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As a programmer, I like this approach to human safety for robots. By putting electrical interlocks on the doors that expose humans to the robot you can make it

As a programmer, I like this approach to human safety for robots. By putting electrical interlocks on the doors that expose humans to the robot you can make it impossible for a software error to hurt a human. For some applications where you need to have humans working in the same area with the robot things get a lot hard. You probably need some software involved in enforcing speed limits for robots. The compliance engineers I've talked to say getting safety certification for software is quite arduous. In this case the off-the-shelf solutions the parent child comments mention become valuable.

_trampeltier 9y ago
Just slow down machines is not enought. I'm still stunning how much the operators trust on things like E-Stop and Safety-Doors. They open the doors, don't even look and go into the machine with there hands. Most people have no idea what's behind a E-Stop and Safety-Doors these days. Also how much paper work each time .. sadly the paper part grows very fast .. and does not really help at all. Just worthless paper.
- bsder 9y ago
  > I'm still stunning how much the operators trust on things like E-Stop and Safety-Doors. They open the doors, don't even look and go into the machine with there hands. Wow. Where I am we sometimes do this, but never without real thought. And, generally, we revisit that part of the process again and again over time. One example: initial setup of a CNC machine part. If you don't have $50K-$100K, you are setting this up by hand. You are moving the cutting head while your hand is in the same space. If you screw up, it probably won't rip your hand off, but you will likely wind up with a solid, painful gash and it might break a small bone if you get really unlucky. People don't respect servos enough. They're remarkably powerful and probably moreso than you expect.
  - froindt 9y ago
    > initial setup of a CNC machine part. If you don't have $50K-$100K, you are setting this up by hand. Curious what specifically you need your hand inside for? Do you simply mean the machine is on (though entirely inactive) while putting the part in, touching off the part slipping the business card in and out, or something else entirely?
    - bsder 9y ago
      Yeah, touching off the part as well as touching off all the cutting bits. It's remarkably easy to get your hand pinched if you take it a little too cavalierly.
    - _trampeltier 9y ago
      It's not just about CNC machines. All automated machines have to have E-Stops and so on. Mostly operators open door because something is mixed um inside. (To many bottles, broken bottles, broken paper, broken sensor, wathever .. Of course as more often you can build the same machine, as better you can work out details. But sometimes there is just "one" machine. Then usually have to work out the the flaws first .. A friend from school cleaned a CNC mill while the machine worked. The safety door was manipulated and the 2D table drove over his hand ..
snerbles 9y ago
FANUC's Collaborative Robot line comes to mind [0]. Padded, force-limited, and will stop on contact. I haven't had a chance to play with these - they're still pretty new. [0] https://www.fanucamerica.com/home/products-services/robots/collaborative-robot https://www.fanucamerica.com/home/products-services/robots/c...

_trampeltier 9y ago

Just slow down machines is not enought. I'm still stunning how much the operators trust on things like E-Stop and Safety-Doors. They open the doors, don't even look and go into the machine with there hands. Most people have no idea what's behind a E-Stop and Safety-Doors these days. Also how much paper work each time .. sadly the paper part grows very fast .. and does not really help at all. Just worthless paper.

bsder 9y ago
> I'm still stunning how much the operators trust on things like E-Stop and Safety-Doors. They open the doors, don't even look and go into the machine with there hands. Wow. Where I am we sometimes do this, but never without real thought. And, generally, we revisit that part of the process again and again over time. One example: initial setup of a CNC machine part. If you don't have $50K-$100K, you are setting this up by hand. You are moving the cutting head while your hand is in the same space. If you screw up, it probably won't rip your hand off, but you will likely wind up with a solid, painful gash and it might break a small bone if you get really unlucky. People don't respect servos enough. They're remarkably powerful and probably moreso than you expect.
- froindt 9y ago
  > initial setup of a CNC machine part. If you don't have $50K-$100K, you are setting this up by hand. Curious what specifically you need your hand inside for? Do you simply mean the machine is on (though entirely inactive) while putting the part in, touching off the part slipping the business card in and out, or something else entirely?
  - bsder 9y ago
    Yeah, touching off the part as well as touching off all the cutting bits. It's remarkably easy to get your hand pinched if you take it a little too cavalierly.
  - _trampeltier 9y ago
    It's not just about CNC machines. All automated machines have to have E-Stops and so on. Mostly operators open door because something is mixed um inside. (To many bottles, broken bottles, broken paper, broken sensor, wathever .. Of course as more often you can build the same machine, as better you can work out details. But sometimes there is just "one" machine. Then usually have to work out the the flaws first .. A friend from school cleaned a CNC mill while the machine worked. The safety door was manipulated and the 2D table drove over his hand ..

snerbles 9y ago

FANUC's Collaborative Robot line comes to mind [0]. Padded, force-limited, and will stop on contact. I haven't had a chance to play with these - they're still pretty new. [0] https://www.fanucamerica.com/home/products-services/robots/collaborative-robot https://www.fanucamerica.com/home/products-services/robots/c...