The short answer
The FANUC 0i-F Plus is FANUC’s standard CNC for lathes and machining centers, with 1 or 2 paths, up to 18 controllable axes and up to 4 simultaneous axes. The 500i-A, unveiled in August 2024, is a high-end control built on the 30i-B platform for simultaneous 5-axis and multi-tasking machines, with up to 15 paths and 96 controlled axes, a dual-engine CPU, the iHMI2 interface and a battery-less CNC system. They target different machines, so the 500i-A is the step up from the 30i-B Plus, not a replacement for the 0i-F Plus. FANUC has not published 500i-A screen sizes, program compatibility or an alarm list.
- 0i-F Plus: up to 18 total controllable axes (feed, spindle and peripheral axes) in 1- or 2-path systems; up to 4 simultaneous axes.
- 500i-A: five models from 501iS-A (15 paths, 96 axes, 24 contour-controlled axes) to 503i-A (2 paths, 12 axes, 4 contour-controlled axes).
- FANUC says the 500i-A has 2.7 times more CPU processing power, and its article makes the comparison with the 30i-B Plus.
- The αi-D servo line is not exclusive to the 500i-A: the March 2026 0i-F Plus catalog lists αi-D and βi-B servo series.
- FANUC has not published whether 500i-A alarm numbers match the SV/PS/OT/DS scheme of the 0i and 30i families.
| Item | FANUC 0i-F Plus | FANUC 500i-A |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | Announced December 2018 as successor to the 0i-MODEL F | Unveiled 27 August 2024; shown at IMTS 2024 |
| Positioning | FANUC’s standard CNC with enhanced basic performance | High-end CNC built on the 30i-B platform; compared by FANUC with the 30i-B Plus |
| Models | 0i-MF Plus (machining center), 0i-TF Plus (lathe), 0i-LF Plus (2D laser) | 501iS-A, 501i-A, 502iS-A, 502i-A, 503i-A |
| Paths | 1 or 2 | 2 (503i-A), 4 (502i-A, 502iS-A), 15 (501i-A, 501iS-A) |
| Controlled axes | Up to 18 total controllable axes | 12 (503i-A), 26 (502 models), 96 incl. 24 Cs spindle (501 models) |
| Simultaneous / contour axes | Up to 4 | 4 (501i-A, 502i-A, 503i-A), 5 (502iS-A), 24 (501iS-A) |
| 5-axis functions | Smooth TCP for simultaneous 4-axis with a rotary axis | 5-axis integrated technology, setting tool for machine kinematics, built-in 3D interference check |
| CPU | Not published as a figure | Dual-engine architecture; 2.7 times more CPU processing power |
| Servo | αi-D and βi-B series listed in the catalog | αi-D series: IP67 motors as standard, battery-less encoders available, smaller drive footprint |
| Operator interface | iHMI touch interface (selectable) | iHMI2: one task, one screen |
| Displays | 10.4 in LCD/MDI, 15 in LCD; PANEL iH 15/10.4 in; FANUC iPC 10.4 to 24 in | Not published |
| Battery-less CNC | Not stated in the catalog | Yes, per FANUC |
| Customization | FANUC PICTURE, C language executor, macro executor standard | FANUC Picture 2; PMC programmable in Structured Text |
| Data and security | Not detailed in the catalog we read | FOCAS3, user authentication, data access protection |
| Alarm numbering | SV, SP, OT, PS, DS and other prefixes (same types as 0i-D and 30i-B manuals) | Not published |
The options side by side
1FANUC 0i-F Plus
Best for: Lathes, 3-axis and 4-axis machining centers, and production cells where proven parts, staff skills and the standard alarm system matter most.
The 0i-F Plus has been FANUC’s standard CNC since late 2018, and the catalog was revised again in March 2026. It brings Fine Surface Technology and Fast Cycle Time Technology, the iHMI interface, FANUC PICTURE screens as standard, and trouble diagnosis screens. FANUC reports more than 1,300,000 0i-series CNCs shipped, which is why parts and people who know it are easy to find.
- Established alarm and diagnosis system documented in FANUC maintenance manuals
- αi-D or βi-B servo, so it can share drive hardware with newer FANUC machines
- Encoder communication check circuit to separate encoder, cable and amplifier faults
- Customizable screens without extra options
- Up to 4 simultaneous axes: not for simultaneous 5-axis work
- Up to 2 paths: complex multi-turret or multi-tasking machines need the 30i-B Plus or 500i-A
- Absolute encoders still rely on batteries unless the machine has battery-less encoders
Maker’s page: FANUC
2FANUC 500i-A
Best for: New simultaneous 5-axis machining centers and multi-tasking machines that would otherwise be quoted with a 30i-B Plus or 31i-B5 Plus.
FANUC built the 500i-A on its 30i-B platform with a dual-engine CPU, faster block and macro processing, 5-axis integrated technology with a kinematics setting tool, and iHMI2. It pairs with αi-D servo, uses a battery-less CNC system and adds FOCAS3, user authentication and data access protection. Machine builders get FANUC Picture 2, Structured Text PMC programming and digital twin support.
