This is explained by Ann-Sofie Sjöblom, project manager for the robotics group at the Swedish Institute for Standards, SIS. Around twenty participating companies and organisations are part of the group, representing the entire value chain, from robot manufacturers, integrators and users to academia and authorities such as the Swedish Work Environment Authority.
– We have worked actively in the Swedish group with joint priorities for several years and, through Swedish experts in the global working groups, influenced the development of the standard in the direction we in Sweden considered best. Industry colleagues in 29 countries have participated actively in the development, and for us in Sweden, we have kept “safety first” as the highest priority while also working to simplify the use of the standards.
ISO 10218:2025 specifies requirements for safe design, risk-reducing measures and information for the use of robots in an industrial environment. It is divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with industrial robots, while Part 2, which concerns the integration of the robot, is three times as long.
According to Ann-Sofie Sjöblom, a major change in the new standard is that the term cobot, collaborative robot, has been removed.
– The reason is that from the standards side, we do not want to talk about a specific robot type but instead focus on the area of use. So instead of collaborative robot, we talk about collaborative application. It is the final use that must be risk assessed and safe, regardless of robot type.
Part 2 deals with industrial robot applications and robot cells.
Rapid technical development
Technical development has moved quickly and a great deal has happened in robotics since the previous update of the standard. This extensive development means, among other things, that a larger number of safety devices now need to be included in the standard.
– The fact that there has been so much new material to handle is also evident in the updated standard, ISO 10218:2025. The text in Part 1, which concerns robot safety, has become twice as long, and Part 2, which concerns the integration of the robot, has become three times as long.
Cybersecurity and safety functions
Another new feature of the updated standard is that cybersecurity requirements have been introduced.
– This is a consequence of new cybersecurity legislation, which means that the manufacture and use of robotics now need to address different threats and risks related to cybersecurity.
Technical development has also brought people and machines closer together, which means that the standard now contains new sections dealing with that interaction.
– There is greater clarity regarding collaboration between robot and human. The standard defines different collaboration methods for creating a safer industry. These previously existed in the technical specification ISO/TS 15066:2016, and the fact that large parts of that content have now been incorporated into the new standards shows a higher level of maturity in human-machine collaboration.
Another new feature of the updated standard is an appendix that reviews more than thirty different safety functions and their requirements, including whether they are mandatory or not.
– The purpose is to make it clear for the industry what applies. The different safety functions follow the life cycle of a robot, which makes the standard easier to use.
See standards as support
Ann-Sofie Sjöblom wants to contribute to greater understanding of how helpful standards can be.
– The goal of our work with standards is to create competitiveness for Swedish companies. The degree of automation is increasing all the time, and the new robot standard is a source of knowledge for smaller companies and new users who want to create safe robotics. Larger companies often have their own resources, while smaller ones may need support in their development and when ordering new applications.
She stresses that standards are built on the extensive experience of experts from all over the world and can be used advantageously as support in the design and manufacture of robotics.
– Safety aspects are an important competitive factor, and the standard can be used when setting requirements for procurement and integration of robotics. Standards improve purchasing competence, and I hope more people can see standards as support rather than as “musts”.
Standards not only help protect people, they also improve reliability and efficiency while ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
Hydraulics as part of robot systems
Since hydraulics is often included in robot systems, it is important for the hydraulics sector as well to understand the changes in the new standard.
– We see new actors starting to use robots, and then it is important to have knowledge of safety and to use the standards when procuring robot systems. No one should be injured or die at work, and that is why it is so important to use standards as support in creating safe workplaces.
