Power and force limiting (PFL) is a collaborative robot safety mode in which embedded sensors detect abnormal forces during contact and automatically stop or reduce the robot’s movement. If you have ever wondered why some industrial robots can work shoulder-to-shoulder with people while others live behind yellow cages, the answer usually comes down to PFL. … Read more
Speed and Separation Monitoring (SSM) is a collaborative robot safety function defined in ISO/TS 15066 and ISO 10218 that allows a robot and a human to share the same workspace. The area around the robot is continuously monitored, and when someone approaches, the robot initially slows down and eventually stops to maintain a minimum safe … Read more
A light curtain in robot safety is an electro-sensitive protective device that uses an array of infrared light beams to detect when a person or object enters a hazardous area around a robot or machine. When any beam is broken, the curtain sends a stop signal within milliseconds, cutting power before the worker reaches the … Read more
A robot safety fence is a physical barrier system that prevents workers from entering hazardous zones around industrial robots. It is required by OSHA, ANSI/RIA R15.06, and ISO 10218 whenever a robotic work cell, automated assembly line, or material handling station could expose personnel to crush, pinch, or impact injuries. In , these barriers remain … Read more
If you manage, integrate, or simply work near industrial robots, you’ve probably heard a string of acronyms thrown around: ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA R15.06, ISO/TS 15066, OSHA Technical Manual. But what are robot safety standards in the workplace really, and why do they matter so much? In this guide I’ll walk you through the regulatory framework, … Read more
Industrial robots are the backbone of modern manufacturing. From welding car frames to packing blister packs of pills, these programmable machines run millions of production lines worldwide. If you are evaluating automation for a factory, a research lab, or a startup product, the first decision is the most fundamental one: which type of industrial robot … Read more
ISO/TS 15066 was a Technical Specification published in 2016 that defined the safety requirements for collaborative industrial robot systems and their work environments. For nearly a decade, this document served as the global reference for engineers, integrators, and safety professionals who needed to deploy robots that share workspace with human operators. If you searched for … Read more
If you have spent any time on a factory floor or in a modern machine shop lately, you have probably noticed something new: a robot arm working right next to a person, with no cage, no fence, and no panic. That is a cobot, and it is changing the way we think about automation. A … Read more
A polar robot (also called a spherical robot) is an industrial robot arm with two rotary joints and one prismatic joint, whose axes form a polar coordinate system. That joint mix creates a spherical work envelope, which is why you will see these machines called either polar or spherical robots depending on the manufacturer. I’ve … Read more
A SCARA robot is a type of industrial robot with a jointed two-link arm design. The acronym stands for Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (or Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm), and these robots are rigid along the vertical Z-axis while remaining flexible in the horizontal X-Y plane. I have spent the last several years working … Read more