Rockwell Automation has simplified integrated machine safety systems, by increasing the functionality of a much smaller family of safety relays, to improve the level of take-up in its ‘next generation’ of products.
A slimmed down range of Next Generation Safety Relays has gone from more than 50 relays to just six. Each one is designed for different machinery setups that are typically found in form filling, cartoning and label production, for example.
The more versatile relays have been function-configured for simple logic tasks. Common to the Guardmaster Safety Relay (GSR) devices is a universal input feature to allow devices such as safety interlock switches, emergency stop switches and pressure sensitive mats to use the same set of input terminals. With GSR it is possible to separately address zonal control, maintenance functions or global and, or, local emergency stop circuits?.
The supplier stresses that the existing portfolio remains current and supported, and the change in strategy focuses on customers that want to simplify inventory and maintenance.
Rockwell says machine builders can expect an estimated potential cost saving of 10%; a space saving of up to 50%; 30-50% less wiring.
With GSR Rockwell says it is targeting the 70% of machine builders that has so far resisted migrating to integrated relays, a figure revealed in a recent global survey by US based industry publication Control Design.
