Safe Human-Robot Workplaces
Safe Human-Robot Workplaces Through Digital Twins, Virtual Simulations, and AI in the Industrial Metaverse
KSG GmbH has been part of the research and development project since December 2024 „MetaSafe“. The project focuses on the Safety-related planning, evaluation, and monitoring of agile human-robot workstations in the Industrial Metaverse.
MetaSafe is being developed as part of the Energy and Climate Funding Guidelines – FRL EuK/2023 supported by the European Union and the Free State of Saxony. The goal of the project is to harness new digital opportunities for industrial safety.
The focus is on developing a digital platform that can be used to virtually model and simulate people, machines, the work environment, and potential sources of danger. Using so-called digital twins, real-world production situations can be transferred to a virtual environment. There, risks can be identified, analyzed, and mitigated early on—before they arise in actual operations.
Safety assessments are becoming increasingly important, particularly in modern, increasingly automated production facilities. Human-robot workstations place high demands on planning, risk assessment, documentation, and certification. MetaSafe is designed to help make these processes more efficient, transparent, and safer.
The project's key objectives include:
- conducting digital risk and hazard assessments as early as the planning phase,
- the early detection and mitigation of security-related risks,
- assistance in preparing the necessary safety documentation,
- the acceleration of evaluation and certification processes,
- as well as promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in shared virtual data rooms.
As an industry partner, KSG GmbH brings practical experience in the operation of machinery and equipment to the project. The focus is particularly on requirements arising from industrial practice, existing documentation requirements, and experience with real-world production processes.
A specific use case in the project is a robotic workstation in the inkjet division at the Gornsdorf site. While this workstation is intentionally not used in direct collaboration with humans during daily operations, it does provide the technical conditions necessary to examine issues related to collaborative human-robot scenarios in a practical setting.
The Project MetaSafe runs from December 1, 2024, through May 31, 2027. In addition to KSG GmbH, other partners from industry and academia are involved, including companies in the field of process automation and research institutions in Saxony.
Through its participation in MetaSafe, KSG GmbH is contributing to the further development of safe, digitally supported production environments. The project combines industrial experience, scientific research, and modern technologies such as digital twins, simulation, and artificial intelligence.
Funding Notice:
The Project „MetaSafe – Safety-Related Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring of Agile Human-Robot Workstations in the Industrial Metaverse“ will be carried out as part of the Energy and Climate Funding Guidelines – FRL EuK/2023 supported.
Co-funded by the European Union.
This measure is co-financed by tax revenues based on the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
