PROFIsafe Opens the Door to More Tightly Integrated Safety
Safety is an essential element of the operational matrix, as information from safety systems has effect on productivity. Integration into existing infrastructures becomes commonplace as end users look to create unified channels for information.
The Challenge
Assa Abloy is known the world over for its class-leading access solutions, in applications ranging from hotels, through shopping malls and commercial premises, and onto highly demanding industrial safety applications.
And it is in this latter application that it deploys technology from HMS Networks to address a growing need from its customers to integrate safety and protective solutions into existing PROFIsafe networks, in order to pull operational data and metrics into a single data pool.
We are seeing higher demand from our customers to connect our doors to their bus systems, so we chose what was best for them in terms of how easy it is to connect to existing bus systems.
Jan-Erik Eliasson, ASSA ABLOY GmbH
The Solution
Assa Abloy’s MCC door-control solution is now available with a network module mounted on the exterior containing the HMS Networks solutions. These comprise an Ixxat Safe T100, which can be deployed to control safe I/O signals using PROFIsafe. The module meets the SIL3 safety requirement level as defined by IEC 61508 and PLe / Category 4 in ISO 13849-1.
In this application, the Safe T100 is used with Anybus CompactCom. Communication of safety information from the Safe T100 and through the Anybus CompactCom uses the black-channel principle. For PROFIsafe, CompactCom performs the tasks of a PROFINET device, while Safe T100 includes the PROFIsafe layer and safe control of three dual-channel inputs as well as one dual-channel output.
Assa Abloy can give its users the ability to share essential operational data for the door control, such as confirmation of normal operation (open/closed) or for disbursement of error messages, which may necessitate machine shutdown or reversion to a safe state. For applications using PROFINET with PROFIsafe, the door’s safe input and output data is also communicated to an external automation PLC.
The Bigger Picture
Primarily used for production lines at car manufacturers, the Assa Abloy doors are essential elements of holistic safety infrastructures and, as such, must be tightly integrated into existing systems to ensure the highest amount of interactivity.
With digitalized data capabilities becoming standard in almost all industries, the ability to interrogate any device or module that can have a positive or negative impact in uptime is now an imperative. Companies look to leverage this operational data – no matter how small it is – to create proactive maintenance procedures and to improve operational throughput and efficiencies.
But to gain this level of insight, companies need to have access to networking solutions that also deliver mandated safety requirements such as SIL 3 and PLe. This is where HMS Networks comes in, with thousands of successful deployments across the globe in a huge variety of demanding and sensitive applications.