Published: August 6th, 2025

Summary:
There is a new structure for robot arm and controller serial numbers. See below examples that reflect the change.

Old arm serial number: YYYYRTnnnnn

New arm serial number: PVYYRTnnnnn

Old controller serial number: YYYYRTnnnnn

New controller serial number: VVYYMMnnnnnPPPPPPPPV

Why?

The new arm and controller serial number format is driven by a production change in effort toward decoupling Robot Arm and Control Box in the production process. This means that within the defined hardware and software compatibility, you can match any Control Box with any Robot Arm. They are no longer hard linked from the factory.

What changes now?

Within the defined hardware and software compatibility, you can match any Control Box with any Robot Arm. They are no longer hard linked from the factory. The same goes for the software. The SD cards are now produced in bulk and are not linked from the start to any specific Robot Arm, which means the SD cards will not have the serial number on the label. The user will now have to enter the serial number manually during the First Boot sequence.

The first boot is described in the manuals, for example:

UR10e PolyScope X - Section 7, page 53 - https://www.universal-robots.com/manuals/EN/PDF/SW10_9/user-manual-UR10e-PolyX-PDF_online/718-688-00_UR10e%20PolyScope%20X_User_Manual_PolyScopeX_en_Global.pdf#page=53

UR10e PolyScope 5 - Section 6, page 51 - https://www.universal-robots.com/manuals/EN/PDF/SW5_22/user-manual-UR10e-PDF_online/711-039-00_UR10e_User_Manual_en_Global.pdf#page=51

This is not “new” functionality as the same behavior can be observed when you re-image an SD card. The main change is that users now must do this upon first boot themselves.

FAQ:

Q:  What is expected user experience when customer starts the robot 1st time related to SN ?  (Arm SN / Polyscope SN (defines robot arm type) / Control box SN)

A: The Serial Number Screen will appear asking the user for SN which is the Robot SN and for the type of Control Box (Standard, OEM AC, OEM DC). Select CB type, enter Serial number and continue. The first boot (installation) process will now take place. This can take quite long time (15ish minutes).

Q: How is Polyscope set on new robots in factory to run with correct robot arm SN (defines robot arm type) ?

A: Serial Number is not set on PolyScope for new robots in the factory. All come with a vanilla image where Serial Number has not yet been set and where the first boot process have to be completed. 

If users experience anything else it is either a Partner or a Production Error.

Q: As we de-couple the ARM and CB; is there easy way to change SN in the Polyscope via GUI? Will that be implemented?

A: No. There are currently no plans to implement this. Changing the Serial Number after first boot affects a large part of the system and the safety system as it may change the robot type. Therefore it is not currently supported.

Q: Can we have a support article, or a one-pager to explain this change? Without any articles explaining this change, we cannot explain the format of the serial numbers reliably. 

A: (I can publish if you give me the parameters that are allowed to be shared publicly).

I'm not sure what is being asked here and what it would solve. Users do not need to understand the structure and format of the serial number and we do not wish to disclose the logic as it might allow users/partners/competitors to perform unwanted actions.

The serial number to be entered is the robot serial number, as written on the label of the robot.

Q: I understand from a customer that received multiple OEM controllers recently that the s/n is not printed on the SD card (to match the arm, as we have traditionally had in the past). Does this mean that standard controllers will also no longer have a s/n on the SD card?

A: Yes. SD Cards no longer have serial number on them as they are no longer pre-configured to match any specific arm. Instead they can now be used on any arm, given that it is the correct control box version and correct software for that arm.

After going through first boot the SD card is now matched to that arm. At this point the user can now write the SN on the SD Card if they desire.