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Sensors, switches and transducers
ROUND UP
E
lectronic safety equipment specialist, Booyco Electronics is poised to deploy a unique infrared
detector that prevents the operators of underground equipment from overriding the equipment’s
controls and getting out of machines such as drill rigs while they are still running.
Harnessing infrared technology with movement sensors and driven by proprietary firmware, the
detection system is the first of its kind in the South African mining industry. Anton Lourens, manag-
ing director of
Booyco Electronics
, describes it as a high-tech variation of a dead man’s switch, a
form of fail-safe that stops the machine the moment human body heat and movement is no longer
detected. It is impossible for operators to override the operational function of the system. “Despite
intensified efforts to elevate safety levels in the mining industry, incidents are
still occurring in which heavy machinery operators disobey certain
basic safety procedures,” Lourens says. “This can, and has, resulted
in fatal accidents and as part of our commitment to continuously
developing new mine safety related products, we went to the
drawing board to design a device capable of shutting down a live
machine as soon as the operator leaves the cab.”
Six of the new Booyco Electronics “Infrared Human Detectors”
are currently being trialled at a platinum mine in Rustenburg and
Lourens says feedback has been valuable and positive.The system
has been advanced to its third software version which is report-
edly working very well.
Enquiries: Anton Lourens.Tel. 0861 BOOYCO (266926) or email
anton@booyco-electronics.co.za.
S
ensing solutions do not have to be difficult, even for the detection of large objects. Leuze’s range
of light section sensors offers numerous advantages including the ability to detect or measure
in two or three dimensions, and at ranges of up to 800 mm.
The Leuze LPS (Line Profile Sensor) is at home in all applications and suitable for measuring
position, contour and volume of both moving and static objects.This sensor creates 3D data via an
encoder connection and has a measurement range from 200 to 800 mm
with a resolution of 1 to 3 mm.
Engineered for the detection of objects via their edges, the Leuze
LES, or Line Edge Sensor, is capable of sensing width, height
and diameter at a range from 200 to 800 mm with a resolution
of 2 to 5 mm.
Monitoring presence or absence on a production line where
laser is used is a cinch for the Leuze Line Range Sensor (LRS).The
LRS has the ability to monitor in up to 16 windows at a resolution
of 2 to 10 mm and within a 200 to 800 mm range.
All three Leuze light section sensors offer the type of flex-
ibility and cost efficiency that is needed in today’s automated
production environments. All the sensors are available from
leading Johannesburg-based specialist sensing solution provider,
Countapulse Controls
.
The company has operated in the sensing arena for more than
thirty years in southernAfrica and has an intimate understand-
ing of the available global technology and the implementation
of application appropriate solutions for African operating
conditions.
Enquiries: Gerry Bryant.Tel. 011 615 7556. Visit www.
countapulse.co.za.
High-tech infrared switch for underground safety
Easy sensing with light section sensors
Electricity+Control
September ‘12
46