By combining its world class factory automation produces to meet European safety standards EN ISO 13849-1, EN 62061 and IEC 61508 Mitsubishi Electric UK enables users to optimise productivity.

There can be few aspects of machine design that have moved so quickly in recent years as that of safety. With the introduction of new product concepts and harmonised standards which have shifted the safety ethos away from human intervention based on ‘zero accidents’ to risk assessments based on ‘zero risk’.

Meeting today’s safety requirements means conforming to the relevant safety regulations and standards which means meeting EN ISO 13849-1, EN 62061, or IEC 61508 according to the integrity requirement, functional requirement and complexity of the system. This has fundamentally changed the approach to safety system design.

On a large line or as part of a comprehensive decentralised safety system, a safety PLC is the most appropriate solution. This approach supports distributed control using safety PLCs and remote I/O and incorporates flexible programming and communications over dedicated safety networks.

The complete safety solution

Many companies can offer a choice of safety devices, or perhaps a safety system of some kind. However, few can provide a complete safety solution that fully integrates with the conventional automation system. Along with a vast portfolio of standard automation solutions, Mitsubishi Electric provides a total safety solution incorporating safety relays, safety controllers and safety PLCs, along with safety networks and fieldbuses as part of its fully integrated and scalable iQ architecture.

The Mitsubishi safety relay module (QS90) provides an integrated solution with the standard PLC controllers and is housed either directly on the standard PLC backplane or as an “safety island” on the standard CC Link network. . A basic safety function can be performed using conventional safety techniques, eliminating the need for programming and parameter settings.

The Mitsubishi safety controller (WS series) is an expandable compact controller suitable for control of small to medium-sized safety systems. Controllers can often be expanded to 100 or more safety I/O points and can provide network interfaces. Certified safety function blocks can enable a safety system to be structured easily and quickly, saving engineering time.

Mitsubishi Electric’s QS safety PLC is used where the application involves a complete line, complex or decentralised safety systems the solution is a safety PLC. It is based on the established iQ automation platform and conforms to international safety standards whilst maintaining compatibility with other Mitsubishi programmable controllers.

The QS offers a modern approach to safety by combining a CC-Link Safe distributed I/O network with the flexibility of a modular controller. This offers the capacity to cover an entire production line’s safety system, combining the benefits of reduced wiring, rapid diagnostics and easy program modification and maintenance, with the assurance of a full complement of safeguards against system failure and unauthorised access.

Distributed safety I/O can be handled using CC-Link Safe which is compatible with the established CC-Link open device level network and features the ability to mix both safety I/O and standard CC Link I/O on the same bus offering flexibility in system design.

It is, of course, speculation but it seems likely that safety standards will become ever more stringent in the future. Yet, at the same time, global competition will continue to make increasing productivity and reduced costs more and more important. The two do not have to be at odds, however. With appropriate safety technologies, built on the same platform as the most advanced standard control architectures and able to integrate seamlessly with them, users can reap the benefits of a win-win situation: the highest levels of safety and the assurance of truly optimised productivity.

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