- Up to 24 contour-controlled axes and 15 paths on the 501iS-A
- Built-in 3D interference check
- Battery-less CNC system reduces one routine maintenance task
- Security features for networked shops
- Display sizes, program compatibility and the alarm list are not published yet
- Local service training and spare stock may lag the established controls; ask the builder
- A machine’s 5-axis capability depends on the model (502iS-A vs 502i-A) and options
Maker’s page: FANUC
They are not competing controls
FANUC sells the 0i-F Plus as its standard CNC and the 500i-A as a high-end CNC for complex machines. The 500i-A’s smallest model, the 503i-A, already allows 2 paths and 12 controlled axes, and the 501iS-A reaches 15 paths, 96 controlled axes and 24 contour-controlled axes. The 0i-F Plus tops out at 2 paths, 18 controllable axes and 4 simultaneous axes. FANUC America’s 2026 article compares the 500i-A’s program processing with the 30i-B Plus, which is the control it sits above.
If you are quoting a lathe or a 3- or 4-axis machining center, expect a 0i-F Plus. If you are quoting a simultaneous 5-axis machining center or a multi-tasking machine, the realistic choice is between the 31i-B5 Plus or 30i-B Plus and a 500i-A model.
Should you wait for a 500i-A on a new machine?
- Check the work: if parts need no more than 4 simultaneous axes and 2 paths, the 0i-F Plus already covers them and waiting buys nothing.
- For 5-axis or multi-tasking machines, ask the builder whether that model is offered with a 500i-A today, the ship date, and which options (5-axis integrated technology, 3D interference check) are included.
- Ask for the 500i-A operator’s and maintenance manuals before you buy. FANUC has not published program compatibility or the alarm list, so confirm that your post-processor, macros and probing cycles run unchanged.
- Ask who services it locally, whether technicians are trained on iHMI2, and which amplifiers and boards are stocked.
- If the machine is needed now and the 500i-A version is not yet available for it, a 30i-B Plus or 31i-B5 Plus machine is the established alternative.
Alarm numbering: what carries over
The FANUC 0i-D maintenance manual (B-64305EN/03) and the 30i-B maintenance manual (B-64485EN/01) list the same twelve CNC alarm types with the same prefixes: PS, BG, SR, SW, SV, OT, IO, PW, SP, OH, DS and IE. Shared alarms keep their numbers and meanings, for example SV0401 IMPROPER V_READY OFF and SV0410 EXCESS ERROR (STOP) appear in both. Technicians moving between 0i and 30i machines therefore read the same codes.
FANUC has not published a 500i-A alarm list that we could read, and its press material does not say whether the numbering is unchanged. Until it does, treat alarm meanings on a 500i-A as unconfirmed and use the manual shipped with the machine.
How we compared them
Every figure comes from FANUC: the Series 0i-MODEL F Plus catalog FS0i-F Plus(E)-05 (March 2026) and product pages, the December 2018 0i-F Plus announcement, the 500i-A product pages from FANUC Corporation and FANUC America, the August 2024 press release and FANUC America’s 2026 article. Where FANUC has not published a figure, the table says “not published”. The 30i-B Plus page was used for the comparison FANUC itself draws. We have not run either control.
Frequently asked questions
Is the FANUC 500i-A replacing the 0i-F Plus?
FANUC has not said so. It positions the 500i-A as a high-end control built on the 30i-B platform and compares it with the 30i-B Plus. The 0i-F Plus catalog was reissued in March 2026, so it remains FANUC’s standard CNC.
Can the FANUC 0i-F Plus do 5-axis machining?
The 0i-F Plus supports up to 4 simultaneous axes, and its Smooth TCP function covers simultaneous 4-axis machining with a rotary axis. For simultaneous 5-axis work FANUC lists the 31i-B5 Plus, 30i-B Plus and the 500i-A models.
Will my 0i-F Plus programs run on a 500i-A?
FANUC has not published program compatibility between the two. Its material says only that iHMI2 keeps the familiar operability of legacy systems. Test your programs, macros and post-processor output on the actual machine before relying on them.
Are FANUC 500i-A alarm codes the same as 0i-F?
Not published. The 0i and 30i families share the same alarm types and prefixes (SV, PS, OT, SP, DS and others). FANUC has not released a 500i-A alarm list we could check, so use the manual shipped with the machine.
What is iHMI2 on the FANUC 500i-A?
FANUC’s updated operator interface. FANUC describes it as a simplified display with one task per screen, so operators do not have to switch between screens, while keeping the look of the original iHMI.
Does the FANUC 500i-A still need batteries?
FANUC says the 500i-A uses a battery-less CNC system, and its αi-D servo motors can be ordered with battery-less encoders. Whether a specific machine has battery-less encoders depends on how the builder ordered it, so check before skipping battery checks.
Is αi-D servo only available with the 500i-A?
No. The March 2026 0i-F Plus catalog lists the αi-D and βi-B servo series for the 0i-F Plus as well.