New requirements for force- and power-limited robots are meant to enhance security. Supply: IDEC
Industrial automation continues as a fast-growing market, with producers and finish customers of every kind desirous to reap the advantages of dependable and speedy execution for a lot of varieties of duties. Some individuals consider autonomous automobiles, remote-controlled drones, and software program “bots” as robots, however industrial robots and cobots are characterised as programmable manipulators of three or extra axes.
Many industries use conventional robots, which have skilled a 7% compound annual progress charge (CAGR) over the previous 5 years, based on the Worldwide Federation of Robotics (IFR). Nonetheless, the marketplace for force- and power-limited robots — generally known as collaborative robots or cobots — in its infancy, and the IFR predicted that its progress charge may very well be a lot stronger.
Whereas each robots and cobot arms embody provisions to guard staff, cobots are designed to work side-by-side with plant personnel. Varied security requirements have been established for each varieties of techniques, and every class has been independently acknowledged (Determine 1).
Determine 1: Robots and cobot requirements are evolving, and this can have an effect on how designers and unique gear producers adjust to security necessities. Supply: IDEC
The security necessities for every type of robots are evolving. Designers, unique gear producers (OEMs), and finish customers have to know what the brand new requirements imply for his or her implementations, as defined beneath.
Requirements differentiate for industrial robots and cobots
The traditional industrial robotic most individuals consider is giant, highly effective, and quick. It’s best for purposes which are tough or harmful for individuals, similar to manipulating giant payloads, repetitively performing correct duties, and/or working in difficult environments.
There are numerous variations of those robots and the instruments/grippers they use, however frequent examples of the duties they carry out are welding, portray, meeting, and materials dealing with. These robots are usually situated inside safety-fenced work cells to maintain plant personnel away from them when in operation.
Cobots are a subcategory of robots which are comparatively light-weight and designed to collaborate with people. As a result of velocity and power are restricted, such techniques can function in shared workspaces to soundly to help with, or fully carry out, many duties.
As well as, cobots are designed to be simply configured or programmed to allow them to be incessantly re-deployed for a number of purposes. Cobot makers say this characteristic democratizes the implementation of those techniques.
Customers typically configure these robots by manually directing the manipulator arm by way of the specified operation. These traits allow cobots to be launched into guide work environments the place no such automation beforehand existed.
Beforehand, the ISO 10218 sequence customary utilized to industrial robots and robotic techniques, whereas the ISO/TS 15066 customary addressed collaborative techniques. A revised ISO 10218 sequence was revealed in 2025, with ISO 10218-1 addressing industrial robots, and ISO 10218-2 overlaying industrial robotic techniques, robotic purposes, and robotic cells.
Successfully, all robotic varieties are built-in into one customary sequence, with out the earlier robotic/cobot distinction and differentiation. The identical guidelines apply to all industrial robots, and the time period “collaborative robotic” is eradicated. As an alternative, the brand new ISO 10218 requirements now emphasize that when an operator and a robotic coexist or collaborate in the identical area, then your entire system have to be handled as a collaborative software.
Observe that the economic robotic class contains the manipulator—consisting of a number of arms—and the related controller and train pendant. An industrial robotic system contains the robotic finish effector or device, work merchandise, related equipment, safeguards and sensing units, and guard {hardware}.
A brand new class of robotic is outlined
With the brand new customary, two lessons of robots are outlined:
- Robotic Class I: Outlined as robots designed for a complete manipulator mass of 10 kg (22 lb.) and below, with a most power of 50N and fewer, and a most velocity of 250mm/s (0.5 mph) and below.
- Robotic Class II: Outlined as robots designed for a complete manipulator mass, a most power, and/or a most velocity exceeding any of the values for a Robotic Class I.
Due to this fact, Robotic Class I includes smaller, lighter robots extra prone to work round people, whereas Class II are bigger, heavier robots. The usual permits Class I robots to do sure collaborative duties with none security options.
For Class II robots for use in collaborative purposes, a number of of the next safety-oriented applied sciences have to be added, relying on the applying:
- Velocity and separation monitoring (SSM): Ensures a minimal distance between robotic and human is maintained throughout operation; this may be completed by integrating a security laser scanner into the applying, which makes use of mirrored laser beams to detect if a human or different object is current.
- Energy and power limiting (PFL): Ensures that even when a robotic and human come into contact, the human is unhurt.
- Hand-guided controls (HGC): Employees management the robotic movement for a collaborative portion of the duty, and the robotic executes an automatic process as soon as the employee presses a hold-to-run button.
Each lessons of robots will want sure frequent security performance, similar to hardwired emergency cease (estop) buttons. The bigger Class II robots can have a better want for protected/restricted zone security units, which may embody cage door interlock switches, gentle curtain sensors, security laser scanners, and different types of a presence-sensing gadget (PSD). These measures are crucial to detect staff within the protecting/restricted zone of a robotic.
