Frequently Asked Questions

The key features that mark a robot as collaborative are:

• Power and force limiting capability that allows for safe human interaction
• Easy to use, easy to teach, easy to redeploy
• Program by hand guiding
• Frequent adjustment, interaction and redeployment as compared to standard industrial robot applications

Cobots can be implemented for most applications that meet the payload and reach specifications of the robot. In particular, machine tending, parts handling and assembly are great environments. In addition, cobots can easily work in environments that have space restrictions or where it must coexist with human workers. Some cobot models are best-suited for environments that require ease of transition from one station to another in an efficient manner. Many companies find that dirty, repetitive and boring tasks are ideal for cobots, freeing workers to be utilized on other jobs where they can be more productive.

It is always recommended that a risk assessment be performed since there are many things that affect the safety of the system, not just the robot arm. The environment, the gripper and the item being carried by the gripper all affect the safety of the system. A safe robot does not equal a safe system. While the robot arm may be safe (collaborative), the true safety depends on the entire robot system. The integrator is responsible for completing the initial risk assessment; the end user should participate in the initial risk assessment process and is responsible for maintaining the information and making future changes.

• Are there extreme temperatures capable of causing injury to the operator if contact is made?
• If the part becomes dislodged from the end of arm tooling, could the impact injure the operator?
• If clamping forces on the end-of-arm tooling or fixtures can cause an injury, can the force be reduced?
• Can exposure to sharp edges cause cuts and abrasions?
• Can personal protective equipment affect how the operator works?
• Is the transition between the collaborative and non-collaborative workspaces defined, understood by the operators and controlled?

The GP7/8 and HC10 run on single-phase 220VAC. A step-up transformer (available as an option) can be used to get the required voltage. The GP12 requires 3-phase 220VAC which requires a phase-converter and suitably-sized breaker to supply the correct power.

The FSU comes standard on all Smart Series robots.

• HC10
  • ISO / TS 15066:2016 compliant
  • Category 3 PLd SIL2
  • Category 3  PLd (TUV-certified)
  • ISO 13849-1: Safety functions industrial robot controller
• GP7/8/12
  • ISO 13849-1: Safety functions industrial robot controller
  • Category 3  PLd
  • Category 3 PLD SIL2

• HC10DT
  • Hand Guiding
  • INFORM (Classic)
  • INFORM (Descriptive)
  • Jogging with Smart Frame
• GP7/8/12
  • INFORM (Classic)
  • INFORM (Descriptive)
  • Jogging with Smart Frame

Yaskawa is working with several third-party vendors to certify their tooling a gripper components are compatible with our Smart Series line of robots. This provides the user with a wide variety of choices and the freedom to pick the tools that best meet the application needs.

The YRC1000 controller supports all popular industrial networks with safety, including Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus and DeviceNet. In addition, it has expandable I/O and integration with industrial HMIs.

Smart Series robots are designed to operate from fixed mounting positions, the exception being the HC-Series.

We characterize the HC robots as "movable", not necessarily "mobile;" it can be moved from work area to work area if needed, but it is not intended as a mobile solution where it is constantly being switched between workstations.

Yes, all Smart Series robots can be floor-, wall-, ceiling- and tilt-mounted.

The GP- and HC-Series robots are supported in Motosim^® EG-VRC.