norelem targets greater safeguards for operators of machine tools

Enhancing safety for operators of machine tools and production lines, norelem’s range of non-contact safety switches offer a robust, reliable and easy-to-integrate solution for manufacturers, says the company.

Designed for use on protective covers – including doors, flaps and hoods – the safety switches ensure equipment can be operated only when all covers are closed. “Should a cover be opened during operation, the switch will automatically and safely shutdown the system to minimise risk of injury to operators.”

Available as either magnetically coded or RFID-coded variants, norelem’s safety switches can be retrofitted to machinery to improve overall safety. With an actuator located on the moving part and the device’s read head mounted on the fixed part, no contact is required for successful operation, adds norelem, “ultimately reducing maintenance and extending service life, while improving overall safety”.

Importance of safety in manufacturing

Marcus Schneck, CEO of norelem, comments: “We know the importance of safety in manufacturing environments, both for the benefit of operators and for the efficiency of facilities. By preventing machine operation until all covers are closed, our non-contact safety switches can support manufacturers to reduce the risk of injury along their production lines and keep operations running smoothly. And with two variations available, we are able to provide the flexibility manufacturers require, without compromising the ultimate goal of enhanced safety.”

norelem’s magnetically coded safety switch is designed to work effectively over a high switching distance, delivering greater operational tolerance, which makes it possible to accommodate adverse environmental characteristics, such as vibration. As activation can only occur with a suitable actuator, the magnetic system is also able to protect against manipulation.

Several protective doors xan be monitored at once

Alternatively, the RFID system allows up to 31 sensors to be added in a series, making it possible to monitor several protective doors at once. This high level of flexibility is achieved through universal coding, in which every suitable actuator is recognised by the safety switch.

Where protective covers need to be monitored independently of a series, individual coding can assign actuators to their own safety switch – something which can be achieved during installation.

Ensuring their suitability for manufacturing environments, both systems meet IP 67 standards for protection against dust and water, in addition to the requirements for ISO 13849-1 and IEC 60947-5-3. The RFID coded variant also adheres to EN62061 and IEC 61508 standards.