Safe, perfect packaging

Today's machines have a high degree of automation, so there is a need for intelligent, modular safety concepts that seek to maintain economic viability and deliver a competitive edge. With the configurable control system PNOZmulti Mini, the safety gate system PSENslock and the digital input modules PDP67 from Pilz, everything goes hand in hand.

Safety & performance

Safety has been high on the list of priorities at the Oystar Group for many years. The company, whose origins date back to 1893, is based in Stutensee near Karlsruhe and is one of the world's leading suppliers of packaging machines. Oystar supplies stand-alone machines through to turnkey packaging lines via ten international production sites. Products include carton erectors, tray and case erectors, all-round packaging machines, high-performance packers, multifunctional packaging lines, palleting solutions and conveyor technology.

Oystar A+F, specialists for final packaging solutions, is equipped throughout with an open, flexible and decentralised safety system from Pilz, which boasts extensive diagnostics functions. So doors that have to be opened regularly or temporarily are fitted with safety gate systems designed for applications up to PL e of EN ISO 13849-1 and in many cases also have guard locking devices for process protection tasks.

"Our primary aim was to define an open and decentralised safety concept that could be adapted to all control systems, that could not only be designed in accordance with protection type IP67 but could also be implemented with clear separation of responsibilities between safety and standard control."says Manfred Schuster, head of electrical design at Oystar A+F.

Oystar A+F opted for the configurable control system PNOZmulti Mini in combination with decentralised periphery, the input modules PDP67. As a central safety component, the configurable control system PNOZmulti Mini has every safety-related function in its sights: Installed in the main control cabinet, the PNOZmulti Mini base unit with 20 digital inputs and 4 digital semiconductor outputs monitors the emergency stop button, reset button and mode selector switch, as well as taking control of the servo amplifier all the way to a safe operational stop.

Higher productivity

The safety gate system PSENslock from Pilz monitors the machine access points via PNOZmulti Mini. Secure safety gate monitoring is combined with a non-contact magnetic interlock with either 500 N or 1000 N holding force. Thanks to the flexible connection options, PSENslock can be used for safety gate monitoring up to PL e, both individually and in series, and guarantees maximum manipulation protection. The safety gate system passes the signals to the decentralised PDP modules / PNOZmulti Mini. Gates which do not require guard locking are fitted with the coded safety switch PSENcode. The connection is also made directly on-site via the decentralised PDP67 modules.

When plant and machinery are interlinked and when machines are assembled as modular systems, the PNOZmulti Mini systems are simply linked to each other, thereby guaranteeing that signals are exchanged safely. "By swapping the mechanical switches for the safety gate system PSENslock from Pilz, our customers can increase the productivity and reliability of their machines considerably", Manfred Schuster explains.

The software tool PNOZmulti Configurator makes light work of the configuration of the whole system. The clearly structured, intuitive user interface speeds up the commissioning process. The Safety Calculator PAScal from Pilz enables functional safety to be verified and documented simply and with ease. The calculation software calculates and verifies the key safety parameters such as Performance Level (PL) and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) for plant and machinery safety functions.

"We were looking for a new, universal safety solution that could be clearly structured. And we found it, with the PNOZmulti Mini and the decentralised PDP67 modules", says Manfred Schuster. The products in the PNOZmulti range developed by Pilz are ideally suited to systems requiring a standardised solution, from the stand-alone machine right through to modular networks.