Suitability assessment method for safe robot tooling design in Human-Robot Collaborative applications

Abstract

State of the art applications in human-robot collaborative work cells, are, sometimes, highly compromised by strict directives to avoid potential hazards for operators. Robot motion (e.g., speed, momentum, power etc.) is strictly defined according to ISO/TS15066 to guarantee that potential pressures and forces due to collisions do not exceed predefined limits for different parts of the human body. In this direction the authors suggest a robotic tool design methodology that could optimize Human – Robot Collaborative (HRC) applications by preventing vast reduction of robot velocity during the design phase, while eliminating the need for redesign during the validation stages of the cell. Also, actuation mechanisms and their components are also presented to uphold human safety standards. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, a real-life industrial use case has been materialized, involving a high-payload collaborative robot performing assembly operations. The results underscore the effectiveness of these design practices in enhancing the efficiency and safety of human-robot collaboration.