Ask the Experts
Published on: 02/25/2009
Last Reply on: 02/25/2009
Category: Safety
Technology: Vision
I have just recieved robots that have an electronic safety restriction system that termed EPS by ABB. My question is if this is a legal alternate solution to hard stops on a robot when hard stops are practical? Robot Cell sizes are shrinking and the restricted space limits are staying the same.
1 Reply
The ANSI/ISO 10218-1 defined the requirements for safety-rated software defined axes limits. The recent RIA TR15.206 technical report allows the use of this new technology for limiting motion and defining the restricted space. To be considered safety-rated, this function must have a third party certification to category 3. The ABB EPS carries this certification. Therefore, you may use it in place of hard stops. The real advantage is that it can be used on any of the six axes and in logical combinations. The system may also be used in place of 1st axis zone switched in muting applications.
Gil Dominguez from Pilz Automation Safety L.P. | 02/25/2009