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Manufacturing
and Automation Safety
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Pilz is a leading, innovative automation
technology company. As experts in the safety of human, machine and the
environment, Pilz provides worldwide, customer-oriented solutions for all
industries. These include innovative products and comprehensive services
from the areas of sensor, control and drive technology.
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The Following
Manufacturing, Machinery and Automation Safety Technical Information is provided
by our sponsor Pilz.
Manufacturing, Machinery and
Automation Safety - Important Basics
Guide
to Programmable Safety Systems - This is a large
download in excess of 5Meg but it is worth the wait! This guide
covers:
- Programmable Electronic Systems in Safety-related
Applications
- Programmable Safety Systems: Concept
- Programmable Safety Systems: Hardware
- Programmable Safety Systems: Software
- Programmable Safety Systems: Selective
Shutdown
- Programmable Safety Systems in Conventional
Fieldbus Systems
- SafetyBUS p® Safe Bus System
- PSS®/SafetyBUS p® Applications
This A5-sized book runs to more than 200 pages and
will be of interest to engineers and managers concerned with the safety
of machinery and processes. Pilz has prepared the guide in response to
the growing importance of electrical, electronic, and programmable
electronic safety-related systems, and the increasing expectation of
executive bodies requiring companies to comply with the principles and
procedures of IEC 61508 (the series of standards for the functional
safety of E/E/PES safety-related systems). It is thought that there is
no other comparable publication that covers the topic in such detail,
providing theoretical and practical advice and guidance on how to comply
with the relevant legislation.
The
Golden Rules of Risk Assessment - Frank Schrever - At its
worst, the risk assessment is a bureaucratic time-waster that does nothing to
make workplaces safer. On the other hand, following five golden rules mean risk
assessments can be both functional and lifesaving. From Pilz and Manufacturers
Monthly.
Single
Contactors for Category 3? Can Faults be Excluded? - Can
single contactors be used for safety control category 3 if the contactor is
over-rated?
Emergency
Stops - Make Sure Yours Comply - As Emergency Stops are
the last line of defence in machine safety it is imperative that they operate
correctly when/if required. So what are some of the things you can do to ensure
the E-Stop will work when called upon? This article takes a detailed look at the
different types of Emergency Stop Devices and what you can do to ensure their
effectiveness.
The
CE Mark – What Does it Really Mean? - The CE mark can
be found on pretty much any electrical appliance in the home. Turn your laptop
computer over and there will be a CE mark there somewhere, usually mixed in with
other markings. Imported machinery can also be found to have a CE mark. So what
exactly does a CE mark mean? Is the appliance or piece of machinery safe due to
having a CE mark? Not necessarily.
Preventing
the Needless New Year Death Toll with Safety During Shutdowns -
Death seems almost inevitable in the first few days of
the New Year. WorkSafe Victoria statistics show at least one Victorian has died
at work in the first week of January for the last five years. And tragedy
strikes early in manufacturing's shutdown period too. Last year, nearly a
quarter of the state's deaths at work happened in November and December. Now,
heading towards Christmas once again, the authority has launched a campaign to
attack the season's killer hazards: those associated with maintenance, repair,
installation, servicing, and cleaning of machines (MRISC).
Much more than
Guarding, Safety is all in the Design- An article by Frank
Schrever of Pilz
Why
Everyone’s talking about Safety - Occupational
health and safety (OHS) seems to be on the lips of every engineer around the
world today, and for good reason – the sheer number of work related deaths is
still shocking at an estimated 2,256,335 workers per year. The annual injury
rate must be in the hundreds of millions.
How
Functional Safety Helps to Save Lives
-In this article Ron Bell explains functional safety and
looks ahead to the revision of the IEC 61508standard that is due for publication
in 2010.This article by Jeanne Erdmann was first published in the January 2008
edition of the IEC's E-TECH. http://www.iec.ch
When
did you Last Inspect your Safety Light Curtains? - Companies using light
curtains to safeguard machinery often do not appreciate the implications of the
regulatory requirement for inspections.
The
True Value of Free Technical Support -
Technical support enables design and maintenance engineers to save time and
money in both new projects and existing plant.
Machine Safety
Guide
to Machinery Safety - Now in its sixth edition, the Pilz 'Guide to
Machinery Safety' is still remarkably popular among machinery specifiers,
machine designers, electrical designers, maintenance engineers and safety
managers.
This excellent guide
covers:
- Regulations for New Machinery
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment
- Regulations 1998
- European Harmonised Standards
- Risk Assessment
- Machinery Protection Devices
- Programmable Safety Systems
- Safe Networking
- Case Studies
Mechanical
Rotary Cam Arrangement Faces Competition from an Electronic Version -
In metalworking, presses are among
the machines with the highest hazard potential. The
demands on safety concepts and
safeguards are correspondingly high. However, they
must not adversely affect availability. Solutions
must combine both these aspects, offer flexibility
and be attractive in terms of
cost. A purely electronic approach is a more elegant solution. A
fully redundant and diverse absolute encoder with
two separate interfaces constantly provides
details of the shaft position to the connected
control system. This reads both encoder
interfaces and verifies the absolute values for the
safe shaft angle. Not only does this allow
the number of strokes or the direction of rotation to be calculated
with each movement and output as a value, it also
opens up a whole range of new possibilities
in combination with the control system.
Playing
it Safe - Comply with all the Standards when Interlinking Machinery -
Many budgets do not
provide for the purchase of new machinery in
difficult economic times. That’s why the option
to upgrade existing plant and machinery is
a practicable and significant alternative to buying
new. However, in the process, operators
often overlook the fact that a machine’s existing
declaration of conformity is
rendered invalid if it undergoes a significant
change.
