In fully automated manufacturing processes, operators are protected from any hazardous machine movements by guards such as safety gates or safety bonnets.
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However, how can this protection be maintained in the event of maintenance? How is the employee protected when the machine needs to be repaired or cleaned? When and how may the operator deliberately override the protective devices?
This is where BERNSTEIN’s three-stage enabling foot switches come into play. Because the answer to these questions is enabling function.
The enabling function has been a proven function for many years and has also been part of various standards for a long time, such as EN ISO . This standard deals with the safety of machines and describes the enabling function as: “Additional manually operated device used in conjunction with a start-up control which, when continuously actuated, allows the machine to function”.
The regulations state that when the safety fence is open, machine operation is prevented by a door interlock. During manual operation, when the operator approaches the machine during programming, maintenance or test runs, the danger must be reduced by means of various measures.
This includes slow machine operation (reduction of kinetic energy) and restriction of the moving part of the machine. Measures must also be taken to be able to stop the machine in an emergency.
Such safety measures include the use of enabling switches. However, no movement may be started by actuating the enabling switch alone. The movement is only permitted by and must be initiated by means of a separate start control. This is prescribed, for example, by EN -1, which also deals with the safety of machines.
The electromechanical design of an enabling foot switch is identical to that of the manually operated version. The difference is that the switching stages are logically operated with the foot.
Level 1 is also the rest position. In level 2, the operator presses the pedal of the foot switch up to the so-called pressure point (tactile resistance) to close the enabling contacts and release the machine movement. If the pedal is fully depressed beyond the middle position (level 3), the contacts open again.
The advantages of an enabling foot switch in contrast to a manually operated enabling device are not difficult to explain.
Especially in set-up operation, during a repair or while cleaning a machine, it is an advantage to have both hands available. Very often in these cases, the machine has to be moved through a step-by-step feed by means of stepping.
For example, the operator has both hands free when changing reels on a wire winding machine. Here, the wire of the newly inserted reel must be threaded and in the course of this, the machine moves at reduced speed and the release of the hazardous movement is given by pressing an enabling foot switch.
The machine operator thus has the possibility to bring the wire to the desired position with both hands after he has started the movement by means of a separate start control.
An emergency stop footswitch is a safety device typically used in the industrial sector.
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When compressed, an emergency stop foot switch will cut the power to the machine it is connected to by breaking the electrical circuit. This function is often required in industrial applications where people could become in danger and the machine needs to be switched of as quickly as possible.
Our emergency stop footswitch also has an optional guard to protect against accidental actuation.
An Emergency Stop Footswitch will be used to
Help prevent injury– if somebody is in the way of a machine or is in any danger then the emergency stop footswitch can be used to stop the machine from functioning and prevent injury to the person.
Stop a machine which is malfunctioning – if a machine is not functioning correctly and needs to be switched off quickly then an emergency stop footswitch is appropriate.
An Emergency Stop Foot Switch will be used in any situation that requires a machine to discontinue functioning urgently. They are often a requirement in hazardous environments.
There are benefits to using a footswitch for emergency stop rather than a button which is hand operated.
Quick and Easy – using a foot to operate the Emergency Stop Footswitch is quick in a setting where workers are already using footswitches to operate machinery.
Location – having an Emergency Stop switch located on the machine isn’t always appropriate, very often users will not be close to a machine during operation. The Emergency stop foot switch will be in an easy location to access and near other foot operated switches.
Our New footswitch is available with an emergency stop function. Features of our new Emergency Stop Footswitch include;
• Guard for use with different size safety shoes
• Emergency stop on base
• Emergency stop on pole
• Waterproof to IP67 (EN
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit custom wireless foot switch.