Costs Associated With Redundant Safety Switch Design

July 11, 2013

One of our readers wrote: "We install a number of different types of safety switches on our machines, all we believe, in accordance with applicable standards that were in force at the time. We aren't called on to do regular upkeep or updating of the machines very often. We're a little concerned that as time goes by, and users change out components, the original safety design might be compromised. We're thinking about designing in redundant switches up front to forgo future, unforeseen problems and liabilities.

One of our readers wrote: "We install a number of different types of safety switches on our machines, all we believe, in accordance with applicable standards that were in force at the time. We aren't called on to do regular upkeep or updating of the machines very often. We're a little concerned that as time goes by, and users change out components, the original safety design might be compromised. We're thinking about designing in redundant switches up front to forgo future, unforeseen problems and liabilities. We'd like some thoughts about whether the added costs provide more peace of mind for us as OEMs?"

Send us your comments, suggestions or solutions for this problem. We'll include it in the September '13 issue, and post it on ControlDesign.com. Send visuals if you'd like — a sketch is fine. E-mail us at [email protected]. Please include your company, location and title in the response.

Have a problem you'd like to pose to the readers? Send it along, too.

Sponsored Recommendations

2024 State of Technology: Report: Sensors, Vision & Machine Safety

Manufacturing rarely takes place in a vacuum. Workers must be protected from equipment. And equipment must be protected. Sensing technology, vision systems and safety components...

Enclosure Cooling Primer

Learn more about enclosure cooling in this helpful primer.

Ultra-fast, ultra-accurate linear indexing

NSK integrates advanced automation and drive technologies to deliver high capacity, high speed, ultra-precise indexing and positioning in a compact, flexible linear actuator: ...

Non-Metallic Enclosures Compared to Metallic Enclosures

What you want from your enclosure is long-term, productive service. Knowing your application, enclosure materials and the environment in which it will be located will help.