Robot arm & cobot field service and repair in North America (2026)

Short answer: On most robot arm and cobot jobs the arm itself is rarely the problem; the work is in the cell around it: the mounting, the gripper, the program points, the safety devices and the power supply. A robot maker selling arms in North America needs someone local who can install and commission cells, re-teach programs after a move, check safety functions, do preventive maintenance and swap a failed joint or controller part, while the factory keeps firmware and root-cause work. KeepRobots can be that local team, billed by the hour, from a base in Greater Vancouver and serving Canada and the US.

Common field problems with robot arms and cobots

These are the faults and service tasks a field engineer typically meets on installed arms and cobot cells. Exact procedures always come from the maker's service manual.

Problem	Why it happens	What fixes it on site
Program points are off after a move	The robot base, table or fixture was moved, re-anchored or bumped	Re-teach key points with the teach pendant, re-define user frames or base calibration, dry run at reduced speed, then a full test cycle
Protective stops, poor accuracy or false collision detection	Wrong TCP or payload settings after a gripper or tool change; cable drag on the tool	Measure and set the TCP, enter payload mass and centre of gravity, re-route cables, re-test
Safety faults or a cell that runs when it shouldn't	Light curtain or area scanner misaligned, gate interlock bypassed, e-stop wiring changed, safety settings not updated after a layout change	Check every safety input and stop function, verify scanner fields and stopping distances, flag that the risk assessment needs updating
Gripper drops or misses parts	Worn vacuum cups, air leaks, low supply pressure, damaged fingers, I/O or tool-flange connector faults	Replace cups and fittings, check regulator and air supply, test gripper I/O, replace fingers or the gripper module
Intermittent faults near the wrist	Cable and hose wear in the dress pack from repeated rotation	Inspect and re-route the dress pack, replace worn cables or hoses
Position lost after power-off	Low encoder backup battery, on arms that use battery-backed multi-turn encoders	Replace the battery following the maker's procedure; re-master or re-calibrate joints if positions were lost
Arm sags at power-off or brake errors	Worn or faulty holding brake in a joint	Run the maker's brake test, support the arm safely, replace the joint module or brake as specified
Joint noise, vibration or grease leaks	Reducer wear or grease past its service interval	Grease or oil change at the maker's interval, vibration and noise check, joint module swap if needed
Controller won't power up or trips breakers	Supply voltage or plug mismatch; North American sites use different voltages and receptacles than many factory test setups	Confirm supply and transformer requirements before install, check controller power supply and fuses

Most of these are fixable in hours if two things are in place: the maker's procedures are available (in English or Chinese; our engineers can read both) and the common spare parts are already in North America.

What KeepRobots can do for robot arm makers

Deployment and commissioning: unpack, mount and level the arm, connect controller and teach pendant, set TCP and payload, wire I/O and safety devices to the cell design, run acceptance tests with your remote team on a call.
After-sales repair: on-site diagnosis, fault isolation to a module (joint, controller board, cable, gripper), part swap, re-calibration and a written report back to you.
Preventive maintenance: scheduled visits for grease, encoder batteries, brake tests, cable and dress-pack inspection, safety function checks and backups of programs and settings.
Re-teaching and relocation: moving a cell inside a plant, re-teaching points, re-checking safety functions afterwards.
Pre-sales demos: set up a demo cell at a prospect's site or a trade show, supporting your sales team or running the demo ourselves.
Spare parts and demo units: store spare joints, grippers, cables, batteries and demo arms in Vancouver, including consignment stock, so parts don't have to clear customs during a breakdown.

If we haven't worked on your model before, we say so. We train on your manuals and a sample unit first, with your engineers.

Typical process

First email to partners@keeprobots.com: arm models, payload range, controller type, how many units and where, and what you need first (installs, repairs, demos).
Documents and terms: service manuals, wiring and safety diagrams, error code tables; NDA if needed; written warranty rules on what we may open and replace.
Training: remote sessions with your engineers plus hands-on time with a sample arm and controller.
Parts on the shelf: agree a starter spares list and stock it in Vancouver.
First jobs: a supervised install or demo, with your team on a call, and a joint sign-off checklist.
Ongoing service: you or your customer open a ticket, your team does remote triage, we visit, fix and send a report with photos and parts used.
Review: regular look at faults, parts used and procedures that need updating.

