ABB PC SDK Adapter

Backup and restore ABB IRC5 robot controllers running RobotWare 5, using the ABB PC SDK.

What This Adapter Does

This adapter connects to an ABB IRC5 robot controller running RobotWare 5 over the network using the ABB PC SDK and triggers a controller backup or restore. Connecting to RobotWare 5 controllers requires an ABB PC SDK runtime (RobotStudio, ABB PC SDK, or the ABB Robot Communication Runtime) to be installed on the host — see Requirements.

Operation	Purpose
ABB IRC5 RW5 Backup	Trigger a controller backup to a path on the controller
ABB IRC5 RW5 Restore	Restore a controller from a backup path on the controller

The adapter discovers the controller on the local network and connects to it; it requires the controller's network discovery ports to be reachable.

flowchart LR
  A[OT Backup Job] --> B{Operation}
  B --> C[ABB IRC5 RW5 Backup]
  B --> D[ABB IRC5 RW5 Restore]
  C --> E[IRC5 Controller via PC SDK]
  D --> E

Compatibility

Software / Device	Supported versions	Notes
ABB robot controller	IRC5	Robot controller hardware
RobotWare	5	Controller firmware family
ABB PC SDK runtime	RobotStudio, ABB PC SDK, or Robot Communication Runtime	Must be installed on the host — see Requirements
.NET runtime	.NET 8 + ASP.NET Core 8	Required on the host

Job Configuration

The sections below describe the parameters you fill in when creating or editing a backup or restore job for each operation.

ABB IRC5 RW5 Backup

Connects to the controller, authenticates, and triggers a backup to the specified path on the controller. Waits up to 240 seconds for the backup to complete.

Parameter	Description	Example
ControllerIp	The network address of the controller to backup.	`192.168.1.10`
ControllerAccount	The controller credentials used to authenticate. Select an Account configured in OT Backup.	(Account)
ControllerBackupPath	The path where the backup will be stored on the controller.	`$BACKUP/MyRobot`

ABB IRC5 RW5 Restore

Connects to the controller, authenticates, and triggers a restore from the specified backup path on the controller. The controller must be in Auto mode. Waits up to 240 seconds for the controller to come back online.

Parameter	Description	Example
ControllerIp	The network address of the controller to restore.	`192.168.1.10`
ControllerAccount	The controller credentials used to authenticate. Select an Account configured in OT Backup.	(Account)
ControllerBackupPath	The path on the controller of the backup to restore.	`$BACKUP/MyRobot`

Requirements

Host machine

ABB PC SDK runtime — for RobotWare 5 (IRC5) robots the host must have one of the following installed:
- RobotStudio, or
- ABB PC SDK, or
- ABB Robot Communication Runtime
Download the PC SDK / Robot Communication Runtime from the ABB PC SDK download page, or use the installation file bundled in the …\OT Backup\TEE\_SDK folder.
The OT Backup host must be able to discover and reach the controller on the local network.

Network / Ports

Protocol	Port	Direction	Purpose
UDP	5512–5514	Outbound	Controller discovery (ABB network scanning)
TCP	5515	Outbound	PC SDK communication with the controller

Permissions / Access

An Account with controller credentials that have permission to perform backup and restore must be configured in OT Backup and selected in the step.

Setup

These steps must be completed by an IT administrator and the robot owner.

Place the OT Backup host where it can reach the controller — the PC SDK uses ABB network discovery, so the host must be able to discover the controller on the network.
Install the ABB PC SDK runtime — install RobotStudio, the ABB PC SDK, or the ABB Robot Communication Runtime on the host. Use the ABB PC SDK download page or the installer in …\OT Backup\TEE\_SDK.
Verify connectivity — confirm the host can reach the controller and that UDP 5512–5514 and TCP 5515 are open through any firewalls between the host and the robot network.
Configure an Account — add the controller credentials as an Account in OT Backup and reference it in the step.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Resolution
"Failed to connect to controller"	Controller not discoverable	Verify the IP, ensure the host can reach the controller, and open UDP 5512–5514 / TCP 5515
Step fails immediately / "PC SDK not found"	ABB PC SDK runtime not installed on the host	Install RobotStudio, the ABB PC SDK, or the ABB Robot Communication Runtime (see Requirements)
"Controller is not available"	Controller busy or in use by another client	Wait until the controller is available and retry
Restore fails — "must be in Auto"	Controller not in Auto mode	Set the controller to Auto mode before running the restore
Backup or restore times out after 240 seconds	Controller slow or unreachable	Check the network path to the controller and retry

Known Limits

Restore requires the controller to be in Auto mode and takes mastership during the operation.
Backup and restore each wait up to 240 seconds to complete.
The controller must be discoverable on the local network (ABB network discovery is used to locate it).