All
in Line - Connecting Safety Gates Safely in Series - A
typical task in the machinery safety sector is safety gate monitoring. If a
safety gate is opened during operation, the machine must stop immediately; while
the safety gate is open, it must not be possible for the machine to start up. A
safety switch monitors the position of the safety gate. As machines are often
fitted with several safety gates, it seems obvious to switch or wire these in
series. See Page 5.
Emergency
Stops – Make sure yours Comply - As Emergency Stops are
the last line of defence in machine safety it is imperative that they operate
correctly when/if required. So what are some of the things you can do to ensure
the E-Stop will work when called upon? This technical paper takes a detailed
look at the different types of Emergency Stop Devices and what you can do to
ensure their effectiveness.
Metal
Lathes - Can they be made Safe? -
Frank Schrever
-
How can these risks be minimised? A simple interlocked
chuck guard connected via a Category 4 control system in accordance with
AS4024.1 that prevents the machine from starting while open, will remove or
significantly reduce most lathe safety risks.
Concepts
for Secure Safety Gate Monitoring -The Right Sensor for every
Requirement - Increasing automation in mechanical
engineering means that the demands on machine safety are also rising. Aspects
of process safety, availability and cost-effectiveness must all be reconciled.
Safety guards or gates ensure that operating personnel are
protected against flying metal swarf or hazardous movements on plant and machinery.
Their position can be monitored by a wide range of safety switches available on
the market, which take into account not only
safety-related aspects but economic considerations too. The switch you use will
depend partly on the machine and partly on the
safety-related requirements.
Packaging
for experts - Safe, Flexible Drive Technology for Surimi, Sandwiches etc -
Whether it’s a pudding in a glass, with or without outer packaging, fresh
herbs in a plastic tray, or the spoon in an ice cream tub – different products
require different packaging solutions. In this case the quality of the packaging
is just as important as the productivity and multifunctionality of the actual
packaging line. Packaging lines must also satisfy the highest requirements in
terms of productivity, flexibility and reliability. Flexible drive technology
guarantees that foodstuffs are packaged quickly, precisely and carefully.
Machinery
Safety and the need to Save Money - It can be a false
economy - or potentially dangerous - to try saving money on safety systems, yet
careful design can reap rewards. Given the state of the economy, it is
understandable that everyone has to be more careful with their budgets than ever
before. But engineers should beware of trying to save money by buying cheaper
safety-related products, as it could cost them dear in the long run.
Bypassing
Safely - Quite often the question is asked "How do
we gain access into a machine to make adjustments, clear jams, perform
maintenance etc., while the machine is running, and do it safely?”. Usually
people just turn the safety system off (bypass) which is unacceptable by law.
Frequently, a simple key switch is used to just bypass a safety gate. The
problem with this solution is that the key can be left in the switch and the
machine will run with the safety gate open all the time, which is unsafe. The
key itself may not be safe and, anyway, it depends on human behaviour, thus it
is an "administrative control”, which is near the bottom of the hierarchy
of risk control. A tongue switch on a safety gate could be bypassed simply by
using a spare tongue, carried in an operator’s pocket (a very common problem)!
Manufacturing
Safety
Secure
Pillar for Manufacturing
- Safe
Camera System Improves the Ergonomics of a Robot Welding Station -
Wherever robots perform manufacturing
tasks, human operators are usually not too far
away. To ensure that both can work safely “hand
in hand”, danger zones must be monitored reliably,
without causing an unnecessary obstruction to
the production process. High
quality standards in the automotive industry mean
that precision robot welding is
often required. At the same time, the operator must
be able to access the manufacturing cell
quickly at any time, without putting himself
at risk. That’s a job in which the safe camera
system SafetyEYE can really show its strengths.
Don’t
Open the Door to Risk
- Clever Gate Management offers Safety and Productivity
- Provided an operator does not have
to set foot in an installation, his safety can be
easily guaranteed using simple means.
Gates, flaps or covers provide mechanical
protection. However, maintenance, cleaning or
set-up require direct access. This must be
risk-free, as far as possible, and must not
obstruct the production process.
In
Control - Safety relay PNOZsigma can now Monitor Standstill, Speed and Direction
of Rotation - Pilz is expanding its range of PNOZsigma safety
relays: the new PNOZ s30 monitors safe standstill, speed and direction of
rotation. Safe working practices with the safety gate open, reduced setup times
and rapid access to the machine once standstill is initiated - these are the key
benefits for users. Application of the new speed monitor also allows you to meet
the Machinery Directive's requirement for safe speed monitoring.
Flexibility
Counts - Modern Safety Concept for Packaging Machines -
What do chocolates, CDs or books have in common?
Their film packaging. Fully automatic packaging
machines take care of the shrink wrapping. The
aim is the highest possible fl exibility plus a
high output, without cutting back on
the safety of man and machine. A co-ordinated
solution comprising sensor and safety
relay not only meets current requirements for
functional safety but also simplifies engineering
and handling.
Well
Recycled - A Safe Recycling Process with Pilz Control Technology -
Jute bag or plastic? Until recently, you had to decide whether you wanted your
packaging to be environmentally aware or economical. Latest developments will
practically make this decision redundant: now even plastic bags are recyclable.
Prior to the actual recycling process, sorting plants guarantee that the input
of material is as homogeneous as possible, without contaminants. Safe, flexible
control technology ensures that sorting processes run at optimum level.
