Patent ID: 8099193

Claim:
A control system for controlling an industrial robot having at least one motor and a brake adapted to brake the motor, the control system comprising: at least one control unit generating a control signal for controlling the motor, at least one drive unit for controlling the motor, the drive unit having a switching unit adapted to convert DC current to alternating current to the motor in dependence on said control signal, and a safety unit adapted to generate at least one stop signal for stopping the robot upon occurrence of a safety event, wherein said drive unit is adapted to disable said switching unit upon receiving said stop signal thereby preventing generation of AC power to the motor, wherein the safety unit is adapted to generate said stop signal with a time delay with respect to the safety event and said control unit is adapted to generate said control signal in such a way that the motor is electrically braked during said time delay, wherein the control system is adapted to transfer said stop signal to said brake, which mechanically brakes the motor upon receiving the stop signal, and wherein the control system is adapted to delay the stop signal to the drive unit so that the brake receives the stop signal before the drive unit to ensure that that the mechanical brake is applied before the switching unit is disabled.