Dangerous movements? Are we talking about bungee jumping or skateboarding off the roof?
We’re talking about movements made by industrial robots that threaten human safety. Elon Musk wants to see AI regulated because potential risks are serious, but modern industrial machinery can be very dangerous without any AI at all. It comes down to the possibility of having machinery move into places where human beings happen to be.
Causes of dangerous movements
Dangerous movements can be caused by faulty control of the connected motors. Some common examples:
- • Cable connections are wired wrong.
- • Operation of the component includes errors.
- • The wrong parameters are inputted before operating the machine.
- • Sensors, encoders, or monitoring devices malfunction.
- • Defective components are in use.
- • There are software or firmware errors.
You may see dangerous movements right away when equipment gets started. This may be the easiest time to catch and repair dangerous movements.
However, dangerous movements can also occur after the machinery has been operating safely and apparently correctly for some time.
This is why traditional industrial robots are kept away from human beings. New collaborative robots are designed to minimize dangerous movements. In some cases, they have sensors which cause them to stop immediately when they come into contact with something squishy like a person. Traditional industrial robots, such as the robotic arms in automotive plants, are dangerous any time they are in the same space with human workers.
Following all the safety regulations is the best course of action for avoiding dangerous movements, but vigilance is an ongoing requirement.
A properly installed and maintained machine is a safe machine. If you need support for your Rexroth electric industrial motion control, we can provide immediate assistance.