SICK Safety switches

Non-contact safety switches are the optimal solution if precise guidance of protective doors is difficult. Whether magnetic, inductive or via transponders, they are low-wear and low-maintenance when it comes to safe monitoring of doors or safe position monitoring.

The compact inductive safety switches from SICK play a key role in safe position monitoring, for example in AGV applications. The safety switches are not only small and versatile but also provide non-contact operation which keeps wear to a minimum.

The protection of machines can be varied: Doors and flaps are often indispensable for this and must be reliably monitored. Highly manipulation-proof magnetic safety switches or transponder safety switches with high tolerance to door offset are best at completing this task.

A safe series connection is used to connect protective devices on machines. It reduces the number of safety capable inputs on the control and the amount of effort needed for wiring. For compact machines and combinable machine modules, SICK offers solutions from simple to complex.

Advantages

Safety tasks that are solved by safety switches

Safety switches are indispensable in any application where safety is required for people and machinery. They are used for protecting movable physical guards, determining the position of dangerous movements, and the safe stop function. Different safety tasks require different safety switches: Electro-mechanical and non-contact safety switches, safety locking devices, and safety command devices.

Optimal protection against manipulation thanks to transponder technology

For the safety of persons, the EN ISO 14119 standard defines manipulation protection measures that depend on the type and coding of the locking device. Transponder technology is used to avoid critical situations that occur whenever an attempt is made to manipulate the protective devices installed in machines. This eliminates the need for costly design measures on machines.

Very high protection against manipulation

With the appropriate variant of the safety switch with transponder technology, different coding levels can be achieved. With universal coding, all actuators are accepted; with unique and permanent coding, only the previously taught-in actuator is accepted, thus achieving a higher coding level.

Safety locking devices and non-contact safety switches with transponder technology

The high protection against manipulation is achieved by unique or permanent coding of the safety switch. Machine manufacturers can therefore do without additional assembly measures. The effort for mounting the safety switch in a concealed location, out of the scanning range of workers or with an additional locking device for a plausibility check is not necessary, saving you money.

Non-contact safety switches – intelligent solutions, low-wear and low-maintenance

Non-contact safety switches are well-suited if precise guidance of protective devices is difficult. They have very long service lives thanks to the low-wear and low-maintenance construction. They are also resistant to shock and vibrations and offer a high level of protection against manipulation. The portfolio is divided into three areas: Magnetic, transponder and inductive safety switches. Cuboid and cylindrical designs are available for each principle of operation.

Tasks of non-contact safety switches

Safe position monitoring

Inductive safety switches stand for simple and safe position and area monitoring. They monitor moving machine parts. The safety switches are completely wear-free without a special actuator; the core of their principle of operation is that they only need to detect a metal object. This could, for example, be a metal part of a machine that the safety switch detects exactly when it is in a previously defined position. The variety of variants allows installation into all types of machines.

Safe access protection

Machines and production lines have doors and flaps that need to be secured. Optimum access protection is provided by non-contact safety switches, which offer a high tolerance to door offset. Magnetic safety switches and transponder safety switches are low-wear and low-maintenance and offer high protection against manipulation.

Safety locking devices prevent uncontrolled intervention

Safety switches with locking devices lock protective devices securely and prevent access to areas which are protected by protective devices. Safety switches with locking function can be relied upon to prevent people from opening protective devices until dangerous states (machine overrun movements, for example) have passed or machine processes that cannot be interrupted have been completed.

Safety locking device variants

Electromechanical locking devices are the proven solution for applications that require a high and reliable locking force and do not place high demands on the performance level or protection against manipulation.

A magnetic safety locking device is the efficient solution for applications that require process protection in addition to the safety function. The safety locking device provides very high reliability for door monitoring and uses a strong electromagnet to ensure that the protective door is closed and the production process runs smoothly.

Locking devices with transponder monitoring combine a high and reliable locking force with the high reliability of the transponder technology – this means performance level e and maximum protection against manipulation.

Linking of protective devices via safe series connection

Different machine areas need different protective devices. They all have the same goal: To ensure that the machine stops safely in case of faults or danger. As complexity increases, so do the requirements for integrating safety sensors into the machine. The big challenge is safely connecting all safety sensors. The SICK solution: Safe series connection

EONE Automation

SICK Safety switches