Schmersal introduces safety switch to non-contact family

Citation

(2006), "Schmersal introduces safety switch to non-contact family", Assembly Automation, Vol. 26 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2006.03326dad.003

Schmersal introduces safety switch to non-contact family

Schmersal introduces safety switch to non-contact family

Keywords: Machine tools, Safety

Machine safety specialist Schmersal has introduced a new non-contact safety switch that uses the latest pulse-echo technology to determine door position and lock status (Plate 2).

Compared to conventional mechanical safety switches, the new AZ 200 offers offset tolerances of ^5mm, which can dramatically increase productivity by reducing downtime of a machine should an actuator be improperly or incorrectly aligned.

Plate 2 The new AZ 200 non-contact safety switch from Schmersal

When a safety guard is open, the actuator of the AZ 200 is completely inserted in its plastic enclosure to reduce the risk of injury to operators. Further advantages include its ergonomic operation and design that allows for effortless integration and easy fitting to standard profiles used in machine construction.

To save money, 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.

Control Category 4 is achieved whether an installation uses one or a series of AZ 200s, which eliminates the need for additional switches and also reduces wiring and the number of control modules required. The new unit was also specifically designed and certified to IEC 61 508 and BS EN62 061 and is suitable for applications up to SIL 3.

Commenting for Schmersal, product manager Dan Walters says: “We believe the AZ 200 will be ideal for machine builders as it offers similar benefits to our AZM 200 solenoid interlock, which is proving extremely popular”.

For further information on the AZ 200 safety switch, call the Schmersal customer support centre on 01684 571980 or visit: www.schmersal.co.uk