General safety information for servo controllers and electrical drive systems

Important safety information

Unless the specific offer expressly states a different inspection status, used servo controllers and electrical drive-system components offered by REHA-Industriekomponenten e.K. are supplied in the condition category “Used, removed from an installation”. In that case, REHA-Industriekomponenten e.K. has not carried out its own electrical inspection or comprehensive operational check.

Before installation and first use, the operator must have appropriately qualified personnel determine, perform and document the required inspections on the basis of the complete component and system identification, the applicable manufacturer documentation, the specific machine or installation and the requirements at the place of use. Installation, release and commissioning may be decided only after this work has been completed.

Servo controllers and electrical drive systems may carry lethal voltages and can generate high forces, torques, speeds and accelerations within a very short time.

Axes, motors and connected machine parts can move suddenly when power is applied, an enable is issued, parameters are changed, an identification routine is run, a test is started or a fault occurs. Vertical axes, suspended loads, robots, gantries, coupled axes and permanent-magnet motors require particular care.

Incorrect assignment, connection, feedback evaluation, commutation, brake control, safety configuration, testing or commissioning can cause electric shock, arc flash, fire, uncontrolled movement, falling loads, serious or fatal injury and substantial property damage.

This page contains general, non-exhaustive supplementary information only. It is not a work instruction and must never be used as the sole or sufficient basis for selection, connection, installation, inspection, release or commissioning.

Before work begins, the applicable documentation for the complete product version, the documentation for the specific machine or installation and the safety requirements at the place of use must be available, reviewed and followed.

If the exact product version cannot be identified, the applicable manufacturer documentation is unavailable, or there is doubt about condition, assignment, compatibility or connection requirements, the component must not be connected, energised, released or commissioned.

Supplementary manufacturer-independent safety information for business operators and qualified personnel

No connection, wiring, installation, parameterisation, inspection, repair or commissioning instructions

Editorial status: 27 August 2026

For sales through reha-components.com, the product description, order confirmation and the International B2B Terms determine the agreed inspection status and contractual terms.

1. Purpose and system boundary

This page covers recurring hazards associated with servo controllers, servo amplifiers, supply and axis modules, DC-link and braking components, safety options, motors, feedback systems, holding brakes and their cables.

A drive component cannot be assessed in isolation. Safe behaviour depends on the complete combination of controller, motor, encoder, brake, mechanics, machine control, software and safety functions.

No pin assignment, cable allocation, fuse rating, DC-link configuration, encoder connection, brake circuit, discharge time, parameter value, motor data, commutation value, safety rating or interchangeability statement may be derived from this page.

2. Identify every component and the complete system

Record the full order numbers, nameplate data, hardware and firmware versions, power and voltage classes, option and safety modules, memory media, motor type, encoder, brake, temperature sensor, cable versions, supply topology and machine configuration.

Use the exact manufacturer documentation for every component and the current electrical, software and safety documentation for the machine. A similar housing, connector or product-family name does not establish compatibility.

3. Qualified personnel and controlled responsibility

Selection, connection, parameterisation, testing, validation and commissioning must be performed by qualified personnel authorised for the specific work. The personnel must understand the electrical, control, software and mechanical consequences of their actions.

The operator remains responsible for the site-specific risk assessment, safe work process, machine state, protective measures and release decision under the requirements applicable at the place of use.

4. Electrical isolation and stored energy

Disabling torque, removing an enable or activating an emergency-stop function does not prove absence of voltage. Supply modules, DC links, capacitors, auxiliary supplies, brake supplies, motor cables and externally connected circuits may remain live.

Isolate all sources, secure them against reconnection, observe the specified discharge time and verify absence of voltage at every relevant point with suitable test equipment.

5. Unexpected movement and mechanical energy

Before energising or changing any setting, establish the possible direction, travel, force and speed of every axis. Secure the danger zone, remove personnel, control stored mechanical energy and provide a tested means of stopping and isolating the system.

Coupled axes can transfer movement through mechanics or control functions. A supposedly inactive axis may move because of gravity, another axis, a released brake or a changed control reference.

6. Vertical axes, suspended loads and holding brakes

A motor holding brake is not automatically a safety brake and may not safely hold a suspended load during installation, service or a fault. Its voltage, polarity, switching sequence, wear state and release timing must match the exact system design.

Provide independent mechanical support or another suitable protective measure before working beneath or near a vertical axis or suspended load. Do not rely solely on drive torque, a software command or a motor brake.

7. Motor, feedback and commutation assignment

The controller, motor winding, encoder, commutation method, feedback supply, cable and connector assignment must form a manufacturer-approved combination or be individually engineered and verified by competent personnel.

Incorrect encoder direction, phase sequence, pole-pair data, feedback scaling or commutation can cause immediate high-torque movement. Automatic motor identification and phasing routines must be treated as hazardous motion tests.

8. Parameter sets, firmware and memory media

Existing or copied parameter sets, memory cards and firmware configurations are unverified until matched to the exact hardware and machine. Back up the existing state before changes and maintain a controlled record of every setting that is loaded or modified.

A reset, firmware update or replacement controller may alter communication, feedback, brake, limit, homing and safety behaviour. A prior configuration must not be loaded into a different device version without a documented compatibility assessment.

9. Safety functions and machine validation

Safety-option labels and diagnostic status do not establish the required performance of a machine safety function. Correct design, wiring, parameterisation, response times, stopping distances, fault reaction and interaction with brakes and mechanics must be validated for the complete machine.

After replacement or any safety-related change, perform and document the validation required by the machine risk assessment and applicable rules before productive use.

10. Controlled test and commissioning sequence

Verify identity, condition, wiring, protective earthing, shielding and mechanical restraint.
Determine and complete the required electrical and functional inspections before installation and first use.
Start with the lowest practicable energy, torque, speed and travel limits.
Test one controlled function at a time with the hazard area clear.
Verify direction, feedback, limits, brake behaviour, stopping and safety functions before increasing performance.
Document results and release the drive only after all deviations have been resolved.

11. Maintenance, replacement and repair

Do not improvise repairs to power circuits, safety modules, encoder interfaces, DC-link components or braking equipment. Replacement parts and repair processes must preserve the required electrical, thermal, mechanical and safety characteristics.

After maintenance or repair, repeat all inspections and validations affected by the work. Prior successful operation is not evidence that a modified system remains safe.