NEWS COMMENT K
nown for their ability to share the same workspace as human employees, collaborative robots (or cobots) are now a mainstay of the industrial robotics sector. Lightweight, simple to programme and flexible enough to be moved around a factory with ease, unsurprisingly they have proved popular with manu- facturers. The most recent IFR statistics show that cobot installations worldwide grew by 31 per cent year-on-year in 2022 to 54,868 units, representing 10 per cent of the total robot installations. By their very nature of being collaborative with humans, cobots are also considered a safer option than traditional industrial robots. Until now, cobots have fallen under the technical specification ISO/TS 15066, which has left some users falling short of meeting their safety obligations. A recent project by the
ISO working group has seen the robot safety standards ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2 updated to take account of the technological changes and advancements in collaborative robots. The British Stan- dards Institute (BSI) has recently reviewed the changes to the standards ahead of them being released later this year. What will this change mean for cobot users and integrators?
On page 18 of this issue, Matt Androsiuk of Cobots and Machinery Safety (FANUC UK’s cobot safety partner) outlines how to navigate the
new robot safety landscape and get ahead of the proposed changes, to ensure your applications remain compliant…
A-SAFE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN WORKPLACE SAFETY
A
-SAFE, a global leader in workplace efficiency and safety solutions, marks its 40th anniversary this year, cele- brating four decades at the forefront of industrial safety and efficiency.
A-SAFE’s journey epitomises a great British manu- facturing success story, from its roots as a visionary family business to its evolution into a global power- house. Under the leadership of brothers James and Luke Smith, the business has experienced expo- nential growth. The company has expanded from a pioneering team of 20 to a global workforce of 750, with a commanding presence in over 65 countries. James Smith, co-CEO of A-SAFE, commented: “Our 40-year history speaks to our grit and deter- mination to innovate and lead from the front. We have consistently led the way, from creating the world’s first industrial-strength polymer safety bar- riers to developing the latest IIoT technology, that will deliver real-time data and continue to push safety boundaries.
“Throughout each decade, we have focused on understanding our customers’ challenges and innovating to resolve them. Our agility and drive have helped create an entirely new industry, transforming workplace safety and efficiency around the world.”
A-SAFE’s commitment to pioneering innovation continues with its recent advancements in Indus- try 4.0 technologies. The company has already introduced IIoT-enabled products that provide data-driven insights, further enhancing workplace safety and operational efficiency with a host of new launches planned over the next 12 months.
The company was also instrumental in helping to establish PAS 13, the globally recognised testing methodology for industrial safety barriers. Luke Smith, co-CEO, added: “At A-SAFE, we have always believed in the problem solved. Our approach has been to listen intently to our custom- ers’ needs and challenges, and then leverage our engineering expertise to develop innovative solu- tions. We understand that no two businesses are identical, which is why our experience in specifying fit-for-purpose solutions for each unique environ- ment has been crucial to our success. This custom- er-centric approach, coupled with our advanced manufacturing capabilities here in the UK, has allowed us to stay ahead of industry demands.” Both brothers expressed their gratitude to the A-SAFE team: “We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our exceptional team. Their passion, crea- tivity, and dedication have driven our success and innovation over the past 40 years.”
James Smith added: “Throughout this journey, we’ve been privileged to work with companies of all sizes across diverse industries, earning the trust of global leaders like Amazon, Coca-Cola, and London Heathrow Airport.
“Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and processes, combined with our team’s expertise, have enabled us to provide high-quality protec- tion solutions that significantly reduce the risk of accidents and operational disruption. We’ve been pushing boundaries and investing in innovation throughout our entire journey – particularly in the last 23 years as A-SAFE, where we’ve consistently led the way in workplace safety transformation.” As A-SAFE looks to the next milestone, it plans to remain committed to its roots in British manufactur- ing excellence, while continuing to export its innov- ative solutions worldwide.
A-SAFE
www.asafe.com INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE |WINTER 2024 5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
