NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AVIATION RESEARCH

W I C H I T A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

Robots and Safety: What to Consider when Incorporating Industrial AutomationBrian Brown

Brian.Brown@Wichita.edu

Robotics – What is it?

• Definition: A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.

• Reality: A machine that does something we do not want to do!

This Discussion aims to focus on:

• Different types of Robots• Mobile Robotics

• Collaborative Robotics

• Industrial Robotics

• Types of safety often considered for robotics

• Safety standards for robotics

• How to get started

• Is there help out there?

Before we go there..

• Who am I?• Brian Brown, Director of the

Robotics and Automation Lab

• Where are we at?• We are part of the National

Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University

• We have several facilities in the Wichita, Kansas Area

• We have many installations around the region.

Our Mission

• Provide high quality, cost effective automation solutions that make an impact to our customer’s business.

• Be the regional experts for automation and robotic solutions, consulting, and services.

• Provide a source for high quality applied learning opportunities for WSU and WSU Tech students.

WSU Robotics & Automation

• WSU Robotics and Automation Lab Provides:• Proof of Concept & Pilot Tests

• Development• Process Planning

• Layout Studies

• Integration• Robotic End Effectors

• Automation with other devices

• Automation Solutions• Via Robotics

• Via PLC Integration

• Via mechanical prototypes

• Applied Learning Students• Students to supplement automation workforce

Disclaimer• By no means do I consider myself a Automation Safety Expert.

• I am here to point you in the right direction.• Many companies may adopt a more stringent or less stringent safety

standard around automation and robotics.

• Ultimately it comes down to each individual company’s application of the safety standards.

• There are many companies and individuals that work solely in safety of automation systems and make it their entire career.

• Never forget, no matter how “safe” you make something, someone can always find a way around it!

Different types of RobotsJust to give us a level playing field

Mobile Robotics

• Mobile robots are becoming more widely used in all industrial segments.

• Mobile robots can carry, haul, tow, push, or move items and goods.

• Mobile robots have made significant advancements over the past few years.

Mobile Robotics

• Carrying and towing capacities upwards of 1500 KG (3000lbs)

• Lifts, hooks, and a wide variety of carts can be attached to platform

• Allows for a huge variety of applications

• Can also have dedicated top modules

• No longer need floor or wall markers

• Self-Navigate in the area and adapt to a changing environment

Mobile Robotics

• Line and Marker based mobile robots are still quite popular

• Typically used when high-speed mobile robots are required

• Used when in an extremely structured environment, often completely unmanned

• Walking robots and outdoor robots are still emerging.

• Extremely limited applications and very dedicated functions

• Safety around these types of robots are still being developed.

• ISO has some standards, but mostly around testing and evaluation.

• Safety for outdoor robots poses bigger challenges when operating around other vehicles.

Mobile Robotics

Mobile Robotics

• Mobile robots typically deploy the same safety scanners as found on machines.

• Most mobile robots will have a 360deg field of view• At minimum, they will have a 180deg field of view in the front

• Radar / Ultrasonic Sensors for reversing

• Safety scanners often looks just at

ground level• Vision / 3D Cameras used for anything higher

• These will not be safety rated.

Collaborative Robotics

• Collaborative robots are a type of robot emerging on the market

• Advertised as being “safe” to work around.

• Technically power and force limited to help provide safety

• You must always ensure the safety of operators and workers, even if using a collaborative robot.

• A collaborative robot yielding a scalpel is not safe!

Collaborative Robotics

• Often considered slow• 250mm/sec (~10”/s) is typical

• This is moving at a rather relaxed pace.

• Payloads range from 500grams to 35kg (~1lb to ~75lbs)

• Collaborative robots can also be made portable.

• This allows a single robot to be placed in a variety of different places as production needs change

Collaborative Robotics

• Four Major types of collaborative robots• Safety Monitored Stop

• Speed and Separation

• Power and Force Limiting

• Hand Guiding

• This can be important when reviewing the safety and risk assessment for the robot.

• Just because it is defined as a collaborative robot does not mean it is safe!

Collaborative Robotics• Safety Monitored Stop

• Safety sensors set up around robot to allow for a safe stop when human / object approaches.

• Allows the use of an industrial robot as a Collaborative robot.

• Speed and Separation• Similar to Safety Monitored Stop• Safety Sensors slow robot and / or stop robot as human / object approaches

• May not be possible for all types of robots or operations

• Power and Force Limiting• Original / Classic “Collaborative Robot”• Forces in the robot are limited to only allow specific payload handling• Forces are continuously monitored for any sort of collisions

• Hand Guiding: • Robot is equipped with hand-guiding device• Telepresence / remote control style of robot

Industrial Robotics

• “Classic” robot• Large, Strong, Fast

• Used in every market segment known

• Can range from a few grams to 2000KG (4400lbs) Payload!

