2.2009 trends in automation New Products 8 9 –
Safety technology
Pre-assembled emergency stop control unit The EU Machinery Directive comes into force on 29 December 2009. It will affect not only machine builders of pneumatic systems but everyone who expands or modernises pneumatic installations or repairs them using nonoriginal spare parts. Festo is offering a pre-assembled emergency stop control unit for stand-alone operation within a network. The unit makes it possible to activate a safety valve MS6-SV independently, link in emergency-stop command units and connect a light barrier or door protection switch. This mechatronic system conforms to DIN ES ISO 13849-1 and offers the following: • Protection against unexpected start-up • Category 4 safe exhaust function • High performance level PL = e (SIL 3) in risk assessments
Category 4 safe exhaust function and protection against unexpected start-up are provided by this pre-assembled emergencystop control unit.
Valve terminals
Flexible and modular
Valve terminals
Measuring relative or differential pressures There is often a need to measure and evaluate pressures in process and factory automation. Both can be done with the new analogue input module CPX-4AE-P, designed for use with the CPX terminal. Instead of using costly external sensors, which take up space and involve additional installation time, all that’s needed is a 4 mm tube between the measuring point and the pressure sensor module. The module offers integrated functions to IP65/67 and has several benefits, such as simple parameterisation, fast commissioning, and evaluation as absolute values in mbar, psi or kPa without conversion.
Flexible for use with individual sub-bases: the modular valve terminal MPA-L.
Up to 32 valves size MPA1 with flow rates of up to 360 l/min. can now be fitted on a valve terminal MPA-L. Its very light and corrosion-resistant sub-bases are made of plastic and can be used individually or combined in groups of 4. The valves can be actuated via multi-pin plug connectors or the CPX installation system for fieldbuses.
• Channel-oriented diagnostics – for reduced downtime • Lower system costs – thanks to the link to fieldbus/Ethernet networks • Pressure values and diagnostic data shown on LCD display Input module CPX-4AE-P: available for measuring ranges 0…+10 bar or -1…+1 bar.