Safety and Beyond | Canada

While the application of industrial robots has evolved both in high-capacity isolated robotic manufacturing systems and in collaborative flexible robotic manufacturing, safety remains a key concern. A small mistake can easily put an employee in danger of serious injury, and incidents involving robots can be expensive. Education alone is not enough to guarantee a safe and secure manufacturing floor. A shift to safety-recognition systems that isolate risk is one strategy for preserving the well-being of workers and businesses. Complying with the safety regulations that exist in every region and industry is another. Every environment is different; designing a safety system that eliminates the risk of injury while complying with local regulations requires a risk assessment and the implementation of protocols and components to meet the appropriate safety requirements.

IDEC’s human-machine isolation approach incorporates a range of safety components and devices. For example, interlock switches and sensors separate robots and humans to protect workers from injury. Emergency-stop switches shut down machines as soon as they are pushed. When employees and robots need to collaborate, sensors automatically detect the proximity of humans and slow or stop machines when they get too close. Plus, IDEC’s comprehensive safety systems use controllers and the most highly rated safety devices available to reduce the risk of injury to workers and maintain productivity.

An investment in safety protects workers, improves productivity, and enhances profitability. IDEC’s safety-rated switches, sensors, and controllers help workers stay productive by reducing accidents and optimizing manufacturing processes so they can continue working without major interruptions. Safe robot-human collaboration (cobot) enables a flexible production line that can accommodate mass customization and improve employee performance. IDEC delivers products and services that are transforming safety and productivity in manufacturing.

IDEC’s contributions to the safety of human-robot collaboration are leading the world:

Components: Our three-position enabling switches protect workers who operate robots.
Consulting: We offer expertise on safe construction to help you understand safety trends, build risk-sensitive safety circuits, educate design engineers, and conduct equipment and facility risk assessments.
Awards: IDEC received the Cooperative Safety Robot award at the first Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award competition and an Excellence Award at the Robot Control Cell Production System contest. IDEC also garnered the seventh Robot Award for ergonomic safety technology development and products.
Showcase: The IDEC Factory Solutions (IFS) Center demonstrates products (sensors, camera, hardware, robots, and software) for prototyping a safe collaborative-robot system suited to your needs.