DAC 2021_12

36 n SAFETY November/December 2021 www.drivesncontrols.com Robots can help to keep workers safe O ver the past year, robots have helped manufacturers to protect their human operators by achieving social distancing, while maintaining high throughput. However, robots and automated applications can do much more to create efficient industrial environments where the health, safety and well-being of employees are prioritised. It is common for manufacturing processes to combine automated and manual operations. These manual operations range from being a continuous part of the process that is hard to automate – such as tending machines by loading and unloading parts – to unique operations that are only required for small batches of products. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a need to give operators enough space to be socially distanced safely. If the same parts are handled by different people, they need to be sanitised between operations. If we consider howmanufacturers use operators to tend processes such as cutting, pressing, bending and inserting parts, this is usually achieved using several automated workstations. Companies are now looking at how these systems can be used and reconfigured as part of automated production environments. These modifications not only help to protect the employees, but also increase efficiency and improve the quality of processes and manufactured products. Redeployment Robots are ideal for such duties because they can be deployed easily and used to change the way an operator tends machines. It is often possible to re-use existing machinery reconfigured to incorporate robots, thus cutting costs. With the use of simple feeding systems and robots that load and unload parts from one machine to another, what was once a series of standalone workstations can be transformed into an efficient and lean continuous production process. For example, one automotive industry manufacturer used to operate a production line with six machines tended by six different employees. By reconfiguring the installation to incorporate robots and handling systems, it reduced the number of operators to one working across all six machines. This allowed the former machine operators to be redeployed elsewhere in the production process. Working conditions also improved because with the previous configuration the operators had to enter a higher-risk area when the machine was operating. Researchers have found that using just one additional robot per 1,000 workers can decrease work-related injuries by up to 16%. When looking at the manufacturing industry alone, the percentage soars to 28%. Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are among the most common job-related musculoskeletal disorders in the UK, with the TUC stating that half a million UK workers have reported these symptoms. RSI costs the UK millions of pounds every year with a collective 5.4 million working days being lost annually. However, robots can take on many of the low-force movements that cause RSI for human operators, improving both the health of factory workers and enabling them to take on more complex tasks. As well as improving workplace safety, the latest advances in automation technology are creating an environment in which robots and humans can work together. Cobots are increasingly viewed as a promising way to help operators work productively and comfortably. As technologies evolve, and exposure to robots increases, their positive impact on workers’well-being will continue to increase and offer newways to improve workers lives. Acting now to improve operational health and safety strategies is a step in the right direction. Software can help to enhance robot safety. For example, Mitusbishi Electric offers a system called SafePlus that can equip any of its robots with safety-rated monitored stop, hand guiding, speed and separation monitoring. As a result, it allows businesses to maintain a particularly safe partial overlap of machine and human workspaces. n Conventional and collaborative robots can improve workplace safety, making working conditions more pleasant and helping to avoid health issues such as RSI. Barry Weller, robot product manager at Mitsubishi Electric, looks at how this can be achieved. Cobots can be used to change the way shopfloor workers operate, improving their health and allowing them to take on more complex tasks.