Pilz at SPS Connect 2020 – Focus on safe automation solutions for comprehensive access control - Make automation more productive!

Under the exhibition slogan “Be safe and secure with Pilz”, Pilz will be using the virtual platform of the international exhibition SPS – Smart Production Solutions (24 – 26.11.2020) to showcase safe automation solutions for smart and digital automation. These solutions consider machinery safety and industrial security in equal measure. The main area of focus is comprehensive access control while maintaining productivity.

Product innovations from the sensor technology range PSEN (Pilz sensor technology), the operating and monitoring range PMI (Pilz Machine Interface) and the configurable safe small controllers PNOZmulti 2 complete the digital presence. The company will also be presenting new products from the drive technology portfolio PMC (Pilz Motion Control) at SPS Connect.

The focus: Sensor technology solutions that are productive and economical

Safety gate solutions need to be economical and also productive, even when it comes to access. The range of safety gate systems includes the safe, mechanical safety gate system PSENmech, now with guard locking. PSENmech with guard locking keeps the safety gate safely closed until the hazardous machine movement has stopped and prevents an unintended restart of the hazardous movement as long as the gate is open. It represents an economical, basic solution for the safe monitoring of movable guards. There's also an addition to the modular safety gate system: a handle module is now available for the safety gate sensor PSENmlock: the PSENmlock handle module combines a handle with integrated actuator and escape release in one solution. It's quick to install and simple to operate. So the user has an all-in-one modular safety gate solution for safe interlocking and safe guard locking. In addition there are new types of safety laser scanner PSENscan available, which enable even greater productivity. That's because the 17-pin types and ME (master encoder) type of PSENscan provide users with further digital inputs and outputs. Now you can also manage access permission more intuitively: Using individual RFID keys, the employees can authenticate using the pushbutton unit PITgatebox with integral PITreader. This ensures that only authorised employees have access to the plant. In conjunction with the modular safety gate system, safety & security aspects for a comprehensive safety gate guarding with access permission are perfectly combined. The pushbutton unit is now available in thirteen preconfigured versions, various combinations of emergency stop pushbuttons, pushbuttons and switches can be implemented with them.

Higher performance visualisation

For professional visualisation of plant and machinery, Pilz offers solutions in which PMI (Pilz Machine Interface) becomes the link between human and machine. The panels PMIvisu v807 and PMIvisu v812 are now being added to the PMI product portfolio to provide even higher performance in this area. These panels complete the Pilz portfolio of visualisation panels and, in conjunction with Pilz control technology, offer a comprehensive system solution, even for web-based visualisation. The new, high-performance series consists of the robust PMI v8 Panel and the web-based visualisation software PASvisu.

Even the small controller provides wide-ranging support

New elements are now available for the configurable small controller PNOZmulti 2, from software version 10.13 of the corresponding software tool PNOZmulti Configurator. These enable the simple configuration of safe user programs, which can be run by the PNOZmulti 2. The same applies to the safety gate sensor PSENmlock in the modular safety gate system, which has had another element added for the configuration of the signal sequence during interlocking and release. What’s more, PNOZmulti 2 now offers an L-muting element for muting in light curtain applications. With these new elements, the user can implement the wide-ranging requirements for monitoring safety functions even more efficiently.

Efficient drive solution!

Saving space and rapid commissioning of machinery are also challenges for drive technology applications. With the new drive controllers PMC SC6 and PMC SI6, Pilz is expanding its portfolio to include servo amplifiers for either single or multi-axis applications. Both drive controllers are characterised by their compact design: an overall width of 180 mm is all that's needed in the control cabinet for six axes. For rapid commissioning, parameters for the motor data are set simply and safely via the electronic motor name plate. The drive controller PMC SI6 is suitable for use in large plant and machinery from four axes and above, whereas the compact stand-alone drive controllers PMC SC6 with integrated power supply are designed for use in compact plant and machinery.