SICK AG

WHITE PAPER
SAFE ROBOTICS – SAFETY IN COLLABORATIVE ROBOT SYSTEMS
2018-06

AUTHORS

Fanny Platbrood
Product Manager Industrial Safety Systems, Marketing & Sales
at SICK AG in Waldkirch, Germany
Otto Görnemann
Manager Machine Safety & Regulations
at SICK AG in Waldkirch, Germany
SAFE ROBOTICS – SAFETY IN COLLABORATIVE ROBOT SYSTEMS

CONTENT

Introduction................................................................................................................. 3
Human-machine interaction and safety.................................................................... 3
Definitions – Terminology....................................................................................... 3
Robotic normative................................................................................................... 3
Coexistence............................................................................................................. 4
Cooperation............................................................................................................. 4
Collaboration........................................................................................................... 5
Standards and requirements of safe collaborative robot applications................... 5
Fundamental requirements.................................................................................... 5
Collaborative operating modes according to ISO 10218-2 and ISO/TS 15066...... 6
Risk assessment..................................................................................................... 7
Risk reduction......................................................................................................... 7
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 7

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Introduction
Recent years have seen significant advancements in industrial automation applications in the fields of drive systems and object
detection, paving the way for a new age of interaction between human and machine.
With regard to functional safety and the associated standards (IEC 61508, IEC 62061, and ISO 13849-1/-2, for example) [1, 2,
3, 4], innovations in robotics delivering optimized functions are also facilitating close collaboration between human and machine
in the same workspace. Combining human abilities with those of robots in industrial environments creates production solutions
that are characterized by better quality, lower costs, improved ergonomics, and faster working cycles, to name but a few examples
(keyword Industry 4.0).
Taking the current status of the international standards that deal with the safety of industrial robots (ISO 10218-1/-2) [5, 6] and
specifically the safety of robots for collaborative operation (ISO/TS 15066) [7] as our starting point, this white paper will explain the
guidelines contained in these standards which apply to the development of safe collaborative robot applications. The white paper
will also highlight the limits of today's technologies and consider the outlook with regard to requirements and upcoming developments.

Human-machine interaction and safety

In industrial manufacturing, there is an increasing need for flexible machines that are able to work autonomously and can be adapted
to changing production conditions quickly and efficiently.
To protect persons against the dangers posed by their speed, movement, and force, robots usually work behind a barrier guards.
However, if close interaction between human and machine is required, this effective standard method of physically separating the
person at risk from the source of danger cannot be employed. For this reason, alternative methods must be applied to reduce risk.

Definitions – Terminology
The interaction of humans with active robots and devices that are similar to robots can be characterized based on two interaction
parameters: space and time. If there is no common space and no common time in which the human being and the active robot
move, the movements of the robot do not pose a risk and the situation is deemed “not interactive”. Situations in which humans
and robots share a common space but at different times are deemed “cooperative”. The term “collaborative” is used to describe
situations in which humans and robots are working in the same space at the same time.

Application Different workspace Shared workspace

Sequential processing (not interactive) Cooperation

Simultaneous processing Coexistence Collaboration

Robotics normative

Region Risk assessment Robotics manufacturer Robotics integrator Collaborative robots

China GB/T 15706-2012 GB 11291.1-2011 GB 11291.2-2013 GB 11291.2:2013

South Korea KS B ISO 10218-1 KS B ISO 10218-2

Japan JIS B9700 JIS B8433-1 JIS B8433-2 JIS TS B0033

ANSI/ISO 12100, ANSI ANSI/RIA R15.06 ANSI/RIA R15.06
United States RIA TR R15.606
B11.0 (1st Half) (2nd Half)
Europe EN ISO 12100 EN ISO 10218-1 EN ISO 10218-2 ISO/TS 15066

Taiwan CNS 14490-1 B8013-1 CNS 14490-2 B8013-2

CSA Z432, CAN/
Canada CAN/CSA-Z434 (1st Half) CAN/CSA-Z434 (2nd Half)
CSA-Z1002
Brasil ABNT NBR ISO 12100 ABNT NBR ISO 10218-1/2 ABNT NBR ISO 10218-1/2

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Coexistence
Even in industrial robot applications in which no human intervention is required during the production process, it will still be
necessary for an operator to enter the robot's workspace, e.g., for the purpose of maintenance work. In applications of this type,
the workspace must be fenced off and the access doors must be interlocked. The interlock must ensure that hazardous robot
functions are shut down whenever an operator enters the hazardous area, and must be maintained as long as a person remains
present inside the hazardous area or the access doors are opened.