Published rates

Item	Canada	United States
Diagnostic fee, per visit (credited if the repair is approved)	$200 CAD	$200 USD
Call-out fee, Greater Vancouver core area	$100 CAD per visit	Travel quoted per project
On-site labour	$150 CAD per hour	$150 USD per hour

Taxes extra. Parts extra. Travel outside the core area and US jobs are quoted per project. Deployments, preventive maintenance programs and demo support are quoted per project from the same hourly rates. No onboarding or annual fees.

Example (Greater Vancouver core area, for illustration): a cobot loses position after a power cut; we diagnose a low encoder battery, the repair is approved, replacement and re-calibration take 3 hours. Cost before parts and tax: $100 call-out + 3 × $150 = $550 CAD (the $200 diagnostic is credited because the repair was approved). If the repair isn't approved, the visit costs $200 diagnostic + $100 call-out = $300 CAD.

Compliance and certification points (Canada and US)

Electrical approval in Canada: equipment connected to the power supply is typically expected to carry a mark from an accredited certification body (for example CSA or cUL). Equipment without a recognized mark usually needs a field evaluation and label by an accredited inspection body (CSA SPE-1000 is the model code for this) before the local electrical authority will accept it. In most of BC that authority is Technical Safety BC; some municipalities, including the City of Vancouver, issue their own electrical permits and inspections. Check with your certification body early, because this can delay an install by weeks. Background in our certification note (Chinese).
Electrical approval in the US: OSHA's workplace electrical rules (29 CFR 1910.303, with "approved" defined in 1910.399) generally expect equipment listed or labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), and local inspectors usually look for the same.
Robot and cell safety: the main references are ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2 (2025 editions), adopted in the US as ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 and in Canada through the new edition of CSA Z434 (check which edition your customer and certification body reference). Guidance for collaborative operation from ISO/TS 15066 has been folded into ISO 10218-2:2025. A risk assessment for each cell is expected; agree who owns it (maker, integrator or end customer). We can check devices and collect information for it, but we are not a certification body.
Workplace rules: in BC, lockout (Part 10) and machine safeguarding (Part 12) requirements under the WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation apply to the customer's site and to our work there.
FCC Covered List: the July 2026 FCC listing of foreign-produced advanced robotic devices (DA 26-786) covers ground-mobile robots. Fixed, non-mobile robots such as articulated and SCARA arms are excluded. A mobile manipulator, meaning an arm on a mobile base, is a different case and may fall within the definition; check with a US lawyer. Any radio module, such as a wireless teach pendant, still needs the normal FCC and ISED radio authorizations. Details: FCC Covered List and robots: Canada vs the US.

For the full partner model, see North America field service for robot makers and third-party robot service for robot manufacturers. Useful next reads: how to choose a robot service partner, robot spare parts and consignment stock in Canada and robot field service in North America without hiring a team. If your arms ride on mobile bases, also see warehouse AMR field service.

FAQ

Can you install and commission a robot arm or cobot cell for our customer?

Yes. We can mount the arm, connect the controller, set TCP and payload, wire I/O and safety devices to the cell design and run acceptance tests with your engineers on a call. If we haven't worked on your model, we train on your manuals and a sample unit first.

Are robot arms affected by the FCC Covered List for robots?

Fixed, non-mobile robots such as articulated and SCARA arms are excluded from the FCC's advanced robotic device item (DA 26-786). An arm mounted on a mobile base may be a different case, so check with a US lawyer. Radio modules still need normal FCC and ISED authorization.

What safety standards apply to robot arm cells in Canada and the US?

The usual references are ISO 10218-1 and -2 (2025), adopted as CSA Z434 in Canada and ANSI/A3 R15.06 in the US, plus a risk assessment for each cell. Check the details with your certification body or integrator.

What preventive maintenance does a robot arm need?

Typically grease or oil changes on reducers, encoder backup battery replacement where used, brake tests, cable and dress-pack inspection, safety function checks and program backups, at the intervals in the maker's manual.

How much does a robot arm repair visit cost?

In Canada: $200 CAD diagnostic (credited if the repair is approved), $100 CAD call-out in the Greater Vancouver core area and $150 CAD per hour on site; in the US $200 USD diagnostic and $150 USD per hour. Travel outside the core area, US travel, parts and taxes are extra.

Other robot types

Write to partners@keeprobots.com with your robot model, where your customers are and what you need. We reply within one business day, in English or Chinese.

Robotic arm and cobot field service in North America (2026)