Collaborative Assembly on a Continuously Moving Line – An Automotive Case Study

Abstract

Collaborative operation is a state in which a purposely designed robot system and an operator work within a collaborative workspace. To ensure a safe working environment, safety standards suggest conducting a task-based risk assessment followed by risk reduction to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. In this article, an automotive case study will be used to understand safety issues associated with collaborative operations with large industrial robots. Based on this case study, a layout of the collaborative workstation, in terms of workspaces and tasks, which is the outcome of a risk assessment program will be presented. The first critical step in risk assessment is hazard identification, which can allow the risk assessing team to evaluate the hazards and suggest measures to mitigate the risks. Therefore, the hazards identified during the risk assessment program will also be detailed along with measures to mitigate the risks and is expected to complement our understanding of the nature of hazards associated with collaborative operations with large industrial robots.