Allen-Bradley Guardmaster has launched a stainless steel version of its Lifeline 4 cable pull switch for industries where hygiene and/or corrosion resistance are essential requirements. The 316 - bodied Lifeline 4 is ideal for both internal and external use, providing users with constant emergency stop access along exposed conveyors and around awkward machinery.
The Stainless Steel Lifeline 4 is a unique product offering that meets a known market need: it is the only investment cast stainless steel cable pull switch of its type for use in harsh environments. The new product takes the proven technology of the standard Lifeline 4 and extends it into hygiene conscious industries, such as food and beverage, and also those such as quarrying and mining, paper production and automotive, where corrosion can be a major problem.
In all of these industries the ability of the stainless steel Lifeline 4 to deliver robust, reliable and cost effective emergency stop provision is a factor not only in improved safety, but also in achieving more continuous production through reductions in unscheduled downtime; this the result of solving problems due to corroded cable pull switches.
Offered the benefits of IP66 protection for hose downs, and IP67 for full immersion, the stainless steel Lifeline 4 is designed to address the problems of continuous operation in demanding environments.
The robust, 316 investment cast body is unpainted, which prevents contamination in industries such as food processing. Similarly, the markings on the lid and on the side of the product are laser etched to ensure that they cannot flake off. In addition, the seal between the lid and the body of the switch protrudes slightly, so that it is not a food trap; and the pads on the base of the stainless steel Lifeline 4 have been built up, allowing washdown water to flow behind the switch more easily.
Complementing these external design features is a positive mode operating mechanism that delivers positive, immediate- latched operation in response to a definite deflection, at the same time protecting against the effects of nuisance tripping and thermal expansion.
The positive mode operation is one of several major features that make the stainless steel Lifeline 4 the most versatile cable operated safety switch on the market. In addition to its integrated cable status indicator and four sets of contacts (2 N.C+2 N.O.), the stainless steel Lifeline 4 also includes a switch lockout and a lid mounted, mushroom- headed emergency stop button which conforms to EN418 and provides an E-stop facility even at the extreme ends of the cable span.
In common with all versions of the Lifeline range, the stainless steel Lifeline 4 is easy to set-up and maintain. It can be mounted in any position using the combination of a stainless steel installation kit and the integrated cable status indicator of the stainless steel Lifeline 4.
The status indicator also performs an ongoing function, enabling the effectiveness of the system to be maintained consistently, over time, even at its maximum span. When correctly installed, a pair of stainless steel Lifeline 4 switches will serve a safety grab wire of up to 75m in length. T
his large span helps to reduce the number of emergency stops required on extensive plant layouts. It also provides a tripping facility for effecting machine shutdowns and lockouts if an operator should fall or is pushed against the cable wire.
Ideal for OEM use, the stainless steel Lifeline 4 system meets the stringent requirements of EN418 Safety of Machinery - Emergency Stop Equipment, and also conforms to ISOTR 12100, ISO13850, EN60947-5-5 and IEC60947-5-1.
The product is CE marked and offers the additional benefit of cULus and TUV approvals.