SafetyNews from safety-related automation
With increasing cycle times, machine functions are becoming more and more complex - against this background, the topic of functional safety is becoming increasingly important. Computer&AUTOMATION shows a selection of current products relating to this topic in a picture gallery.
The safety light grids and safety light curtains from Schmersal's SLC/SLG 445 product series are suitable for demanding environmental conditions such as welding robots thanks to their integrated multiple scan function. With the electro-sensitive protective equipment, a protective field of infrared beams is emitted by the transmitter and evaluated by the receiver. The multiple scanning evaluates each infrared beam six times in succession within the response time, increasing the response time from 10 to 20 ms. This means that brief interruptions of individual beams in the protective field - such as those caused by small particles, chips or, in the case of welding robots, by glow sparks or the influence of high light energy - do not automatically cause the protective device to switch off. Thanks to the multi-scan function for suppressing interfering influences, the product series is also suitable for areas of application with high levels of soiling, in outdoor areas and for work areas where water vapor and splash water are commonplace. The integrated muting function distinguishes between people and material. A set-up aid with status display indicates to the installation personnel whether the transmitter and receiver units are precisely aligned with each other.