Partial automation is gaining in importance
According to Prof. Dr. Markus Glück, Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) and Managing Director of Research and Development at Schunk, four goals dominate the current discussion when it comes to the introduction of HRC: improving ergonomics, making work processes more flexible, increasing efficiency and optimizing logistics, handling and loading processes. HRC scenarios are particularly effective with medium variance, medium quantities and medium throughput. Instead of fully automating processes, partial automation is playing an increasingly important role. "HRC means synergistically combining the strengths of humans and the strengths of robotics," emphasized Glück.

Sebastian Höpfl, Head of Product Management Gripping Systems at Schunk, explained how HRC applications can be designed to comply with standards and be cost-effective at the same time. Even if the standards are easy to master, the greatest challenges lie in the practical implementation and, in particular, in the validation of transient contact in accordance with ISO/TS 15066. It makes sense to contact the certifying organizations, such as the employers' liability insurance association, TÜV or Dekra, as early as possible and discuss the planned applications.

In general, he advised avoiding over-engineering when getting started with HRC. Applications with safe stops, manual guidance or speed and distance monitoring are often much easier and quicker to implement than complex applications with force and power limitations. And you learn much faster in the process. Helmut Schmid, Managing Director & General Manager Western Europe at Universal Robots, also advised a pragmatic approach to standards and safety. "Products must be simple and flexible," was his credo.

In the practical section, visitors were able to experience various HRC applications and test how they work. © Schunk

User-friendliness and machine intelligence
Dr. Albrecht Höne, Director Human Robot Collaboration at Kuka, sees human-robot collaboration as a key to making production more flexible. The goal is spontaneous, flexible and scalable automation. Höne advises dividing the HRC process into different sections and providing them with different safety functions. In this way, Kuka realizes applications in gearbox assembly, gap dimension testing, friction welding or plug setting, for example. Looking ahead, he believes that there is potential in the development fields of "easy to use" and "deep learning" in particular.

Dr. Daniel Meixner from GTE Industrieelektronik presented how the biometric limit values according to ISO/TS 15066 can be determined and tested in practice. He presented load cells with special springs and damping elements as well as methods for measuring pressure.

Involving employees in HRC projects at an early stage
Tea Barisiç from the Corporate Innovation department at Kuka in Augsburg made it clear that the focus of HRC projects must be on people as well as technology. Based on interviews at HRC workplaces, she explored the question of how human-centered automation can succeed. Barisiç advised creating a college environment for employees to learn how to use HRC systems in a playful way and without pressure, thus building trust in the new technology.

She recommended involving works councils, health and safety officers and individual employees in the planning process at an early stage. With this in mind, Markus Glück also summarized at the end of the event: "Making life easier for people will be the great added value of HRC." He went on to emphasize: "We have to start with HRC, because we are facing demographic change. Thousands of employees will soon be retiring and we need to recruit new talent now." as