Industrial robotic arms have transformed the industry by increasing efficiency, productivity, and precision. These advancements in machines have become increasingly integral to industrial and automated environments. However, the progression of these industries also means the need for stringent safety measures. Ensuring the safe operation of industrial robotic arms is essential to protect workers and comply with the regulatory rules to maintain smooth operation. This article delves into the importance of safety, common risks and hazards, safety strategies, and protective measures to safeguard the equipment

1. Importance of Safety in Industrial Robotic Arms Systems

1.1 Preventing Accidents

Comprehensive safety measures and emphasising their need and importance are necessary to prevent accidents and injuries associated with robotic arms. These measures mitigate the risk of working in environments that employ robotic arms for material handling, as these devices, much like a human arm with its shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist, have a high potential for accidents and injuries due to the various robotic mechanisms involved.

1.2 Protecting Personnel

The primary goal of having safety measures in place is to protect the workers who interact with or around these systems. By strictly following these measures, the risks of injury are reduced drastically. Through proper training and implementation of these protective measures, environments are deemed safe workspaces.

1.3 Compliance with Regulations

Utilising robotic arms has a lot of legal regulations that follow. This is to ensure that there is no misuse or malpractice. There is also a need to meet the safety criteria to enhance the operation efficiency, thereby, minimising risks. Regulatory bodies and guidelines are provided for industries so the use of robotic arms can be done legally and efficiently.

1.4 Common Risks and Hazards in Gantry Robot Arms

The most common risks with robotic arms are mechanical failures such as broken components, and malfunctioning joints, including rotary joints and the twisting joint that connects the robotic arm to its base. These risks can be avoided or minimised through regular and thorough checkups and inspections. This ensures that all parts of the robotic arm function efficiently and effectively. Adopting proactive measures can prevent accidents and reduce the costs of maintenance caused by mechanical failures. 

These errors include mistakes in programming and operation that can lead to unintended movements or hazardous actions. It's important to identify potential errors and practise fail-safes and redundant systems to mitigate these risks. Training and educating operators on addressing certain malfunctions is equally important.

2. Collaborative Robotics Safety

2.1 Defintion and Scope

Collaborative robots, as the name suggests, are robots that are designed to work alongside human operators, unlike traditional robots built to work in isolation. These robots often feature articulated arms, which provide flexibility and multiple degrees of freedom, making them suitable for tasks like assembly, material handling, and welding. It further necessitates the need for enhanced safety protocols to protect both the human operators and robots acting as a safe medium for both parties to reach their. Check out our cobots selection.

Collaborative robots, or cobots, are defined as robots that work with humans. However, the functions and efficiency of both parties aren't the same. So this results in robots and humans having specific work zones for certain operations. It's necessary to define these interaction zones and implement safety measures, such as clear demarcation and sensor-based monitoring. It prevents accidents and ensures a seamless and safe collaboration between humans and cobots. 

3. Safety Strategies for Collaborative Robotics

3.1 Sensor Technology in Collaborative Robotics

3.2 Speed and Force Limitations 

Implementing speed and force limitations on cobots reduces the impact of any accidental contact. By ensuring speed and force limitations, robots can function efficiently in predefined safety parameters, and the risk of injury to human operators is minimised, even in the event of unintended interactions. 

3.3 Adaptive Safety Systems 

4.1 Physical Barriers

Emergency stop buttons: Emergency stop buttons or E-stop buttons are designed to be highly visible and are placed in easily accessible areas throughout the robotic arm’s operational area. For example, cylindrical robot arms operate using a cylindrical coordinate system, which enables both linear and rotary movements within a cylinder-shaped environment for various operations, making emergency stop systems crucial for safety. These button triggers take precedence over robot motion and shut down the entire system in case of an emergency. These buttons are effective and quick.

Emergency stop cords: Pull cord E-stops are another type of emergency stop system. Pull cords cover long areas mostly along robotic arms. The cord can be triggered at any point along its length. These can be triggered by a person or even an object running into the robotic arms.

4.3 Safety Interlocks