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Coming to North America in January

Pilz’s SafetyEYE Guards New Core Shooter at European Trade Show

(CANTON, MI) – SafetyEYE, the revolutionary camera system for three-dimensional safety monitoring from Pilz Automation Safety LP, will be available in North America in the 1^st quarter of 2008, but it is already in action in Europe.

SafetyEYE – developed jointly by Pilz and Daimler AG – places a customized, three-dimensional protective cocoon around a manufacturing danger zone with a single system, which has the potential to replace a multitude of two-dimensional sensors currently in use today. It protects, controls and monitors, and detection zones can be configured flexibly and quickly on a PC.

Currently, the system is in use protecting transfer lines and at four German Daimler plants. It also was part of an exhibit at the GIFA 2007 Foundry Trade Fair in Düsseldorf.

At GIFA 2007, SafetyEYE provided protection for a machine that is revolutionary in its own right – the L-TWIN core shooter from Laempe & Moessner GmbH of Schopfheim, Germany. Core shooters create molds by injecting a mixture of sand and binder into a tool.

The L-TWIN works continuously with two tools, compared to a standard core-shooting machine that works with one tool. When a standard machine needs to be cleaned there is a two- or three-hour halt in production. Not only does the L-TWIN prevent that stop in production, it doubles production with every shift, and from the same floor space, by using the tools more efficiently, allowing for the removal of the finished core from one station while another core is being produced in the second station.

The machine’s design also provides operator advantages. The upper part of the tool can be moved into a vertical position, so it can be cleaned easily, quickly and safely while the machine keeps on working on the other side. In traditional machines, the operator has to crawl under the tool to remove residue.

With the easy access to the machine come the inevitable safety issues. At GIFA 2007, Laempe & Moessner chose Pilz’s SafetyEYE over a multitude of other security measures.

“Without SafetyEYE, they were utilizing multiple laser scanners and light curtains to protect it,” said Eric Hollister, Pilz Applications Manager. “Not only was that a lot of components, but it got in the way of the operators.”

At the show, one  SafetyEYE customized two separate and independant 3D protection cocoon surrounding the danger zones. The whole system consists of a camera/sensor, a controller and a PC.

The overhead-mounted camera/sensor unit delivers photodata of the protected area to the control unit, which creates – with the help of a highly complex algorithm – a 3D picture. The PC is used to configure the protected zones. In the case of the L-TWIN, several zones were configured on each side of the machine. Zones were established on each side to slow the operation of the machine and give a warning when a person ventures too close to the machine. Closer to the machine, on both sides, zones were set up to stop the machine completely if someone entered the true danger zone.

Instead of using wires, Laempe & Moessner created the warn and protection zones quickly and intuitively with the Pilz configuration tool on a PC. Multiple 3D views guaranteed a precise configuration. The monitoring of the danger zone was no longer is based on technical necessities but on the demands of the complex processes of the user.

In a manufacturing plant setting, changes in the application can be accommodated easily with the flexible system. The configuration tool makes adaptations to the predefined zones easy and quick.

Using SafetyEYE at GIFA 2007, Laempe & Moessner learned the advantages of 3D monitoring. With just one system, two different manufacturing areas can be monitored and controlled independently.

Pilz Automation Safety L.P.

The world leader in SAFE automation offers a full range of leading-edge safe automation products and services.

 Our innovative technologies and safety expertise provide you with the leanest and safest solutions.

Products include sensor technology, electrical monitoring relays, automation solutions with motion control, safety relays, programmable safety and control systems and an operating and monitoring range. Safe bus systems are also available for industrial networking.

Pilz also provides a comprehensive range of consulting, engineering and training services. Certified consultants are available for worldwide services for risk assessment, safety concept, safety design, CE services and safety sign-off.

To keep you LEAN and SAFE there is no better partner than Pilz.