20-REL supply power to the internal 24V backup batteries?
A: Yes. It includes an integrated charging circuit that keeps the controller’s 24V gel batteries buffered to preserve encoder positions during main power loss.
Q: Why is my controller giving a “Watchdog Communication Fault” pointing to the KPS?
A: This usually indicates that the Interbus drive bus communication between the KPS module and the DSE-IBS card in the controller PC has failed. Check ribbon cables first; if the cables are good, the internal logic board on the KPS has likely failed.
Q: Are these units brand new or surplus?
A: Because KUKA has discontinued the KRC2 series, new factory units no longer exist. Our stock consists of clean, fully reconditioned, and load-tested surplus units pulled from active, maintained production environments.
Q: What is the standard warranty on this replacement unit?
A: Every KPS-600/20-REL module comes backed by a full 12-month repair-or-replace warranty from the date of shipment.
Start Chat
