To enable humans to intervene at any time in cooperative robot applications, they must be able to reliable unhesitatingly on being protected from danger at all times. On this, the experts agree: There is no safe robot, only safe robot applications. The aim therefore is to consider the robot application in its entirety – the robot with its end effector, along with the equipment and the object that it carries. Because a cobot is only ever inherently safe: Analyzing and eliminating any residual risks in the specific application is the responsible task of safety experts.
All from a single source – safe complete solutions
SICK not only supports the automation industry during this process with its broad portfolio of hardware and software components right through to complete safety systems, but also regards itself as an advisory service provider for consulting and engineering. This ensures, through a close collaboration with the customer, a safe robot application for optimal work processes and reduced downtimes. Since the systems can be easily adapted to the specific robot application and manufacturing environment, the automation solutions deliver both greater flexibility and future-proof functionality at the same time.
Risk assessment for a safe start
When creating freely-accessible cooperative robot applications, an initial comprehensive risk assessment is a must. Robot manufacturers, system integrators, and system operators need to first determine the machine limits and identify potential hazards. The more than 250 certified safety experts worldwide at SICK provide support and advice in assessing and evaluating this, and suggest risk-reducing measures. In doing so, the requirements of the Machinery Directive and binding international standards such as ISO 10 218-2 / TS 15066 prescribe the required level of protection for safe human-machine cooperation.
