SYST-011

Verify program exists in controller memory

From the teach pendant: SELECT → Find the program name referenced in the alarm detail. If the program is not listed, it has been deleted or never loaded. Check MENU → FILE → File utilities to confirm program presence in FROM or MD: directories.

Press SHIFT + FIND (magnifying glass) and type the program name to quickly search all directories. Programs in subdirectories must include the path in task definitions (e.g., TASK:MD:\MYDIR\PROG1).

Check task configuration file

Navigate to MENU → SETUP → Tasks. Verify the Program Name field matches exactly with an existing program (case-sensitive). Common errors include trailing spaces, wrong file extensions (.TP vs .PC), or referencing programs that were renamed.

Task configuration changes require controller restart (COLD START) to take effect. Unsaved changes will be lost during restart.

Verify CRON or background logic calls

If the alarm appears at specific times or intervals, check MENU → SETUP → Host Comm → HTTP → CRON settings or search all programs for CALL or RUN instructions that may reference non-existent programs. Use EDIT → FIND → String search to locate program calls.

KAREL programs often call TP programs dynamically. Check .KL source files or use RoboGuide to analyze program dependencies that may not be visible from the teach pendant.

Validate program registration after restore

If this occurred after loading a backup, ensure the program was not only copied but properly registered. From SELECT, highlight the program and press ENTER to open it, forcing controller registration. Check the File Date column - if blank, the program may not be fully registered.

Check current task count and status

Navigate to MENU → STATUS → Tasks to view all active tasks. The R-30iB controller supports maximum 32 tasks total. Count active tasks including system tasks (KCLMRTP, KLIOSOP, etc.). Note any tasks in 'PAUSE' or 'ABORT' states that are consuming resources without running.

Press F1 [TYPE] to filter by task type. Background Logic (BL) tasks and improperly terminated KAREL tasks are common culprits for resource exhaustion.

Abort unnecessary or stuck tasks

From the task status screen, highlight tasks that are not system-critical and press F5 [ABORT]. Start with user-created background tasks, vision tasks, or redundant motion programs. System tasks (starting with K) should not be aborted unless directed by support.

Aborting motion tasks (T1, T2, etc.) will stop robot motion immediately. Ensure robot is in safe position and no automatic operations are active.

Review task priority configuration

From MENU → SETUP → Tasks, check the 'Max Priority' settings. Total priority points across all tasks cannot exceed system limits. Reduce priority values if multiple tasks are set to high priority (>20). Default motion tasks should be priority 40-60.

After adjusting task priorities or deleting unused task definitions, perform MENU → NEXT → System Config → COLD START to clear task table cache.

Check for task spawn loops in programs

Review programs that use RUN or CALL for background execution. Common error: programs that RUN themselves or create task chains without termination conditions. Search for 'RUN' instructions without corresponding task completion logic or ABORT_TASK() calls in KAREL.

Enable task logging: Set system variable $DEBUG_LEVEL.$TASK_DEBUG = TRUE to capture task start/stop events in the error log for analysis.

Verify program file integrity

From SELECT, attempt to open the suspect program. If it fails to open or displays garbled text, the file is corrupted. Check the file size - if it shows 0KB or unusual size, delete and restore from backup. Use MENU → FILE → File utilities → Validate to check .TP program structure.

Do not attempt to edit or save corrupted programs. This can crash the controller or corrupt additional files. Always work from a verified backup.

Check available controller memory

Navigate to MENU → NEXT → Memory (may be under STATUS depending on software version). Check 'User TP Memory' and 'User KB Memory' values. If less than 10% free, memory is critical. Review and delete unused programs, old backups in FROM:, or excessive position registers.

Large vision programs, DCS programs with extensive I/O mapping, or excessive use of GROUP I/O can consume significant memory. Use MENU → STATUS → Memory Map for detailed breakdown by resource type.

Perform memory defragmentation

If memory shows fragmentation (many small free blocks), perform: MENU → NEXT → Controlled Start → COLD START with memory reinitialization. For severe cases, use iRCalibration utility to back up then restore controller image, which rebuilds memory tables.

COLD START will stop all operations and requires system reboot. Backup all data before memory reinitialization options.

Restore program from verified backup

If program corruption is confirmed, delete the corrupt file and restore from a known-good backup. Use MENU → FILE → LOAD (File) and select from USB or network location. After restore, verify program opens correctly and manually check first/last lines for completeness.

Enable automatic backup to prevent data loss: MENU → SETUP → Host Comm → HTTP → Automatic Backup. Configure daily backups to network share or FTP server. Include programs, variables, and system config in backup scope.