The Machinery Directive (Directive 2006/42/EC issued by the Council of the European Union) stipulates machinery should not present a risk to workers or users. Since it is not possible to achieve (absolute) zero risk, the aim is to achieve an acceptable level of residual risk.
Where safety is dependent on control systems, these must be designed to minimise malfunction. Safety technology in automation minimises the risk of damage to people or installations. The ifm product range comprises a multitude of safety products, including electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE), door switches, actuators and control systems.
Unlike conventional safety switches, inductive safety sensors directly detect metal – without requiring a special target.
Safety light curtains and safety light grids, which are optoelectronic safety devices incorporating one transmitter and one receiver, are used where hazardous areas must be secured. They conform to the safety requirements of type 2 / SIL 1 or type 4 / SIL 3.
AS-i door switches with guard locking serve to keep moving protective equipment – such as protective grating, protective guards and other covers – closed as long as a dangerous state is present.
The safe mushroom-headed E-stop buttons and other protective switches force a machine or installation to stop or shut down in a hazardous situation.
ifm fail-safe sensors and operating elements can be connected to any safety evaluation unit, such as safety relays, programmable logic modules or safe controllers. Safety components can be incorporated easily into an AS-i network via AS-Interface Safety at Work. Signals from standard units and safe components are transmitted via a common cable. For direct installation in vehicles or mobile machines, ifm provides the powerful, freely programmable 32-bit SafetyController.
For more information visit: www.ifm.com
