Automation Canada - Machine Safety - 25

around the robot before or during welds. Typically involving one to two
area safety scanner units mounted below the robot, this allows the
cobot to move at full industrial speeds until the protected area is
broken. Newer units can also establish zones for multiple steps of safe
speed options, optimizing things like air-cut speed. Additionally, area
scanners are more resistant to weld spatter and smoke.
E-STOP DEVICE
Every robot system must have a fail-safe way to stop for any level of
emergency. Oſten triggered by an external emergency stop (E-Stop)
push button or an output from the safety controller, knowing how to
activate this, if needed, is a must.
PROPER TRAINING
No matter the collaborative system chosen, proper employee training
should be offered. Yes, a cobot offers a lot of ease-of-use abilities, but it
is still a machine that is best (and most safely) used with some
know-how.
From basic
programming to
robotic welding
and
maintenance, Yaskawa Academy offers over 75 different robotics
training courses to maximize robotic equipment performance for both
beginners and experience users.
To
aid
novice
robotic
welding
professionals,
a
trifecta
of
programming options also exists. Options such as lead-to-teach or I/O
jogging from a momentary command device may provide a faster more
intuitive way to change things like torch angle and tooling coordinates.
The Universal Weldcom Interface (UWI) can also help fill in the
knowledge gap, enabling full utilization of advanced capabilities on any
brand of digital welding power supply.
EXPERIENCE SAFE COLLABORATION
Whether a small- to medium-sized shop is working around space
constraints or a Tier 1 company is looking to measure production value
per square inch, collaborative robots can help. Conducting a thorough
site audit with an experienced robot supplier or integrator can answer a
multitude of questions, as well as address issues concerning safety
standard compliance.
1 Global collaborative Robot Market, Statzon, 2021
CANADIAN AUTOMATION
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2
25
Automation Canada - Machine Safety

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