Feature

Machine safety, diagnostics and data security

Personnel safety systems on machines are often seen as a necessary evil. To function correctly, a safety device has to be self-checking, which adds more complexity and costs compared to a non-safety device.

01/02/2023 15:38:17

It does not enhance the machine’s performance and can stop production at any point, hence the “evil” label, despite having the very “good” function of protecting people from dangerous motion.

Diagnostics
Once an emergency stop has occurred, assuming that there are no other emergencies to deal with, restarting production is usually the highest priority.

Good diagnostic information is key to achieving this in the most efficient way. Gate interlocks and emergency stop buttons are normally the main problem area for diagnostics.

These are typically linked in series, on long chains. Whilst this reduces costs and simplifies installation, it makes identifying which E-stop has been pushed or which door has been opened difficult to find, as there are multiple devices connected to a single input. As the alternative is to wire each individual point back to an input, this is obviously very costly in wiring and inputs.

Read the full article in DPA's February issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.