Safety Fencing to protect programmer in T2 Mode

    Hi there,


    We are setting up a robot cell for our laboratory and trying to stay within the standards of robot safety. On the KUKA SIB we are using the operator safety input (X11 4 and 22) for our safety light curtain fencing which only is considered while the robot is in AUT mode. We need to ensure that in T2, no one can get bludgeoned by the robot but if we put our safety fencing on an E stop input, then we can't enter the area to program in T1.


    My question is: can we configure the robot controller to consider the safety fencing in T2/AUT and not T1?


    Thanks in advance.

    Quote from Cwany

    Would you consider disabling T2? That way you can either run the robot in T1, AUT, or EXT.

    Thanks for your reply Cwany! Disabling T2 may be possible for us but I need to double check which capabilities we would lose. Are you able to single step through a program in AUT?

    disabling T2 means you will simply not be able to select T2 any more...

    yes you can use motion step and single step in AUT mode.

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

    beware that someone skilled and with right tools can get around this and re-activate T2. the safest way is to block T2 externally (using safety PLC) if your controller is connected to one via Ethernet.

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

    I know this is going to be a useless comment but i am going to mention it anyway, but i have 3 robots where the gates need to be closed to move in T2. so it used to be possible. These robots are not the newest that you can find (kss 4.7) so i know that it is not really relevant for this case. But when i was reading this post i was wondering if somewhere the safety standards where lowerd? or was kuka more strict back then?


    I personally find it a bit more comforting that the gates are closed before the robot runs at full speed.

    Every problem has a solution, that isn't the problem. The problem is the solution.

    Quote from Leon

    I have 3 robots where the gates need to be closed to move in T2.

    That is implementation detail. Default is that robot does not care about state of operator safety input while in manual mode (T1/T2). Also older KSS even allowed jogging while in T2. Newer KSS do not allow that so in T2 one can only test programs while operator safety doors are open - jogging is no longer possible.


    Integrator may choose to disallow use of T2. Common option is to simply turn off T2 mode. In older KSS if selecting T2 is still possible (since all hardware is still there, just the option is disabled in software), robot would simply display T1 and act accordingly.

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

    Quote from panic mode

    That is implementation detail.

    In my case i dont think it is, because it is hardwired in the safety systems. Then maybe it is a remnant of the old volkswagen control. Software is changed but the safety hardware is still there.

    Quote from panic mode

    KSS even allowed jogging while in T2

    I know, since a about of month we have 1 "newer" robot that is running kss 5.6 and i kind of miss not being able to jog in T2. It is not a problem to switch back to T1 but it is something i am still getting used to.

    Every problem has a solution, that isn't the problem. The problem is the solution.

    i do not miss it all, this is dangerous. i remember returning from lunch and not checking the mode. colleague was using T2 and did not change it back. after casually enabling drives and trying to jog, robot moved suddenly and nearly crashed into some equipment there. if it moved the other way, i could be hit before having time to react.

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

    Thank you all for your responses and discussion. I will likely pursue disabling T2 and performing full speed trials in AUT. We are not running a very fast process so this should be fine.


    Anyone have information on how to disable T2? Is this done in WorkVisual?


    Thanks!


    Edit: here is a nice description of disabling T2 on KUKA controllers:

    T2 mode - KUKA Robot Forum - Robotforum - Support and discussion community for industrial robots and cobots

    Edited once, last by cnicho35 ().

    Quote from Leon

    I know this is going to be a useless comment but i am going to mention it anyway, but i have 3 robots where the gates need to be closed to move in T2. so it used to be possible. These robots are not the newest that you can find (kss 4.7) so i know that it is not really relevant for this case. But when i was reading this post i was wondering if somewhere the safety standards where lowerd? or was kuka more strict back then?

    As Panic said, that would have been an implementation detail. Generally done via external safety relays generating the enable signal (on that generation, probably the X11 $MOVE_ENABLE) as (T1 OR Safety Gate).

    Some of the VW controllers might have done this using safety relays added internally to the KRC, but the ones I recall working on had all safety logic external to the KRC.


    It's not KUKA. KUKA provides robots with T2, or without T2, depending on customer preference. Customers who buy T2-Enabled robots are free to limit T2 in any way they desire. There are conditions where being able to operate the robot in T2 while close to it is necessary. For any system set up that way, the rules keeping anyone without a deadman outside the cell when the robot is in T2 need to be rigorously enforced.

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