Recently, we received an inquiry from an manufacturer that sounded all too familiar:
“Is it even possible to repair Yaskawa motors like the SGMP-02AXYR11 anymore? We’ve got a few robots, and Yaskawa doesn’t provide spare parts anymore…”

A classic situation. And sadly, one we hear more and more often.

Gold-priced spare parts and delivery times from another universe

Indeed, these motors such as the SGMP-02AXYR11 are widely used in older Yaskawa robots, especially the Motoman series. They’ve been reliably doing their job in industrial environments for decades. But when one fails, the problems begin:

New replacement motors? If available at all, they come at a price that makes your head spin.
Delivery times? A gamble sometimes weeks, sometimes months.

Some customers turn to suppliers from Asia. At first glance, the offers seem promising: clean photos, low prices, fast promises. But the reality often hits hard.

When the replacement motor destroys the drive

One of our customers ordered such a motor from Asia. It looked perfect – brand new, clean, connector in place. But once connected, the unthinkable happened:
The motor destroyed the drive.

When we inspected the unit, things got interesting:
It wasn’t an original SGMP-02AXYR11 it was a similar motor with a modified connector. The modification, however, caused a short circuit internally. No wonder the drive was ruined.

Even worse: the motor had a fake label stuck on it – claiming it was “compatible.” A dangerous deception that could have caused far more damage.

Why a “working” motor fails at the customer site

Here’s another common scenario: the motor passes the test bench – seems fine. But once installed in the machine, it doesn’t work.

Why?
Because these so-called “compatible” replacements may deliver the right electrical signals – but miss the crucial details.
The wrong encoder type, incorrect memory codes, or mismatched signal timing.
And many sellers or service providers don’t test for these things. The result? A nasty surprise when the motor goes into real operation.

The unpleasant surprise after months in storage

In industry, it’s common to stock spare motors.
But when these “replacements” are installed months or even years later, things get messy:
– Motor doesn’t run
– Drive throws errors
– In worst cases: replacement motor damages the system

Suddenly, you’re not only facing unexpected costs but also unplanned downtime.

What we did during the repair

We received a SGMP-02AXYR11 for diagnosis and repair. The motor was old but mechanically sound. We carried out the following:

• Encoder replacement:
  The original absolute encoder (UTSAH-B16DC-E) was faulty. We replaced it with an identical original unit – aligned and calibrated.
• Brake replacement:
  The electromagnetic brake (Ogura MCNB 10Y-03, 90 V DC) had lost much of its holding torque. We replaced it with a new, correctly adjusted unit.
• Bearings replaced, insulation tested, motor remeasured

The result: the motor runs like new.

Our takeaway: Repairing is worth it if you know how

Repairing motors like the SGMP-02AXYR11 is often the smarter choice but it requires real expertise.
If you just install “something similar” or trust “almost compatible” replacements, you’re taking serious risks.

Especially in robotics, where drive, feedback, and control must be perfectly aligned, original specs are essential.

So here’s our advice:
👉 If you still use motors like these be proactive. Get them checked. Repair them professionally. Don’t rely on luck or “compatible” clones.

With the right know-how and quality components, even discontinued motors can be safely and reliably brought back to life.

Further information such as price and delivery time for:
Yaskawa AC SGMP-02AXYR11 Servomotor

More details about our Yaskawa repair expertise can be found here: Yaskawa Servo Motor Repair at Industrypart

Similar models we regularly repair:

📞 Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your Yaskawa drive systems.
Our team looks forward to your inquiry!

Table with key technical specifications