Symptom
Pressing the green puck button does not enable Freedrive, even though the button input appears to activate on the robot I/O screen.
Step 1 — Confirm the Robot is in Manual Mode
Freedrive only functions when the robot is in Manual mode.
Before troubleshooting further, verify the robot is not set to Automatic mode.
Step 2 — Verify CI6 and CI7 Inputs Activate
When the green puck button is pressed, the following inputs should activate on the teach pendant I/O screen:
Tool Digital Input (green puck button)
CI6
CI7
On the teach pendant, CI6 and CI7 are typically labeled as: Freedrive
Expected Behavior
The green puck button input briefly toggles
The Freedrive popup appears
CI6 and CI7 activate
CI6 and CI7 are the signals that actually enable Freedrive on the UR8 and UR20.
If only the tool digital input changes state, but CI6 and CI7 do not activate, the problem is typically related to:
Wiring
Cable connection
Incorrect polarity
Step 3 — Inspect the Arm Cable Connection
The UR8 and UR20 use a dedicated yellow cable routed along the robot arm and torch assembly specifically for Freedrive functionality.
Verify the Following Connections
The 4-pin 90° male connector is fully seated in the Smart Puck
The 4-pin female connector is securely connected to the underside of the gray robot cabinet
No pins are bent, loose, or damaged
A partially connected cable or damaged pin can prevent CI6 and CI7 from receiving the signal.
Step 4 — Verify Safety I/O Configuration
On the teach pendant, navigate to Installation → Safety → IO
Under Input Signals, confirm the following assignments exist:
config_in[6]/config_in[7] = Freedrive
If these are not assigned correctly, Freedrive will not activate even if the puck button input is functioning.
Step 5 — Verify Puck Wiring Polarity
If CI6 and CI7 still do not activate after confirming the cable connection, inspect the wiring inside the robot cabinet.
Correct Wiring Configuration
Wire Color Connection
Black CI6
White CI7
Brown 24V
Blue 0V
Additional Notes
The 24V and 0V wires may be connected to any available 24V / 0V terminals, however these are commonly installed on the horizontal Digital Input terminal block.
Swapped polarity on the brown and blue wires is one of the most common causes of Freedrive failures.
Correcting the wiring polarity will typically restore proper Freedrive operation.
Root Cause Summary
The most common cause of this issue is incorrect puck wiring polarity, specifically:
Brown and blue wires inserted into the wrong terminals
CI6 and CI7 not receiving the required signal
If the Issue Persists
If all wiring, cable connections, and Safety I/O settings are confirmed correct but Freedrive still does not function, contact Hirebotics support via:
In-app support chat
Email: support@hirebotics.com
Be sure to include:
Robot model
Photos of wiring
Screenshot of Safety I/O configuration
Video of I/O behavior while pressing the puck button