Cooperation
The processes involving an operator loading and unloading robot cells are a very common application for industrial robots. In coop-
erative application scenarios like this, operator and robot complete the necessary stages of the process in the same workspace at
different times. Here too, technical safety measures are required. Depending on how the loading and unloading system is set up, it
may be appropriate to use opto-electronic protective devices such as safety light curtains or safety laser scanners.

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Collaboration
In certain applications, it is necessary for humans and active robots to interact in the same workspace at the same time. In these
scenarios, which we call collaborative, the force, speed, and movement paths of the robot must be restricted. If they are available,
inherent safety measures or additional safety measures such as limiting torque through the performance of the drives or safety-re-
lated parts of the system controller can be used to minimize risk. Force, speed, and movement paths must also be monitored and
controlled based on the actual degree of risk. This degree of risk is also dependent upon the distance between human and robot.
This application calls for reliable sensors that are able to detect human presence or determine the speed at which humans are
moving towards the hazardous area and their distance from it. Essentially, these sensors have to be able to overcome the future
challenges that are an inevitable consequence of the development of collaborative technologies.

Standards and requirements of safe collaborative robot applications

The robot system described in Part 2 of ISO 10218 consists of an industrial robot and its end effector, as well as arbitrary machine
parts, equipment, devices, external auxiliary motion axes, and sensors to assist the robot in the completion of its tasks.

Fundamental requirements
There are a number of fundamental requirements to be met by the design of collaborative applications.
• The collaborative workspace must meet the following requirements:
1. It must be laid out so that the operator is able to complete his or her tasks in a safe and problem-free manner, without being
exposed to additional hazards posed by supplementary equipment or other machines in the workspace.
2. There must be no risk of injury as a result of cutting, crushing, or stabbing. Nor must there be any risks posed by such things
as hot surfaces or live parts which cannot be mitigated by reducing the speed, force, or power of the robot system. The same
of course also applies to the associated supporting equipment and workpieces.
• The operating space of the robot must be positioned a minimum distance away from adjacent accessible areas in which there is
a risk of crushing or jamming. If this is not possible, additional protective devices must be used.
• Wherever possible, safe axis limiting must be deployed in order to restrict the number of free movements of the robot in the
space and thus to reduce the risk of personal injury.

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Collaborative operating modes according to ISO 10218-2 and ISO/TS 15066

Technical specification ISO/TS 15066 states four collaborative operating modes which can be used either individually or in combi-
nation, depending on the requirement of the application concerned and the design of the robot system:

STOP • Monitored safe stop

The robot is stopped during interaction with the operator in the collaboration space. This status is
monitored and the drive can remain energized.

• ManualSTOP
control
The safety of the human-robot collaboration is assured by the robot being guided manually under
control at an appropriately reduced speed.

• Force and power limitation – the path to collaboration

Physical contact between the robot system (including the workpiece) and a person (operator) can take
place either intentionally or unintentionally. The necessary safety is achieved by limiting the power
and force to values at which injuries and risk are not to be expected. Collaboration based on limited
power and force requires robots that have been designed specifically for this operating mode. Technical
specification ISO/TS 15066 includes maximum values (biomechanical load limits) which must not be
exceeded should the robot collide with body parts.

TOP
• Distance and speed monitoring – the future:
The speed and movement paths (trajectory) of the robot are monitored and adjusted based on the
speed and position of the operator in the safeguarded space.

In collaborative applications, one or more of the methods listed here must be selected in order to ensure the safety of all persons
who are exposed to the potential hazards. The method(s) selected will depend on the application at hand.
Current requirements to be met by the operation of collaborative robot systems include the use of a suitable safety-related control
system which conforms to PL d according to ISO 13849-1.

