Updated ANSI/A3 standards address industrial robot safety - The Robot Report

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has published the updated ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 standard, marking the most significant advancement in industrial robot safety requirements in over a decade. This U.S. national adoption of ISO 10218 Parts 1 and 2 revises the previous 2012 standard and includes comprehensive safety requirements for industrial robots, applications, and robot cells. A3 plans to release Part 3 later in 2025, focusing on safety for users of industrial robot cells, which will be provided free to current purchasers of the full standard. The update reflects A3’s commitment to enhancing safety for millions working with industrial robots worldwide. Key enhancements in the revised standard include clarified functional safety requirements to improve usability and compliance, integrated guidance for collaborative robot applications, new content on end effectors and manual load/unload procedures, updated robot classifications with corresponding safety functions and test methods, and the inclusion of cybersecurity guidance as part of safety planning. Terminology has also