Technical Articles

The following technical articles regarding machine safety are from Schmersal employees and customers in the US and around the world. Many of the articles and whitepapers have appeared in various publications and are courtesy of Schmersal-USA.com and others as noted.

If you have authored a technical article, white paper, etc and would like to share with your colleagues, please forward the article and reprint permission to Schmersal-Online.com

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Tampering: a hot topic of machine safety This article uses data from a 2005 BGIA Survey to highlight the causes and solutions to machine guard tampering. Download the Article

Food Processing Gets New Safety Controls An Interview with Gary Ferguson, Managing Director, Schmersal Inc. By the Robotic Industries Association Download the Article

Category 4 Devices In High-Risk Machinery This article highlights the differences between the overall system requirements to meet Safety Control Category 4 (control reliability), and the atributes of the individual components in the system. With the proliferation of safety switches that are third party approved or self-certified as Safety Control Category 4 devices, some confusion arises about their use. The use of Safety Control Category 4 rated devices does not insure that the overall safety system meets Safety Control Category 4 for high risk machinery. Courtesy Grey House Safety & Security Directory Download the Article

New Non-contact Safety Interlocks Satisfy Safety Category 3 or 4 Requirements An article regarding Schmersal's Pulse-Echo Safety Interlock Technology. Non-contact safety sensors are increasingly used as an alternative for electromechanical safety switches when monitoring the position of movable safety guards. Recently, a new range of sensors has been developed, using an innovative pusle-echo technology, which provide inhanced functions not avaiable on standard sensors. Courtesy Grey House Safety & Security Directory Download the Article

Muting Safety Light Curtains: Applications & Use A whitepaper that reviews the use of safety light curtains and the conditions where a muting function is appropriate. The article explains typical applications for muting safety light curtains, application requirements, and various muting sensor configurations. Courtesy Grey House Safety & Security Directory Download the Article

Solenoid Latching Safety Interlock Applications This article reviews the two main applications of solenoid-latching interlock switches: protection from continuing motion hazards and the prevention of process interruptions. Courtesy July 2006 edition of The Gatekeeper, Schmersal's safety newsletter. Download the Article

Pressure Mat Safety Distances In the installation of safety pressure mats, one must consider the same principles of safety distances that apply for safety light curtains. Courtesy April 2006 edition of The Gatekeeper, Schmersal's safety newsletter. Download the Article

US Guidelines for Risk Assesment Risk Assessment per ANSI B11.TR3. The article includes the risk estimation matrix and suggested safety control system characteristics from the standard. Courtesy February 2006 edition of The Gatekeeper, Schmersal's safety newsletter. Download the Article

Safety Interlock Switch Selection, Installation, and Maintenance Guidelines Eleven guidlines for the proper selection, installation, and maintencance of safety interlock switches. Courtesy October 2005 edition of The Gatekeeper, the Schmersal safety newsletter. Download the Article

Daisy Chaining: an overview A whitepaper on the limitations and potential consequences of daisy chaining - the wiring components in series, especially in machine guarding safety circuits. This article discusses European and US risk assessment guidelines, control circuit reliability standards, and concludes with recomendations regarding the use of daisy chaining. Download the Article

Safeguarding Power Presses With Interlocked Barrier Guards An article on the techniques used to safeguard power presses, a machine with high rates of amputations and other injuries. The article focuses on the use of tamper-resistant, interlocked movable guards which provide controlled access to hazardous points of operation on these machines. Courtesy December 1997 issue of The Fabricator. Download the Article

Movable Machine Guard Safety: Meeting OSHA and ANSI Requirements A whitepaper that discusses the issues related to machine guards. The article reviews some of the main concepts in machine guarding, such as tamper resistance, positive-break switches, positive-guided relays, control reliability, and safety circuit monitoring. Courtesy December 1996 issue of The Fabricator. Download the Article