Edited by Alan L. Hitchcox
Ross Controls, Troy, Mich., recently released a safety product data library designed for use with Safety Integrity Software Tool for the Evaluation of Machine Applications (SISTEMA), which was developed by the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance for evaluating machine safeguarding systems using the new EN ISO 13849-1:2008 standard, which is likely to become the most widely used standard for machine safety system design. It applies to all control system technologies (electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic) and can be applied to complete systems or subsystems. A transition to “Performance Level” (a, b, c, d, e) classifications will replace “Categories” (B, 1, 2, 3, 4) as were used in the EN 954-1 standard.
SISTEMA can be downloaded for free at www.dguv.de/ifa/en/pra/softwa/sistema/index.jsp and is expected to prove invaluable to system designers for its potential time savings and safety implications.
Ross Controls also provides free library data for a selection of its safety products. Currently, data for the following products are available:
• DM2 Series C, D, and E Category-4 control-reliable double valves with dynamic monitoring and memory,
• DM1 Series Category-3 control-reliable double valves with dynamic monitoring, and
• 5/2 Crossmirror Series Category-4 control-reliable double valves with dynamic monitoring.
The Ross DM2 Series safety products meet all global requirements for machine safety and are commonly used for exhausting downstream air to help meet stop-time requirements in machine guarding applications.
For more information about Ross safety products, call (706) 356-3708 or visit www.rosscontrols.com.
| Sensor, cylinder providers form alliance “We realized that the best way to meet the OEMs' needs for a rugged, reliable, and affordable embedded sensor was to partner with key cylinder manufacturers that share application and problem-solving knowledge,” said Brian Cox, technical marketing manager at MTS. He explained that the program exposes companies developing new control applications to expertise in both electrical sensing and hydraulics design, resulting in faster development cycle with a cost-optimized solution. Cylinder manufacturers participating in the program for North America include Aurelius Mfg., Bobalee Hydraulics, Columbus Hydraulics, Hyco Ultrametal, and Rosenboom Machine & Tool. These integration partners have delivered a combined total of more than 100,000 production-level quantities of smart cylinders worldwide over the last three years. All integration partners have been trained by MTS Sensors in the proper handling and testing of Temposonics sensors. For more information, call MTS Sensors Div. at (800) 633-7609, e-mail brian.cox@mts.com, or visit www.mtssensors.com. |