OPTOELECTRONIC PROTECTIVE DEVICES

MUTING 

Products used: Light grid with muting function and muting sensors

FLEXIBLE PROTECTION

Muting is a safety function that is used to prevent safety signals from being triggered when objects temporarily enter the protective field of the safety light grid/safety light curtain. Special muting sensors are used in combination with a light grid/light curtain. Muting makes it possible to transport material into and out of the danger zone of a system without stopping the machine and restricting the safety functions.

ACCESS GUARDING

Products used: Safety light grids, safety light curtains

SAFEGUARDING ACCESS AREAS

Optoelectronic protective devices make it possible to safely and reliably monitor access to certain areas of machines or systems. Safety light grids or safety light curtains can be used to safeguard the danger zone and enable the system/machine to be stopped safely in the event of unauthorised access.

AREA PROTECTION

Products used: Safety light curtains, safety laser scanners

SECURING LARGER AREAS

Area guarding focuses on the protection of larger areas or zones in working environments.  Safety light curtains or scanners are used to  create an invisible protective field. If this field is interrupted, safety measures are triggered immediately.

DANGER ZONE GUARDING

Products used: Safety light curtain, safety laser scanner

SAFETY IN RISK ZONES

Hazardous area protection focuses on protecting zones that are considered particularly risky. Safety light curtains and safety laser scanners are used here in particular. The safety devices  ensure that access to these critical areas is monitored and that there is an immediate response if people or objects move into these zones.

POINT OF OPERATION GUARDING

Products used: Safety light curtain, safety laser scanner

PROTECTION AT THE PLACE OF MACHINE OPERATION

This safety application focuses on safeguarding the immediate area in which the machine is operated.  Optoelectronic protective devices, such as safety light curtains or scanners, are used to  ensure comprehensive protection directly at the operating points. These products help to ensure safe operation directly at the operating points and that machines are stopped immediately in the event of potential risks.

MONITORING OF MATERIAL LOCKS
(MONITORING MATERIAL LOCKS)

Products used: Safety light curtains, safety light grids, safety laser scanners

PROTECTION AT MATERIAL ACCESS POINTS

The monitoring of material locks is crucial to ensure the safe entry and exit of materials in machines. Optoelectronic protective devices make it possible to monitor material entries and exits in machines. Muting and blanking functions of the safety light grids and safety light curtains allow material to be transported both into and out of the machine through the protective field without stopping the machine. The distinction between people and material ensures safety in this area.

1. TYPE OF APPLICATION AND MACHINE:

Start by understanding the specific type of machine or system for which you need guards. Each application may have different security requirements. 

We recommend:

• Clarify the specific requirements for the machine, e.g:
  • How often are interventions in the production process planned?
  • Are there entry/exit areas?
  • What tasks must the operating personnel fulfil in different operating modes?
• Document the risk assessment and initial risk minimisation measures.

What we offer:

Our experts will support you in preparing the risk assessment. We help you to define the specific danger zones for your application and advise you on possible risk minimisation measures.

2. RISK ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT:

Carry out a comprehensive risk analysis. Identify all potential sources of danger and risks that may emanate from the machine. These may include, for example, mechanical and electrical hazards, extreme temperature ranges of components, noise pollution and emissions from the machine.

We recommend:

• Clarify the specific hazards that could occur in the work processes.
• Carry out a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential hazards.
• Document the identified danger zones and their characteristics.

What we offer: 

Support in carrying out the risk analysis and assessment.

3. APPLICABLE STANDARDS AND DIRECTIVES:

Make sure you know the current safety standards and regulations that apply to your region and industry. This is crucial to ensure that your security measures meet the required standards.

We recommend:

• Make sure you know the current standards and directives relevant to your machinery.
• We also recommend regular analyses of existing systems in companies with a minimum frequency of five years.

What we offer:

Our experts keep up to date with the latest safety standards and regulations and help you to ensure that your safety precautions comply with current standards.

4. PERFORMANCE LEVEL (PL), CATEGORY AND MTTF: 

Based on the performance level determined in the risk assessment, further safety-relevant characteristic values can be calculated that are relevant for your safety concept and the selection of safety-related protective devices.

We recommend:

• Consult both parts of EN ISO 13849 (its counterpart EN 62061) to determine the safety-related parameters.
• When determining the probability of failure, consider not only the quantifiable, calculated safety parameters, but also qualitative factors (behaviour and fault conditions, safety-related software, systematic failures).

What we offer: 

We support you in calculating the safety-relevant characteristic values and assist you in drawing up the safety concept.

5. FUNCTIONS AND PROPERTIES:

The risk minimisation measures are defined on the basis of the risk assessment and the safety concept. Optoelectronic protective devices is particularly relevant for material inputs and outputs. In addition to the safety parameters, the product-specific factors are calculated on the following basis: Minimum distance, stopping time, approach speed and penetration distance.

We recommend:

• Rely on the values calculated on the basis of the performance level, such as the average probability of dangerous failure per hour (PFHD), operating time TM and category.
• Also consider the types of approach to the hazardous area: orthogonal approach and parallel approach.

What we offer:

Our experts will help you select optoelectronic protective devices with the desired functions and properties to achieve your safety objectives.

6. INTEGRATION AND INTEROPERABILITY:

Ensure that the selected optoelectronic protective devices are integrated into your machine system in compliance with the relevant standards.

We recommend:

• During installation, ensure that access is only possible through the protective field. It must not be possible to reach under, over or sideways.
• Observe the safety distance resulting from the gripping/entry speed and the stopping time of the hazardous movement.

What we offer:

Our experts support you in calculating the distances, measuring the overtravel distance and advising you on the correct installation.

7. TRAINING:

Don't forget to train your employees. Make sure that they know how to use and maintain the protective devices correctly.

We recommend:

• Clarify the training requirements for your employees who work with the protective devices.
• Plan training courses on the correct operation and maintenance of the safety components.
• Document the training measures.

What we offer:

Wieland offers seminars on the subject of "Inspection of optoelectronic protective devices". In addition to the normative and legal basis for the design and inspection of protective devices, initial and periodic testing is practised.

8. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION:

Schedule regular maintenance and recurring inspections to ensure that the protective devices are functioning properly.

We recommend:

• Clarify the maintenance and testing requirements for your optoelectronic protective devices.
• Create a maintenance plan and document the checks carried out.
• Document the defects found and the measures taken.

What we offer:

Our experts support you in planning and carrying out maintenance and testing procedures for your optoelectronic protective devices. We ensure that your safety components always function reliably and in accordance with current guidelines and standards.

9. DOCUMENTATION:

Proper documentation is crucial to ensure compliance with safety standards. 

We recommend:

• Keep all relevant documentation, such as risk assessments, safety concepts and maintenance logs, up to date at all times.
• This enables seamless tracking of safety measures and makes it easier to identify potential for improvement.  

What we offer: 

Our experts support you in creating, maintaining and updating your safety documentation. We ensure that your documents comply with current standards and keep an eye on changes so that we can make recommendations for adjustments in good time.