Whether it be assistive robots and their use, efficient design of collaboration, intuitive robot programming or the specification and monitoring of humans’ workspaces – research scientists at Fraunhofer IFF have developed solutions for all these things in numerous research projects:

SafeyPilot: Automating Cobot Safeguarding

People will work together with cobots (collaborative robots) even closer than before in future manufacturing. Safety is top priority in human-robot collaboration (HRC). The particular advantage of the power and force limiting mode of operation (based on ISO/TS 15066) is that it enables automating manual work right alongside humans – entirely without fencing. Expensive collision testing on robots has been necessary to validate cobots’ compliance with ISO/TS 15066 biomechanical limits in the event of a collision with a person. Fraunhofer IFF will be presenting its innovative alternative to testing, SafeyPilot, which fully automates the test procedure with the aid of simulations. This makes safeguarding cobots child’s play and, above all, less expensive. If desired, SafeyPilot can also be used in simulation environments to perform early-stage economic feasibility studies. This prevents design errors and saves money and labor during engineering.

Monitoring Workspaces Reliably

Flexible and dynamic work and manufacturing environments require the elimination of any strict separation of humans and robots. Fenceless coexistence and collaboration make it possible to combine humans’ and robots’ strengths. In the process, human safety must be ensured at all times.

Fraunhofer IFF is researching and developing technologies for early detection of hazardous situations (e.g., collisions) between humans and robots. They monitor compliance with a separation distance defined by the speed and separation monitoring mode of operation (based on ISO/TS 15066). The advantage of this type of collaboration is the capability to use not only small and mid-sized robots but also large-scale robots alongside people.

A projector- and camera-based system that monitors human-robot collaboration was developed at Fraunhofer IFF and patented as an innovative safety system. Monitored safe zones are projected directly into the environment, e.g., onto the floor or workbench. Surrounding cameras reliably detect breaches of safe zones, which disrupt projected beams, in real time.

Dynamic adjustment of safe zones based on the current robot configuration (including joint positions and speeds) makes it possible continuously use the maximum workspace for people. The system additionally allows overlaying safety, process and robot information.

Fraunhofer IFF will be presenting these and other technologies and their potential uses at the Automatica from June 27 to 30, 2023.