Manufacturers are continuing to realize the hard and soft benefits of implementing industrial robots into their production. This has yielded year after year of record breaking sales and a steep adoption curve forecasted for years to come.
However, each of these robots are not providing an equal amount of value for their owners. Performance can scale up or down depending on the design and programming of each system. A major component to the success both of these factors is how the robotic system addresses safety.
Regardless of if the robot is new or is towards the end of its planned lifetime, the benefits of comprehensive safety can result in gains across:
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Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
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Accident rate
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Unscheduled Downtime
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Skilled Worker Retention
Existing Robot Analysis & Modernization
Your existing robot cells have added manufacturing capacity and increased your overall production efficiency. But are they operating safely? If it is not possible to pull a risk assessment on each cell, then the answer could very well be no.
When performing an assessment of shop floor hazards, legacy robot systems can be a focal point to address first. An assessment or reassessment of risk is required if a cell has been moved, reconfigured, or modified. Changes in how personnel interact with the equipment could also be putting workers at unexpected risk.
In an environment consistently demanding quick responses and fast changeovers, manufacturers need more than just a report to protect their assets. That’s why VMRA brings a suite of safety and engineering expertise to identify risk and fully safeguard hazards.
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Mechanical Design
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Electrical Engineering
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Robot Programming
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TR R15.506-2014 Compliance
Collaborative Robot Safety
One of the most prevalent misconceptions about collaborative robots is that since they are created with interaction around humans in mind that no further inspection is necessary. In fact, the Robotic Industries Association requires that a risk assessment is done by factoring in the robot’s operation, end-of-arm-tool, and surrounding equipment.
By consulting VMRA you can be sure that your workers are safe working around robotics.
It’s important to determine all of the factors that weigh in the decision of what robot to purchase. Situations are not uncommon that after an assessment of a collaborative robot in operation that perimeter guarding or slowing of the robot are necessary to make it safe.
Safety In VMRA Robot Cells
Addressing the inherent risk and standards compliance are frequently secondary thoughts to the performance of a new piece of automation equipment. The resulting system can subsequently require rework, reprogramming, timeline lag, or may reach operation without proper safety in place.
VMRA assesses risk at the beginning of each new project and uses the safety criteria to best design, program, and implement each robot system. Our approach enables us to maintain a clear project pathway to create systems that are not held back by safety, but rather are equipped with safety that becomes an asset for our clients.
VMRA is committed to staying at the forefront of the current safety environment. In addition to industry specific standards, our systems are built according to:
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ANSI B11.0-2015
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R15.06-2012
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TR R15.606-2016
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TR R15.406-2014
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TR R15.306-2016