• Can move upwards of 7m/s (~25’/sec)

• Can have rails, turntables, positioners, etc

Industrial Robotics

• End of arm is outfitted with tooling needed for application

• Tooling can be changed out, or have tool changers

• Tool changing allows for higher adaptability when in high mix, low volume markets

• Robots can be repurposed as products change or entire production line changes

• Robots generally get overhauled at 40,000 hours of operation (nearly 5 years of continuous operation!)

• A robot can run reliably for 10 years or more.

Industrial Robotics

• Six-Axis Robots• Classic, typical robot• Highly versatile

• SCARA Robots• Four or Five Axis robot• Typically pick-n-place• Very fast movements

• Delta Robots• Three or Four Axis robot• Close range pick-n-place• Extremely fast• High precision

Delta

SCARA

Industrial Robotics• “Other” types of robots too

• Gantry robots are useful for pick-and-place where everything needs to be overhead

• Combinations• Industrial and collaborative robots can

be added to rails to increase reach.

Industrial Robotics

• These robots can often be the most difficult to perform safety assessments on.

• They can perform many different tasks

• Any time they are tasked with a new application, a risk assessment needs to be reapplied

• These types of robots are often kept in cages and away from any human contact

• However, with new safety regulations, it is possible to free them from the cage!

• Again, it depends on application and safety assessments

Different types of Robotic safety devicesAlthough this is not going to be much different than regular machine guarding.

Safety Fencing / Hard Guarding

• Most common, traditional guarding• Can be fencing, walls, glass, anything to keep human away from equipment

and robot

• Product flows become a challenge• How to get product in / out?

• Holes in fence? How to guard?

• Maintenance may require removal

• Can provide protection from

thrown objects

Light Gates

• Similar to hard fencing, varying levels of protection

• Finger, Hand, Body, etc

• Unlike hard fencing, it is “invisible”• Easy to break a beam without realizing you were

too close

• Can be mounted in any orientation to protect standing in hazardous areas

• Allows muting of areas to allow product flow in and out

• No protection from thrown hazards

Area Scanners• Area scanners quickly becoming

widespread• Ability to have multiple warning zones• Ability to perform a full safety stop OR kill the

power to the robot and perform a full auto-stop

• Warning zones can slow the robot if desired

• Ultimately, warning zones can deter approach and entry before fully inside danger zones

• Can detect up to a 270deg arc (sometimes more)

• But sensor is a single point source• Shadows become problematic and often

require more sensors to get complete coverage.

Area Scanners

• Protection ranges can reach upwards of 25meters

• 7meters standard

• Can allow for rather advanced shape of protective zone

• Also allows for muting of specific areas

• Multiple field sets allow for changing use and protection distances

• For example, if the velocity changes, sensor can adapt to further range

• Detection area is 2D planes• Can typically detect a 1” diameter or greater

Volumetric Scanners

• Volumetric safety is the next evolution in safety sensors

• 3D Cameras are set up around the Workcell and monitor all items within the cell

• Humans, robots, objects, etc

• Predictive movements anticipate the direction of the human / object and either re-route the robot or slow / stop it accordingly.

• Some systems do meet ISO 13849 certification for PLd, Category 3 safety.

Safety Standards for RoboticsThe good stuff….????

Where to get started?

• OSHA! • OSHA Defines all the safety standards for everything else we do.

• https://www.osha.gov/robotics

Where to get started?

• “There are currently no specific OSHA standards for the robotics industry”

• Free for all?• NO!

• OSHA still governs a number of items, for example:• 1910 Subpart J – Lockout / Tagout of energy sources

• 1910 Subpart O – Machine Guarding

• 1910 Subpart S – Electrical

• OSHA also has a number of technical documents and similar related to robotics.

• OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Section IV: Chapter 4• “This OSHA Technical Manual chapter is written to provide technical information to help to

prepare OSHA compliance officers and others, who may be performing inspections and investigations at facilities with robot systems”

• Excellent read! Released September 2021.

Safety Standards

• ANSI / RIA / ISO Standards• RIA – Robotics Industry Alliance

• Rebranding to Association for Advancing Automation

• www.automate.org

• These are the “gold standard” when it comes to Robotic Safety documentation

• They are a purchased standard.• Licensed to a company.

• AWS (American Weld Society)• Standard specific to welding robotics

ANSI / RIA Standards

• Two primary Safety Standards:

• ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, Industrial Robots and Robot Systems -Safety Requirements

• This is the Prime Directive

• U.S. National Adoption of ISO 10218-1:2011 and ISO 10218-2:2011

• ANSI/RIA R15.08-1-2020, Industrial Mobile Robots – Safety Requirements

• Safety standards as they relate to mobile robotics and mobile platforms.