Manipulation
Impossible – Safety Gate Monitoring Made Safe - This
article details how non-contact safety gate systems PSENslock are a safe
alternative to existing mechanical technology. With an electromagnetic holding
force of up to 1000 N, PSENslock units prevent swing gates and sliding gates
from being opened unintentionally. The actuator is manipulation-proof, providing
added safety.
Concepts
for Secure Safety Gate Monitoring - The Right Sensor for every Requirement -
Where there’s flying metal swarf or hazardous movements on
plant and machinery, safety guards or gates ensure the
safety of operating personnel. Their position can now be
monitored with a wide range of safety switches, which
consider not just the safety-related aspects, but economic
considerations too. The challenge for the designer is to harmonise
safety, productivity and user friendliness on the plant or machine.
Doing
Safety the “Right Way” Lifts Productivity Too - Are
safety and productivity incompatible? If safety is an afterthought, absolutely,
but safety measures that are worked into the very design of manufacturing plant
actually boost productivity, says Pilz managing director Frank Schrever.
Monitored
at all Times - Drive-integrated safety opens up new horizons -
Safe drive functions have made their mark on standards, products and
applications and may now be considered as state of the art. They are part of the
functional safety plant and machinery and, as measures that boost productivity;
they are increasingly gaining ground in the market.
Seize
Control of Safety and Productivity -
It is about time the people
responsible for machine safety and operation – engineers, electricians and
integrators – quite literally took control. Because plant safety is most
effective when it is incorporated into the very design of the plant, it makes
sense for the plant's designers and managers to design and manage its safety and
control functions too. Unfortunately, this is rare.
The rise of safe field bus and the safety PLC shredded the red tape associated
with time consuming lockout tag-out procedures and promised to make safety every
bit as efficient as the production line they safeguarded but with one serious
limitation: the language of code made them inaccessible to many of their users.
The design of safety systems instead became the domain of specialist
programmers.
Productive
Safety - Only a safety system that enhances a
line’s productivity is truly safe, according to Pilz Safe Automation. From
Ferret.com.au.
Manufacturing, Machine and
Automation Safety Standards
Standards
for Electrical Safety - The following standards are some
of the most important for machine electrical safety:
- EN
60204: Safety of machinery - Electrical equipment of machines
- EN 60947-5: Low voltage control gear
-
NFPA 79: Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery
Standards
for Functional Safety - Attention
planners, constructors and users - here's where to find out more about the
functional safety standards - As the causes of hazards and therefore the
technical measures needed to avoid them can vary greatly, a distinction is made
between different types of safety, e.g. by stating the cause of potential
hazards. For example we talk about "functional safety" when safety
depends on the correct function of an electrical (E), electronic (E) and
programmable electronic (PE) system (in short: E/E/PE systems). The
following standards are some of the most important in this area:
- EN ISO 13849: Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts
of control systems
- EN/IEC 62061: Safety of machinery - Functional safety of
safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control
systems
- EN/IEC 61508: Functional safety of safety-related
electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems
- EN/IEC 61511: Functional safety - Safety instrumented
systems for the process industry sector
- EN 954: Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts of
control systems
Safety
Compendium - For the application of functional safety
standards - The primary purpose of safety technology on and in machinery is to
protect people from potential hazards. At the same time it protects the
environment and the actual machine from harm.The new safety compendium is aimed
at all those in mechanical engineering who deal with the issue of functional
safety and all its associated aspects. The compendium is intended as an
orientation guide for the application of functional safety standards. View the
compendium for free here.
PAScal
Safety Calculator - Reach your Goal with Ease - Pilz have
developed a software tool so that it's child's play for you to define the safety
level of plant and machinery. With the Safety Calculator you have a tool that
makes it much easier for you to implement the systematic procedure in compliance
with the new standards, without having to study the maths behind the standards.
New
Efficiency Classification
- Standards
and Laws for Electric motors are Intended to Increase Energy Efficiency -
The efficiency of motors has
recently been classified with
a new international system,
the IE-Code. This replaces the
previous effi ciency classes.
European legislators are also
using the system as the basis for a new regulation,
which describes the statutory minimum
requirements for the efficiency of motors and
the use of electronic variable speed
drives.
There
are Two Sides to Everything - Convert to EN ISO 13849-1 Early and Exploit the
Opportunities
- At the end of 2009 the EU Commission applied the brake to
the standards: By extending the transition period for EN 954-1 until 31.12.2011,
it initially halted the sole application of EN ISO 13849-1. Machine
manufacturers and operators now have two more years in which to convert to the
new standard. Only time will tell if they really know how to take advantage of
this deferral. Many are only counting the additional cost. The fact that the new
standard also offers benefits is often overlooked. See Page 4.
New
GL Guideline for the Certification of Wind Turbines
- This guideline calls for measures on wind turbines to reduce risk through
control functions. Their purpose will be to keep
the plant within its design specifi cations under
all expected infl uences and fault conditions. The
design of safety-related control functions in accordance
with EN ISO 13849-1 is named as an appropriate
measure. This applies not only when the wind
turbine is in automatic mode but also for the
period in which service personnel are working on
the turbine during regular maintenance, for example
(DIN EN 50308).
Replacement
for EN 954-1: standard EN ISO 13849-1 is harmonised! - EN
ISO 13849-1, as the successor to EN 954-1, is to become the main standard for
the design of safety-related control systems in the "machinery safety"
sector (the only dissenters were Great Britain, USA and Japan). The new standard
was published in November 2006; It was listed as a harmonised standard under
the European Machinery Directive in May 2007. There will be a three-year
transition period, expiring November 2009, during which the standard EN 954-1
can continue to be used in parallel. This article covers; Status
of standardisation, the main reasons for revising EN 954-1,
what will change and how to reach your goal in six steps.
