Product category:
Machine Safety Components
News Release from: Pilz Automation Technology | Subject: PNOZ X2C and PNOZ X2.1C
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 22 August 2005
Safety relays meet automotive EMC
requirements
To meet the needs of specialist manufacturers that retrofit electrical equipment to vehicles, Pilz has introduced type-approved (or e-marked) safety relays.
To meet the needs of specialist manufacturers that retrofit electrical equipment to vehicles, Pilz has introduced type-approved (or e-marked) safety relays One of the first users of these is Terberg Matec UK, a leading builder of vehicle bodies for the kerbside collection of domestic recyclable waste
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 5 May 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Safety relays approved for automotive applications
Pilz Automation Technology is launching new versions of its popular PNOZ X2 safety relay that have type approval for automotive applications in the EU.
Safety systems are put to the test
Pilz has developed a structured method for inspecting the safety-critical elements of plant and machinery to enable the suitability of the safety measures to be validated.
The new e-marked PNOZ X2C and PNOZ X2.1C relays have type-approval in accordance with Directive 72/245/EEC, Radio interference (electromagnetic compatibility) of vehicles (as last amended by Directive 95/54/EC, Automotive electromagnetic compatibility), which enables them to be used on vehicles placed on the market in the EU without any further testing.
These relays will typically be used to monitor emergency stop switches, guard switches and limit switches on dustbin lorries, road sweepers, mobile access platforms (cherry pickers), vehicle-mounted hoists and similar applications.
Currently there is a transition period until the use of e-marked electrical equipment becomes mandatory.
Meanwhile, the Pilz PNOZ X2C and X2.1C are believed to be the only e-marked safety relays available, developed directly in response to requests from customers.
Broadly similar to the existing PNOZ X2 and X2.1 safety relays, the new models feature two normally-open safety contact outputs and are suitable for use in applications meeting the requirements of EN954-1 Category 2 or 4.
Further reading
Courses cover safety standards and products
Having sold out many of its training courses during the first half of the year, Pilz Automation Technology has now published its course timetable for July to December 2008.
Monitoring relays allow easy setup
Menu-driven parameter setting is easy, quick and error-proof thanks to the plain text display and a turn-and-click encoder.
Configurator upgrade provides new control options
Status is indicated via LEDs on the front of the analogue input module and, if installed, via the PVIS intelligent diagnostics system and a suitable Pilz display.
While the PNOZ X2C has a monitored manual reset, the PNOZ X2.1C can be configured by the customer to have either a manual reset or an automatic reset, depending on the requirements of the application.
Prior to the PNOZ X2C being available, Terberg Matec UK had been using a conventional electromechanical safety relay from Pilz.
However, space on the vehicles is at such a premium that the relay had to be mounted sideways in the electrical cabinet, making it impossible to view the status LEDs.
Although the company's main aim was to find a more compact safety relay, it also wanted to be prepared for the time when the use of e-marked electrical equipment became mandatory.
It was therefore doubly pleased with the Pilz PNOZ X2C relay that is both compact and e-marked.
All multi-compartment vehicle body systems built by Terberg Matec UK have a safety relay to monitor emergency stop switches.
While the Kerbsider model has three of these, the Toploader can have up to seven, all wired in series.
The two output circuits from the relay switch the common feed to the PLC and the power to the solenoids on the hydraulic valves.
Stocks of PNOZ X2C safety relays are held by Terberg Matec's local electrical distributor, BPX, and additional stocks are maintained by Pilz as a back-up.
Gary Ashley, Regional Manager at BPX, comments: "Pilz is the only supplier of safety relays that we deal with and the company was very helpful in sourcing this specialist product to meet Terberg Matec's requirements".
"Now that Pilz has introduced a range of high-quality, noncontact safety switches, it is likely that we will soon be supplying some of these to Terberg Matec as well".
A spokesman from the engineering department at Terberg Matec comments: "We have been very pleased with the Pilz relays, which have proved to be extremely reliable".
"The Pilz relay has been incorporated in our circuits providing the functionality that enables the detection of both activation and deactivation of emergency stop buttons and system faults, tripping out exactly as it is designed to do".
"The service we have had from both BPX and Pilz has always been good, and we would have no hesitation in recommending either company as a supplier".
It is likely that, as the end of the transition period draws closer, more niche-market automotive manufacturers will find that they need to install e-marked safety relays in order to comply with current directives.
Pilz believes that demand for its compact PNOZ X2C and X2.1C products will increase, and Terberg Matec has clearly demonstrated that these safety relays operate reliably within the harsh environments encountered on heavy vehicles.
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