Functional Safety Certification for Collaborative Robots (Cobots): ISO 11161 Explained

Date
2026-09-14
Location
Online
Host
Zach L

About this event

An Exam-Prep Bootcamp for Embedded Systems Engineers pursuing functional safety certification. A live 30-minute exam-prep bootcamp on ISO 11161 (Integrated Manufacturing Systems Safety) for collaborative robots (cobots), built for embedded systems engineers pursuing functional safety certification. What We'll Cover: What ISO 11161 (Integrated Manufacturing Systems Safety) requires and how its scope applies to collaborative robots (cobots) Mapping ISO 11161 clauses to the certification evidence assessors expect System-specific hazards and safety functions typical of collaborative robots (cobots) Common findings that delay certification, and how to avoid them A practical readiness roadmap for embedded systems engineers preparing for assessment Related topics: ISO 11161 · Collaborative Robots

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About ISO 11161 (Integrated Manufacturing Systems Safety)

This event covers the compliance, engineering, and verification requirements defined by ISO 11161.

EN ISO 11161 addresses safety of integrated manufacturing systems (IMS) — multiple machines linked by material handling under supervisory control — where hazards, zones, and modes span machine boundaries and single-machine conformity is not enough.

What it regulates

System-level risk assessment, division into task zones with local safe conditions, span-of-control of safeguards and e-stops across the line, mode management (local/integrated), and interface responsibilities between suppliers.

Who must comply

Line builders and lead integrators of automated production/logistics systems combining robots, conveyors, and process machines.

Key requirements of ISO 11161

  • IMS definition and the lead-integrator responsibility
  • Task zones: defining where a person works and what must be safe there while the rest runs
  • Safeguard span of control and zone interfacing
  • Modes: automatic, manual, and degraded operation across the system
  • Documentation splitting supplier vs integrator obligations

Key concepts: ISO 11161

Lead integrator
The party assembling machines into the IMS who owns the system-level conformity.
Span of control
Exactly which equipment each safeguard or e-stop affects — made unambiguous to operators.
Task zone
A bounded area with defined safe state allowing intervention while adjacent zones continue producing.

Frequently asked questions: ISO 11161

Each machine is CE marked — is the line compliant?

No. Linking machines under common control creates a new assembly requiring its own risk assessment and conformity (the IMS becomes machinery in its own right); zone interactions, shared safeguards and modes are exactly where 11161 applies.

Can one zone run while a person is in another?

That is the design goal: task zones with verified isolation (fences, monitored standstill, interlocked transfer openings) so production continues safely around the intervention — with rigorous validation of the zone boundaries.

Standard information based on the published text of ISO 11161 (Integrated Manufacturing Systems Safety). Event content is provided by the host. For authoritative guidance, consult the official standard body.