Examining
Robot Safety Standard- Roberta Nelson Shea - Pilz
Automation Safety L.P.ANSI R15.06-1999 is the accepted American National
Standards Institute standard covering safety requirements for industrial robots
and robot systems. Speaking of safety, it’s safe to say that many end users or
systems integrators simply assume that any new robots or systems automatically
meet this standard, when in reality, regularly reviewing how the standard
applies to your manufacturing operation can be very beneficial, even in
non-robotic applications.
Changes
to European Categories of Safety Control will come to Australia in Due Course
- The basis of AS 4024-1501 safety related parts of control
systems defines categories of control system design which become more fault
resistant as the risk increases. This is changing in Europe with the adoption of
EN-ISO 13849-2006, which replaces the categories defined in EN 954-1 (which is
AS 4024-1501) with Performance Levels and will be fully adopted in Europe by end
of November 2009.
Risk
Assessment still vital under new Victorian Regulations -
The new Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Regulations are designed to
simplify safety but, in the case of risk assessments, their release has caused
real confusion. From safetysolutions.net.au.
Not
all e-stops are Equal before the Law – How to be sure Yours Comply -
Because emergency stop devices or “e-stops” are everywhere, they tend to be
taken for granted but the law takes them very seriously as the last line of
defence in machine safety-Australian Standard 4024
describes an emergency stop as “a device which, regardless of the power
source, e.g. electrical pneumatic or hydraulic, requires deliberate action to
bring a machine to rest when danger is recognised”. Pilz
Safe Automation's Frank Schrever explains the basics of how the Plant
Regulations and the Australian Standard for safeguarding of machinery apply to
emergency stop devices.
From ferret.com.au.
AS4024
vs. AS61508 - Just
as Australian industry comes to grips with safety standard AS4024, a newer, more
complex, international and now also an Australian standard is gaining wider
usage.
Laws,
Standards and Approvals: Exploring the compliance jungle-
When
a machine is said to be “approved” or meets a particular design standard,
sometimes the claim is misleading or irrelevant, but may actually hint at a
legal necessity.
From ferret.com.au.
Other Useful Links to Manufacturing, Machine and Automation
Safety Standard Technical Information
Developing
Functional Safety Systems with TÜV-Qualified FPGAs - This white paper
discusses how market trends, the need for increased productivity, and new
legislation have accelerated the use of safety systems in industrial machinery.
This TÜV-qualified FPGA design methodology is changing the paradigms of safety
designs and will greatly reduce development effort, system complexity, and time
to market. This allows FPGA users to design their own customized safety
controllers and provides a significant competitive advantage over traditional
microcontroller or ASIC-based designs - from Altera
Safe
Designs for Safe Workplaces - New Guide to Applying ISO 13849-1 and IEC 62061
- One of the big challenges facing machine builders has been choosing between
ISO 13849-1 and IEC 62061. The IEC published a new guide at the end of July,
2010 called Technical Report IEC/TR 62061-1 ed1.0 Guidance on the application of
ISO 13849-1 and IEC 62061 in the design of safety-related control systems for
machinery. The new 38-page guide is available as a hard copy or a PDF file.
Written jointly by Technical Committee IEC/TC 44, Safety of machinery –
Electrotechnical aspects and Technical Committee ISO/TC 199, Safety of
machinery. The Technical Report was published in parallel by ISO as ISO/TR
23849.Technical Reports don’t have the same status as International Standards,
but provide the TC’s with a means to provide guidance and explanation to
help users implement the standard.
Guide:
Common Machine Safety Standards, Terms, Violations: Terms you need to know -
Understanding machine safety standards and terms remains a challenging first
step to spotting and reducing risks and increasing profitability. Sources for
help are many. Standards organizations covering machine safety include American
National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), Robotics Industries Association (RIA), and U.S. Occupational Safety
& Health Administration (OSHA), among others. Requirements are numerous;
some are more obvious than others. From automationworld.com and Siemens.
Impact
of the New International Safety Standards from NHP
The following useful technical notes are from Leuze
Electronic.
- IEC/EN
62061 "Safety of Machinery – Functional Safety of Safety-related
Electrical, Electronic and Programmable Electronic Control Systems"
- Some useful notes on this standard.
- Selecting
Protective Devices - Standard EN ISO 12100-2 Notes on Selecting Protective
Devices - If the hazards cannot be prevented or sufficiently limited by
constructive measures, protective devices must be planned and provided. The
selection of a suitable protective device must be made either in accordance
with an existing machine specific provision, e.g. a European C-standard, or
on the basis of a risk assessment of the respective machine.
- Guarding
with Opto-Electronic Protective Devices IEC TS 62046 "Safety of
machinery – Application of protective equipment to detect the presence of
persons" contains basic information for selecting, applying, connecting
and putting active opto-electronic protective devices and pressure-sensitive
Safety Mats into operation. It addresses the authors of machine-specific
C-standards, designers, test centres and anyone that is involved with the
professional installation of such protective devices. The information refers
to the recommendations of IEC TS 62046 as the international state of
technology. In principle to be observed with priority: the operating
instructions of the protective devices, regional regulations or machine-
specific standards.
- Selecting
and Applying Opto-Electronic Protective - The steps required in accordance
with the standards.
