Protective stop

How it is used

Common with cobots and in safety documentation. A robot goes into a protective stop, or a safeguard triggers one; you find the cause, make sure it is safe and resume. Frequent protective stops in production usually mean the application or speed settings need work.

Example sentences

1. The cobot went into a protective stop when the operator's elbow touched it.

2. Opening the guard door triggers a protective stop, and the cell restarts once the door is closed and reset.

Common collocations

• trigger a protective stop
• safeguard stop
• resume the program
• stop category

Related terms

• emergency stopA red mushroom-shaped button on a yellow background, or the function behind it, that stops a machine as quickly and safely as possible in a dangerous situation.
• light curtainA safety device with a transmitter and a receiver that create a row of invisible light beams. When a person breaks the beams, the machine is stopped.
• collision detectionA function in the robot controller that compares expected and actual motor torques and stops the robot quickly if it hits something unexpected.
• collaborative robotA robot designed to work safely close to people, often without a fence, because it limits its force and speed and stops when it detects contact.
• interlockA safety or control function that prevents a machine from running unless certain conditions are met, for example a door switch that stops the robot when the guard door opens.

More terms: Machine and Robot Safety

• risk assessment
• guarding
• lockout/tagout
• hazard
• enabling switch