ABB IRC5 — Revolution Counter & SMB Battery

ABB · intermediate · 30 min

An ABB IRC5 robot that comes up with error 20032 'Revolution counter not updated' has lost its axis position memory — usually a flat SMB battery or an unclean power-down. Learn to read the event log, replace the SMB battery, and re-update the revolution counters.

ℹ️ On an IRC5, the SMB battery remembers the arm position while the robot is off. When it's flat (or power was lost unclean), the axes lose their revolution counter data and you get error 20032 — Revolution counter not updated. Fix the battery, then re-update the counters.

Read the event log first

Every malfunction the IRC5 detects is written to the event log, viewable on the FlexPendant or in RobotStudio. It carries the detail you need — start there rather than guessing. The classic position-memory fault is:

• 20032 — Revolution counter not updated. The robot no longer trusts its stored axis position.

Why the revolution counters are lost

The battery backup to the Serial Measurement Board (SMB) remembers the robot arm position during shutdowns. Two things cause a loss:

• A flat SMB battery — it no longer holds the counters while powered off.
• An extended or unclean power loss — if the system didn't shut down cleanly, all axes lose revolution-counter data and the encoder position data can be lost.

Either way, the robot needs the counters re-established before it can run its programs to position.

Check and replace the SMB battery

In RobotStudio, go to Controller → Maintenance → Battery Status. Replace the battery if the voltage is below 2.8 V. The controller coin-cell part number is 3HAC050365-001. (There are two battery types across ABB robots — the SMB battery pack in the manipulator and the controller coin cell — check which your fault points to.)

Update the revolution counters

After fixing the battery, update the revolution counters: jog each axis to its synchronization/calibration mark and run the Update Revolution Counters routine on the FlexPendant. This re-teaches the coarse position so the fine resolver value is meaningful again. Until you do this, the robot won't run to programmed positions correctly.

Don't overlook the SMB cabling

Trouble with the SMB cable or SMB battery can also cause resolver errors. If you're getting resolver/position faults, check for loose pins and loose connections in the cabling from the robot's SMB board back into the control cabinet — a marginal connector mimics a battery fault.

Step-by-step

1. Read the event log (FlexPendant/RobotStudio) — confirm 20032 or the specific code.
2. Check Battery Status in RobotStudio (Controller → Maintenance) — replace SMB battery if < 2.8 V (coin cell 3HAC050365-001).
3. Inspect the SMB cable/connectors for loose pins if you also see resolver errors.
4. Update Revolution Counters — jog each axis to its sync mark and run the routine.
5. Verify the robot runs to a known position correctly.

Never do this

Don't update revolution counters carelessly against the wrong sync marks to clear 20032 — you'll teach a wrong position and the robot will move to the wrong place, risking a collision. Jog precisely to each axis's calibration mark, and verify against a known point before running production.