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Cubic‑S Basic Setup E01 Controller

First-time commissioning of the Cubic‑S motion-monitoring safety option on an E-series (E0x) controller: software enable, wiring, internal power, e-stop, and configuration.

What Cubic‑S Is

Cubic‑S is Kawasaki's hardware safety option for the E-series controller. It is a dual-channel, self-monitoring board that watches the robot's actual motion, joint angles, speed, tool position, and three-dimensional zones, independently of the main robot CPU, and cuts motor power when the robot violates a configured limit.

It provides safety-rated functions including motion-area monitoring, constant/selectable monitoring zones, joint-range monitoring, speed monitoring, tool-orientation monitoring, protective stop, and emergency stop, with dual-channel safety inputs and outputs. The board is configured from a PC using the CS-Configurator software over USB-B, and its safety state is tied back to the robot's AS software through a CRC "safety signature."

Cubic-S commissioning is safety-critical work. Setup, parameter entry, and validation must be performed by personnel trained/certified on Kawasaki safety systems. This page is an orientation checklist, not a substitute for the Cubic-S, Safety, Operation, External I/O, and Installation & Connection manuals - keep them open alongside this procedure.

Before You Begin

Confirm the following before touching software or wiring:

  • The Cubic-S unit is physically installed in the controller (board, 1XL relay board, harnesses, and override switch on the accessory panel for E0x).
  • You have the CUBICS_ON.as file (supplied with the Cubic-S option) on a USB flash drive.
  • A PC with CS-Configurator installed and the USB driver working, plus a USB-B cable.
  • The robot is at a known, safe pose and the cell is clear. All wiring is done with controller power OFF.

Enabling Cubic-S and the power cycles that follow can trigger an encoder-value comparison error and, in some cases, disturb zeroing data. Record your encoder/zeroing data before enabling anything so you can restore it cleanly.

Record the Current Encoder Values

Cubic-S stores its own copy of the encoder values and compares them across power cycles. The first power-up after enabling Cubic-S (or after replacing it) can raise E9419 — Encoder value error, which forces a zeroing check. Capture a complete record now so restoration is trivial.

A. Save a full backup (recommended)

From the teach pendant, save Robot Data (*.rb) to USB — this file includes zeroing data along with dedicated-signal settings. Use the Aux Save function (Save → Robot Data). Keep this file; it is your one-step restore.

B. Manually note the zeroing values

As a record, write down the per-joint zeroing and offset values:

# Teach pendant
AUX 0501 → 050102  Zeroing Data Set / Display
   ⤷ note JT1–JT6 zeroing values
   ⤷ <Next Page> → note OFFSET values (do not change them)

C. Snapshot the live encoder readings

For reference, the raw values are visible under the monitor screens:

  • Monitor 10.5 — Joint encoder value (current encoder counts per axis)
  • Monitor 10.15 — Encoder original data

AUX 050102 is a maintenance function — viewing is safe, but changing values alters the robot's detected position and its taught trajectory. Only enter values during a deliberate restore.

Load the CUBICS_ON.as File

The CUBICS_ON.as file switches on the Cubic-S software option inside the controller (it sets the system data/switches that tell AS the option is present). Load it from the USB drive into robot memory.

Load from USB

# Monitor terminal (or TP keyboard screen)
> USB_LOAD CUBICS_ON     # ".as" extension is added automatically

Alternatively, use the pendant Aux Load function and select the file from the USB drive. If a /Q-style prompt appears (Load? 1:Yes 0:No 2:Load all 3:Exit), choose 2 (Load all) to take the full file.

  1. Insert the USB drive containing CUBICS_ON.as.
  2. Run USB_LOAD CUBICS_ON (or Aux → Load → from USB).
  3. Cycle controller power (OFF → ON) so the option enable takes effect.

Changes that affect the Cubic-S option/parameters are only reflected after an OFF/ON of control power. Expect Cubic-S errors such as E9404 — Parameter may be changed. Turn OFF & ON the control power for verify until you power-cycle. This is normal during commissioning.

Jumpers & Connectors / Enable Internal Power

All steps in this section are performed with controller power OFF and the main disconnect locked out.

A. Set the 1TR board jumpers

On a Cubic-S–equipped controller the safety circuit is fixed to two systems. Move the JP1 / JP2 jumpers on the 1TR board to the JP2 side. If left on the wrong side, Cubic-S will detect an error and will not enable.

  • JP1 / JP2 → JP2 side (required for Cubic-S).
  • X251 jumper connector — factory-fitted on the front of the 1TR card rack; leave as supplied unless the wiring diagram for your build directs otherwise.

B. Route internal 24 V to the safety input card (XCS10)

The Cubic-S user safety I/O needs 24 V. Where no external supply is available, the controller's internal 24 V is brought in through the XCS10 harness (shipped attached to the controller but unconnected by default). The harness's connector head mates to the XCS10 internal-power port on the relay (1XL) board side; its conductors feed the XIN1 power terminals.

XCS10 → XIN1 power terminals
XIN1 pin Signal Source
A1 / B1 +24 V (V13) — XIN1 power supply XCS10 +24 V (internal)
A2 / B2 0 V (G13) — XIN1 GND XCS10 0 V (internal)

When powering the safety I/O via the XCS10 harness, the total load on the user safety input/output must be 0.5 A or less. A dry e-stop contact is well within this.

