Preparing the published article.
Robot Fleet Data Becomes a Compliance Requirement
Safety and maintenance records are moving from paper folders into the control system.
Why the change is happening
Auditors, insurers and customers increasingly ask for evidence: which robot was modified, when it was validated, what the measured stopping time was. Systems that keep that evidence automatically produce it in minutes; paper-based systems produce a week of searching.
| Evidence | Where it should live | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment and validation | Document management, version controlled | Life of the cell plus years |
| Modification history | Cell log with dates and approvers | Life of the cell |
| Maintenance records | CMMS or equivalent | At least the warranty period, longer if audited |
| Safety function tests | Test records with measured values | Per site policy |
Start with the change log
The simplest useful step is a dated change log per cell: what changed, by whom, and what was re-validated. It costs nothing, and it is the single document most often missing when an incident is investigated.