Safety of machinery—Supportive Protective System (SPS) (Part 1: Risk reduction of the SPS in an Integrated Manufacturing System (IMS))

Abstract

Based on the worldwide situation, it is necessary for the Japanese mechanical industry to consider risk-reduction strategies that match real production site. We have established a new risk-reduction method named supportive protective system (SPS), which targets integrated manufacturing system (IMS). The aim of the SPS is to provide effective residual risk-reduction using a combination of appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) equipment without depending on workers’ attentiveness. Workers' qualifications and rights, the target machine, the work content, the place of the work and the operation time would become clear by introducing SPS. Under the SPS, work will only be allowed when ID information and the target machine of the tag held by a worker are matched with information from the control machine located in the work area. It is possible to prevent dangerous side errors caused by human. The SPS should be used in parallel with the "protection plan"—the education and training management. The SPS was developed with a combination of a time of flight 3D (TOF3D) camera and radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment in the present study. The SPS was experimentally introduced into an IMS site of company A, which produces large motors. The qualifications and rights to perform non-routine work tasks, such as cleaning or maintenance work at this site, were examined using the SPS. In addition, we examined the accuracy of the SPS in counting workers’ access to the workspaces. When using appropriate ICT, the SPS is an effective risk-reduction method that decreases the probability of errors derived from human error and intended unsafe behavior. The results of the present study demonstrated that the SPS might reduce risk when applying a TOF3D camera and RFID equipment. The SPS is an effective risk reduction method that does not depend on workers’ experience and ability.