- Calculating
Safety Distance - Opto-electronic protective devices can only perform
their protective function if they are installed with a sufficient safety
distance from the nearest point of operation. The safety distance from the
protective device to the point of operation must big enough that the
dangerous movement will have stopped before a part of the person’s body
can reach the point of operation. This note refers to the calculation
formulas of ISO 13855/EN 999 "Safety of machinery – Positioning of
protective equipment with respect to the approach speeds of parts of the
human body" and the recommendations of IEC TS 62046.
- Calculation
Safety Distance, Right-Angle Approach - Calculation formula for the
minimum safety distance for AOPD with right-angle approach (point of
operation guarding).
- Calculation
Safety Distance, Parallel Approach - Calculation formula for the minimum
safety distance for AOPD with parallel approach (danger area guarding).
- Calculation
Safety Distance, Access Guarding - Calculation formula for the minimum
safety distance of Multiple Light Beam Safety Devices for access guarding.
- US
Specifications for Safety Distance Calculation - The U.S. Code of
Federal Regulations, Volume 29, Part 1910, Subpart 0 defines the calculation
of the minimum safety distance of a protective device. OSHA 1910.217
requires that with the installation of a Safety Light Curtain a minimum
distance, which corresponds with the prescribed distance of a hard guard, is
observed in every case (see OSHA 1910.217, table 0-10). If the safety
distance calculation results in a greater value, this must be used.
- Guarding
with Hard Guards - A note on guarding with hard guards (fence heights,
fixing instructions, safety distances, etc.)
- Fixed
Hard Guards - Fixed hard guards can always be used when the access to
the danger area is not required during the normal operation. These include
protective fences, barriers, fixed covers, etc. Fixed hard guards are also
frequently used in combination with opto-electronic protective devices as
supplementary protective devices. EN ISO 12100-2 requires that fixed hard
guards must be firmly held in their place with constructive measures.
- Movable
Hard Guards - If the access to the danger area is required during the
normal operation or for maintenance work, active opto-electronic protective
devices, such as Safety Light Curtains or moveable hard guards such as
protective doors or flaps, must be used. This kinds of movable protective
devices must be position monitored via safety switches or safety guard
interlocking, and electrically connected with the control unit (for further
requirements see EN ISO 12100-2).
- Machine Safety in the EU
Introduction
1.1 European Directives
1.2 Machinery Directive
98/37/EG
1.3 The new Machinery
Directive 2006/42/EG
1.4 Use of Work
Equipment Directive 89/655 EEC
1.5 Correlation between
directives and harmonized European standards
1.6 Formulation process
of a harmonized standard
1.7 Hierarchy of
European standards for machine
1.8 Examples of EN and
ISO/IEC standards in the machine safety area
1.9 Safety of
machinery, risk analysis and risk assessment
1.10 Safety-related
parts of control systems
1.11 EN 954-1:
„Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems"
1.12 EN ISO 13849-1
"Safety of machinery – Safety related parts of control systems – Part
1: General principles for design"
1.13 IEC/EN 62061
"Safety of machinery – Functional safety of safety-related electrical,
electronic and programmable electronic control systems"
- Machine Safety in the USA
Introduction
2.1 OSHA Regulations
2.2 US Standards, ANSI,
NFPA, UL
2.3 Strategy for Risk
Reduction
2.4 Control Reliability
Programmable
Safety Begets New Standard - Safety-integrity levels spelled
out in European standards increasingly impact equipment designers in the U.S. -
Dave Collins - Thanks to Machinedesign.com
Manufacturing, Machine and Automation
Safety Standard Fieldbus
SafetyBUS
p - The safe, open bus system- This is the first open, safe bus system to have been
approved by BG to category 4 in accordance with EN 954-1, EN 60204, EN 62061 and
by TÜV to AK 6 in accordance with DIN V 19 250, SIL 3 in accordance with EN IEC
61508 and NFPA 79. This guarantees a wide application area for safety
applications, from which users in plant and machine engineering as well as the
automotive industry can benefit.
PROFIsafe:
Networked Safety for Process and Factory Automation -ARC presents some
compelling benefits for using PROFIsafe and two success stories.
Distributed
Control Provides Plug and Play Function Blocks -
Mechatronics with distributed processing provides a modern
object-oriented application that can help machine builders to reduce costs and
give more flexibility in building customer-specific products. For the efficient
realisation of creating mechatronic objects - functional assemblies that can
slot together to make new systems - the communication, control system and
engineering tools must all be optimised for distributed control. SafetyNET p
ticks all the boxes says Ralf Möbus of Safety Network International.
Manufacturing, Machine and
Automation Safety Applications
Safety
in Each Phase of the Flight - Pilz Ensures Flight Safety on the Sky
Roller - Speed and thrills are what’s required of
the attractions on offer at funfairs and amusement parks. On today’s modern
fairground attractions, riders are catapulted through extreme radii or carried
along in hair-raising positions; these attractions need to perform their service
reliably and virtually failure-free. Where the laws of gravity appear to be
temporarily suspended, as on the Sky Roller, a Pilz programmable safety system
is there in the background, making sure that nothing gets out of hand.
A
Safe, Clean Business - Pilz Safety System Monitors an Exhaust Purification Plant
- Systems
for thermal exhaust purification are subject to the furnace regulations. The
safety of such plants presents a particular challenge for automation technology.
A multifunctional, modular safety
system can not only monitor the safety functions in exhaust purification
systems, but can also enable manufacturers to implement flexible burner control
systems in such plants.
