Speed and force must be limited according to proximity
Aliases: speed and separation monitoring · power and force limiting · proximity speed control
What it is
Separation-dependent speed and force limiting adapts motion to human distance, relative velocity, braking, and contact consequence. Faster remote operation gives way to slowing, force limitation, or stop as someone enters protected space; one universal safe speed is inadequate.
Why it happens
Avoidance time shrinks with separation, while relative speed and system delay set residual travel. Energy changes with velocity and effective mass, and arm pose, payload, and contact direction alter inertia. Sensing, computation, braking, and mechanics form one worst-case delay chain.
Studying it
Distance, relative motion, payload, and floor can vary while measuring detection delay, deceleration, stop distance, contact force, and near misses. Occlusion and single faults matter, with independent instrumentation. Extreme cases use surrogates rather than exposed participants.
Where it stops holding
Dynamic limiting depends on reliable sensing and cannot cover missed detection, sudden entry, or uncontrollable loads. Isolation and mechanical force limitation may remain necessary. Limits depend on application, body region, and applicable standards.
Applying it
- Derive zones from worst detection-to-brake delay, effective mass, and human entry speed, not displayed distance alone.
- Adapt speed, force, and stop by pose, payload, and sensor health, degrading on lost protection.
- Measure stop and contact at maximum payload, low friction, and occlusion, logging the full boundary-crossing response.
Related
- Same group: X5.01.2 Safety boundaries must be perceptible to people · X5.01.3 Requiring people to avoid the robot is unacceptable
- Adjacent: X5.04 Limits on contact force and pressure · X5.05 Responding when a person enters the workspace
- Search terms:
speed and separation monitoring·power and force limiting·stopping distance