Moreover, most robots embody some choice for a train pendant, which is a sort of human-machine interface (HMI) normally cable-connected in such a approach as to permit the consumer to maneuver about with it a bit.
Instructing pendant necessities for protected cobots
Robotic train pendants might have digital components but in addition would possibly want some particular hardwired units, relying on the purposes. Security features for these purposes are required to be hardwired, versus touchscreen controls. A key instance of a hardwired perform aside from an e-stop is an enabling change.
Determine 2: The IDEC HExB sequence of three-position enabling switches adjust to IEC 60947-5-8, allowing robots to function solely when customers are consciously holding the change in a mid-position. Gear will cease if the operator squeezes too exhausting or releases the change. Supply: IDEC
An enabling change—generally colloquially often known as a “lifeless man’s change” or extra formally as a three-position enabling (3PE) gadget—is a hardwired change organized on the educating pendant the place it’s handy for the consumer to grip it. When the operator wishes the robotic to run, they have to positively maintain the allow change in a mid-position to allow hold-to-run management performance.
Letting go of the enabling change for any cause, or gripping the change too tightly similar to in a panic or electrical shock scenario, instantly stops robotic operation. These switches are specified by IEC 60947-5-8 (Determine 2).
For Class II robots, it’s necessary for the educating pendant to incorporate a 3PE gadget as a result of hazard concerned if an operator is in proximity to the robotic in guide mode. For Class I robots, a threat evaluation have to be carried out to see if that is needed.
For Class I robots, if ample threat discount is achieved by way of a threat evaluation, the usage of 3PE change shouldn’t be required.
Nonetheless, below the brand new customary for Class I robots, if a train pendant is used to provoke movement for frequent guide duties similar to upkeep or troubleshooting, then integrating a 3PE change is probably going the easiest way to attain compliance.
Or, if the robotic is operated utilizing HGC, then a 3PE change could also be an excellent choice.
How interface designs can adjust to the brand new customary
Robotic OEMs usually create their very own train pendants, whether or not absolutely custom-made, or assembled from different business off-the-shelf (COTS) elements, or a mix of the 2. Smaller robots with fewer axes simply want primary pendants, however bigger and extra succesful robots typically have pendants with touchscreen HMIs.
Transferring ahead, these OEMs might have to adapt their designs to incorporate 3PE switches that adjust to IEC 60947-5-8. This might contain expensive revisions to customized {hardware}. Nonetheless, there’s another choice in the marketplace that may assist OEMs ship an entire and protected answer, whereas profiting from the most recent COTS interface expertise.
Trendy consumer-grade tablets already supply the show measurement and computing energy wanted to supply a wealthy consumer interface and visualization expertise for a lot of varieties of automation. These may very well be helpful for industrial applicaitons, however that is solely doable if the pill might be bodily protected, provided with energy, linked to networking, and incorporate the required hardwired security/management elements.
Determine 3: The IDEC HT4P Security Commander can be utilized by OEMs to include digital HMI capabilities utilizing tablets, whereas complying with ISO 10218 sequence requirements for security. Supply: IDEC
A brand new cell gadget holder is accessible to fulfill all these necessities (Determine 3). Key options embody:
- Incorporates wired energy and networking, a hardwired estop with LED indicator and retrofittable guard, and a hardwired 3PE change
- Functionality to combine different hardwired units similar to a guide/computerized customary or keyed mode selector change, begin/restart change/ reset change, and/or a standard cease change
- Adjustable grippers to carry tablets as much as 33 cm (13 in.)
- Means to lock the holder in vertical/portrait or horizontal/panorama orientation.
- May be handheld by left- and right-handed customers, with a hand or shoulder strap to reduce fatigue.
- Rated IP54, with a large working temperature vary, and drop resistance examined to 1.2 m (3.9 ft.)
- Obtainable cable lengths of 5 by way of 20 m (16.4 to 65.6 ft.), and a wall-mount bracket.
Utilizing this cell gadget holder for robotics purposes, OEMs can rapidly and economically develop and deploy train pendants compliant with the ISO 10218 sequence requirements whereas utilizing cheap tablets to supply a complete HMI.
Requirements change to maintain robots protected
Robotic security requirements are altering and are anticipated to impression the quickly rising market share of cobots. Nonetheless, OEMs can method this evolution as a possibility to supply safer gear, with better options that differentiate their choices.
Requirements-compliant 3PE switches and cell gadget holders are cost-effective COTS merchandise that may add vital flexibility and functionality to robotic designs, whereas making certain compliance with related security requirements.
Concerning the writer
Luiz Shida is a advertising and marketing specialist at IDEC Corp. and answerable for security product advertising and marketing. Since becoming a member of IDEC Japan headquarters greater than seven years in the past, he has develop into licensed as a security sub-assessor in Japan. Shida can be a specialist in security merchandise.