Make
Existing Cells Leaner and Safer
- Tina Hull - Pilz Automation Safety
L.P. - With numerous multi-robot cells in use, a company wanted to
increase existing robotic cell efficiency, making their systems more 'lean,' but
with no compromise in safety. The company would only proceed if the new setup
improved overall production uptime, was cost justifiable, and reduced the number
of steps for troubleshooting. The company chose a typical cell to examine.
Inputs included safety devices such as e-stops, safety gates, light curtains,
area scanners, pressure mats, pushbuttons, and sensors. Outputs powered
actuators, such as contactors, valves, robots, and drives.Common safety issues
were overlapping robot zones, continuous access for operators to load and unload
parts, safe access for maintenance teams, and the need to keep other equipment
running if one component became inoperative.
Pilz
Safety PLC Delivers Uncompromising Safety at new Darwin Fuel Terminal -With
up to 113 million litres of highly flammable fuels on site, the new Darwin
Industry Fuel Terminal's operators selected a highly specified Pilz Programmable
Safety System to oversee a very basic yet critical device: the emergency stop.
Pig
tamed: Pilz Safety System Monitors 119 Wine Paths at Wolf Blass - A silicone
pig sweeps through the lines at Wolf Blass, entering a ‘key station’ where
winery staff must choose one of 119 paths. When it comes to safety, nothing has
been left to chance – each path is safeguarded with a Pilz safety switch and
the entire battery of switches is monitored by a Pilz Programmable Safety System
(PSS).
Pilz
PSS tame Synchrotron’s Silent Hazards Travelling at the Speed of Light -
A safety challenge like no other in Australia. The newest and biggest piece of
scientific equipment built here is just that - the Australian Synchrotron shoots
electrons around its 216 metre circumference in just 720.5 nano seconds.
Safeguards
at Australia's Nuclear Reactor World's Best -when the world's most brilliant
scientists use a new Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
experimental facility, they will be protected from radiation exposure by a
meticulously designed network of Pilz Programmable Safety Systems (PSS).
As
Tough As They Come - Extremely Robust Control System Provides Safety Underground
- A control system is normally found inside a control cabinet, where it is
well protected from all types of environmental influences. But control systems
can also be installed on mobile machinery, where they may be subjected to
rigorous shaking. Shock and vibration must not be allowed to compromise the safe
function of the control system in any way. Consequently, the Pilz programmable
control systems used in mining on roadheaders, to safely monitor the spray
function, need to be especially robust.
Safety
Blows the Wind - Wind turbines fall under the scope of
the Machinery Directive - The revised version of the Machinery Directive
2006/42/EC comes into force on 29.12.2009. Even wind turbine manufacturers will
be required to deal with the new Machinery Directive because, by definition, a
wind turbine is a functional machine, and as such it falls within the scope of
the Machinery Directive.
Software
and Firmware Based Safety Controllers By Tina Hull, Application Engineer,
Pilz Automation Safety L.P.
No
more Cable Chaos
- Connect
Decentralised Sensor Technology Quickly and Easily - When
you need to connect field-based
sensor technology to the evaluation device in
the control cabinet, it’s not always necessary to
use a fieldbus. Used in conjunction with
an evaluation system, the new digital IP67 modules
provide the perfect alternative between
individual wiring and a fieldbus system. They make
installation simple, save time and
money and at the same time provide the highest
level of safety.
Non-Stop
Safety-
One-Stop
Technology and Expertise - High demands are placed on
power stations these days: not
only should they be safe, they also have to handle
the planet’s resources efficiently. Modern
safety technology contributes greatly in this
respect, enabling all control processes
to be designed to be safer and more efficient.
Cross
Without Danger - Automation Solutions make Level Crossings Safe -
Whether you’re going by road, rail
or on foot, unsecured level crossings present a
high risk to all travellers. Safeguards are
an absolute necessity. Building contractors are
increasingly turning to modern, safe automation
technology. That’s because safety control
systems – like those used for decades in
mechanical engineering – not only increase
safety but also save costs
|
Excellent
Links from Pilz UK - Also have a look at their download
page for additional technical information
Looking for more information?
Contact Pilz
Australia
|
UK HSE documents
- Machinery, Manufacturing and Automation Safety
The Strategy for Workplace Health and Safety in
Great Britain to 2010 and Beyond - The
strategy is designed to promote our vision: to see health and safety as a
cornerstone of a civilised society and, with that, to achieve a record of
workplace health and safety that leads the world. Drawing on the last 30 years
experience and extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, the
strategy sets out a new direction for the health and safety system and the roles
of HSC, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authorities (LAs).
Five Steps to Risk
Assessment - This leaflet aims to help you assess health
and safety risks in the workplace - A risk assessment is an important step in
protecting your workers and your business, as well as complying with the law. It
helps you focus on the risks that really matter in your workplace – the ones
with the potential to cause real harm. In many instances, straightforward
measures can readily control risks, for example ensuring spillages are cleaned
up promptly so people do not slip, or cupboard drawers are kept closed to ensure
people do not trip. For most, that means simple, cheap and effective measures to
ensure your most valuable asset – your workforce – is protected. The law
does not expect you to eliminate all risk, but you are required to protect
people as far as ‘reasonably practicable’. This guide tells you how to
achieve that with a minimum of fuss.
A
Methodology for the Assignment
of Safety Integrity Levels (SILs) to Safety-Related Control
Functions Implemented by Safety-Related Electrical, Electronic and
Programmable Electronic Control Systems of Machines -
This contract research report describes the development by the
authors, with funding from HSE, of a methodology for the
assignment of required Safety Integrity Levels of safety related
electrical control systems of machinery. The rationale behind the
methodology and how to use it in practice are also explained in
some detail. The methodology has been developed and accepted for
inclusion in an informative annex of the International
Electrotechnical Committee standard IEC 62061: "Safety of
machinery Functional safety of electrical, electronic and
programmable control systems for machinery" currently being
drafted.
