Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 24
SAFETY STRATEGIES
Robot-Human
Interaction
Getting Safer
Advanced technologies are allowing
people to safely work in close
proximity to and react with robots
in manufacturing settings.
Jane Alexander
Managing Editor
COLLABORATIVE ROBOTIC APPLICATIONS are
fundamentally changing the way people and machines interact
on the plant floor. This collaboration allows manufacturers and
industrial operators to combine the strength, repeatability, and
tirelessness of machines with the flexibility, adaptability, and
intelligence of humans. The result is an unmatched combination that improves production efficiency and flexibility, while
also reducing the physical burden on humans. Such capabilities
are more important than ever as companies seek new ways to
retain their skilled but aging workers.
According to George Schuster of Milwaukee-based Rockwell
Automation (rockwellautomation.com), a key enabler of
collaborative robotic applications is the safety technology
that allows plant personnel and robots to share the same
workspace with less risk of human injury. Advancements in
this technology are reducing the need for safety cages, freeing
floor space, saving money, and increasing flexibility in the way
robots are used on the plant floor.
As Schuster points out, safety technology is increasingly
embedded in the robot and in the cell controller. Sophisticated
sensors, safety controllers, and communication networks
provide real-time safety data that allow robots to automatically
respond to potential incidents, such as coming into contact
with an operator. Referencing standards provided by the
Robotic Industries Association, Ann Arbor, MI, (robotics.org)
and various safety-standards bodies that offer guidance on
how robots and humans can work together, he provided the
following insight.
Implementing collaborative robotics
A robot is not collaborative by itself. A collaborative robot is
only one part of a collaborative robotic application-and it
doesn't achieve safety compliance on its own. "The way the
24 |
MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY
system is designed," Schuster noted, "is critical for optimizing
worker safety and enabling compliance."
According to standards ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012 and ISO
10218, the term "collaborative robotics" describes an automatically operated robot system sharing the same workspace with a
human. There are four types of collaborative operations:
■ Safety-rated monitored stop: This method is the most
common and has been used in industrial operations for
many years. Sensors in the safety-control system detect
human presence and immediately stop the robot if a person
gets too close. This is commonly used when people and
robots are working in close proximity or with overlapping
work envelopes. For example, a worker can load parts
directly onto a robot end-effector while it is in a safe-stop
condition. This can help improve productivity because the
machine can keep running independent from the robot.
■ Hand-guiding operation: This less-common method allows
operators to manually control or reposition the robot for its
next task. The operator is in direct contact with the robot
arm and can reposition it with hand controls. This generally
doesn't work well for tasks that require fast speeds.
■ Speed and separation monitoring: Allows operators and
robots to work in the same space while maintaining sufficient distance from each other. If a human comes too close
to a robot, sensors will trigger the robot to slow down or
stop. New safety-sensor technology is making this capability
more popular in industrial operations.
■ Power and force limiting: If a robot accidentally comes into
contact with a human, it reduces its force or torque so the
human isn't hurt. This is an emerging method and arguably the least commonly implemented. The robot needs to
actually come into contact with a human before it knows to
stop. Implementing this method requires understanding the
SEPTEMBER 2016
http://www.rockwellautomation.com
http://www.robotics.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maintenance Technology September 2016
Editorial
Uptime
On The Floor
Old-School Approach To New-World Technology
Art Meets Reliability Science
Commit To Safety
Robot-Human Interaction Getting Safer
Sanitary, Stainless Conveyors Not The Same
Reduce Hidden Process-Safety Costs
Pace Your Reliability Program
Win The War With 'Lubrication By Design'
SAP Tips And Tricks
Understand Pump Vibration
Select The Right Relay
Bearing Care
Clear Up HOA Confusion
Potato Waste Becomes Clean Water, Energy
Products
Showcase
Ad Index
Final Thought
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 1
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Cover1
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Cover2
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 1
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 2
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 3
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Editorial
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 5
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Uptime
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 7
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - On The Floor
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 9
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Old-School Approach To New-World Technology
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 11
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 12
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 13
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 14
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 15
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Art Meets Reliability Science
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 17
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 18
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 19
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Commit To Safety
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 21
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 22
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 23
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Robot-Human Interaction Getting Safer
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 25
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Sanitary, Stainless Conveyors Not The Same
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 27
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 28
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Reduce Hidden Process-Safety Costs
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 30
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Pace Your Reliability Program
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 32
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 33
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 34
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 35
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Win The War With 'Lubrication By Design'
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 37
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 38
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - SAP Tips And Tricks
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Understand Pump Vibration
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Select The Right Relay
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Bearing Care
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 43
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Clear Up HOA Confusion
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Potato Waste Becomes Clean Water, Energy
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 46
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 47
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 48
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 49
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 50
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 51
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 52
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Showcase
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Ad Index
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 55
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Final Thought
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Cover3
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - Cover4
Maintenance Technology September 2016 - 62
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