Signalling potential danger or relaying safety messages to operators on the shop floor has become the focus of a new range of products from WERMA Signaltechnik (you’ll get a chance to see these later this month at MACH 2008, which takes place at the NEC all week commencing April 21). Among recent developments, the company’s popular range of KombiSign 70+71 signal towers now includes a novel vocal element that can be easily integrated into an existing tower to add a whole new dimension in man-machine communications.
Just like an MP3 player, the tune/message of choice is loaded into the unit from a PC via one of its USB ports. It can replay sounds, songs and recorded messages to operators when the machine being monitored goes into ‘fault’ mode. The sound quality is claimed to be “excellent”, and the sound output reaches a stentorian 88dBA. There’s a choice of 15 independent messages with a total time of around one hour, so key messages can be made meaningful and unambiguous.
Another advance in KombiSign technology is the self-adjusting siren element - another add-in module, which automatically adjusts the output to 5dBA above the background noise level. With an output level variable between 80dBA and 100dBA, this feature ensures that fault warnings can still be heard above a sudden inrush of noise. And, as if that wasn’t enough, WERMA is also providing an easy-fit GSM transmitter module for the KombiSign tower that sends a warning of a machine malfunction direct to your mobile phone without the need for any additional hard wiring/telephone line or system programming.
Staying with sounders, European Safety Systems (E2S) claims to have re-invented the mechanical horn with its new piezoelectric driven GPH (general purpose horn), which offers a long-life electronic alternative to electromechanical warning devices. In addition to the conventional pulsing output, the GPH generates two alternative warning tones, giving the machine builder a bit more flexibility. Rather like the LED replacement for incandescent bulbs, the piezo based sounder inherently offers longer life because there are no diaphragms, moving parts or contacts to wear out.
When your sounder/beacon warning system has to be mounted in a hazardous area, the goal posts are effectively moved and you need properly certified products for this type of application. South London based Clifford & Snell is targeting the hazardous area market - extended in recent years with the introduction of the European ATEX Directive - as a potential growth area for its products. In particular, the company has put a lot of effort into the development of a new series of cleverly designed products that offer full hazardous area compliance and international approvals, including ATEX, UL and GOST-R.
The product series – dubbed Yodalex – comprises a combined or separate audible and visual alarm system housed in a common cylindrical explosion proof enclosure with a cone-shaped sounder and beacon extension. The design is such that any combination of sounder, beacon and electronic module can be contained within its envelope, giving the user a considerable degree of flexibility when ordering. Moreover, C&S believes that the product’s design, featuring a single enclosure which can be adapted as either a sounder, strobe or combination unit is both unique in its design and provides not only superior physical strength and durability in adverse environments, but also, lower weight, easy and cost effective installation – a key specification for offshore applications.