Schmersal has introduced a non-contact safety switch that uses the latest pulse-echo technology to determine door position and lock status. Compared with conventional mechanical safety switches, the new AZ 200 offers offset tolerances of ± 5mm, which allows for occasional misalignment problems. The unit is easily integrated into standard machine frame systems, and when a safety guard is open, the AZ 200 actuator is completely inserted in its plastic enclosure to reduce the risk of operator injury
If several safety guards need to be monitored, multiple AZ 200s can be wired in series and their signals evaluated through a single safety relay. This 'daisy-chaining' principle is also suitable when different safety systems - all based on the same technology - need to be combined in one application. The user can, for instance, connect a combination of series-wired safety switches, solenoid interlocks and safety sensors to a single safety relay.
Category 4 safety level is achieved whether an installation uses one or a series of AZ 200s, thus avoiding the need for additional switches as well as reducing wiring and the number of control modules required.