RIA Technical Reports (TR)

• Technical Reports aimed to give additional guidance and supplement 15.06 and / or 15.08.

• RIA TR R15.306-2016, Task-Based Risk Assessment Methodology• How to perform a Risk Assessment to comply with R15.06

• RIA TR R15.406-2014, Safeguarding• Technical Report related to safeguarding.

Considered a supplement to 15.06.

• RIA TR R15.506-2014, Applicability of R15.06-2012 for Existing Industrial Robot Applications

• How do you handle existing or inherited robotic systems?

RIA Technical Reports (TR)

• RIA TR R15.606-2016, Collaborative Robot Safety• Supplemental guidance to 15.06 specific to a new style of robot, collaborative

robots.

• U.S. National Adoption of ISO/TS 15066:2016

• RIA TR R15.706-2019, User Responsibilities• Describes responsibilities of the employer

• Describes requirements for Risk Assessment training of workers

• RIA TR R15.806-2018, Testing Methods for Power & Force Limited Collaborative Applications

• How do you test a robot to determine if it falls into the Collaborative Robot category?

ANSI / RIA Standards

• At Minimum, have the 15.06 and 15.306 standards available if you have robots

• Robot System Safety Requirements

• Task Based Risk Assessment Methodology

• Obviously, having ALL standards available is recommended.• A complete set (Both standards and all Technical Reports) runs roughly $800

• Standards are reviewed constantly and are often revised on a roughly 5 year schedule.

• Several committees work to review and revise both the 15.06 and 15.08 standards.

• Technical reports are released as needed.

ISO Standards

• ISO also has a number of standards available• ICS 25.040.30 / TC 299

• 10218-1:2011 and ISO 10218-2:2011• Primary standards related to robotics

• ANSI / RIA Standards attempt to adopt ISO standards for USA use

• Often, ISO standards cover many more areas and can be much more specific

• For example • Safety Requirements for Personal Care Robots

• Safety design for industrial robot systems — Part 1: End-effectors

Whoa.. How do I get started?Anyone got any Tums?

How about Advil?

Tequila?

It is just a machine…• Perform a full risk assessment on it.

• This is the task based risk assessment.

• If the robot performs X number of tasks, you can perform X risk assessments or one risk assessment that covers all tasks.

• Problem is, this machine is reconfigurable at a moment’s notice.• Each time you make a change, you technically need to review the risk

assessment / redo the risk assessment

• This can make changes difficult to keep up with!

• START EARLY! • Changes in design phase are cheap!

Build the risk assessment team

• Ideal to initially include anyone who will be affected by the implementation of a robot cell

• Those that work will work with the robot.• Operators

• Maintenance

• Electricians

• Programmers

• Those that champion the robot cell• Integrators/Manufacturers

• EHS member

• Production Manager

Observe machine in operation (possibly virtually)

• Understand the robot’s task• What is it going to do?

• Where is it working?

• Will it have the chance to throw anything?

• What are the energy sources?• Yes, lifting a box is a source of energy.. It can drop and fall on someone!

• How much energy is being built up? • How fast is it moving? How high is it lifting?

• What is the working area of the robot?

• How far does it reach from the task area under normal operation? • How far can it reach from the task area at all?

Consider all tasks

• Operation• Any task that involves the operator working with the

robot cell.• Examples: Loading parts, refill consumables, initiate robot

action, etc.

• Maintenance• What components may need maintenance over the life

of the cell?• Examples: Robot, conveyor, end effector, pneumatics, etc.

• Troubleshooting and programming the robot.

• Some items and tasks may require its own risk assessment

Determine ALL hazards

• Consider all hazards before implementation of any safety measures.

• No reduced speed and safety barriers

• Does the end effector or robot tooling pose its own hazards?

• Assess the risk level of each hazard.

Implement Safety Measures

• The operators needs to always be aware of the presence of the robot when sharing an area.

• Is the robot cell still a viable and efficient solution with all the necessary safety measures?

• Will the automated cell still reach a sufficient ROI?

• Can the robot still meet the desired output rate?• Was the speed reduced too much?

• Was the payload reduced too much?

Verify and validate all risk mitigations

• Each safety measure will need to be tested and verified that it successfully mitigates the risk.

• If a laser scanner is used, it needs to correctly adjust robot speeds and stop the robot as a person approaches.

• Integrated robot safety measures must work as designed. (Safety planes, collision detection, etc.)

• Does the reduced robot speed meet safety standard requirements?

Rinse and RepeatNew Robot!

Determine Tasks & Set Limits for Robot

Determine Hazards

Initial Risk Estimation

Risk Reduction

Implement Risk Reduction

Verification of Risk

Reduction

Document and fire it up!

