Page 22 - MetalForming May 2015

Safety Update
New Safety Light Curtains and Product Catalog Featuring Sensing Products
figure their own customized kinematic systems with as many as 11 separate joints. It also is possible to include as many as 20 joint couplings with coupling factors, allow- ing users to incorporate mechanical cou- plings between individual axes.
HTM Sensors, Niagara Falls, NY, has introduced Category 4 and Category 2 safety light curtains, fea- turing rugged C-channel aluminum housings with rotating brackets. The curtains are available with pro- tective heights from 6 to 70 in., and provide rapid response times as well as operating distances to 19 m. They are available with mirrors and IP-69 enclo- sures as well as digital displays for diagnostics and ease of alignment.
Data transfers via the fieldbus-inde- pendent openSafety protocol, giving users the freedom to choose the control system that best fits their needs. The safety func- tions themselves are executed directly on the drives.
In addition, the company offers its new product
guide, available for download from its website. The
guide provides an overview of HTM Sensors’ most
popular products including standard and long-range
sensors, weld-field-immune sensors and proximity sensors, as well as capacitive sen- sors, photoelectric sensors, safety light curtains, cables and connectors, and more. www.htmsensors.com
www.br-automation.com
Dust Collector Spark Arrestor Extinguishes Sparks and Burning Embers
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were slightly more than 3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2013. While this number is lower than previous years, we wonder how many near misses went unre- ported. To help remove barriers to report- ing, here’s a new mobile app called Work- placeAware that employees can use to document near misses with photographs and a description. The documentation then routes to a mini, cellular desktop print- er (called MessageQube) located in the safety director’s office.
carbon or stainless steel, 6- to 40-in. dia.—easily connects to the ductwork leading from the shop to a dust and fume collector.
Options include raw inlet and outlet edges, and a drop-down cleanout door that helps eliminate dangerous dust buildup. The unit complies with all NFPA and OSHA standard guidelines.
www.isystemsweb.com
Monitor all Serial Robot Types in a Safety Application
“By using WorkplaceAware, compa- nies can allow employees to report inci- dents without having to fill out pages of paperwork or holding up the work day,” says company CEO Rob Sweeney. “And, if employees choose, reports can be sub- mitted anonymously.” www.workplaceaware.com
By extending the safety function “safely limited speed at tool centerpoint (SLS at TCP), B&R Industrial Automation Group, Roswell, GA, has made it possible to monitor the full spectrum of serial robot types in a safety application. This is a significant advancement of the function first introduced in 2011, which so far already has allowed safe monitoring of all joints on a six-axis articulated-arm robot.
To take advantage of this extended functionality, B&R offers a parameter block for generic serial robots that makes it possible to configure any type of kinematic chain. This removes any restrictions on specific types of robots and allows users to define and con-
20 MetalForming/May 2015
www.metalformingmagazine.com
A new spark arrestor featured on dust-collec- tion equipment from Impe- rial Systems, Jackson Cen- ter, PA, promises to help prevent fires and explo- sions from occurring in manufacturing shops. The spark arrestor—of
Once a report prints on the Message- Qube, it also posts to the employer’s online enterprise dashboard where management can view and manage reports, including doc- umenting corrective action taken and esca- lating reports to higher authorities. Using WorkplaceAware, safety managers receive instant alerts to near-miss and safety-haz- ard reports as they print in real-time from the MessageQube. And, the system can be configured to also notify managers via e-mail when reports are filed.
Mobile App Helps Eliminate Barriers to Near-Miss Reporting