Procedures for
Daily Inspection
and Testing of Mechanical Power Presses and Press Brakes -
This leaflet gives guidance on the minimum safety checks that
should be carried out on mechanical power presses and press brakes by the
appointed person, as required by regulation 33 of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 1998). It does not apply to hydraulic presses
or those presses exempted from the requirements of regulation 33 as detailed in
Schedule 2 in PUWER 1998. These may still require inspection in accordance with
regulation 6 of PUWER. The daily inspection and test must be done on each press
in use within the first four hours of every working period and after setting,
resetting or adjustment of the tools when any of the guards or protection
devices have been disturbed.
Power
Presses: A Summary of Guidance on Maintenance and Thorough
Examination - Power presses are dangerous machines which
have caused many accidents over the years. The causes include poor maintenance
of the press, its safeguards and its control system. This leaflet summarises
what users of power presses and anyone who installs and maintains them has to do
to meet their duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
1998. It also introduces new guidance on power press maintenance and provides
information on some important additions to the items that are now to be included
in the thorough examination and test of a power press.
Using
Work Equipment Safely - Every year, there
are a number of accidents from using work equipment, including machinery. Many
are serious and some are fatal. This leaflet gives simple,
practical advice on what you can do to eliminate or reduce the risks from work
equipment. It covers all workplaces and situations where the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 applies, including offshore installations.
Supplying New Machinery: a
Short Guide- This leaflet can help you if
you are supplying machinery for use at work. It explains the main health and
safety requirements of the law which you need to know about, and what you can do
in practice to meet them. You may already know about CE marking but there are
other requirements which are also important.
Buying New Machinery: a Short
Guide - This leaflet explains the main
requirements of the health and safety laws which you need to know
about when you are buying new machinery (for secondhand machinery,
see question 16). Although the laws look complicated, they do not
change what you have always had to do make sure that any new
machinery you buy for use at work is safe.
Simple guide to the Provision
and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 -
This leaflet provides information about the legal requirements of the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) which came into force on 5
December 1998. It gives a general indication of some of
the main requirements of the Regulations. However, it is important that you
refer to the Regulations and accompanying Approved Code of Practice
to familiarise yourself fully with your duties.
Evaluation of the
Implementation
of the Use of Work Equipment Directive and the Amending Directive
to the Use of Work Equipment Directive in the UK
- This report summarises the evaluation of the implementation of
the Amending Directive (95/63/EC) to the Use of Work Equipment
Directive (89/655/EEC) (AUWED) in the UK, as enacted in the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98)
and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
(LOLER). The evaluation describes how organisations responded to
the regulations, the costs and benefits, compliance problems and
difficulties, and areas of improvement in the regulations and
Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs). It concludes that there is a
reasonable level of awareness and compliance with the regulations.
Health and Safety Regulation: a
Short Guide - The Health and Safety
Commission (HSC) conducted
a review of
health and safety regulation in 1994. It
found that people were confused about the differences between
guidance, Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs), Regulations and
how they relate to each other. This document
aims to explain how each fits in. It is for employers and self
employed people, but will be of interest to anyone who wants to
know how health and safety law is meant to work.
Health
and Safety Law - What You Need to Know
- All workers have a right to work in places
where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled.
Health and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or
ill through work. Your employer is responsible for health and
safety, but you must help.
Managing Health and Safety:
Five Steps to Success - Covers
Managing Health and Safety
- Passport
Schemes
- Health
and safety training
- An
introduction to health and safety
- What
to expect when a Workplace Contact Officer calls
- Understanding
Ergonomics - Reduce accidents and ill health and increase productivity by
fitting the task to the worker.
- Managing
health and safety: Five steps to success
- Getting
specialist help with health and safety
- HSE
statement to the external providers of health and safety assistance
- Consulting
Employees on Health and Safety
- Safety
representatives and safety committees on offshore installations
Costs of Accidents
- Reduce
risks - cut costs. The real costs of accidents and ill health at work
- Reduce
risks - cut costs. The real costs of accidents and ill health at work. Cost
Calculator
Director's Responsibilities
- Directors'
responsibilities for health and safety
Major Hazards
- Leadership
for the major hazard industries: effective health and safety management
Training
- Health
and safety training: what you need to know
Working with Contractors
- Use
of contractors: a joint responsibility
Workers Rights
- Your
health, your safety: A guide for workers
Other
Information - Information on managing specific risks,
hazards or in specific industries - see the leaflets listed under those category
headings.
Other Machinery,
Manufacturing and Automation Safety Links
The following articles are from the excellent
publication Robotics online.
-
New
RIA Technical Report on Robot Safety - Jeff Fryman - If you have not
already seen it, soon you will see the announcement that the Robotic
Industries Association has introduced a new Technical Report, R15.206
providing Guidelines for Implementing ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1-2007. Of
course this is always exciting news when we release a new document,
particularly because of the effort of a large number of individuals that
goes into producing them.
-
News
About Changes in Robot Standards -Jeff Fryman- New Standard Addresses
Wireless Pendants; Safety Rated Axix Limiting; Multiple Arms and more.
- Interface
Options for Robotic Safety Control Systems - James F. O’Laughlin -With
the increasing acceptance of safety-rated network architectures and
firmware-based control systems, users have the opportunity to leverage
numerous benefits previously reserved for non-safety applications.
