Machine Safety
Zoned safety technology provides reliable machine safety with minimal production interruptions.
Zoned safety technology provides reliable machine safety with minimal production interruptions.
Safe release of air during machine operation is critical to the safety of your operators, compliance with regulations and the continued operations. In the past, systems were configured to release all the air in the machine, halting operations.
The ASCO Numatics zoned safety valve manifold is used to precisely configure systems to implement risk reduction strategies. This technology can control up to three zones of operations. Various safety functions are possible while maintaining productivity in unaffected zones.
The goal of machine safety is to guarantee the health and safety of people exposed to the installation, operation, adjustment and maintenance of machinery.
Three key concepts for the design of machinery and their safety functions are defined based on the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC:
• a risk analysis prior to design
• a particular consideration of the quantitative aspect of the safety functions in addition to the qualitative approach
• the use of performance levels (PL)
Zoned Safety is a pneumatic circuit configuration that isolates air supplies to keep operators safe without disrupting production. The affected section of the system is shut down instead of dumping the air out of the entire machine.
One G3 fieldbus zoned safety manifold can control up to three zones. A given zone can enact a combination of redundant safety functions, such as stop motion, return home, exhaust air, unclamp, and remain clamped according to per safety requirements for that zone.
Through the web server for each node, you can configure a “Safety Zones” parameter to match the physical configuration of the Zoned Safety Manifold. A maximum of three zones are available. It can be easily updated if your pneumatic circuit configuration changes.
The web server also provides access to detailed diagnostic information showing the valve status for each component in the node. It also includes details, such as firmware revisions and serial numbers.
This illustration provides two examples of zone safety manifold mapping:
• Two Safe Zones ( valves outside a safety zone not represented)
• One Safe Zone (valves outside a safety zone not represented)
In both examples, all the stations are wired for double solenoid, pilot valves are single solenoid and all status bits
are enabled.
For detailed configuration and output examples, read the Zoned Safety Manifold Technical Manual.
Zoned safety configurations are used to implement risk reduction strategies to secure a number of machine types.
This circuit example is based on an Automatic Insertion Tool manual loading/unloading workflow. If a risk assessment determined that the insertion actuators must release all pneumatic energy when initiated, safety functions can be applied to each actuator and operate as a single safety function executed at the same time.
For detailed examples with technical analysis, download the technical manual.
