The IRC5 is the ABB robot controller on most of the ABB arms we stock, from a 2007 IRB 2400 welding cell to IRB 4600 robots built in 2022 and 2023. It runs ABB's RobotWare software and is programmed in RAPID through the FlexPendant. Before you buy one, check the cabinet style, the software options, the pendant and the cables.
What the IRC5 Does
The controller is the box that runs the arm. It holds the computer, the drive electronics and the safety circuits, and it connects to the robot through a set of power and signal cables. Our posts on servo amplifiers and robot connection cables cover those pieces in general terms. Each controller is set up for the arm it runs, so treat the arm and controller as a matched pair. The ABB arms we have on IRC5 are on our used ABB robots page.
Cabinet Styles
The IRC5 comes in more than one cabinet. The single cabinet puts everything in one box. The dual cabinet splits it into a control module and a drive module. The IRC5 Compact is a much smaller box meant for small robots, so an arm like the IRB 120 or IRB 1200 is often paired with one. Look at the listing photos so you know what size cabinet you are planning floor space for. Our IRB 1200 data sheet and IRB 4600 data sheet cover the arms themselves.
RobotWare and Options
RobotWare is the IRC5 software. Features beyond basic motion are options loaded on the controller. A controller that came out of an arc welding robots cell may have welding options that a controller from material handling work does not, and the reverse. MultiMove, which lets one controller run more than one robot, is another option. Confirm the options on the unit match the job you have in mind before you plan the cell around it.
The FlexPendant
The FlexPendant is the IRC5 teach pendant. Make sure one comes with the controller, and look at the screen, the joystick, the enabling switch, the emergency stop and the cable. A controller without a working pendant is hard to do anything with. If you need replacement pieces, look through our robot parts and accessories.
The Older S4C
Before the IRC5, ABB built the S4 family of controllers, and the S4C is one of them. Our IRB 4400L/10 MIG welding robot and the IRB 4400L/10 welding cell are 2002 units on S4C. RAPID goes back to the S4 family, so a RAPID programmer will recognize it, but the pendant and the hardware are different from IRC5. Treat an S4C robot as its own system for spares and training.
The IRC5P Paint Controller
The IRC5P is the paint version of the IRC5, built for ABB paint robots. We have an ABB IRC5P controller in our parts inventory. It belongs with an ABB paint system. If you run handling or welding arms, you want a standard IRC5.
What to Check on a Used IRC5
- Arm and controller match. Compare the robot type and serial information on the arm and the controller against the listing.
- Options. Check the RobotWare options against what your cell needs.
- Pendant. Included, working, and with a cable long enough for how you teach.
- Cables. Ask about length and connector condition. We have an ABB 3HAC2566-1 cable and an ABB cable set in stock. Our cable management post covers routing so they last.
- I/O and fieldbus. See what I/O boards or fieldbus are in the cabinet and whether they talk to your PLC. Our post on industrial robot I/O is a good start.
- Incoming power. Confirm the supply voltage on the controller matches your plant before it ships.
- Freight. Everything ships FOB Imlay City, Michigan. The buyer arranges freight. Plan for the controller cabinet as well as the arm.
ABB Robots on IRC5 in Stock
Inventory changes often. Click a model to see current units.
- ABB IRB 120: small six axis arm, IRC5
- ABB IRB 1200: 5 kg payload, 901 mm reach, IRC5
- ABB IRB 2400/16 MIG cell: 16 kg payload, IRC5
- ABB IRB 4600-40/2.55: 40 kg payload, 2,550 mm reach, IRC5
- More IRB 4600 robots on IRC5: 40 kg payload, 2,550 mm reach
- ABB IRB 7600 500/2.55: 500 kg payload, 2,550 mm reach, IRC5
Related Guides
Retiring an ABB Cell?
We buy used robots and controllers, one at a time or a whole plant. Tell us what you have on our sell your machinery page, or ask about robot appraisals. If you are buying and want to spread out the cost, see financing.
Call 586-752-0090, extension 1 for sales, or send us a question about any IRC5 unit.