Tectra installs level 4 safety system
October 2006
Sensors & Transducers
A leading supplier of components to the automotive industry in Gauteng has commissioned Tectra Automation to install close on a R1-million worth of optoelectronic protective devices throughout its metal works facility. The 8-month project will see Tectra installing and commissioning type 4 light curtains, which instantly stops machines like presses when movement is detected in pre-identified danger areas.
"The Datasensor light curtain concept which we will be implementing has the advantage of minimal disruptions during installation, as it allows us to set up the control panels, link those to the light curtains and check that they are working before we shut down the machines to which they will be connected," explains general manager for Tectra Automation, Emil Berning. "The fact that this client has opted for a type 4 safety class device instead of the standard type 2, means that they will have functions like dual redundancy built into the system for optimum protection."
In accordance with IEC 61496-1/2, Datasensor's compact SAFEeasy light curtains are ideal for the protection of operators. The emitter-receiver units are optically synchronised, and contain all the control circuits, inputs and outputs inside the housing for ease of installation and use.
"The safeguarding of a plant is not a simple process and requires detailed planning and analysis," says Berning. "To achieve an intrinsically safe solution, our aim was to find the middle road between performance and safety, and this system fits that bill perfectly. Emergency stopping systems, fixed barriers and guards, mobile guards and two-hand control devices may be less costly to install, but they influence total cost of ownership by hampering movement and production and not offering complete safety."
"They also do not allow functions like blanking, which is just a way of programming the light curtains to allow certain types of movement as required by a specific process," he continues. "Another advantage of class 4 light curtains is that once a single failure occurs, the safety function will remain active. With respect to other safety systems, the use of optoelectric safety systems guarantees a reduction of the machine stopping times, increases productivity and improves work-place ergonomics."
For more information contact Emil Berning, Tectra Automation, +27 (0) 11 971 9400, [email protected]
Further reading:
Telco sensors in conveyor belt monitoring
Sensors & Transducers
Gail Norton Instrumentation Agencies has developed a low-maintenance conveyor belt monitoring unit built on robust Telco infrared sensors, detecting belt tear and misalignment reliably in harsh coal mining environments.
Read more...
Inductive ring sensors monitor material flow in feeding technology
ifm - South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
ifm’s inductive ring sensors detect metallic parts such as screws and nuts as they pass through tubes at speeds up to 35 m/s, enabling precise counting, flow control and blockage detection, with sensitivity and output functions configurable via IO-Link.
Read more...
Reliable 1D and 2D code reading made simple
SICK Automation Southern Africa
Sensors & Transducers
SICK’s new sensingCam SEC200 image-based code reader brings supermarket-checkout simplicity to logistics and industrial identification, reading 1D and 2D codes reliably with quick browser-based setup, rugged IP65 construction and CRA-compliant cybersecurity.
Read more...
Market opportunity for sensors in humanoid robots
Sensors & Transducers
A new IDTechEx report forecasts the market for sensors in humanoid robots will exceed $6,59 billion by 2037, driven by perception sensors, force/torque sensors, encoders and inertial measurement units across a growing range of commercial robot platforms.
Read more...
The wireless route to safer, more efficient mining operations
Emerson Automation Solutions
Editor's Choice Sensors & Transducers
Modern wireless level measurement technologies are helping mining operations improve process control, increase safety and reduce installation costs. Emerson’s Rosemount 3408 wireless non-contacting radar level transmitter uses 80 GHz frequency-modulated continuous wave radar with HART communication to reach remote assets where cabling is impractical.
Read more...
Telco sensors for harsh environments
Sensors & Transducers
Telco sensors are designed to operate where moisture, particulate contamination and surface fouling would disable conventional sensors, with a range including an adjustable five-metre infrared proximity sensor for harsh industrial environments.
Read more...
The data-driven path to sustainable manufacturing
ifm - South Africa
Editor's Choice Sensors & Transducers
Smart automation is closing the gap between operational efficiency and environmental responsibility, and the data to do it is already inside the plant. With ifm’s sensing and digitalisation technologies, manufacturers can turn machine intelligence into measurable sustainability gains.
Read more...
Expanding visibility in mining operations
Emerson Automation Solutions
Editor's Choice Sensors & Transducers
Advances in wireless communications, condition monitoring and sensing technologies are helping mining operators extend measurement into previously under-monitored areas, improving equipment reliability, process performance and water stewardship.
Read more...
Fiber-optic amplifiers for precise object detection
ifm - South Africa
Sensors & Transducers
The OCF fibre-optic amplifier detects even the smallest or most transparent objects in confined spaces, making proven fibre-optic technology easier and more user-friendly than before.
Read more...
The next era of measurement and instrumentation
Sensors & Transducers
Smart sensors and non-contact radar are reshaping industrial measurement, feeding connected platforms that predict failures before they happen.
Read more...
printer friendly version