Abstract
The design of a production system is a challenging and
varied task. The designer
of a robot system must realize that a technical solution
alone cannot create a safe
and effective workplace for people. Industrial robots
represent a high degree of
automation. The design of robot systems can offer
examples for many other
manufacturing systems. This study was done from the
point of view of the desig-
ner. It concentrates on a narrow design task in order to
give the operators of the
system a workplace that is as good and sensible, as
productive, and as safe as
possible.
The central objective of this study was to present a
simultaneous methodology for
the safety design of an industrial robot system. A second
objective was to evaluate
the results of preliminary safety analyses based on the
computer models of robot
systems in comparison to the safety analyses of the
actual robot systems built. The
decisions made by designers and the robot user concerning
the safety level and
production were evaluated, and the recommendations of
robot safety standards
were tested under realistic conditions simulated in the
laboratory.
The case studies carried out to test the research
questions investigated in this thesis
supported the hypothesis that the new software tools can
effectively be applied to
the safety design of a robot system. The hazards can be
identified and the risks
can be assessed during the design phase of the system.
The human aspects can be
taken into account better. During the design phase, the
operators of the system can
create a clear picture of the system, can make comments,
and can improve the
system. They can also evaluate the importance of the
changes with regard to their
work and work environment. This new, even technical, tool
can create a concrete
visual bridge from the "human-oriented design approach"
to the real design work
of a robot system.
The evaluations indicated that it is practicable to use a
3D-model of the system
to make a reliable safety analysis from the model. A
safety analysis can be made
from the model far before the actual investment decision
is made.
The comparison of the three different safety strategies -
basic level strategy,
advanced level strategy and production adapted strategy -
showed that the effect
of a well-designed and production-adapted safety system
is significant from the
viewpoint of production. More attention should be paid to
efforts to create and test
procedures for practical design work, and to the training
of designers. These
measures would yield good results and would not require
strict and limiting stan-
dards and orders.
Original language | English |
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Qualification | Doctor Degree |
Awarding Institution |
|
Award date | 24 Mar 1995 |
Place of Publication | Espoo |
Publisher | |
Print ISBNs | 951-38-4657-1 |
Publication status | Published - 1995 |
MoE publication type | G4 Doctoral dissertation (monograph) |
Keywords
- robots
- safety engineering
- safety devices
- design
- modelling
- animation
- computerized simulation
- theses