Langen Packaging Inc. has partnered with Pilz Automation Safety for safety related machine guarding applications.
Using
multiple base units that can easily communicate with each other, Pilz
hardware and software gives Langen the ability to distribute safety
devices around the entire machine. “This allows us to build independent
machine modules that can be interconnected with very few electrical
connections,” said Langen electrical engineering manager, Patrick
Strauss. “This aids in wiring, shipping and generally in pre-building
standard modules.” Langen also has the ability to view the status of
all safety I/O available, over Ethernet I/P, so that individual guard
statuses can be easily reported on the HMI. Because the individual
guard statuses are now easily accessible, Category 4 safety can be
reached while only wiring two contacts per door, reducing the cost of
door switches and wiring. Before using the PNOZmulti, up to three
contacts per switch were required to be wired in order to have
individual guard door statuses available at the HMI, the safety was
only rated Category 3.
Using the PNOZmulti, Langen is now able
to easily create more complex safety zoning and sequencing. The Pilz
system includes some modules that aren’t available on other safety
controllers, including speed sensing modules, allowing complex safety
functions when needed.
The new system has also aided in the
reduction of manufacturing costs. Langen now has the ability to
purchase the simplest light curtains because the PNOZmulti can handle
tasks such as muting which the light curtain no longer has to be able
to do on its own. “Pilz was able to offer the best flexibility and
power within the price range,” notes Strauss.
The PNOZmulti
is multifunctional and freely configurable for use in many areas of
mechanical engineering. The safety system monitors safety functions
such as E-STOP, safety gates, light beam devices, two-hand switches and
much more. PNOZmulti can also be used to resolve standard control
functions economically. Instead of wiring, users can generate the
safety circuit on a PC using an intuitive configuration tool. The
configuration is stored on a chip card and inserted into the base unit.
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