Not Achieved Achieved!

Regarding that Risk Assessment

• RIA TR R15.306-2016, Task-Based Risk Assessment Methodology• This is a good resource to review before performing a risk assessment on your

robotic system.

• This WILL reference other ANSI standards such as B11.0 – Safety of Machinery

• OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Section IV: Chapter 4• Section 7 & 8 both provide good guidance to Risk Assessments and Risk

Reduction Measures

• This entire chapter is a good read for robotic safety in general!

• Document, Document, Document!

Regarding your hazards

• Keep in mind, many robots work in an “open air” environment• That means that weld fumes are not contained

• Milling / cutting operations are going to throw debris everywhere

• While your robot may be shut off and appear safe, it is still dangerous• Brakes are holding the robot in position. These can be released by buttons!

• Large robots may have high pressure counterbalances.

• Robots have air lines, capacitors, etc that still hold energy!

• Maintenance on the robot itself is generally quite low• However, they may often be working in and around the robot

• Bumping one’s head is a very frequent event if the robot is not properly parked!

Got it, Industrial robots are dangerous

• Actually, Industrial robots are deadly• Only due to rigorous safety assessments do we avoid harm to the robot or

others.• Yes, given the chance, they will tear themselves up!

• Industrial robots can weigh upwards of 8,000lbs

• Industrial robots can lift upwards of 2,000lbs

• Industrial robots can move upwards of 25’ / second

• Basically, imagine a pickup truck carrying a load of bricks in an accident.

• Things can happen so fast, there is no time to react and the loads and moving mass is so heavy, they are nearly impossible to stop.

What about collaborative robots?

• Collaborative robots must undergo the same risk assessment as industrial robots.

• While the robot itself may be considered “safe”, the tooling, operations, or process it is working with may not be safe.

• These robots can often be the most dangerous since there is a misconception they ARE safe.

• Robot with a screwdriver? Looks like the start of a horror movie!

What about my mobile robot?

• Mobile Robots must undergo the same risk assessment as industrial robots!

• Even though they have additional safety sensors and can navigate around hazards, what they carry or tow may still be dangerous!

• Mobile robotics work VERY hard to make their robots overly safe• No vendor wants the prize for running over the first human!

• However, if I put a large conveyor on top, it has hazards all around it• Sharp edges, Catches, swinging loads, loads that can be ejected under an emergency

stop, etc.

• These robots also can have a pseudo random path• This means you cannot count on them to follow the exact same path from A to

B each time, so you need to evaluate the WHOLE area!

Help!Sometimes we need to phone a friend.

Training

• Training for in-house safety people is available!• RIA Offers training

• Many safety vendors will offer training• PILZ, Sick, etc

• It is possible to have contractors and safety experts come and help you.

• Just keep in mind, a new robotic installation and a detailed robotic risk assessment can take weeks.

• RIA / A3 hosts Robotic Safety Conferences• Conferences even targeting mobile and collaborative robotics

Outsourcing

• While outsourcing your safety analysis / risk assessment is possible, it is not practical

• These people are not the ones using the robot

• These people are not the ones working with the robot

• These people may not even be the ones who developed the robotic cell.

• Outsourcing the risk assessment generally does not limit the company’s liability

• Ultimately, the company owning / operating the robot is responsible for it.

Bought Systems

• Often times you may buy a robotic system from an integrator• These will be a custom engineered and installed system

• Integrators typically are responsible for performing a risk assessment to insure you are not getting an unsafe system.

• You can ask your integrator to provide this documentation to start YOUR risk assessment.

• Even if a risk assessment was ran at the integrator’s facility, it will often need updated when it is installed in your facility.

• Additional hazards may exist

Wrap-upNow that everyone is terrified to install a robot….

Robotics are on their way

• It is up to us to help keep both the robot and the human safe• Robots are only as smart as the person programming it

• There are a lot of robots and robot types out there• Each one is going to require a risk assessment.

• Through the use of a good, well documented, well evaluated risk assessment, you can keep robots and humans safe.

• There is help out there.• Just keep in mind, it may be cost prohibitive to bring someone in for the

duration of a risk assessment.

Can a robot ever be safe?

• Yes! A robot can be operated for many years safely.

• Just like a machine tool, operators have to know how to properly operate the robot.

• Granted, they are not constantly updating programs or directly interacting with it, but they will need to clean, feed, and water it from time to time.

• Just like a machine tool, with proper maintenance and care, the robot will operate safely and repeatedly for its entire lifecycle

• Just because robots are dangerous does not mean that we should be afraid of them.

• They are just as dumb as any other machine!

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AVIATION RESEARCH

W I C H I T A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

Thank You!Brian BrownBrian.Brown@Wichita.Edu