In most cases industrial robot systems are equipped with interfaces for automatic material entry and exit. For this purpose, necessarily openings have to be provided at the perimeter safeguarding. Has the designer to consider that possibly persons can use these interfaces against the rules for access or entry to the hazard zone? What are the present and future ISO standards are saying?
According to the present standard EN ISO 10218-2:2011 for openings at perimeter safeguarding the requirements of EN ISO 13857 apply. Therefore, slot shaped openings shall not be greater than 180 mm in order to prevent whole body access. When reaching through such openings no hazards shall be accessible. Furthermore, fixed guards shall have a minimum height of 1400 mm in order to prevent climb over. The height of the safe guards shall be further increased when hazards can be accessed by reaching over.
By publishing draft ISO DIS 10218-2 possible weakening of requirements mentioned above appeared for a short time. Such weakening was based on the standard for conveyor systems EN 619. This weakening disappeared again by publishing final draft ISO 10218-2:2025 in Januar 2025. Therefore, even in the EN ISO 10218-2 (expected in spring 2025) the same requirements as in the 2011 issue have to be expected. This means that the maximum slot of 180 mm does apply again. Anything greater has to be protected by additional safe guards, e.g. light curtains in combination with muting controls.
If the requirements of the future EN ISO 10218-2 will not be applicable from technical reasons other appropriate technical solutions shall be found, based on an individual risk assessment.
Meanwhile revision work on ISO 10218-1 an 10218-2 have been finished end of 2024. The DIN EN ISO 10218-1 and DIN EN ISO 10218-2 will bo expected in Spring 2025.
Note: This article is a translation of German websites
