Schmersal manufactures safety components and systems that are designed to protect man and machine while maximising process efficiency.
The Schmersal approach to machine safety is based on the philosophy that safety should be designed-in to projects from the very earliest opportunity. This ensures that the solution chosen can enable the end product to not only achieve compliance with the appropriate regulations, but also optimise machine and/or process efficiency.
With this approach comes a responsibility to constantly develop innovative products that can deliver improvements in machine performance as well as enabling robust safety solutions.
Ergonomic operation, compact design, high levels of safety combined with productivity, and the integration of diagnostics into safety functions, are just a few of the characteristics of new products and product families that Schmersal is developing. Recent innovations include:
The application of pulse-echo technology to enable communication between safety sensors and safety actuators, as demonstrated by Schmersal's pulse echo family of products, for example the CSS 180 safety sensor and matching, coded CST 180 actuator. They are designed to monitor the closed position of hinged, sliding or removable guards and, when used in continuous processes, allow machines to continue running if non-critical faults occur, whilst issuing a warning to the machine's control system.
This facility enables vital processes to remain operational, whilst ensuring that if a guard door is opened the machine is stopped immediately.
The ESALAN wireless 'emergency stop' system replaces traditional cables with radio waves and uses handheld controllers to signal safety devices. The system eliminates machine downtime caused by damaged cables, improves productivity by allowing operators more freedom of movement, and saves cost by replacing discretely wired, decentralised operating stations.
Schmersal's website is an excellent engineering guide to the world of machine safety, offering access to comprehensive product and applications information for the entire range. It also provides news on recent product launches and installations as well as offering downloads of the company's latest brochures, datasheets and newsletters.