Validation effort for collaborative operating modes

STOP

Manual control Monitored safe stop Distance and speed Force and power limiting
monitoring

The closer the interaction between humans and robots, the greater
the validation effort for the measures taken to reduce risk.

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Risk assessment
A great variety of robot models are available on today's market. They range from standard industrial robots to robots that have been
designed specifically for collaborative operation (collaborative robots or “cobots”, as they are also known). Whenever robots are
integrated into systems (with end effectors, etc.), a risk assessment of the entire robot system (full machine) must be carried out.
The resulting measures derived to reduce risks shall then safeguard safe collaborative operation. This risk assessment must still be
carried out even if the robot concerned has design features that reduce risk.

Risk reduction
The inherent safety measures that are typically used on collaborative robots include:
• Limiting the maximum permissible forces or torques, e.g., through drive dimensioning
• Setting up the robot interfaces in order to reduce the pressure impact or the collision forces transmitted (e.g., rounded robot
surfaces, energy-absorbing padding)
However, the effectiveness of these inherent safety measures can be significantly impaired by the design of the robot tool, the support,
the workpiece, or other machines inside the collaborative workspace.
Additional safety measures can be used to counter this, such as
• Limiting power (torque), force, or speed through the safety-related parts of the control system
• Using pressure-sensitive protective devices (PSPE) or electro-sensitive protective devices (ESPE) to stop or reverse robot movements

Conclusion
In the future, humans and robots will work even more closely together in automation applications where great flexibility is required
(e.g., in small batch production where levels of variability are high). Manual assembly operations are being replaced by human-robot
collaboration, in which the abilities of human and machine are the ideal complement for one another. Subsequently, the ergonomics
of workspaces in which high levels of productivity are required can be improved. The limitation of speed and force that is necessary
for safety must be harmonized with productivity requirements.
The design principles in ISO/TS 15066 supplement the requirements already formulated in ISO 10218-1/-2 and create a basis for
the design of collaborative robot applications.
The products and devices that are currently on the market are not able to fully meet all of the requirements expected of safe and
unhindered human-robot collaboration today. The development of new sensor and robot technologies, along with intelligent control
systems, is a fundamental requirement for future collaborative robot applications.
No two applications that are currently being solved with human-robot collaboration are the same. A dedicated risk assessment is vital,
even if the robots that are being used have been designed specifically for interaction with human beings. The fact that robot manu-
facturers are integrating measures for inherently safe design into their products does not relieve system integrators of their obliga-
tion as machine manufacturers to analyze and reduce potential risks. System manufacturers and integrators of robot systems have
to perform thorough checks of the structural safety measures taken by robot manufacturers. They are also required to consider any
hazards or risks that may remain and design the robot system according to the results of this risk assessment. As a result of the
risk assessment, additional measures to reduce risk based on experience (e.g., safety light curtains or safety laser scanners, etc.)
must be taken by the system manufacturer in order to achieve a collaborative application where all aspects have achieved accept-
able residual risk.

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REFERENCES

[1] IEC 61508-x:2010 – Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems – 7 Parts.
International Electrotechnical Commission. IEC Central Office – P.O. Box 131 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland.
[2] IEC 62061:2015 – Safety of machinery – Functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable elec-
tronic control systems. International Electrotechnical Commission. IEC Central Office – P.O. Box 131 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 –
Switzerland
[3] ISO 13849-1:2015 – Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems – Part 1: General principles for design.
ISO International Organization for Standardization. P.O. Box 56 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland
[4] ISO 13849-2:2003 – Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems – Part 2: Validation. ISO International
Organization for Standardization. P.O. Box 56 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland
[5] ISO 10218-1:2011 – Robots and robotic devices – Safety requirements for industrial robots – Part 1: Robots. ISO Interna-
tional Organization for Standardization. P.O. Box 56 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland
[6] ISO 10218-2:2011 – Robots and robotic devices – Safety requirements for industrial robots – Part 1: Robot systems and
integration. ISO International Organization for Standardization. P.O. Box 56 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland
[7] ISO/TS 15066:2015 – Robots and robotic devices – Collaborative robots. ISO International Organization for Standardization.
P.O. Box 56 – CH-1211 Geneva 20 – Switzerland

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