No robot is inherently safe
Industrial robots have evolved to move faster, carry more weight, and deliver more precision. More recently, a new generation of collaborative robots has traded off some of those features for power — and force — limiting safety mechanisms. But even with these robots, the tradeoffs between productivity, interactivity, and safety are real.
Although collaborative robots promise safe user interaction, ease of use, and potential cost savings, they’re still subject to a simple truth:
No robot, no matter the type, is inherently safe — or dangerous. The real question is not whether the robot is safe, but whether the application is safe.
That is: What are you trying to do? Does the motion, assembly, or process — automated or not — carry an inherent risk? Automation often accentuates those risks. That’s why safety must be considered first at the application level and then addressed in the design of the workcell.
It’s time to shift our focus from robot safety to workcell safety.
Safety starts with the application
Once we move beyond a binary view of “safe vs. unsafe,” we can start asking better questions (and finding better solutions): What does this application require? What risks are involved? What tools do we have to mitigate those risks?
It starts with identifying key priorities — like precision, payload, speed, or user interaction — and conducting a risk assessment to determine the right safety strategy. And that’s where Epson can help.
Building your safety toolbox
Depending on your application needs, automation experts can select from three primary safety tools to deploy — each with upsides and downsides:
- Industrial robots — The workcell is enclosed by a physical barrier.
- Upside: Fast cycle times and high precision
- Downside: No user interaction*
- Industrial collaborative robots — The workcell is surrounded by sensors.
- Upside: High performance and high user interaction**
- Downside: More involved implementation and software development to ensure safety
- Collaborative robots — Performance is limited in power and force.
- Upside: High user interaction**
- Downside: Slow cycle times and low precision
Often, the right approach involves combining tools to achieve both safety and productivity — without blowing your budget. One example is Epson’s SafeSense™, a hardware/software solution that adds an integrated safety layer to your automation system. Built into Epson’s powerful software environment, SafeSense helps reduce risk, protect workers, shrink machine footprint, and keep productivity high.
The time to rethink safety is now
As robots move beyond the factory floor — into classrooms, labs, and even healthcare — safe human-robot interaction will only grow in importance. That means designing for safety at the application level and implementing smart, flexible safety solutions in the workcell.
At Epson, we don’t just sell robots — we use them to build the technology behind our own products. We live these safety decisions every day and are ready to help you make the right ones for your environment.
Ready to learn more? Visit Epson.com/safesense-robot-technology to connect with an Epson Robots expert.
———————
*Users cannot enter the workcell unless the robot is stopped.
**Users can enter the workcell while the robot is moving.
