Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A fault monitoring method for a robot or other work machine wherein output from a servo motor is transmitted via a reducer or other power transmission mechanism and a load is driven, the method comprising the steps of:acquiring first torque data generated from the servo motor, in units each of which starts when the motor starts operating and ends when the motor stops operating;selecting a maximum first torque fluctuation range designated by a difference between a maximum torque and a minimum torque for each unit obtained from the acquired first torque data;collecting maximum fluctuation ranges of the first torque for a plurality of cycles for obtaining a first average value of the maximum fluctuation ranges of the first torque;selecting a fluctuation range control value by multiplying the first average value by a factor greater than 1.0;acquiring second torque data generated from the servo motor, in units each of which starts when the motor starts operating and ends when the motor stops operating, after the fluctuation range control value has been selected;selecting a maximum second torque fluctuation range designated by a difference between a maximum torque and a minimum torque among the units obtained from the acquired second torque data;collecting second maximum fluctuation ranges for a plurality of cycles for obtaining a second average value of the second maximum fluctuation ranges;making a comparison to determine whether the second average value exceeds the fluctuation range control value; anddetermining, by a fault monitoring device, that a fault has occurred when the second average value exceeds the control value for the fluctuation range in the comparison. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of servo motors is provided, a fluctuation range control value is set for each of the servo motors, and the servo motors are centrally controlled by a single checking unit. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acquired torque data is converted to consolidated data by a data converter and then sent to the checking unit. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first torque data and second torque data are acquired from a motor driver or controller for controlling the servo motor. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a warning signal is generated from an alerting unit when a fault is determined in the step for determining that a fault has occurred.