What causes FANUC Robot alarm SRVO-005?

Robot axis moved beyond its mechanical overtravel limit switch. Mastering error causing the robot to move further than expected before hitting a limit. Robot shipped with overtravel limits set for transit — needs to be released. Jogging in the wrong direction against a limit. Mechanical interference preventing the axis from stopping before the limit.

How do I fix FANUC Robot alarm SRVO-005?

1. Hold down the SHIFT key, then press RESET to clear the alarm while continuing to hold SHIFT. 2. While continuing to hold the SHIFT key, jog the affected axis in the direction away from the limit. 3. Move all axes to within the normal range of motion. 4. Release SHIFT and verify the robot is in a normal operating position. 5. If this happens repeatedly, check the robot mastering and axis limit parameters.

axismd.ai

FANUC Robot Controller

Overtravel/Limit · Intermediate · 15-60 minutes

Alarm SRVO-005

Fanuc Robot SRVO-005 - Robot overtravel

SRVO-005 Robot Overtravel occurs when a robot axis physically trips a hardware overtravel limit switch (OT), indicating the joint has moved beyond its safe mechanical range. This is a hard limit protection that requires the SHIFT+RESET recovery procedure to allow jogging back within limits. The alarm is typically caused by jogging errors, mastering problems, or mechanical interference preventing normal motion.

FANUC RobotOvertravel/LimitIntermediate15-60 minutes

SRVO-005

Fanuc Robot SRVO-005 - Robot overtravel

Robot overtravel

Root Cause Summary

SRVO-005 Robot Overtravel occurs when a robot axis physically trips a hardware overtravel limit switch (OT), indicating the joint has moved beyond its safe mechanical range. This is a hard limit protection that requires the SHIFT+RESET recovery procedure to allow jogging back within limits. The alarm is typically caused by jogging errors, mastering problems, or mechanical interference preventing normal motion.

Safety

Always verify robot is in a safe stopped state before entering the work envelope
Use T1 (low speed) mode when testing after clearing motion or servo alarms

Causes and Fixes

1
Identify affected axis
Press MENU > ALARM > F1 [HIST] to view alarm history. The alarm detail will show which axis (J1-J6) triggered the overtravel. Note whether it shows '+' or '-' direction to determine which direction to jog away from the limit.
The alarm history timestamp helps identify if multiple axes hit limits simultaneously, which suggests a mastering or program issue rather than simple jogging error.
2
Execute SHIFT+RESET recovery procedure
On the teach pendant, press and HOLD the SHIFT key (top right), then press RESET while continuing to hold SHIFT. The SRVO-005 alarm will clear but the SHIFT key must remain held down to enable jogging in overtravel condition.
Do NOT release the SHIFT key until the axis is back within normal limits. Releasing SHIFT while still in overtravel will immediately re-trigger the alarm.
3
Jog axis away from limit
While still holding SHIFT, change to JOINT mode (COORD button), select low speed (5-10%), enable motors, and carefully jog the affected axis in the OPPOSITE direction shown in the alarm (if alarm shows +OT, jog negative direction). Watch the mechanical position to ensure movement away from the limit switch.
Ensure you are jogging the correct axis in the correct direction. Jogging toward the limit will cause mechanical damage as the software protection is bypassed while SHIFT is held.
4
Verify limit switch release
Navigate to MENU > I/O > [TYPE] > Digital In. Check the overtravel input signals (typically SI-xxx OT+ and OT- for each axis). Verify the affected axis OT signal changes from ON to OFF as you jog away from the limit. Continue jogging until well clear of the limit zone.
OT input signal mappings are found in MENU > SETUP > FRAMES > [OTHER] > Hard Limit. Document which DI corresponds to each axis for future reference.
5
Release SHIFT and verify normal operation
Once all axes are within normal range and all OT signals show OFF, release the SHIFT key. Move the robot to a safe mid-range position. Verify no alarms reoccur and all axes can move freely in both directions. Test program motion at reduced speed if this occurred during program execution.
After recovery, jog each axis through its full range at 25% speed to verify the overtravel does not reoccur and to check for any mechanical binding that may have caused the issue.

1
Perform emergency recovery
Use SHIFT+RESET procedure to jog robot back within limits as described in first cause block. Move robot to a recognizable position (like all axes at 0 degrees or home position) before proceeding with mastering verification.
If mastering is severely off (>5 degrees), all position data and taught points are unreliable. Do not run production programs until mastering is verified.
2
Check current mastering values
Navigate to MENU > SYSTEM > Master/Cal > [MSTR_MTRC]. Review the mastering counter values for all axes. Compare these values to the documented master data from robot calibration records (usually on robot label or in documentation). Differences indicate potential mastering loss.
Take a photo or write down current mastering values before any changes. Mastering data is also stored in MENU > SYSTEM > Variables > $DMR_GRP[1].$MAS_CNT[1-6] for robot group 1.
3
Verify mastering with mechanical reference
If safe to do so, jog each axis to its mechanical zero mark (scribe line or alignment pin visible on axis). At each zero position, check the joint angle display on pendant. It should read 0.000 degrees (or documented offset). Discrepancies >0.5 degrees indicate mastering error requiring re-master procedure.
Only attempt to view mechanical master marks if robot is in a safe, collision-free area. Some axes require specific postures to safely access master reference marks.
4
Check software limits vs mechanical limits
Navigate to MENU > SETUP > Frames > [OTHER] > Soft Limit. Verify software limits for the affected axis are set correctly per robot model specifications. Compare to MENU > SYSTEM > Config > Motion > Axis Limits. Software limits should be 3-5 degrees inside hardware overtravel limits.
Parameters $JOG_SPEED_LIM and $JOG_DIST_LIM in Motion Config can be adjusted to provide additional safety margin, slowing the robot before reaching soft limits.
5
Re-master if necessary
If mastering is confirmed incorrect, execute single-axis master procedure: MENU > SYSTEM > Master/Cal > [SINGLE]. Follow on-screen prompts to align mechanical marks and set zero reference. After mastering, update all mastering documentation and backup the robot. All taught positions must be verified after re-mastering.
Re-mastering invalidates all taught positions. All programs must be re-taught or verified before production use. Perform CONTROLLED START after mastering changes.

Service Recommended confidence

Seeing Multiple Alarms?

Seeing another alarm with this one? Enter the code.

Get machine-aware diagnosis

AxisMD logs alarms against your actual machines, tracks patterns, and gives AI context your manual doesn't have.

Start free

Was this guide helpful?

Always verify with your machine manual or a certified technician before performing service procedures.