On this page
- Buy EN ISO 10218-1:2025 by exact reference
- The industrial-robot boundary
- Compare a robot order with a cell order
- Evidence to request from the robot supplier
- Example: buying an arm for a palletising project
- How to handle an older evidence package
- Frequently asked buying questions
- Related guidance
- Explore more standards buying guides
Buy EN ISO 10218-1:2025 by exact reference
The industrial-robot boundary
The public scope addresses safe design, risk reduction and information for use of industrial robots treated as incomplete machines. Application integration belongs to Part 2. Medical, public service and consumer robots are among the categories excluded from this industrial-robot scope.
Start the purchasing brief with the actual robot designation and the functions included in the supply. Describe the controller, software options and accessories separately. A commercial expression such as “ready to run” needs explanation: it might mean the robot is delivered with a controller, or it might describe a much wider installation service.
Compare a robot order with a cell order
| Item | Clarification for the buyer |
|---|---|
| Robot hardware | Which robot, controller and supplied accessories are identified? |
| Software options | Which installed functions, licences and configurations form the quoted product? |
| Application interfaces | Who specifies tooling, workpieces, surrounding equipment and operator tasks? |
| Cell handover | Is application integration included, and who owns the resulting records? |
Use these questions to separate deliverables. They do not establish that a robot is suitable for a particular process or human interaction. That suitability needs an application assessment based on the proposed configuration.
Evidence to request from the robot supplier
- Product identification that matches the quotation, delivery and accompanying documentation.
- The editions of standards referenced in the supplier's evidence, with any limitations stated.
- Information the integrator will need about intended use, interfaces and installed options.
- A list of configuration changes that need review rather than silent substitution.
- Clear responsibility for delivery, commissioning assistance, training and technical queries.
Ask the supplier to explain the difference between standard product documentation and project-specific work. Training in robot programming is not automatically an assessment of the completed application. Similarly, an integrator's involvement should be described by named activities and deliverables rather than a single “installation included” line.
Example: buying an arm for a palletising project
A warehouse buys a robot arm with a controller for a new palletising project. The arm supplier quotes delivery and initial programming assistance. A separate company will design the gripper, conveyors and cell layout. The buyer uses EN ISO 10218-1 to define the robot-document purchase and asks both companies to agree an interface list.
The list records which product information passes from the robot supplier to the integrator, which application assumptions remain open and who approves later changes. It also identifies the party responsible for the completed cell evidence. This avoids discovering at handover that both suppliers assumed the other owned an important decision.
How to handle an older evidence package
If a supplier report names an earlier edition, retain its exact reference and ask how it relates to the proposed supply. Do not rewrite the cover page to match a newly purchased standard. Request an explanation of the assessment basis, the configuration tested and any additional review the current project needs.
Buying a newer document also does not rewrite an existing contract automatically. Agree which edition the project will use, why that choice is appropriate and how a change of reference will be handled. Keep a short decision record so future reviewers understand the basis of the order.
Frequently asked buying questions
Is Part 1 sufficient for a whole production cell?
The catalogue distinguishes the industrial robot from application integration. Review the separate Part 2 publication when defining a cell assignment.
Does this guide approve a collaborative application?
No application approval is provided here. Describe the people, tasks, robot configuration and operating modes to the responsible application designer before deciding the appropriate evidence package.
Should I order an ISO or EN ISO copy?
Use the reference agreed for the project. Check the supplier report and purchase specification rather than assuming that matching numbers make the document packages interchangeable.
Related guidance
Read the robot-cell integration guide, machinery risk assessment guide and machinery overview.
Explore more standards buying guides
Browse standards by reference and subject to compare related document choices.