FEATURE Machine safety
HUMAN AND COBOT TEAMWORK
SICK partners with Universal Robots to deliver safe, seamless collaboration between cobots and humans
S
ensor specialist SICK has teamed up with cobot expert Universal Robots to unveil the End of Arm Safeguard (EOAS), enabling safe, collision-free and close
collaboration between robots and humans. The partnership combines SICK’s decades of experience in sensor technology with Universal Robots’ innovative robotics technology for reliable and safe human-robot collaboration. Mounted directly onto its arm, the EOAS moves with the cobot for seamless teamwork. Breaking down siloes between robots and humans, the EOAS enables added iterative risk reduction, potentially removing the need for additional safety measures. The EOAS is a category 2 (ISO 13849) laser device that creates a of the robot arm. This allows it to move with the up to 400mm. When the human disturbs the immediately ceases movement.
for a robotic arm to react dynamically, with production and enhancing safety. Human collaboratively, with the robotic arm stopping recommencing its task once it is restored. The EOAS comes with plug and play set up, meaning it can be installed within 15 minutes. Compatible with robots from Universal Robots, the sensor is automatically recognised as an accessory and easily integrates with existing operations using EOAS URCap software. SICK and Universal Robots have also created a series of the EOAS, and the URCap software provides continuous updates.
Safety Light Curtains
The EOAS provides a Safeguard Stop through an invisible, infrared, protective shell of 40 laser the tool and workpiece. This allows for space- free operation, where humans can work in close proximity with the cobot with optimal safety. Mounting the sensor directly onto the arm of the cobot means unnecessary stops are kept to a minimum, enhancing productivity while maintaining safe operation for workers to easily retrieve and replace workpieces.
The range of potential application scenarios for the EOAS is huge and includes pick & place, machine tending, and handling & assembly. The EOAS is suited to most industry sectors where cobots work alongside human operators, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, semiconductors, food & beverage, cosmetics, automotive, packaging, plastics and metals. Matthew van den Braak, Product Manager – Robotic & Mobile Platforms at SICK UK, said: “The EOAS ensures worker safety by helping to minimise risk in collaborative robot applications. We are immensely proud of the new Our partnership with Universal Robots has seen the EOAS jointly developed and robustly kind on the market, the EOAS helps remove physical and psychological barriers in human/ robot collaboration across a wide range of applications.” David Lievesley, UK/Ireland Technical Support Engineer at Universal Robots, added, “One of the great things about the EOAS is it’s fully patented plug and play technology developed in partnership with SICK. It sits inside our safety system, operating as one device. When you alter the parameters on the sensor, it alters it on the robot, enabling full human-robot collaboration. The EOAS is ideal for small environments, adding an extra element of safety to what is on the end of the robot and enabling the tool to work in a fully collaborative way.”
SICK
sick.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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Automation | March 2025 21
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