Reference the E0x default wiring diagram (Cubic-S manual, 9.3, page 9-13) to confirm X7 / X251 / XCS1 / XCS2 routing for your controller before energizing.

Wire an E-Stop to Safety Input 1

User safety input Ch1 lives on the XIN1 connector. It is a dual-channel, self-testing input: the board emits test pulses (TP-A / TP-B) that must return through the e-stop switch contacts into the input pins (IN1-A / IN1-B). A dry two-contact e-stop switch is all that is required, four signal conductors, with 24 V supplied internally via XCS10.

XIN1 — Channel 1 e-stop wiring
Pin Name Function
A3 IN1-A Safety input Ch1-A
B3 TP-A Test pulse output A → through e-stop contact 1 → A3
A4 IN1-B Safety input Ch1-B
B4 TP-B Test pulse output B → through e-stop contact 2 → A4

Wire each e-stop contact in series between its test-pulse output and the matching input pin, so an open contact removes the pulse and trips the channel.

Connector / wiring notes

  • The XIN1 safety-I/O receptacle is a screwless spring-clamp connector — do not cut connector heads off harnesses to land them here.
  • Conductors: AWG24–AWG20, strip length ~7.0 mm, or use ferrule terminals.
  • Use shielded cable, routed away from power/high-voltage lines.

After any change to emergency-stop wiring, confirm without fail that every e-stop button actually stops the robot before relying on the circuit.

Basic Settings in CS-Configurator

With wiring complete and the controller powered, connect the PC and configure the safety parameters. On the E0x the Cubic-S USB port is inside the accessory panel, next to the override switch.

  1. Connect. Plug the USB cable PC ↔ Cubic-S. In CS-Configurator open the Operation Menu tab and press <Read Robot Parameters>. The status icon switches to "connected" and the robot parameters (grey rows) load.
  2. Allocate the e-stop function. In the Parameter Tree View, open the safety-input settings and allocate the Emergency Stop function to User Safety Input 1 (the Ch1 you wired in).
  3. Set the dual-input logic for that channel:
    • Logic: Equivalent (both contacts close together) or Complementary — match your switch type.
    • Allowed time of discrepancy: 0–30000 ms mismatch window before a channel-disagreement fault (a few hundred ms is typical for a mechanical switch).
  4. Configure your monitoring functions (motion area, joint range, speed, etc.) as the cell requires. For a first power-on you may keep these minimal and expand later.
  5. Write. Press <Write Parameters to Cubic-S>. A password is required — the v2 factory default is khi. (In v1 the password is set on first write and stored on the PC.)
  6. Verify. Press <Verify Cubic-S Parameters>; mismatches show red in the data view. Resolve any before proceeding.
  7. Power-cycle the controller so the written parameters are reflected and validated by Cubic-S.

Robot parameters (grey) come from the controller via <Read Robot Parameters> and cannot be edited. User parameters (white) are what you set per monitoring function. Both are pushed by <Write Parameters to Cubic-S>.

Register the Cubic-S Safety Signature

Cubic-S protects its configuration with a CRC "safety signature." AS keeps a stored copy; after you finalize parameters you must register the current CRC so the controller and Cubic-S agree — otherwise you'll get repeated signature/parameter-change faults.

# Teach pendant
AUX 0820  Cubic-S Safety Signature
   ⤷ displays current Cubic-S CRC vs. CRC stored in AS
   ⤷ press <Confirm> to rewrite AS with the current Cubic-S value

Run this after the final <Write Parameters to Cubic-S> and power cycle. Re-run it any time you change Cubic-S parameters. (If the dedicated input "Cubic-S Safety Signature Reset" is active, <Confirm> is hidden by design.)

Restore Encoder Values If Wiped

If enabling Cubic-S disturbed the zeroing data, or the first post-enable power-up raised E9419 — Encoder value error (check zeroing / home pose), restore the values you captured in §02.

  1. Switch to TEACH mode and reset the error. (E9419 is reset-acceptable in teach mode.)
  2. Check the pose. Verify the zeroing pose and home pose. With axes on their scribe marks, every joint should read 0°.
  3. Restore the data by whichever record you took:
    • Fast path — Aux Load → Robot Data (*.rb) from your §02 backup (restores zeroing data in one shot).
    • Manual path — re-enter the per-joint values in AUX 050102 Zeroing Data Set/Display, then confirm until "Setting complete." appears.
  4. Re-confirm the zeroing/home pose is correct before leaving teach mode.

Do not resume automatic operation on a robot whose zeroing you have not verified. A wrong current value means the robot pose can deviate from the program. If a motor/encoder was actually replaced, perform full zeroing and reset the rotation counter (AUX 050103) — not just a value re-entry.

A single E9419 right after first enabling Cubic-S (or right after a power cycle that immediately follows turning zeroing on) is listed as a non-abnormal case — but you must still confirm the pose before clearing it.

Final Confirmation

Before handing the cell over, validate end to end:

  • E-stop function: pressing the wired e-stop removes motor power; releasing + reset restores it. Test both channels behave together within the discrepancy window.
  • Safety I/O: confirm input/output states on the TP safety-signal monitors and the XIN1 IN1 power LED is ON.
  • Monitoring functions: jog into each configured limit and confirm Cubic-S trips as expected.
  • Signature: confirm no outstanding parameter-change/signature faults remain.

Record the final Robot Data (*.rb) backup, the CS-Configurator parameter file, and the registered safety signature in the project file for this E01

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