These systems are typically third-party certified to meet the requirements
defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
Ministry of Labour regulations as well as industry standards such as
ANSI/RIA R15.06 Safety Requirements for Industrial Robots and Robot Systems
. This article provides information regarding existing and new
safety interface technologies for use in robotic and other machine
applications
- Making
Safety a Priority When Employing Tool Exchange Systems - This paper
addresses the prerequisites for process safety at the employment of tool
exchange systems on robots to safeguard that the utilization of tool
changers does not threaten the welfare of the workers on the factory floor
or adversely affect the total output of the production line.
- Robot
Safety and You: Examples of Real-Life Accidents We Can Learn From - .Jeff
Fryman, Director of Standards Development, Robotic Industries
Association
- Robot
Safety Begins with the Design Process - Stacy Kelly - To realize the
many benefits that robots offer a production facility, safety considerations
are THE top priority in protecting the operator, maintenance personnel and
other personnel that interact with the robot. These safeguards should
be designed into and around the robotic cell early in the design process to
maximize the inherent safety of the overall system. Beyond the
safeguarding products, the planning and implementation of these products are
of critical importance for good safeguarding practices and factor heavily
into optimizing system design and cost. What are the potential hazards
of the robotic cell? What safeguarding technologies are available?
How do I keep out unnecessary personnel, yet protect necessary personnel?
How much panel space must be used for relays? How difficult or easy
will the troubleshooting of the system be? And, of course, what is the
overall reliability and safety of the system?
- Safety
Strategy - From a functional point of view the more efficiently a
machine performs its task of processing material the better it is. Life,
however, is not that simple and in order for a machine to be viable it must
also be safe. Safety must be regarded as a prime consideration.To achieve a
proper safety strategy there must be:
- Risk Assessment - based on a clear understanding of the machine limits and
functions which must be analyzed to identify which ones pose a potential
hazard. The degree of risk due to the hazard is then estimated in order to
provide a basis for judgement at later stages. A risk evaluation is then
required to determine if existing safety measures are satisfactory or
whether additional measures are required to reduce the risk.|
- Risk Reduction - is then performed if necessary and safety
measures are selected based on the information derived from the risk
assessment stage.
The Following are available from Proctor Machine
Guarding - A short registration process is required to access them but it is
worth it.
Risk
Assessment Calculator (XLS) - A free Risk Assessment
Calculator that is based on the requirements of BS EN 1050, the standard for
machinery risk assessments. Designed to be easy to use, the Risk Assessment
Calculator incorporates checklists and look-up tables to enable risk assessments
to be carried out on almost any static machinery. A Hazard Rating Number (HRN)
and Risk Level are calculated automatically for each identified hazard, thereby
indicating at-a-glance where users should consider taking action. The Risk
Assessment Calculator is based on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, though very
little knowledge of this software package is required in order to use the tool.
All of the calculations are handled automatically, leaving the user to enter the
data and decide on the values to use for 'Likelihood of Occurrence', 'Frequency
of Exposure', 'Degree of Possible Harm' and the 'Number of Persons at Risk'
using the guides provided.
Free
Guide to Machinery Guarding Standards - A free guide to machinery guarding
standards. Available as a PDF document that can be printed by the recipient,
this guide is the second edition of the hugely popular 'On Your Guard', updated
to reflect changes in standards and with additional references to conveyor
guarding.
Workshop
Safety Free Guide - A free guide to workshop safety that will benefit anyone
responsible for the safety of machinery and work equipment. The guide
covers the folllowing topics: costs and benefits; regulations and legislation;
general requirements for machine guards; specific machine types; other measures
relating to machinery safety; standard; official information and guidance;
useful resources; and sources of further information.
Machine
Accident Investigation Kit - a free Machine Accident Investigation Kit that
will help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies perform investigations
so that they meet their statutory obligations and prevent similar accidents from
occurring in the future.
Safety
Distance Calculator (XLS) - a free Safety Distance Calculator for
establishing the required safety distances and heights of machine guards in
accordance with BS EN 294, Safety of machinery - Safety distances to prevent
danger zones being reached by the upper limbs.
Guide
to the new Machinery Directive -On 29 December 2009 the existing Machinery
Directive will be replaced by a new Directive 2006/42/EC, which has important
implications for companies building or importing machinery for use in the
European Economic Area. Procter Machine Guarding is offering a free 'Guide to
the New Machinery Directive' to help companies prepare for the new regime.
Although the main thrust of the new Directive is simplification and
clarification - especially with regard to relationships with other Directives -
there are other changes that will have a significant impact. In this third
amendment of the Machinery Directive, alterations have been made in respect of
the scope, partly-completed machinery, fixed guards, conformity assessment
procedures, enforcement and other areas.
FREE
White Paper: new Machinery Directive and Fixings for Fixed Guards - The new
Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the latest edition of the guarding standard
BS EN 953 include a requirement for fixings for fixed guards to remain attached
when the guards are removed. This white paper explains the requirement and
provides information to help designers select fasteners for particular guarding
applications. Useful design tips will also help to minimise the costs
associated with installing captive fasteners.
Guidelines
for Safe Machinery – Six Steps to a Safe Machine - This 118
page document contains an extensive set of guidelines about the safety of
machinery and the selection and usage of protective devices. It shows various
ways in which you can protect machinery and people against accidents - from SICK
Switches
Switches-
Some excellent technical links from the Switches Reference Centre.
Looking for Safety Instrumented Systems? ICEweb has this well covered on
our SIS page