Safety – when Integrated means Integrated
Many automation supplier will offer you a certain level of safety integration. Equally, niche safety equipment suppliers will offer ‘integrated’ safety solutions; in many cases independent of the standard automation control.
It is the definition of the word integration which needs to be established to assess the value of an offering and its impact on your ability to produce an end product – both efficiently and safely.
In the realms of safety, the word ‘integration’ certainly sees its fair share of definitions – most pertaining to the ability to ‘plug into a network’ or ‘fit in a certain envelope’. But safety is the one area where Machine Builders and end-users cannot be fast and loose with how this word is defined. Not only are safety systems critical to operators, but they can also have a significant impact on the operational capabilities within manufacturing, ultimately affecting production costs and machine efficiencies.
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The problem with most bolt-on safety solutions is that they are often added after a cell or line has been designed. Their effect on production can be significant: problems can arise with regards to throughput and efficient operator interaction and it is here that financial implications can arise. It is very easy to justify the impact of a safety system on safety grounds, but justifying the adverse financial implications becomes a little harder to accept.
By far the best approach is to consider any safety solution as an integral part of the overall automation installation – with the design, choice of automation and safety solutions and their impacts relative to each other being considered from the outset. By taking this more holistic approach, performance vs. safety issues can be defined and resolved much earlier in the machine design process. It is at this stage that the supplier’s definition of ‘integration’ should be of paramount importance.
Safety capable automation
The most effective way of introducing safety is to use safety-capable automation systems; typically Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs), safety I/Os, drives and components that have embedded safety functionality. Embedded safety integration at the component level, instantly overcomes many of the issues faced by those considering a separate safety infrastructure.
Solutions such as these also utilise common, industry accepted networks such as EtherNet/IP, ControlNet™ and DeviceNet™, which allow automation control and safety control to exist on one network. As the components that would typically be controlled by safety commands are already on the same network, the free flow of information and diagnostic optimisation is also possible. What is more, a single programming environment removes many other integration issues, allowing users to specialise on one programming language for all automation and safety routines.
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By choosing a supplier that offers both solutions in a single environment, you can be confident that the relative ‘safety vs. control’ synergies are already in place.
Thanks to an integrated approach, resolution of any conflicts between an automation routine and the overall safety of the machine also delivers multiple business benefits. As well as introducing the ‘goodwill’ that goes with any safety installation, users can also be confident that any impact on the volume-related profitability of a line or cell has also to be considered and ‘designed out’ far earlier in the process.
Size doesn’t matter
Fully integrated safety is not restricted to large installations – in much the same way as it is not restricted to new builds. Not every installation needs PACs or higher-level devices, so by offering safety integration across a wider range of components, users are not restricted by the size of their application.
mplexity and automation requirements of a machine, advising the correct level of safety integration and then offering an appropriate solution. Our comprehensive portfolio of safety solutions for any level of integration; from a safety-relay based solution to a fully integrated PAC with motion, standard and safety control, means we can offer our customers the right level of safety they need...not just the products we have; which is a challenge faced by those partnering with niche suppliers.
A typical approach from us will involve a study of the entire installation from a holistic point of view; not, as is seen in many cases, a risk assessment followed by a bolt-on solution. By delivering a fully integrated solution at a much earlier point of time, not only are safety issues addressed at a stage where their impact can be resolved much more easily, but the business implications are also much more readily apparent and contingencies can be accommodated. Engineers will typically look at a process from an automation point of view and embed the safety routines concurrently. This way, as the two disciplines evolve next to each other, their effects on each other can be addressed, helping to make sure the most efficient result – one that does not involve any significant trade-offs.
Safety is, of course, not the only justification for adopting new control solutions. From the new-build/retrofit perspective, modern, contemporary hardware is almost always going to offer greater machine performance and a higher return on investment. For this reason, investment in new automation hardware can be much more easily justified – with the added confidence that it will also bring a new and improved levels of integrated safety to existing applications; giving Machine Builders a fully justified reason to replace legacy installations that run on less efficient, discrete networks.
It is clear to see that when the word ‘integrated’ is used as near as possible to its model definition, the benefits to Machine Builders and the users of such machines are multiple. A single platform can deliver a single safety and automation solution, all running on a single network, with a single programming language and a single operator interface. However, if this is too much functionality for a smaller machine or application, then the level of technology integration can be tailored, while maintaining the correct integration to achieve the right ‘Functional Safety’ of the application.
Partnering with an automation supplier that understands the holistic view of automation and safety can be invaluable from just about every perspective. Those that believe that there is safety in numbers can also be sure that all the integrated safety systems that Rockwell Automation delivers, have the same levels of safety compliance as discrete systems; offering the same level of protection, safe-guarding and peace of mind – just far more efficiently.
For more information, please e-mail us at: info_at@ra.rockwell.com with ref: Integrated Safety
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