FEATURE HEALTH & SAFETY
SAFETY FIRST when working with robots
Until recently the best way to make a robot safe was to ban humans from its work area using physical guarding. Software-enabled technology is now becoming accepted practice
Position Check can identify multiple areas of the robot including any attached end effectors. The safe zones can be modelled within the software using geometric shapes of up to eight vertical lines each. These areas can be adapted – enabled and disabled to change the areas that the robot is not allowed to enter – depending on the task it is undertaking and the changing conditions of a defined area. The use of these adaptive zones allows for a more compact cell layout and allows humans and robots to safely share a common space in a controlled way. The DCS Speed Check functionality
makes it possible to define the maximum robot speed. Speed can be changed in reaction to a defined event in addition to ensuring that the robot holds a position when necessary. “Often there are rotary fixtures within a
E
nsuring worker safety should be the prime consideration in all robot
applications but especially when they share the same workspace with humans. “Robot safety is an issue that
transcends the requirements of specific industry sectors or applications,” says Darren Whittall, technical manager at FANUC UK. “In addition to regulatory requirements there is a moral obligation to ensure that the workforce is properly protected. If overlooked, robot-related accidents can have substantial financial and reputational implications too.” Unlike more predictable automated
operations robots can produce powerful and rapid movements through a large operational space and the path of a robot and/or its arm is difficult for a human to accurately
predict.Most accidents occur during non-routine operating conditions such as when an operator temporarily enters the robot’s working envelope to complete programming, maintenance, testing, setup or adjustment tasks. Until recently the only acceptable way
to make a robot safe was to banish humans from its working area using physical guarding solutions. However, software-enabled safety technology is now becoming accepted practice. Dual Check Safety (DCS) Position &
Speed Check software is a package of software-based safety options integrated
18 SEPTEMBER 2014 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
into FANUC’s R30iA and R30iB robot controllers, ensuring safe monitoring of robot position and speed. It allows safety zones to be quickly and easily designed and removes the need for hardware including limit and zone switches. Well-proven, FANUC’s safety
technology is based on a design that has been employed for many years in its CNC products. The software functions are certified to performance level (PL) d, as specified in BS EN ISO 13849-1. “Having less hardware means that
safety can be integrated more cost- effectively,” continues Whittall. “Traditionally it has been necessary to bolt several sensors onto a robot to determine where it and its arm are positioned within the cell at any time. This can cost thousand pounds depending on the application and number of sensors needed. With a software-based solution these sensors are not required, reducing hardware costs and the time it takes to install them.” Darren estimates that it is possible to
achieve a 50% cost reduction for a small single robot systemwith multiple safety devices in terms of the hardware savings versus a software-based safety solution. DCS Position Check features ensure that the robot stays inside designated safe areas and the robot can be locked out of areas where it might cause a hazard.
Worker safety is a top priority in all robot applications
cell which must not move while the operator is undertaking a loading procedure,” explains Whittall. A further DCS option is the PL e
certified Safe IO Connect. This allows the robot controller to manage the enabling/ disabling of position and speed functions of other equipment in the designated area due to an external event such as an operator stepping into a set zone. It supports the main safety fieldbuses including DeviceNet Safety, EtherNet/IP Safety and PROFInet Safety. FANUC’s DCS offering includes the
optional Safety PMC (programmable machine control). An addition to the standard PMC, it allows the robot to control the entire cell including the safety functionality, negating the need for additional dedicated safety hardware, such as a safety PLC. There are many features available within FANUC’s DCS Position & Speed Check to ensure worker safety in robot applications. In addition to achieving this in the most cost- effective way it has the potential to enhance productivity by allowing humans and robots to inhabit the same space in a controlled and safe manner.
FANUC Robotics UK T: 02476 518415
www.fanuc.eu Enter 313
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
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