Overview
ISO/TS 15066:2016 is an ISO Technical Specification that defines safety requirements and guidance for collaborative industrial robot systems and their work environment. It supplements the industrial robot safety standards ISO 10218‑1 and ISO 10218‑2, focusing on situations where humans and robots share the same workspace. ISO/TS 15066 applies to industrial robot systems (not non‑industrial robots) and emphasizes risk assessment, control system integrity, and protective measures for collaborative operation.
Key topics
- Collaborative workspace design: defining 3‑D limits, access, clearances, and influences such as fixtures, material flow and trip hazards.
- Hazard identification & risk assessment: integrator-led assessments with user participation to identify intended and foreseeable contact situations.
- Safety‑related control system performance: requirements for reliable stopping functions, enabling devices and transitions between operation modes.
- Protective measures & stopping functions: selection and verification of measures to prevent or mitigate contact risks.
- Collaborative operation modes: detailed guidance on safety‑rated monitored stop, hand guiding, speed & separation monitoring, and power and force limiting.
- Power and force limiting (PFL): biomechanical considerations, quasi‑static vs transient contact, and limits guidance (values expected to evolve).
- Verification, validation and information for use: testing, documentation, and user instructions required for safe deployment.
- Annex and references: includes annex on limits for quasi‑static/transient contact and normative references (ISO 10218‑1/2, ISO 12100, ISO 13850, ISO 13855, IEC 60204‑1).
Applications
ISO/TS 15066 is practical for anyone designing, integrating or operating collaborative robot workcells where humans and robots perform tasks concurrently. Typical uses:
- Designing collaborative assembly, machine tending, loading/unloading and inspection cells.
- Specifying speed and separation monitoring and power/force limiting for human contact scenarios.
- Conducting risk assessments and selecting mitigation measures for robot integrators and system designers.
- Preparing verification/validation tests and operator instructions for plant managers and safety engineers.
- Informing procurement and compliance checks for OEMs and machine builders.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO/TS 15066, collaborative robots, robot safety, industrial robot systems, power and force limiting, speed and separation monitoring, risk assessment, ISO 10218.