Robots are transforming industries, with applications in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and beyond. As robots increasingly operate alongside humans, ensuring their safety, reliability, and interoperability becomes critical. Robotics standards offer a structured approach to achieve these objectives. This blog will explore robotics standards through the lens of why they matter, what they cover, and how they are implemented.

Why Are Robotics Standards Important?

Robotics systems interact with humans, other machines, and environments, making compliance with safety and performance standards crucial. Here’s why:
Ensure Human Safety:
Reduces risks of injuries caused by mechanical failures, collisions, or unsafe operations.
Establishes safeguards for collaborative workspaces where humans and robots coexist.
Promote System Reliability:
Ensures robots perform as intended under varying conditions, minimizing downtime and malfunctions.
Provides guidelines for testing, redundancy, and fault tolerance.
Facilitate Interoperability:
Encourages compatibility across robot models, manufacturers, and integration systems through standard communication protocols.
Regulatory Compliance:
Many industries require adherence to robotics safety standards for market access and liability protection.
Example:
A car manufacturing plant using robotic arms must ensure the safety of workers while robots perform welding or painting tasks. Adherence to ISO 10218 helps mitigate collision risks and unsafe movements.

What Do Robotics Standards Cover?

Robotics standards define safety, performance, and operational guidelines to address risks and enhance functionality. Key areas and standards include:
1. ISO 10218: Industrial Robot Safety
The ISO 10218 standard is the cornerstone for industrial robotics safety. It is divided into two parts:
ISO 10218-1: Safety requirements for the robot itself.
Focuses on built-in safety features like stopping functions, reduced speed modes, and power limitation.
Ensures robots have fault detection and recovery mechanisms.
ISO 10218-2: Safety requirements for robotic systems and integration.
Covers the integration of robots into systems, addressing layout, safeguards, and interaction zones.
Includes collaborative operation guidelines, specifying safety-rated monitored stops and protective measures.
Key Features:
Defines safety-rated stops, emergency stop functions, and automatic restart protocols.
Provides requirements for robot safeguarding methods, such as fencing, sensors, or light curtains.
Addresses collaborative robots by specifying force, speed, and workspace limits.
2. ISO/TS 15066: Collaborative Robot Safety
A complementary standard to ISO 10218, providing detailed guidelines for collaborative robot systems (cobots).
Defines specific safety limits for human-robot interactions, such as maximum allowable force and pressure.
3. IEC 61508: Functional Safety
Focuses on reliability and fail-safe performance of safety-related electronic systems, including robotics.
Applicable to programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and other control elements in robotic systems.
4. ISO 9283: Performance Testing
Defines how to test the accuracy, repeatability, and other performance characteristics of industrial robots.
5. Cybersecurity and Communication:
Standards like IEC 62443 address secure communication and protection against cyber threats in robotics.
Real-World Example:
A warehouse deploying robots for picking and packing must comply with ISO 10218-2 to ensure safe integration of robots into the facility, using fences and light sensors to separate human and robotic zones.

How Are Robotics Standards Implemented?

To comply with robotics standards, organizations must integrate safety and performance principles into the entire lifecycle of robotic systems. Here’s how:
1. Design Phase
Start with a hazard analysis to identify risks specific to the robot’s environment.
Implement built-in safety features, such as power-limiting mechanisms and fault detection systems, per ISO 10218-1.
Example:
A robotic arm with safety-rated monitored stops (SRMS) automatically halts motion when a human enters its zone.
2. System Integration
Use ISO 10218-2 guidelines to design safe layouts for robotic work cells.
Incorporate barriers, sensors, and collaborative zones based on risk assessments.
Example:
Install laser scanners to monitor entry into the robot’s operating area, ensuring a safe halt if a person approaches.
3. Testing and Validation
Test for compliance with ISO 9283 to ensure precision, repeatability, and accuracy.
Validate collaborative robots against ISO/TS 15066 limits for speed and force during human interaction.
4. Operation and Maintenance
Train operators in the safe use of robots, covering emergency stops, fault recovery, and routine checks.
Regularly inspect safety measures, such as fencing, sensors, and braking systems.
5. Continuous Monitoring
Use predictive maintenance systems to monitor wear and detect anomalies in real time.
Example:
A robotic welding arm equipped with thermal sensors identifies overheating and triggers a controlled shutdown.

Conclusion

Robotics standards like ISO 10218 ensure that robots operate safely and reliably, whether in a factory, warehouse, or collaborative environment. They set the foundation for building trust in robotics while fostering innovation and scalability. By following these standards, organizations can mitigate risks, improve performance, and comply with global regulations.