Product category:
Industrial Drives/Controls
News Release from: Rockwell Automation | Subject: Allen-Bradley Guard Logix controller
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 09 March 2006
Two-processor safety architecture for
controller
Safety controller uses integrated architecture, allowing for faster implementation, improved productivity and easier ability to meet advanced safety control requirements.
Rockwell Automation has introduced a safety controller that uses the company's integrated architecture, allowing for faster implementation, improved productivity and easier ability to meet advanced safety control requirements The Allen-Bradley Guard Logix controller has a two-processor safety architecture and is rated up to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) three functionality
SIL two and three are the most common levels required in machinery and process safety applications, making the controller suitable for many safety applications.
The safety controllers are based on the same Logix control engine, networking and I/O as other Rockwell integrated architecture control systems.
This design commonality, along with using the standard RSLogix 5000 software, allows for better information sharing, reduced training costs and faster programming and commissioning.
The architecture features multidisciplined control across process, discrete, motion, drive and safety applications, as well as seamless connectivity to plant-wide information systems.
"As the first safety control system for the integrated architecture, Guard Logix is a leap forward for machine safety", said Kevin Colloton, Guard Logix Product Manager.
"An immediately apparent benefit is its ease of programming".
"Although safety control has specific and unique requirements compared with standard control, users can now program and manage their safety control system using familiar standard control methods".
Craig Resnick, Research Director at Arc Advisory Group, said: "Safety has moved to the forefront of critical topics for manufacturers in recent years, and many are learning how an intelligent safety strategy can become a competitive advantage rather than a cost burden".
"Factors driving this increasing trend go beyond the desire to minimise risks and improve public image".
"These factors include metrics that point to integrated safety systems helping to improve the bottom line by reducing downtime and increasing overall equipment efficiency and return on assets, and the harmonisation of international safety standards that allow machine OEMs to develop and deploy globally acceptable safety products".
The RSLogix 5000 programming software is the same development tool used by all Logix programmable automation controllers.
Existing Logix users are already familiar with the system, which helps reduce training and design time, while new users will appreciate the flexible tag-based system that lets programmers use real names rather than physical addresses.
The software also helps manage safety memory, so users do not have to manage manually the separation of standard and safety memory or worry about partitioning logic to isolate safety-related data.
During a Guard Logix system development, safety control is managed the same as standard control.
With online editing, the development and debug environment is much easier for users.
Once the project is tested and ready for final validation, the user sets the safety task to SIL three, which is then enforced by the Guard Logix controller.
Safety memory is locked to a SIL three state, logic is protected, but the standard side of Guard Logix continues to operate like a regular Logix controller.
Standard logic and external devices such as human-machine interfaces and other controllers can read safety memory.
This is a time saver with the elimination of having to set up or condition safety data from a dedicated safety device.
Users have easy system-wide integration and the ability to display safety status on displays.
The controllers take advantage of common industrial protocol safety on Devicenet for safety I/O connectivity and Ethernet/IP for safety interlocking between Guard Logix processors.
This allows multiple controllers to share safety data for safe interlocking between different cells and areas.
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