How to safely incorporate cobots in industrial workplaces
To further refine position- related safety monitoring, the SafeOperation software allows users to model the end-effector tool on the robot's mounting flange as a collection of up to six user-defined spheres. These spheres move with the robot arm. If the arm or the tool spheres move into or out of the monitoring spaces during operation, the software will respond. Possible responses include signaling an alarm, slowing the robot’s motion, or implementing a safety stop. Developers can thus readily control how the robot behaves anywhere within its range of motion.
Such features simplify the implementation of risk mitigation schemes, but do not in themselves ensure safe human-robot interaction. Developers seeking to integrate a robotic system into their production workflow, especially in a cooperative application, must do the work of risk assessment and mitigation, much of which will be specific to their application. This effort includes following all manufacturer guidelines and restrictions, properly training users, and implementing monitoring systems and barriers as needed.
Conclusion Robots and cobots are an increasingly welcome part of manufacturing and other
workflows but do present potential hazards that industrial automation developers must take into account. While newly developed standards for robot safety do help, the availability of robotic systems that have been built from the ground up with safety as a prime consideration makes the integration of robots into a workflow much easier, and safer.
All three robots are designed with rounded surfaces under energy absorbing padding to minimize the pressure of contact. Joints are covered to eliminate any pinching hazards. The robots also offer adjustable mechanical stops for key movement axes so that developers can physically restrict the robot’s operating space. The included smartPAD helps address applications where hand- guided operation is required ( Figure 7 ). The KR C4 controller comes with integrated safety software that includes routines for implementing safety-rated and emergency
stops as well as an ability to monitor industry standard external sensors, establishing a safety fence. In addition, the software can internally monitor the robot’s position and movement around any of its motion axes. KUKA.SafeOperation software enhances this internal monitoring by allowing developers to define a fixed operating cell: a convex polygon with three to ten corners outside of which the robot should never move ( Figure 7 ). In addition, developers can define up to 16 monitoring spaces within that cell using either Cartesian or axis-specific coordinates.
Figure 8: Developers can refine position related safety monitoring using KUKA. SafeOperation software with which they can define an operating area and model end-effector tools. (Image source: KUKA Robotics)
Figure 7: The KUKA robot kits include a smartPad touch operator panel to enable hand-guided control where appropriate. (Image source: KUKA Robotics)
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