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DESIGN IDEAS COBOT COLLISION CONTROL


Robot assistance systems in BMW manufacturing plants are undergoing validation for CE marking to ensure safety for manufacturing operators


In order to ensure the safety of its staff when working with robot assistants (collaborative robots or Cobots), the BMW Group is working together with automation specialist company, Pilz to carry out conformity assessment, including final CE marking. The assessment programme is there to ensure safe human- robot collaboration (HRC) at multiple production sites of the car manufacturer.


GLOBAL VERIFICATION One particular challenge when it comes to safety is presented by workstations where humans and robots work together without guards. In this respect, the BMW Group is using the services and expertise of Pilz both in Europe and in the USA. The company is conducting the conformity assessment procedures required by law at a variety of production sites from risk assessment through the safety concept and validation to the CE marking of multiple applications. Following the assessment, Pilz signs the


final declaration of conformity, taking responsibility for ensuring that every application meets the requirements of the respective market. The BMW Group employs flexible robot assistance systems in its production operations where workers and robots work together “hand-in-hand” in the most confined of spaces – entirely without safety barriers.


❱❱ Robot assistance systems at BMW Group enable collaborative operation with humans without exposing staff to the danger of collisions, above; at BMW, fine craftsmanship is complemented by the use of advanced automation systems


COLLISIONS WITHOUT INJURY While the occurrence of collisions between humans and machines is allowable in Cobot systems, they can never be allowed to present a danger to the humans. Therefore an important part of the safety assessment is the verification of collision avoidance, the force and characteristics of any collisions and whether such collisions are acceptable in terms of safety. With the BMW Group, as with other customers, Pilz uses an in-house developed collision measuring procedure.


AUTOMATION SAFETY SYSTEMS The assessment services offered by Pilz complement the company’s systems for creating safety for man, machine and the environment. The Stuttgart company’s products include sensor technology, electronic monitoring relays, safety relays, configurable and programmable control systems, automation systems with motion control and systems for industrial communication as well as visualisation systems and operator terminals. Such automation safety systems are


applicable to all areas of mechanical engineering, including the packaging and automotive industry, plus the railway industry, press and wind energy sector. Example applications outside the


automotive industry include control systems designed to ensure safe baggage handling at airports and that funiculars and roller coasters travel safely.


September 2018 /// Environmental Engineering /// 7


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