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Machine Safety Matters
Comprehensive Solutions Advance, Devices Get Smarter, but There Still Are Plenty of Hindrances and Concerns
07/14/2011
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1 vote
The results of our most recent Control Design audience study about readers' use of safety components and systems provided a few changes from a similar 2008 study.
Asked who decides what and how much safety equipment the machines will need, 57% of the respondents said the machine builders make those choices; 28% say it's the end users; and 15% say system integrators (SIs) decide. In 2008, only 42% of machine builders decided; 32% of end users decided; and 25% of SIs made the decision on machine safety.
When asked how their safety systems are connected and networked, 81% reported that they use a hardwired system, while 19% said they use digital networking. This is a noticeable shift from 2008, when only 13% used digital networking for safety.
This year's study asked about the audience's biggest machine safety design headaches. Some 48% reported that it's hard to know what standards and regulations to apply. Another 29% say their worst problem is dealing with operators who try to defeat the safety system; and 22% surprisingly said that fully operational safety systems were thought to impede productivity.
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Respondents reported getting their guidance on machine safety and applicable standards information from a variety of sources. For example, 61% said they get safety guidance and standards from OSHA; 50% get it from NFPA; 44% use ANSI standards; 40% from IEC; 33% from ISO; and 27% from EN. These results were pretty much the same as two years ago, although more respondents seem to be seeking help from organizations other than OSHA, which doesn't offer direct guidance on standards.
Standards uncertainty (32%) and technical concerns (28%) were two of the biggest hindrances to implementing an integrated system. The respondents also indentified customer resistance (18%), liability concerns (13%) and technical support (9%) as major hinderances.
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Safety PLC Pluto safety PLC has an All Supervisor concept that achieves and maintains Category 4/SIL 3/PLe safety levels for safety applications where faults must not lead to loss of a safety function. All inputs and outputs are separately connected to each processor. The processors continuously compare results to ensure integrity of data. A single Pluto can monitor up to 150 dynamic safety devices. Jokab Safety 888/565-2123 www.jokabsafetyna.com |
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Monitor Safety ESR5 safety relay monitors the signals from safety devices and switches off quickly in an emergency. With redundant features, the ESR5 is compatible with emergency stops, rope pulls, two-hand control stations and others, and detects ground fault, cross connection fault or wire breakage. It is available in single- and dual-channel versions. Eaton 877/386-2273 www.eaton.com |
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Master Safety Guardmaster safety relays meet EN ISO 13849-1 and include six basic units. The relays have a single-wire communication capability that helps eliminate dual-channel connection between relays. Users can expand and cascade safety functions up to a SIL 3 rating using a single wire to connect between relays. AND/OR logic can be set via a rotary switch on the front of the relay for configurations including regional and global e-stop architectures. Rockwell Automation 414/382-2000 www.ab.com/safety |
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Solid Dold LG5924 Series Dold relays are single-channel, e-stop relays with 24 Vdc, 110 Vac and 230 Vac coil voltages, and with internal positive temperature coefficient resistor short-circuit protection. Output options include either two normally open contacts, or three normally open and one normally closed contact. The normally open contacts are safety contacts. LG5925 Series relays are dual-channel, e-stop/safety gate relays designed for applications with emergency stop buttons and safety gates. AutomationDirect 770/889-7876 www.automationdirect.com |
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Access Control |
| Add-On Safety Diagnostics Add-On Instruction for CompactLogix and ControlLogix controllers, available as a free download, is designed to enable PLC programmers to retrieve detailed diagnostic data from an AS-Interface safety monitor, and to be compatible with competitive AS-Interface Safety at Work safety monitors. Pepperl+Fuchs 330/405-4710 www.pepperl-fuchs.us |
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Safely Configure Safety |
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Don't Lose Your Head |
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Chances Are Slim D4GS-N Slim safety door switches are 17 mm wide, provide IP67 protection, and have a tongue-actuated design for skinny spaces subject to water washdown. An operation key with rubber mounting holes absorbs vibration and shock. The switches are rated for a minimum of 1 million mechanical operations and 100,000 electrical operations, are vibration-resistant 10-55 Hz, and shock-resistant to at least 1,000 m/s2. Omron STI 800/479-3658 www.sti.com |
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Safety Guide Interface and Intrinsic Safety Quick Reference Guide of the company's intrinsically safe products includes switching amplifiers, analog I/O, solenoid drivers, rotational speed monitors, and relays and power supplies. The guide allows users to select the correct amplifier for a specific application, and showcases unique, out-of-the-panel solutions for intrinsic safety. Turck 800/544-7769 www.turck.us |
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PLC+Terminal |
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Par for Safety Course Profisafe modules with iPar functionality support automatic download of parameters to the respective controller via Profisafe-compliant iPar server. Parameters can be set, backed up and documented using Wago-Safety-Editor. The new modules support the tool calling interface (TCI) up to Conformance Class 3, so the Safety-Editor can be integrated into corresponding TCI-compatible engineering systems. The modules can be used with both Profibus and Profinet. Wago 800/din-rail www.wago.us |
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Motor Monitor |
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Fail Safe |
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Most Irregular |
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Safety PLC |
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Failsafe Alarm |
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Arc Alert |
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Change Channels |
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Always On Edge |
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Sights and Sounds |
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Simplify Safety Universal Safety Controller Hub replaces multiple individual safety relay modules with one integrated safety center. The hub contains dry-contact safety relays and solid-state outputs. Safety channels A and B are pulsed independently and sequentially to protect from component and internal shorts of four-wire e-stop devices. Pinnacle Systems 800/569-7697 www.pinnaclesystems.com |
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Cable Security |
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Slim Housing |
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1 vote
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