Electricity + Control September 2015

STANDBY + BACK-UP SENSORS, SWITCHES + TRANSDUCERS

ROUND UP

Superior interlocking and position monitoring for industrial applications Banner Engineering introduces its SI Se- ries Safety Limit Switches, designed to effectively monitor the position of a wide variety of guards, gates, covers and other moveable machine fixtures and tooling. The SI Series is available in three models – SI-LM40, SI-LS31 and SI-LS83 – offer- ing various actuating systems, contact arrangements, housing and mounting configurations to satisfy diverse industrial applications. Banner’s SI Series feature a limit-switch style, complying with Type 1 per ISO 14119 standards, with actuating elements integrated with the enclosure. Configured with a positive-opening design of the normally closed contacts, per IEC 60947-5-1 standards, these switches pro- vide reliable monitoring regardless of en- vironmental conditions and withstand any attempt to override the switch and defeat the system. “With a unique limit-switch de- sign, the SI Series Safety Limit Switches are ideal for safety or non-safety interlocking and position monitoring applications,” said Mike Carlson, technical marketingmanager (safety products), Banner Engineering. “The switches are ideal for monitoring sliding gates and guards on machines in safety fencing systems, in addition to solving simple position monitoring such as end-of-travel and home-position.” The SI Series offers multiple actuat- ing systems, including plunger, roller, spindle-mount lever and two lever styles. The switches’ actuator head is rotatable in 90-degree increments to ensure thorough monitoring. When properly interfaced, or used with an appropriate safety controller/ module, two safety switches monitoring an individual guard can achieve a category 4 level of safety, per ISO 13849-1. Enquiries: RET Automation Controls. Email brandon. topham@retautomation.com

Digital converter

the adjacent machine. If this is only avail- able as a pulse sequence, the DW2503 digital converter from ifm electronic offers a solution. The upgraded DW2503 can ac- cept high-frequency incoming pulses up to a maximum 10 kHz, from as low as 1 pulse per minute.The user can scale the conver- sion of these pulses into the desired 0/4 to 20 mA or 0 to 10V signal. If needed, the DW will also invert the signal. As a bonus the DW also features a switched output in the form of a relay and a solid-state transistor, allowing the user to set an alarm signal. The output can be set to stay on for a chosen time. ifm electronic has upgraded

To provide accurate control of, for exam- ple, the speed of a conveyor motor, often requires a feedback of the actual speed of

the original DW frequency converter to cover an extended operating temperature range down to 40ºC below zero. The newly developed luminous OLED display is not only clearer but also brighter, and the menu-guided parameter setting is designed for maximum user friendliness. The DW2503 will operate on a wide range of voltages, ac or dc, and provide dc supply to input sensors. As a market leader in the field, ifm electronic can advise on and supply suitable sensors, such as inductive or magnetic pulse pick-ups, or shaft encoders.

Enquiries:Tel. 27 12 450 0370 or email: info.za@ifm.com

Q3X Laser contrast sensor – fixed background suppression

RET Automation Controls is now stocking a version of the Q3X laser contrast sensor with fixed background suppression from Banner Engineering. Featuring contrast detection, plus fixed background sup- pression, the Q3X LD50 reliably detects targets within the desired sensing range while ignoring objects in the background. Out of the box, the Q3X LD50 operates like a fixed-field laser sensor and detects targets within its 50 mm sensing range. However, the sensor can be programmed for low- contrast sensing within this range, while ignoring objects at least 60 mm away.This allows the sensor to accurately detect its target without background objects affecting its performance. “With fixed background suppression, the Q3X overcomes the main problemof standard diffuse-mode sensors where objects in

the background affect the application,” said Dennis Smith, Technical Marketing Manager at Banner Engineering. “The Q3X LD50 is an innovative solution for our customers’ hardest detection and error-proofing problems.” Featuring high-speed part detection as fast as 250 μs, Banner’s Q3X laser contrast sensor can capture up to 2 000 events per second. This, along with background suppression, makes the Q3X ideal for solving applications with small contrast changes where a background needs to be ignored. A typical application is label detection on a bottle where contrast differences between the label and bottle provide reliable detection but the sensor must ignore the shiny metal rail in the background. Enquiries: RET Automation Controls. Email brandon.topham@retautomation.com

Electricity+Control September ‘15

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