Engineering a Safe Collaborative Application

Abstract

Human–robot collaboration (HRC) has become a popular topic in the manufacturing industry, as a possible solution to improve inefficiencies of ‘traditional’ robots, i.e. the large payload robots that have been too hazardous to be positioned anywhere near the workforce. Collaborative robots, typically of a much smaller payload and force limitation, are attractive as they offer a range of benefits and allow more appropriate allocation of human and robot capabilities. However, uptake of collaborative systems is often hindered by companies’ lack of confidence and knowledge of how to ensure safety. This chapter describes the process of engineering safety in the installation and assessment of a collaborative human–robot system.